As part of our Speedy Spreadsheet Week, I have asked you to share your favorite tips & techniques for speeding up Excel. And what-a-mind-blowing response you gave. 75 of you responded with lots of valuable tips & ideas to speed-up Excel formulas, VBA & Everything else.
How to read this post?
Since this is a very large article, I suggest reading few tips at a time & practicing them. Consider bookmarking this page so that you can refer to these wonderful ideas when you are wrestling with a sluggish workbook.
Thanks to all the contributors
Many thanks to everyone who shared their tips & ideas with us. If you like the tips, please say thanks to the contributor.
Please note that I am not able to share some of the files you emailed as they contained personal / sensitive data.
Read Excel Speeding-up tips by area
This page is broken in to 3 parts, click on any link to access those tips.
Formula Speeding-up Tips
VBA / Macros Optimization Tips
Everything Else
Share your tips
Formula Speeding-up Tips
I use Formula-Calculation Options-Manual to disable calculations when setting up complex inter-relating formula pages. This stops Excel from churning through calculations every time I change a cell, saving my time. I just hit F9 to recalculate when I want to see the results.
I use
Application.ScreenUpdating = False and
Application.Calculation = xlManual
to speed up macros, and
Application.StatusBar = LoopNum
so I can see the status of my macro and estimate how long there is left to calculate. Don’t forget to switch these back at the end of the macro!
When I have complex formulas with results that won’t change, I hard-code these to save calculation time, but I keep the formula only in the first cell, or pasted in a comment.
Hi Chandoo,
In spreadsheets that have vlookups, if the source file is not going to change; I have realized that it is better to paste-special the vlookup values. This is because even a couple of vlookup slows down the file massively on account of recalculating of values.
Another step I take (this depends on the criticality of data and other factors) is to set the auto-save function in excel to an infrequent duration.
Adi
Replace sum products with count ifs or sum ifs where possible – they calculate a million times faster!!
Avoid large number of SUMIFS, instead, aggregate data into a PivotTalble, then use the Index(Match) combo to locate the sums.
I have dramatically sped up large worksheets doing this.
1. Change Calculation to Manual mode. Calculate manually only when required.
2. Delete all name ranges, unused area, unnecessary formatting.
I think some of the more basic, but highly effective tips to speed up larger workbooks are:
1.) Avoid array formulae, where possible. Everyone knows there are a million ways to skin the proverbial Excel cat. Find alternatives to array.
2.) Adjust the calculation options, if necessary. Frequent calculations = sluggishness. A word of warning, though – people need to know if calculations aren’t automatic, or it can/will cause confusion.
3.) If all else fails, copy and paste as value. If the recipients of your data don’t need the flexibility to enter new data and update values with calculations, take formulae out of the equation (no pun intended) all together.
I replaced all my SUMPRODUCT formulas with SUMIFS and calculation time went from about 50sec to instantaneous. My system is a AMD 6 processor with 8gig memory, Excel 2007.
Stay away from array formulas (unless to have calculations on Manual).
A simple, little tip/trick for speeding up calculating:
Sometimes in a workbook you have so many formulas that for effective work you have no other choice but to turn off the auto-calculating. Still you work on your workbook, writing new formulas, there is no problem if you just wrote one formula in one cell – it can be calculated by just F2-Enter combo. Problem is when you created a new formula for a whole column – you don’t have to calculate whole workbook now or “F2-enter” every cell – just select the column you want to calculate, Ctrl+H and change “=” for … “=”. It’s a known trick, still some people may not know it yet. Cheers.
PS. I don’t work on English version of Excel so my translations may not be accurate.
I use templates with formulas in them that I add data to every month, and once I paste the next months data I copy down the formulas recalculate and then copy and paste the formulas except for one line of formulas for next month. In this way my spreadsheet of 200-300k & growing lines doesnt have to recalculate all the rows everytime.
I set the Automatic Calculation option to manual make any changes in Excel and then hit F9 to calculate as and when required or set back to Automatic once I have completed any large or slow spreadsheets. Save me so much time and frustration. I would love to hear any other tips on speeding up spreadsheets.
Cut down on the use of Array formulas – particularly if they are nested in IF statements.
Speed tips for formulae
1 As you type formula after the =sign, when the prompt appears select the down arrow key and press Tab key so that the function is inserted. Then press the fx in the formula bar to bring up the prompts and start filling the blanks
2 Use f4 key for referencing
3 When using the Rept formula use “l” which is L in small caps and then type the number of times you want to rept.
4 can combine 2 rept commands by shrinking the column width than doing long formulae
5 Rept formula is a powerful tool and can used to show both negative and positive values For e.g. profit and loss A/C can be shown in rept formula
another use of rept formula is to use it for confidence interval with mean in the middle.
6 To make Vlook up to look up values in the right side: copy and paste the columns next to each other and perform vlook up. it is easy and there is no need for another formula For eg;Name and Phone number in two columns
Vlook up will look up the name and will return the phone number. If we have phone number and want the name then we need to write a match and index, Instead if you copy name and phone next to each other then for the phone number vlook up will return the name. That is easy.
I am feeling sleepy after this. More later
Nice subject!
My 2 cts.
A. Formulas
1. If you need to turn off recalc, it is time for a redesign.
2. Avoid array formulas (this includes sumproduct), instead use helper columns which have intermediate results. Easier to debug and very often much faster
3. Avoid VLOOKUP, especially on large tables, instead, use INDEX combined with MATCH, where you use a helper column for the match so you only ask Excel to search your table once for each row instead of once for each column in a row.
4. Do your summarizing with Pivot tables instead of functions
5. Be prudent with range names. Use them sparingly and limit them to constants. Formulas with range names are harder to audit because of the extra layer between your formula and the grid.
6. Visit www.decisionmodels.com, the site contains a wealth of information on recalculation in Excel.
I work with files that use a lot of data tables. In order to avoid excessive delays I will turn off the automatic setting under calculation options and select automatic except for data tables. In addition, I have noticed that excessive conditional formatting can really bog down the spreadsheet as well. Thus, I try to limit and consolidate formatting needs where I can.
Use as many array formulas as possible on the staging worksheet. That way the Excel or UDF functions are called as few times as possible.
The way I speed up my workbooks is by pasting values (instead of keeping the formulas) once the data is no longer going to be updated. For example, I have files that track activity that has happened each quarter. The sheets often have 35,000 rows of data and formulas in each of the 10 columns (for each row). As soon as the quarter is over, I paste the values over the formulas since things won’t be changing any longer.
Perform paste down macros for all calculations. These use dynamic named ranges to select a row of formulas, then paste them in against a table of data. This way you can calculate formulas against thousands of rows and then copy-paste special with values. Removing live formulas seriously reduces calculations times for workbooks with 1K+ rows of data.
Perform Sorts and then use range formula (OFFSET, INDEX) to select a subset of rows, rather than using conditional formula on whole columns. SUMIF, COUNTIF, array formulas etc are very slow on big columns of data. Sorting can filter a table to records that share the same attribute and range formulas can pick up row numbers to only select a sorted block of values.
Keep use of array formulas to a minimum. Keep calculations running sequentially from top left to bottom right when possible. Break up larger internal formula calculations into smaller bites (more columns etc). Look for formula parts shared by formulas. Use offset to keep lookup formulae to the minimum required ranges. Use built-in formulas whenever possible.
I work with large workbooks with extensive formula throughout. I used to use VBA to paste in formulas then I would value them out, but my clients couldn’t easily modify the formulas if they desired a change. Since then I would place a formula row at the top of the data and use VBA to copy that row and paste formulas below, calculate then value them out. The client can then modify the initial row of data to suit their needs. This greatly improved save and load times.
When I have thousands of rows of equations (all the same), I convert all but the top row to values. Then I create a macro that spreads the equations from the top row down to all the necessary rows and makes them values again. Saves a lot of excel recalculating.
use iferror instead of if(iserror(…
I have Excel 2003 files of 45 Mb plus that track daily shift performance that have lots of vlookups, conditional formats, data validation, event triggered VBA. To speed things up I cheat! The historic data is copy-special pasted over itself to turn it into values only – so when auto updates happen they only process the “current data”.
One thing I do where there are multiple columns with formulas is this:
Once my formulas have all calculated and I know the the results won’t change, I copy the formula and put it at the top of my spreadsheet. Then put a red top & bottom border around the formula so I can easily find them.
I then copy the data set full of formulas and re-paste it on itself (keyboard shortcut – copy/file/paste special/values). The spreadsheet calculates much faster.
When I need to update the data I just copy the row of formulas and paste them over the data rows.
save as .xlsb to speed up opening time/decrease file size. also changed =if(iserror) to =iferror to speed up processing. changed from vlookups to pivot table/=getpivotdata format to speed up processing
a) Delete/or clear contents on all blank cells under & to the right of my data. b) On old inherited files, clear out old range names. c) use specific cell references for vlookups (rather than entire columns) d) remove as many calc’s as possible (copy-paste-special values) e) keep pivot tables in separate file from data file f)Stopped using arrays & sumproduct() completely 🙁 g) now considering upgrading to 64 bit OS & 64 bit MSOffice 2010 (currently using 32 bit MSExcel 2010 on XP)
1. Define name of ranges and Use it in the Formula if data is flowing from database.
2. Remove the unused name or name resulted any error or scope outside the workbook.( Formulas—>name manager)
Reduce Images / Shapes that reduces the performance
Linking all my dashboards with pivot tables and queries for to update complex data with one click.
My array formulas used to reference an entire row or column (e.g. A:A or 1:1), and I’m pretty sure that slowed down the sheet. I shrunk the reference to go through, say, row 5000, and it appears to have helped the problem.
No doubt excel is a powerful analytical tool but most of the people do not plan before designing there spreadsheet. One should plan the Start and End in mind, and the assumption that the spreadsheet will never be used again should kept out of mind. Perhaps this is might be the number one rule. Spreadsheets are about giving correct information to the user, not possible erroneous information that looks good.
Excel Best Practices & Design
Formatting
Your spreadsheet should be easy to read and follow. Most of the users spend about 30%, or more, of their time formatting their spreadsheets. Use the cell format of Text if really necessary. Any cell containing a formula, that is referencing a Text formatted cell, will also become formatted as Text. This format is not usually needed but very much used. If you apply a number format to specific cells avoid applying the format to the entire column. If you do, Excel will assume you are using these cells.
Layout
Try and ensure all related raw data is on one Worksheet and in one workbook. When putting in headings bold the font. This will help Excel recognize them as headings when you use one of its functions. When putting data into the data area of your spreadsheet try to avoid blank rows and columns. This is because a lot of Excels built-in features will assume a blank row or column is the end of your data. Use real dates for headings and format them appropriately. If you want the names of the months as headings type them in as 1/1/2001, 1/2/2001, 1/3/2001 etc then format them as “mmmm”. This is a very simple procedure that is all too often overlooked by many. Don’t put in one cell what could go in more than one cell, i.e. the names of 100 people to put into your spreadsheet, don’t put their full name in one cell. Instead, put the First name in one cell and their surname in the next cell to the right.
Formulas
This is the biggest part of any spreadsheet! Without them you really only have a document. Excel has over 300 built in Functions (with all add-ins installed), but chances are you will only use a handful of these.
The usual practice in regards to formulae in Excel is the referencing of entire columns, this is a big mistake! This forces Excel to look through potentially millions, of cells which it need not be concerned with at all. One of the very best ways to overcome this is to familiarize you with the use of dynamic named ranges.
Speeding up Re-calculations
A common problem with poorly designed spreadsheets is that they become painfully slow in recalculating. Some people will suggest that a solution to this problem is putting a calculation into Manual via Tools>Options>Calculations. A spreadsheet is all about formulas and calculations and the results that they produce. If you are running a spreadsheet in manual calculation mode, sooner or later you will read some information off your spreadsheet which will not have been updated, this means using F9 on regular intervals, which can cause bad results, because Pressing F9 can be overlooked.
Arrays, Sumproduct (used for multiple condition, summing or counting), UDFs, Volatile Functions and Lookup functions, can slow down the recalculations of spreadsheet.
Array Formulas
The biggest problem with array formulas is that they look efficient. An Array must loop through each and every cell they reference (one at a time) and check them off against a criteria. Arrays are best suited to being used on single cells or referencing only small ranges. A possible alternative are the Database functions. Another very good alternative which is mostly overlooked is the Pivot tables. Pivot Tables can be frightening at the first site but it is the most powerful feature of Excel.
UDF (User Defined Functions)
These are written in VBA and can be used the same way as built in functions can be, but unfortunately, no matter how good the UDF is written the, it will perform at the same speed as one of Excel’s built-in functions, even if it would be necessary to use several nested functions to get the same result. UDFs should only be used if an Excel function is not available
Volatile Functions.
Volatile functions are simple functions that will recalculate each time a change of data occurs in any cell on any worksheet. Most functions which are non-Volatile will only recalculate if a cell that they are referencing has changed. Some of the volatile functions are NOW(), TODAY(), OFFSET(), CELL(),INDIRECT(), ROWS(), COLUMNS() . If you are using the result of these functions frequently throughout your spreadsheet, avoid nesting these functions within other functions to get the desired result especially in array formulas and UDF’s. Simply use the volatile function into a single cell on your spreadsheet and reference that cell from within other functions.
Lookup Functions
The Famous Vlookup(). Excel is very rich in lookup functions. These functions can be used to extract data from just about any table of data. The biggest mistake made by most, is the forcing of Excel to look in thousands, if not millions of cells superfluously. The other mistake is that the lookup functions are told to find an exact match. This means that Excel will need to check all cells until it finds an exact match. If possible, always use True for VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP. So, whenever possible, sort your data appropriately. Sorting the lookup columns is the single best way to speed up lookup functions. Another Bad practice is the double use of the Lookup Function nested within one of Excels Information functions. Like =if(isna(vlookup(cell ref,Range,2,false))=true, “Please check”, (vlookup(cell ref,Range,2,false)))
This is used to prevent the #N/A error from displaying when no match can be found. This forces Excel to use the VLOOKUP twice. As you can imagine, this doubles the number of Lookup functions used. The best approach is to live with the #N/A, or hide it via CONDITIONAL FORMATTING.
LAST WORDS
Lean to us e database functions. They are very easy to use and are often much faster than their Lookup & Reference counterpart.
Microsoft Tips
Organize your worksheets vertically. Use only one or two screens of columns, but as many rows as possible. A strict vertical scheme promotes a clearer flow of calculation.
When possible, a formula should refer only to the cells above it. As a result, your calculations should proceed strictly downward, from raw data at the top to final calculations at the bottom.
If your formulas require a large amount of raw data, you might want to move the data to a separate worksheet and link the data to the sheet containing the formulas.
Formulas should be as simple as possible to prevent any unnecessary calculations. If you use constants in a formula, calculate the constants before entering them into the formula, rather than having Microsoft Excel calculate them during each recalculation cycle.
Reduce, or eliminate, the use of data tables in your spreadsheet or set data table calculation to manual.
If you only need a few cells to be recalculated, replace the equal signs (=) of the cells you want to be recalculated. This is only an improvement if you are calculating a very small percentage of the formulas on your worksheet.
By changing formulas to manual from automatic
If my model has lot of formulas in the data sheets and working on the summary tab – then I will Keep my formula calculation option as “Manual”.
If you are doing calculation in one sheet Pls use Shift+F9 (to get refresh the formula in the active sheet).
F9 – to refresh the complete workbook.
1. arrange source data before linking to dashboard / report with macros and other aggregate functions
2. separate results into several charts & link list boxes to just one calculation
3. avoid volatile and array functions
VBA / Macros Optimization Tips
First. I find your site awesome.
Well I speedup my VBA code by setting
Application.ScreenUpdating to false
Application.EnableEvents to false and
Application.Calculation to xlCalculateManual
and then setting those values back to whatever they were before I made the changes. I do EnableEvents when I use a Event Driven actions and I know that I do not need them during those calculation/operations.
Two approaches.
a) Profile both worksheet calculations, and if necessary VBA code using the profilers downloadable here to identify and report on slower performing calculations and code.
http://ramblings.mcpher.com/Home/excelquirks/optimizationlink
b) in VBA, always abstract data from the worksheet and work on the abstracted object model.
http://ramblings.mcpher.com/Home/excelquirks/classeslink/data-manipulation-classes/howtocdataset
We design macros which we run across the many worksheets. If formulas are generated, we do final macros to save the formula results as numbers. This retains our worksheets as light.
Regards
David
1. Disable screen updating in VBA.
2. Set calculation to Manual, use Shift-F9 to calculate each sheet as needed. Is a pain, but I have found it is a major time saver on a couple of my largest files.
Recently, I’ve been busy with a project to emulate software for seeking secret messages in classical texts using EXCEL. I need to write hundreds of thousands of single letters each in a cell, and I’ve found it faster to operate internally VBA and finally write as a block in a declared range, rather than doing it via a loop writing individually each cell.
I haven’t measured times, but I would venture it’s a lot faster.
Not sure if this is what you are looking for – but here is what I do to speed up my excel workbook –
Along with all standard keyboard shortcuts – I have been creating a lot of Macros. I ran out of shortcut keys I can use with Ctrl – so now started using Ctrl+Shift to create my own shortcuts. (May be I don’t know any existing shortcut- and tried to reinvent the wheel for some of them)
I have Macros for – Green/Yellow/Pink Highlight – Merge + Wrap Text – Enter TB Link (Entering specific formula to cell) – Single Underline Cell
Just thought to share this as you asked for – considering all the entries I have seen from others on your website, I am just a newbie in the Excel World.
VBA: One powerful one is to use “Destination:” in your copying and pasting which bypasses the clipboard. Or if only values are wanted simply assign values.
So instead of:
Sheet1.Range(“A1:A100”).Copy
Sheet2.Range(“B1”).pasteSpecial
Application.CutCopyMode=False
‘Use:
Sheet1.Range(“A1:A100”).Copy Destination:=Sheet2.Range(“B1”)
If values only required ditch copy and simply assign values from one place to another:
Sheet2.Range(“B1:B200”).Value= Sheet1.Range(“A1:A100”).Value
Avoid loops like the plague while writing macros, unless absolutely necessary.
A tip which is well documented when searching for ways to improve performance when using VBA/Macros is to turn off screen updating, calculations and setting PivotTables to manual update.
Most of the procedures I create in VBA start with:
With Application
.ScreenUpdating = False
.Calculation = xlCalculationManual
End With
And will end with the following statements:
With Application
.ScreenUpdating = True
.Calculation = xlCalculationAutomatic
End With
If PivotTables are involved then I include the following in procedure:
With PivotTable
.ManualUpdate = True
End With
And will end with the following statement
With PivotTable
.ManualUpdate = False
End With
Planning carefully before coding.
Passing the entire SQL query into the code, leaving no connection on sheets.
This is a very general tip, but when using VBA — AVOID LOOPS!
Use the “Find” and “Search” methods rather than looping through cells. Loops work quick when you are using less than 100, or sometimes less than 1000 cells — but start adding more and you will be in for a waiting game.
If you have VBA code that writes updates to the screen, this slows down the code (I/O is slow). If you have a lot of screen writes, the code can be painfully slow. You can turn off screen writes while your code is running and then do one massive screen write at the end of the macro. Up at the beginning of your code, maybe just after you declare variables, add the line “Application.ScreenUpdating = False”. At the end of your code, you need to turn screen writes back on so add the line “Application.ScreenUpdating = True” just before you exit the macro.
If you have a load of screen writes, the speed difference can be dramatic.
Hey Chandoo
VBA-speed
at the beginning of the macro
…
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual
at the end of the macro
….
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
Application.Calculation = xlCalculationAutomatic
Call Calculate
end sub
regards Stef@n
With Application.ScreenUpdating = False / True
With Application.Calculation = xl.CalculationManual
Using the statement with wherever is possible
and release memory when the objects variable are not used anymore
Everything Else
1. I list out the things required and will imagine the plan of my task.
2. I try to minimize the calculation for speedy calculation. So, I am trying to learn new formulas.
3. In each and every step, I consider about the others who use that excel. So that I can make the workbook user-friendly to others also.
I close MS Outlook when working on heavy files. Basically I exit all the programs that will eat into process speed. It helps to an extent.
Also, I try and minimize cross linking of files.
Power Pivot from Microsoft. This looks like it would solve the problem of large amounts of data.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/powerpivot-for-microsoft-excel-2010-FX101961857.aspx
I wrote a blog article on my favorite tips here: http://www.plumsolutions.com.au/articles/excel-model-file-size-getting-out-hand
I haven’t done this myself, but a consultant we used sped up our dashboard by writing VBA code which “dumped” a lot of the back data after it was loaded. This greatly reduced the amount of data stored, thus reducing file size, thus sped up the dashboard.
1. Many database download from whatever system may include blank data occupying cells from the last row of data to the last possible row Excel can provide. So I would look at the data set and delete those rows (or columns, but I see more blank rows than blank columns).
2. Too many pivot tables: I’d ask the person who create multiple pivot table on the same workbook to see if there is a need to maintain those pivot tables. If the answer is
a) no need to maintain: I’d delete.
b) need to maintain but may not be in a pivot table. I’d convert pivot tables into just text/data (thereby removing the pivot function) table.
3. Try to reduce the number of worksheet. I found out that the size of a workbook (I can’t prove it but it’s my general observation) would expand if there are more worksheets.
Standardize, standardize, standardize! The more you are “boring” the quicker it will be to set up work with (and have others) use your formats!
Items to standardize:
– Font
– Color scheme
– Headers
-Colors for “input” (font color or fill color)
-tab color scheme (answers, data input, analytics)
– Color for “answer/solution”
– Lead with a recap page (easy and quick to find the solution)
-Configure to print (courtesy to others – if you need to print an answer – set up the parameters before sharing)
by using single sheet in work book & using alt,clt short key
Oddly enough, the best thing I have found to speed up Excel is to completely disconnect internet access for my computer. I don’t know why, but Excel is unbelievably slow when I am otherwise online, and speeds up immediately when I disconnect. I’d love it if someone could help me understand why this is the case.
Even though I’ve been using Excel for quite some time, I learn and love your site. You teach me the impossible. The simplest way I at least save data space is to save it in .xlsb format. I read somewhere that even a .xlsx is basically a number of zipped or compressed files that need to open and save. Not sure about that, but know the binary file is much smaller in size than the others. Not sure if macro enabled workbooks will save as binary. Thanks. Always look forward to what the next email will hold…scary sometimes. -Jim
I’m not an expert but try to keep the dashboard as much simple as possible.
I use access to have the main table and from that table we create different dashboards and reports and pivots to analyze data
I break any links to the spreadsheet that I am not using.
Try to avoid adding formatting over an area larger than you need, I’ve found that if you format a whole row, column or worksheet it can slow the workbook down and create large files
Dumping out as much unnecessary data as I possibly can, converting formulas to values whenever possible and making sure the empty space on each sheet is empty.
Also I’m using lots of pivot tables on my spreadsheets so I’m trying to use as few pivot caches as possible and trying to use external data sources for my PTs whenever possible (or deleting the original data once the PT is created).
Most of the time, to increase speed & size. what I do is
1) simply copy the used data cells to a new sheet, (by selecting from A1 to the end of the data cell),
2) if there are too much of borders decorated around more cells, then try replacing these borders with minimum dotted lines (just to highlight the difference)
3) Avoid using too many fonts in the sheet
4) Cut short complicated formulas or multiple linked formulas,
I have Liked based models. I try to make my links as small as possible. I try to put all the sheets in one file and interlink them so that they take less storage space and react much speedy in working.
Create a view in SQL and set a scheduled task to run to generate the view before you update the dashboard.
Do we get some SWAG for sharing??
Here are some tips I’ve collected, although they repeat some points they provide different viewpoints:
10 WAYS TO IMPROVE EXCEL PERFORMANCE
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10things/10-ways-to-improve-excel-performance/2842?tag=nl.e072
EXCEL 2010 PERFORMANCE: IMPROVING CALCULATION PERFORMANCE
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/ff700515.aspx
CLEAN UP YOUR MACRO LIST
http://excelribbon.tips.net/T008037_Clean_Up_Your_Macro_List.html
OPTIMIZE MACROS – VBA CODE CLEANER
http://www.appspro.com/Utilities/CodeCleaner.htm
I recently happened to work on a report which has 1.5 lac rows of data in 16 columns. The requirement was that in the main report as soon as a change is made say for a dept or month the numbers should accordingly change. I tried most known formulas like Sumifs, Sumproduct, Vlookup, Index and Match. How ever the calculation time these formulae took was much more compared to one formulae that I felt was the fastest in terms of calculation. That was Getpivot data.
I basically used the “show all report filter” option in the Pivot options to generate summary data in around 500 tabs using the my base data. Then I used get pivot data formula in my report file. Though the file size was a bit huge still my formula get calculated almost instantaneously.
Also one strange thing I noticed in one other file of mine was that when I press Ctrl+end the last cell it stopped was in some 2 lac row or something, how ever the data was only in some 10k rows. I used clear all option from the last cell from where I have data to the last cell it went when I pressed Ctrl+end .By doing this my file size came down from 12 MB to some 600kb.. 🙂
Hope this helps someone.
Hi,
Great topic (as usual).
One thing I like to do is minimize links between workbooks. Instead of using live links to import data I like to use import and export sheets. These are identical sheets on the origin workbook (for export) and the receiving workbook (for import). Values are calculated in the origin workbook and pasted to the receiver as values only.
This gets rid of messy links and keeps spreadsheets smaller and tidier.
One thing to be careful of is that if one changes the other has to change so they stay identical.
Thank you again for your excellent material.
That’s my problem too I would love to hear what others say. For
me closing other spread sheets and unnecessary opened tasks in your PC helps.
– remove external data links – better to import a large data table – or use an SQL statement if possible.
– especially don’t use INDIRECT to anything external
1) Limit color use in Excel
2) Hide gridlines (with “View Gridlines” function) rather than color the cells white
3) Create smart Vlookup formulas (Arrange data in the lookup tab so the range is as small as possible – 3 columns vs. 20 columns)
4) Link multiple tabs using the same data to one data tab. Ie.. Dates, headers, etc…the links will eliminate having to update each tab.
5) Extract only the needed data from the database (10 columns of needed data vs. 40 columns available data.
6) If the Database report does not allow the user to choose what is exported, export the data, organized the needed data into a consolidated area (rows x columns), Copy & paste into a new tab and delete the original tab. Many people leave the original data in the file, which slows down the file and adds to the file size.
1) Don’t create different pivots from same data. Copy the old and slice into the new one.
2) Go to special –> Check Last known cell and delete unnecessary data and formulae.
3) Set Calculation option to manual. Do all the dirty work and finally make it automatic and go for a coffee break 🙂
4) Use excel tables as far as possible.
To speed up workbooks, the reduction of formulas within the workbooks should be the main aim.
If the data is being pulled from an external database into the worksheet:
– Do not start calculations on that data in the workbook which could have been done before, e.g. using formulas to split up the dates like mm-dd-yyyy, weekdays a.s.o..
– Reduce the amount of sources if possible and combine the data in one sheet
– Use name ranges
– Split up the workbooks for different purposes (Dashboard for CEO, Dashboard for CFO a.s.o..).
– Try to use only one format for importing (I prefer *.csv or *.txt)
– If you connect your Workbook directly to a SQL database, make sure the connection is high-speed
If the modeling is too complex, think of using a a (semi-) professional data ETL tool in between or use the additional add-ons like PALO or Pentaho available as open source to rise the power of multidimensional databases for your BI-tools.
This can and will save time in calculating for the necessary functions of the workbooks. Stay with KISS (Keep it simple, stupid).
I use name range for multiple pivots, basically the offset function, this not only speeds up my calculation but also reduces the size of the workbook.
More on Excel Optimization & Speeding up:
Read these articles too,
- Optimization & Speeding-up Tips for Excel Formulas
- Charting & Formatting Tips to Optimize & Speed up Excel
- Optimization Tips & Techniques for Excel VBA & Macros
- Excel Optimization tips submitted by Experts
- Excel Optimization tips submitted by our readers
Want to become better in Excel? Join Chandoo.org courses
Excel SchoolLearn Excel from basics to advanced level. Create awesome reports, dashboards & workbooks. |
VBA ClassesLearn VBA & Macros step-by-step. Build complex workbooks, automate boring tasks and do awesome stuff. |
How do you speed-up Excel? Share your tips
Between these 75 ideas & and previously written articles, we have covered a lot of optimization & speeding-up techniques. What are your favorite methods? How do you optimize & deal with sluggish workbooks? Please share your ideas & tips with us using comments.
132 Responses to “Excel Tables Tutorial & 13 Tips for making you a Data Guru”
Chandoo, I have only been using data tables for a few weeks & have discovered that they can be used to have charts dynamically expand to take in new data.
Simply set up the chart data in a block with appropriate headings (headings must be text, not formula).
Convert it into a table, select the whole table and insert a chart.
Format the chart as required.
When new data is added the the table and chart will expand to show the data.
The only problem I have found is that the last column of data must show a number when inserting the chart- a blank, #N/A and perhaps text will cause wierd changes in the chart. However this only occurs when first inserting the chart once set up it accomodtes blanks & #N/A etc. This is easily over by adding a temporary number when required on setting up the chart then replacing it with the correct formula when the chart is complete.
This seems to be a lot easier than using offset formula for the series .
Nice post. I've been using Pivot Tables for years but haven't used the "table" button until now.
This is great! Never used data tables before but it helps a lot. One question though, if I try drag your SUMIF formula across a row, different columns are selected in the formula. Normally you can make the columns static in a formula by using "$" - any suggestions on doing the same here?
Convert the data to range. Enter your SUMIF formula, then convert it back to a table.
This doesn't work....well, it only worked one way when I tried it. I had the data as a table and had created some SUMIFS formulae on another sheet. I coverted the data table to range and the formulae all changed to use range references. But when I changed the data back to table, the formulae stayed the same.
Creating absolute structured references is a bit awkward but not difficult.
Some Column as a relative reference
=SUM(Table1[Some Column])
Some Column as an absolute reference -- repeat the column name
=SUM(Table1[[Some Column]:[Some Column]])
The Some Column cell of the current row as absolute -- repeat the column name -- with the Other Column cell of that same row as relative
=SUM(Table1[@[Some Column]:[Some Column]],[@Other Column])
The range of Some Column to Other Column as entirely relative -- repeat the table name
=SUM(Table1[Some Column]:Table1[Other Column])
Nice post. Nice to see such useful options in 2007.
hi Chandoo,
How do you "record" the screen captures of the screens that you need to show into the animated gifs? Do you use a special software for it?
Use the snipping tool on the start menu.
You're posting 4 years late... and I'm posting 5 years late.... 🙂
I use Camtasia to record and produce these animated gifs. You can get a trial version here: techsmith.com
Thank you. This is truly a gem that will save hours and hours of time.
Nice post! However, in a basic form this functionality already existed in Excel 2003 as a 'List' (ctrl-L). So it not needed to convert the table back to a normal range for excel 2003 users.
Chandoo,
nice post. Seems to be a useful feature. Does data tables exist in Excel2003 as well?
@Peter H: Very cool tip about the charts and data tables.
@Dan: Tables are very useful and simple. Pivot can be very powerful for data analysis, but tables are good for maintaining databases.
@Michelle: The sumif formula in the article is written outside the table in a cell. If you write formulas in and copy (ctrl+c) and paste them, then the references are not changed. But if you drag the cell (thus auto-fill), then the cell references to table columns are changing. Not sure why excel would behave like this.
Also, inside the table, you can use [#this row] operator to calculate values for that row alone.
@Frederick: I use camtasia studio to record the screen. It is a nice software. You can test it from techsmith website.
@Doug: You are welcome 🙂
@Robert: My mistake, I meant version earlier than excel 2003.
@Michael: yeah, they are called as Lists. Press, Ctrl+L to create one.
[...] since I have learned the tables feature in Excel 2007, I have fallen in love with that. They are so awesome and so user [...]
i kept saying OMG WOW THATS AMAZING over and over.
i'm quite new with excel so your blog helps a lot and this post, is truly great. thank you!
[...] Microsoft Excel Table Tips and Tricks – Learn Data Tables and Become a Data God | Pointy Haire...By chandoo.org October 16, 2009- ???????Excel???????????????……?X?…… [...]
[...] Microsoft Excel Table Tips and Tricks – Learn Data Tables and Become a Data God | Pointy Haire...By chandoo.org October 16, 2009- ???????Excel???????????????……?X?…… [...]
[...] Microsoft Excel Table Tips and Tricks – Learn Data Tables and Become a Data God | Pointy Haire...By chandoo.org October 16, 2009 [...]
4. Bye, bye cell references, welcome structured references
it does not beat absolute reference to cell i.e $A$1, because if named range is used, it will not copy correctly if u use cell dragging horizontally... it will move to the next name range
This is a huge negative for "structured" references. Excel created a nifty tool that requires me to accept a significant loss of functionality if I decide to use it. It also prohibits dragging cell references to change formulae, so if I drag to fill, I have to click into the cell to manually edit the reference cells to what they should be instead of being able to drag the cell reference box back to the correct column. A small step forward and a giant step back. Or, more succinctly, Microsoft - 'nuf said.
Thanks for the information. Disappointing answer but helps solve my problem.
Chandoo,
I have a question on this. In my sheet I have the "Total Row" added. In that I take an average of a column values and I need to reference this final Average value elsewhere. How Can I reference this specific "totalled average cell" such that when new rows are added the same cell is taken?
As of now, since the total is at the bottom of the table, when a new row is added the cell id of this "total average" row keeps changing. I tried to move it to the top of the table to keep it constant but I couldn't.
thank you
sb
@SB.. you can use the [#totals] tag in the structured reference to total row else where like this:
=Table1[[#Totals],[Column1]] This will work even when you add more rows to the table.
Hi Chandoo,
when i use this code it always shows a #Ref! error.Can you please help me to fix it?
Thanks!
Siddhant
Thanks @chandoo.
[...] will save precious amount of time when you are busy modeling. (100s of tips on keyboard shortcuts, excel tables, formulas, charting & [...]
[...] Select your list of products (or invoices or cats) and make it in to a table. (here is a helpful tutorial on excel tables). [...]
[...] Simplifying data analysis with Excel Tables [...]
Dear Chandoo (Excel Guru)
Thank you very much for sharing such useful tips... now I feel more confident in analyzing a data with Excel....
Regards
Chandoo,
Where referecing table columns as range input to formulas such as sumif(), is it possible to get Excel to treat the reference as static for "fill" purposes?
Cheers,
Steve
@DangerMouse.. you can use ctrl+c ctrl+v instead of drag fill technique to treat the table references as static.
How to make absolute reference on Table column?
I have Table1 and use such formula:
=SUMIFS(Table1[Pay],Table1[Month],G9)
I want to “freeze” columns “Table1[Pay]” and “Table1[Pay]” in formula (like $A:$A).
How to do it?
Looking at article like these make me sad 🙁 - still being laden with 2003 really goads when you see so many fantastic improvements just out of ones rech like this......
[...] Excel Tables, a newly introduced feature in Excel 2007 is a very powerful way to manage & work with tabular data. I really like tables feature and use it quite often. If you are new to tables, read up Introduction to Excel Tables. [...]
I want to learn some excel course from you.
If you have any training centre in Mumbai, Please let me know..
Excellent Work!
Thanks
Avinash Ahire
i want to learn some advance tally course from you
if you have a training center in mumbai any location, please let me know
Excellent work!
[...] 10 Tips on using Excel Tables [...]
Is there a better way than ctrl-c-ctrl-v to expand the ~ifs() formulae across a row while keeping the absolute references to the auto-named ranges in the data-table? I know this has been mentioned a few times in the comments but I'm hoping someone cleverer than me might re-look at this...
All I've got so far is transposing my new table I'm trying to create so I'm dragging down instead of across, which holds the named column references, but I would prefer a dragging across solution
This is my first post on your website Chandoo, but I've been reading for a couple of weeks. It's a fantastic site! Thanks for all your efforts
I love it, I love it, I love it. Don't know how many errors I run into because of bad cell references this should help mitigate this.
Ok REALLY stupid question, I created the table and I have been putting in formulas using the column names, how do I "without using my mouse" select the table name from the tool tip ( or drop down) that shows up. Currently I have to scroll my mouse down to the right column name and then click it add the bracket etc. This also applies for when I use formulas in general. Please help, I am trying to be "Mouse free" 🙂
I have been using Excel forever this is amazing.
Hi Chandoo,
I am using Excel 2007.
I am using an excel workbook to enter data for several different sites (each site has its own worksheet). I want to establish a summary worksheet showing the consolidated data accross all sites so as I enter data into the individual site worksheets the data is also replicated in the summary worksheet which is then sorted by site to show the consolidated view of all sites. Each of the site worksheets have the same data headings which will be replicated in the summary worksheet.
Can you please give me some advice as to how I can go about this?
I know how to use the basics of excel but know nothing about using databases like Access so I would prefer to continue to gather the information in excel if this can be done.
Hoping you can help me,
Jim Morley
[...] The Data Table function should not be confused with the Insert Table function. [...]
[...] Excel 2007, Microsoft has introduced a powerful and useful feature called as Tables. One of the advantages of Tables is that you can write legible formulas by using structural [...]
Chandoo,
I really missed you discount offer last week or so,That day i could not access the internet.Any chance of getting discount offer, i am really interested in joining your course.pl let me know.
Chandoo, thanks a lot for all your tips and tutorials. Your tutorials are really great and easy to follow!!!
Hi, Can i access Excel 2007 table via code - JavaScript?
WOW!
I've spent days organising a "table" of my own (without knowing it) writing formulas,creating helper columns and generally getting stuck and i just figured out that tables and pivot tables do all this in minutes. I dont know whether to feel downhearted or elated that i've learnt this! (all be it too late)
[...] Learn Conditional Formatting 3. Making Dashboards using Excel 4. Project Management with Excel 5. Working with Excel Tables Topics & Archives 1. Learn Excel - Topic-wise 2. Charting Tips, Tricks and Tutorials 3. Ask an [...]
Hi ,
I need a vba for excel training in delhi, kindly suggest regarding this..
How do I get the AutoFormat of Double-Bars in XL 2010? It was so easy in 2003, but I cannot find a way to do it, w/o VBA, in 2010! It can't be that hard.
In 2003, Format, AutoFormat, choose the List 2 style. It formatted rows in groups of twos, or pairs. Very handy in lots of cases.
Any ideas?
Thanks
[...] Learn more about Excel Tables. [...]
[...] How to Use Tables to Speed up Formatting of your Data [...]
I have become a fan of tables now. 🙂
Hi Chandoo,
I used structured reference but when I close and open again, they have all become cell references! Is there a way to fix this? I am using 2010. Thanks,
Prem
Even I have the same problem and worst is it when we add new rows the formulas now do not get changed as it is now having cell references 🙁
Regads,
Prasad DN
Make sure you're saving in the 2007 or 2010 format (instead of the 93/97 format).
Dear Sir,
i want tech the micro soft excel data table and function for opperating the micro soft excel. please give send the tip of micro soft excel.
with best regards and wishes,
Muhammad Bilal Yousaf
Dear
I went to some new learn work in excel
latest
best Regard
Farooq Asim
Absolute references:
As Chandoo says, these move if you use drop and drag. However, if you highlight the required cells, place the cursor in the cell to be copied and use Ctl Enter then the formula copies keeping the references "absolut"
Linda
Good work done.
[...] have set up this data in an Excel Table called as tblSales so that it is easier to write [...]
I've tried to name tables so that I can reference them in functions, etc... but I'm not having any luck getting the name to stick. I can click in the area to the left of the function button and type a new name for the table, but clicking outside of that causes the name to revert back to what it was (for instance, 386, or 3). Thoughts?
@Eric
Select any cell in the Table you want to rename
You should see a Table Tools, Design Ribbon
Select that Ribbon and on the Left there is a Table Name: dialog
Change the name and press Enter
[...] wrote a great post several years ago that explained the basics of Excel tables and provided a number of tips and tricks related to them. [...]
How to rename a Data Table name in Excel.
Sorry guys i got it.
i like you your website, but i quesestion i wil written to excel in accountant but evry time name party not incuding, so anything i find to party name is all ready this excel in ready name ,so you my question solve and reply to me my email id vimal_jariwala15@yahoo.ca
Nice Article
Hi,
How can one add zebra lines in table rows in Office 2010?
@Nitin K.
When you say Table I assume you have a Table setup using the Insert Table menu
If so goto the Table Tools, Design Tab
Select one of the Zebra styles or edit one to setup your own colors
If you don't have a Data Table, select your Data and goto Insert, table menu, then follow the instructions above
You may also want to have a read of: http://chandoo.org/wp/2011/12/08/formula-forensics-no-005/
I have learned so much in the last few weeks since joining in here. Well done.
Now I have a query that I need hlep with. The company I have started working for uses loads of data. Reports are exported to Excel then sorted etc etc...
The Key ref numbers are numeric, 12345.1 and 12345.10 etc etc. Excel will obviously sort the .10 above the .1 - Its an habbit of the reporting software to create a .1 and not .01 Is there anyway within Excel to block alter all the .1's to .01's? I'm talking thousands of them, not just a handful that could be formated as text manually.
[...] Use Excel Tables: Since Excel 2007, we can create tables from structured data and write formulas, create charts that refer to dynamic ranges with ease. Click here to know more about tables. [...]
[...] the dashboard on the Property Register converted to an Excel Table (a 2007+ feature that many are still unaware of) enables the use of Slicer selectors in Excel 2013 to quickly give a dashboard feel. It’s [...]
Great site, and your instructions are so easy to follow. Thanks so much!
On sheet 1, I have a table of names and demographic information for each.
On sheet 2, I am using the same table of names but different data across the columns.
When I add a New Name to the table on Sheet 1, I have to manually extend the table on Sheet 2, to expose the new name.
Is there a way to automatically expand the table on sheet 2, to show the new name added to the table on Sheet 1??
Thanks so much
Has anyone tried using named tables as data sources outside of Excel? For instance, referencing the table for a mail merge? If so, how have you got it to work? Thank you all!
Yes. I use tables in a mail merge. There's no trick (I can think of) to it different than using any other Excel data to mail merge. My own notes for mail merging mention that I open the Excel spreadsheet first and that I need to make sure that the active sheet is the sheet with the table I want to use on it. I do seem to have had problems if a different sheet is the active one.
There IS a trick to making sure your Excel formatting (like number formatting for $, etc.) comes through. But that is true whether or not you are using a table.
[...] of data in this dashboard is captured using Excel Tables. This has several [...]
I like to say, "If you're not using tables, you're doing it wrong." Or at least 90% of the time you should be using them!
I would like to say, "Tables are the best thing since sliced bread", but it then occurs to me that sliced bread is highly overrated. I can slice my own loaf much quicker than doing many of the things manually in Excel that tables make easier.
I LOVE tables! They have changed how quickly and awesomely I can analyze and present data.
Hi Chandoo, another awsome tutorial.
Can you expand the VBA so that i can leave some categories blank and the table will show ALL entries for that category? (eg all Customer Types or all Regions)?
Thanx, Gijs.
[...] ourSales[month] refers to the month column in the ourSales table. Works only in Excel 2007 or above. Know more about Excel Tables. [...]
So I created a data table and wrote forumlas using the data table and column names. It all calculated out beautifully. HOWEVER, now that I want to add lines to my data table, none of the formulas are seeing the added data. I've gone in to expand the range of the table, etc. But still no luck. So stinkin' frustrated :/ Any advice??
[...] best way to create a tracker is to use Excel tables. Set up one with 4 columns – Employee name, vacation type, start date & end date, like [...]
Hi,
I need to convert some data into columns can anyone help me?
[...] Visit link: Microsoft Excel Table Tips and Tricks – Learn Data Tables and … [...]
Dear Chandoo,
I have done much research and your Excel offering is certainly highly rated and I would like to subscribe. I am using Excel 2011 for Mac. Will the course content be compatible? I assume it will but perhaps you have been made aware of some idiosyncrasies?
I look forward to hear from you.
Louis
P.S. Are you aware that your reference to "GOD" will be offensive to many in the Biblical-based faith community (of which I am a practising one)? I suspect you are using it in a different context but it does detract from your brilliance.
[...] how your data for the projects/entities being tracked laid out. We will use the Excel data tables [structured references] to help us [...]
[...] how your data for the projects/entities being tracked laid out. We will use the Excel data tables [structured references] to help us [...]
[...] created an agenda table with below [...]
[...] Introduction to Tables in Excel [...]
[...] select any cell in range and press CTRL+T. Specify a name for your table from design tab. Read introduction to Excel tables to understand [...]
[...] Introduction to Tables, Introduction to structural [...]
Dear Chandoo,
Just one word "Amazing" I like this site 😉
Thanks for sharing all of these
Good Luck
[...] wrote a great post several years ago that explained the basics of Excel tables and provided a number of tips and tricks related to them. [...]
hi chandoo,
I m unable to get the point 6. plz help.
@Arindam
The Menu's Chandoo shows as Pt 6 vary from Excel version to Version
They are accessible by
Click in a PT anywhere
A menu Bar will appear with Pivot table Tools
It may have a Options Tab and a Design Tab
Select the Design Tab
You should see the options shown in Pt 6 here
[…] am sure you all are aware of a feature called as Excel Tables OR Structured References in Excel. Excel Tables is (in my opinion) the best way to store your raw […]
Hi, in point number 6 of http://chandoo.org/wp/2009/09/10/data-tables/
Total your Tables without writing one formula
The ability to summarize data with pivot tables is extended to excel tables as well. You can add total row to your table with just a click.
What more, you can easily change the summary type from “sum” to say “average”.
How do you change the summary type from sum to say average?
@Mona
These are pivot tables
So simply right click on the Total line and change the Calculation type from Sum to Average
Table Text Filtering - is it possible to have column 1 ( in this case named "WO") in the table filter automatically based on the date referenced in another worksheet cell within the same workbook?
Thank you 🙂
Excellent presentation...it would surely interest the most excel fearing people I knw
[…] LinkExcel data table is a series of rows and columns with related data that is managed independently. … Excel 2007 has some great pre-defined table formatting opt…chandoo.org […]
how can add last paid amount in vacation track.
[…] Tables: to keep the products & services data […]
Tried removing the filters but it was difficult. Any reason for this?
Valuable information. Fortunate me I discovered your website unintentionally,
and I'm surprised why this coincidence did not came about earlier!
I bookmarked it.
Going to drop this comment here, since I could not really find a suitable post otherwise. I am not sure if I am overthinking this per usual and missing a very simple remedy - but nonetheless I find myself at a dead end.
Anyone know if it is possible, and if so, how to have multiple headers in a table? I know it sounds counterintuitive but I would like a way to pivot a bulk set of data (set in an Excel Data Table) but have the option to choose 1 of 2 Options when choosing my data header for the Pivot.
Let me try and explain a scenario. So each row has an Account, Part #, a specific week ending date units sold, and a specific week ending date unit dollars. For each account, we sell maybe 5-7 products. So Retailer A has 5 unique rows, Retailer B has 7 unique rows, yadda yadda.
I have 4 tabs, very similar of one another, the only variable is the year (specified by the tab) - or - table name ... and the removal and inclusion of obsolete and new products.
Our Sales weeks are Sunday-Saturday. So, I have 2 column headers that read 11/15 Units and 11/15 Dollars; for this past week.
However, If I wanted to compare this past week to last year or 2012, using Power Pivots, I would not be able to - since "week endings" do not lineup. That is to say in 2013 Week 46 (this past week-end week) correlates to 11/16.
So I would not be able to do a 1:1 comparison easily within a Pivot due to the variation in dates. So logically, I would need some sort of common denominator. I would imagine this would be Week "X." So essentially two separate (or hierarchy?) column headers. I would either need "Week 46" act as a parent - above both "11/15 Units" and "11/15 Dollars" ... or alternatively two separate "co-headers" right above them: "Week 46 Units" and "Week 46 Dollars"
This way, I could compare multiple Week Ending sales data, across multiple tables, using a Power Pivots, based on a common property.
Does anything like this exist? I feel like I would have come across it by now if it does.
And to note, I cannot simply just change the way we handle data to reflect a Week # and omit the XX/XX date methodology. I wish I could, cause that would be abundantly easier.
@Mark
Can you post the question at the Forums and include a sample file?
http://chandoo.org/forum/
Not sure how 11/15 or 11/12 can reference a week as it refers to a month!
If you use the function WEEKNUM(date) with date being the date of the Saturday or Sunday, it will refer to the same week whatever year you are looking at.
So your "co-headers" could be =WEEKNUM(date)&" Units and =WEEKNUM(date)&" Dollars".
[…] Excel Data Tables – An Excel table consists of a series of rows and columns with related data that can be managed independently. Most work in Excel happens inside a table. A table allows users to easily create formulas to make calculations related to one or more rows and columns. Some examples of formulas include the sum of a column, an average, a maximum or a minimum value. For more on tables, visit this tutorial. […]
very useful informations. billion thanks.
Why using tablet format on a file makes it so big?
I had to change all my formulas to references because the size of my file was to big to work.
Any advice ?
Hello Brother,
Your website is awesome. Thank you for all your work. I cannot be as your ordain in your 3rd paragraph as I believe in the One, True, Almighty God. But I can try to be the best I can.
Thank you sir for all your work and sharing.
Chandoo,
As usual, this article was very well done and I thank you for sharing. I'm posting this comment about some trouble I had with Tables, just as a warning for others who might stumble into it, too.
So readers know how much time this cost me, I'll admit this issue took me down a 5 day journey, including an Office 2010 Repair, then an Office Uninstall both of which threw similar errors, so I found an MS Fixit Tool that seemed to describe my situation and ran that but it, too, threw a similar error, and then found a 3rd party utility that claimed to clean up the residue of Office Uninstalls that went wrong, but, it, too, threw the same similar error, but it did at least remove Office from Programs and Features, so I proceeded to re-install Office but that re-install also erred out with the same similar error. After scouring the Internet for this error as well as the original issue (below) that made me think something was wrong (and unbeknownst to me that the cause was a Table issue), I concluded that I must have a virus on the system (despite being current on all my Updates and running 24/7 Virus and MBAM anti-malware) and proceeded to do a clean re-install of Windows 7, Office 2010 (as well as all associated Windows Updates, all my browser Add-ons and preferences, and all my programs, etc. but I took the time to also do something I should have done a long time ago and set up a cloned image of my hard drive when done so if I have any further issues, a re-install of Windows and everything else will be a 20 minute walk in the park instead of the nightmare this has been.
Anyway, back to the Table issue: While working on a large project that has some 10 Tables in it, one of which had Table Headers that were formula driven (these were incremental Date Formulas), that somehow were subsequently getting Pasted as Values. I was building these Tables with Code, and therefore wasn't seeing the warning that Converting a Range to a Table would convert Formulas to Values (and since I hadn't ever done this before, didn't know that message presented if done manually). In my subsequent endeavors to go back to earlier versions where the formulas were still dynamic, I found I could Copy the formulas from the older files, but no matter what I did, I couldn't Paste them as Formulas. This capability is an essential part of Excel, of course, but it wasn't until I had re-installed Windows, Office (et al), and found out that the problem was STILL there, that I finally figured out that it couldn't have been a virus, and finally moved the file to another PC, where I confirmed that the problem was in THE FILE. So, amongst many lessons I learned in this journey was that if you have to have Formulas in your Table Headers, then build into your code (or manual process) a routine that places a copy of your header row under your 'nominal' Header Row (and hide it so you don't have duplicates), but reference the hidden row as your Table Headers.
Hope this helps someone as there is a LOT of other forum posts out there that have to do with Excel Copy/Paste issues but I did not find this as a cause).
In excel Table a copy paste is not working the way it should. Within a Table I am trying to copy a cell's content into another cell it copies totally different value. Need assistance on how to deal with it. Thanks.
I found that I can not paste values in cells within a Data Table- whether they are copied from within the table or outside it (although the cells in the Data Table have NO foumulas!).
I hope someone has an answer to this (i've been searching for a long time).
Hi Chandoo
I'm trying to get my head around Excel Tables and Structured Referencing
and struggling to see how something like the following could be accomplished using this methodology: IF "A1" AND "B1" ARE BLANK AND "C1" AND "D1" ARE NOT BLANK AND "E:E,E1>1", "DUPLICATE","UNIQUE". is it possible?
When the header positions change my formula take the original header positions' data. How do I address the issue?
pls l need you to teach how to use excel from the beginning l have lost touch about some of the functions
IF I HAVE DATE AND PLACE IN ONE COLUMN HOW CAN I MOVE IT INTI TWO COLUMNS
27/05/1956 OVL-DELHI
10/09/1956 AHMEDABAD
30/01/1961 DELHI
Hi. Thanks for having this amazing web site. I wonder if excel tables have the capability to add more than one total row.
Thanks,
[…] The vertices of the regular octahedron with its centre at origin will be as below. let us enter these in excel worksheet as Dynamic tables […]
Once a table is created how is it updated? Say that the table needs to be updated with changes once a month besides VBA and doing it manually how is data refreshed in a table? Is there an Excel formula or module to make changes?
This is an amazing post. Have been using Excel for about 8 years now but never came across this.
Thanks a ton, Chandoo 🙂
Tables make it easy to create dynamic charts, but how can you use the filtered data to create a dyanamic title - eg checking that there is a unique value in one column and then using that?
[…] Excel Data Tables – An Excel table consists of a series of rows and columns with related data that can be managed independently. Most work in Excel happens inside a table. A table allows users to easily create formulas to make calculations related to one or more rows and columns. Some examples of formulas include the sum of a column, an average, a maximum or a minimum value. For more on tables, visit this tutorial. […]
Gr8 article; something expected of you.
thanks for very nice and informative post.
[…] next article is a review of another important feature: Data Tables. If you deal with data in Excel, you have probably come across this feature or you should. Tables […]
Sir,
I am using excell in iPad.
And I would like to know if the shortcut tips you have explained are usable in iPad keyboard also.
I am a beginner in excell usage and hence this clarification.
hi
despite my efforts I could not resolve
Sheets("rwshow2").Range("TC[#ALL]").advancefilter Action: xlFilterCopy , criteriarange:=Sheets("rwshow2").Range("S1:U2"), copytorange:=Sheets("fltr").Range("B10"), unique:=True
please help what I am doing incorectly
thanks and regards
Arun