Reasons to Get Excited about Excel 2013 Training
Microsoft has recently launched the 2013 version of their very popular spreadsheet package, and even the new features are not incredibly whiz-bang, the additions have increased functionality quite a lot. It is almost guaranteed that both newcomers and advanced users will find useful, as it has simplified tasks which were difficult in the past. Even social media and networking options have been introduced, which is very exiting! It is highly recommended that you do some Excel 2013 training to learn about the new features.
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Just to get you excited, here are a few of the improvements made:
- New start screen: this screen is designed to get you going swiftly. A list of your most recent masterpieces is listed, and you can pin these to a list which is always visible. The Open Other Workbooks function allows you to get to files which are on your computer or cloud-based. There is also an icon that informs you to which cloud based system you are in contact with. The template collection has been vastly updated and these can also be tacked to the screen for frequent use. The handy search function allows the user to find suitable templates online. You can disable the start screen, but you may want to use it as a permanent feature as it is so helpful.
- Flash Fill: The most exciting addition and most noticeable improvement is this feature, which does exactly what it says – it automatically fills in certain information which would previously require user input. It predicts information to be inserted, and can identify repetitive algorithms and repeat them into features which the user will normally have to take time to fill in. It takes the complications out of tasks which will usually need working around in order to achieve desired results. A good example is to find a particular surname in a table full of full names. These features allows the user to type in only the surname and select the FF feature, and the surnames of all the names that appear in the table will automatically be filled into that row or column.
- Backstage View: This view allows you to quickly find any files you have recently used, and this puts you in touch with any options you have for the tasks you are performing. You can tack files to it and click on a button to see any files or sites that you have entered in the past few days. You can also tack any of these locations to the file menu for quick access. Previously the user would have had to use complicated formulae to do this, but the FF ensures that it is done swiftly and simply.
- Charts: The chart function has been updated to include a list which will analyse the data and make recommendation on the most suitable chart type to use for that particular data set or type. It allows even inexperienced chart makers to create effective graphics which will truly represent the data. The charts are created by wizard, which guides the user to avoid confusion and mistakes. The user only has to select the most appropriate option and the chart creator will automatically do the rest, such as creating the chart, filling in labels, colours, etc. The interface for charts has also been simplified, and gives a lot of new additions and features for the formatting for graphics. Filters have also been added to allow the user to view only the desired data. Even though this feature is very user friendly, it is recommended that users receive Excel 2013 training to fully comprehend the new features.
- Data analysis: this feature excites many users of Excel database tables, as it allows users to analyse various types of data with the click of one button. Select the data, and click on the Analyse icon which appears. Various options will appear, and the user can view the results of the analysis by moving the mouse over the option, and then select the appropriate one with a click. Data formatting, design of graphs and the writing of formulae are all very much faster with this option.
- Pivot tools: Traditionally the domain of advanced users, the new pivot table function allows the user to analyse their data through recommended pivot tables. Select the data and the suggested pivot will appear. Then choose the suitable one. It is that simple!
These are only a few of the new features in the new release, but there a lots more! To learn more about the other magic additions, contact us today for your Excel 2013 training needs.