Hotkeys help users simplify and speed things up by replacing multiple actions with one. This is even more important for such an office program as Microsoft Excel, which is designed to make it easier for a person to work with data arrays of various kinds. Consider the popular keyboard shortcuts applicable in many versions of this application (from Excel 2003 to Excel 2013). Moreover, in Excel 2003 there are no combinations for working with the ribbon - the quick access panel, since this feature appeared only in Excel 2007 and is available in later versions. Some of the above combinations may not work for localized versions of the application in question.
Excel's most popular keyboard shortcuts
By pressing these key combinations, the main functions of the program are performed. When describing hot keys, the “+” symbol is used to show the simultaneous pressing of the keys to the right and left of the “+” sign. Key combinations are indicated in parentheses; at the same time, one, two, three or even four keys on the keyboard can be pressed . Usually one, two or three of them are utility keys - Ctrl, Shift or Alt. You need to press them first and, while holding down, press another (third or fourth) from the hotkey combination.
To create a new file, press (Ctrl + N). To go to the menu or open a file - (Ctrl + O), save the file - (Ctrl + S), "Save As" - (F12), print - (Ctrl + P). Close file - (Ctrl + F4). Last action: cancel - (Ctrl + Z), repeat - (Ctrl + Y). Start creating a formula - (=). Close file - (Alt + F4). Add column - (Ctrl + Shift + plus key). Insert a new sheet - (Shift + F11). Call the dialog for creating a table - (Ctrl + L). Collapse text in cell - (Alt + Enter).
Navigation operations
The following Excel hotkeys are provided for transitions. Calling the window "Go" - (Ctrl + G). Go: to the cell on the right - (Tab); to the cell on the left - (Shift + Tab); up one screen - (PageUp); down one screen - (PageDown); on the next sheet - (Ctrl + PageDown); to the previous sheet - (Ctrl + PageUp); in the data area: to the initial cell - (Ctrl + Home); to the closing cell - (Ctrl + End); in the direction of the arrow to the first cell - (Ctrl + Arrow). To move between sheets of an open book - (Ctrl + F6).
Formatting text and cells
To format the text in the selected cell (cell area), Excel shortcuts are used, which are listed below. These combinations use the Ctrl key plus the other keys indicated in parentheses in this subsection.
Font: bold - (B), underlined - (U), italics - (3), crossed out - (5). Menu: font change - (Shift + F), font size - (Shift + P). Apply border drawing - (Shift + 7). Delete All Borders - (Shift + Underline).
Call the menu: cell formatting - (1), font selection - (Shift + F), font size selection - (Shift + P). Set the format: percent - (Shift + 5), numeric - (Shift + 1), time - (Alt + 2), dates - (Alt + 3), money - (Alt + 4), currency - (Shift + 4) , general (to remove formatting) - (Shift + #).
Highlight and edit text
Select: entire sheet - (Ctrl + A), full line - (Shift + Space), entire column - (Ctrl + Space), an array of cells in the direction of the arrow - (Shift + Arrow), an array of cells that includes all the data in the book sheet - (Ctrl + Shift + 8).
Selected text: cut (to clipboard) - (Ctrl + X), copy (to clipboard) - (Ctrl + C). Paste from buffer - (Ctrl + V). Delete one character from the cursor: to the right (Delete), to the left - (Backspace). Active cell change - (F2). Delete the current value and change the active cell - (Space).
Other Excel hotkeys
Calling the text search window - (Ctrl + F), replacing text - (Ctrl + H), style selection - (Alt + '). Automatically create a chart on a new sheet (F11). Change cell comment - (Shift + F2). AutoSum calculation of selected cells in a column - (Alt + =); the value of the amount is put in the cell of this column in the next line below the selection. Paste current in the selected cell: date - (Ctrl + Shift +4), time - (Ctrl + Shift +6). Spell Checking - (F7).
Next, let's talk about how to combine cells in Excel. The hotkey in this case, unfortunately, is not an assistant. However, there are some tricks that make it possible to somewhat ease the task.
Action algorithm
If you need to combine cells in Excel, there are some difficulties. Indeed, the implementation of this operation is associated with data loss in all cells of the merged area, except for the top left one. First you need to select the area of cells to be merged, right-click on the selection area, select "Format cells ..." in the drop-down menu. The “Format Cells” window itself appears, in it select the “Alignment” tab and put a checkmark in front of the “merge cells” item. To perform the operation in question, hotkeys are generally not provided in Excel.
Merging cells is easier to do using the special button “Combine and place in the center”, which is located in the “Home” menu. If you do not need to place data in the center, click on the label to the right of this button and select the appropriate item in the drop-down submenu. By the way, if you often have to use this operation, it is better to place this button on the quick access panel. To save data from other cells of the joined area, except for the upper left, you need to transfer their contents to another location or add them to this cell using copy (or cut) and paste operations.
Other possible ways of combining cells, eliminating data loss, are related to the use of macros, which can be found, for example, on Excel forums. The principle of operation of macros is the same as manual, but it is faster and invisible to the user.
How to insert a row using hotkeys
Often there is a need for an Excel worksheet to insert a row. The hot keys used for this operation are Ctrl + plus sign. In this case, highlight the line above which you want to insert a new one. This selection can be performed by a combination of hot keys (Shift + Space) or by left-clicking in the number area on the left of the corresponding line when the cursor takes the shape of an arrow. If the row is not selected, the combination of hot keys (Ctrl + plus sign) leads to the appearance of the corresponding menu “Add Cells”, which suggests choosing what to insert: cells with a shift down or to the right, a row or a column.
Excel hotkey “Delete row” - (Ctrl + minus sign). To delete a line, select it and press this key combination.
When you press the Alt key on the application menu bar, hotkeys for the corresponding sections of the menu appear. This is illustrated in the figure. Available for versions starting with Excel 2007.
Paste special in Excel
Often you need to insert only values or only formulas into a cell. To do this, there is such an option in Excel - a special insert. Keyboard shortcuts for this are (Ctrl + Alt + V).
When these keys are pressed, the Paste Special dialog box opens. It is available if immediately before this a copy or cut of an object, cell contents, text on a sheet or in another program was made. In the window, select the item you are interested in: formulas, value, formats, note, or another of the proposed options.
Thus, after reviewing the contents of this article, you learned what Excel hotkeys exist and how to use them. Naturally, the article does not describe all the existing combinations. For a more complete study of the topic, you should use special literature.