The likelihood is that you have been using Microsoft Excel to make lists and tables for years but there are some shortcuts and extra tools which you may not be aware of, and which could save you a significant amount of time when working with Excel. The tips below apply to Excel 2010, although the steps will be almost identical in older versions of the program.

TIP #1: Auto-Completion

Microsoft Excel will complete a list if it recognises the values you are inputting, for example it will auto-complete a list of days of the week, dates or months of the year. To use auto-complete simply type the information you require into a cell. You will notice that the thick black line around the selected cell has a small square at the bottom right. Click this and drag it down as many columns as you need, it will then automatically complete the list. In this example Excel will auto-complete the days of the week.

TIP #2: Sort and Filter

One you have all the information you can easily sort it into any order you want. Highlight the column you want to sort and use the ‘Sort and Filter’ button on the Home tab, then choose how you want to sort. The standard options are to sort alphabetically or reverse alphabetically, or alternatively you can choose to custom sort. To custom sort highlight the whole table, select custom sort and then choose from the methods of sorting available.

TIP #3: Borders

It’s easy to put data into a spread sheet, but if you want it to look a little more presentable you need to add borders. To add borders highlight your list or table and click the border button on the Home tab.

Use the drop-down menu to select which type, colour and style of border you want. The border types I use most commonly are ‘All Borders’ and ‘Thick Box Border’ to create a table which looks neat and tidy.

To achieve this look highlight your table and use the drop-down menu to select ‘All borders’ then whilst the table is still highlighted select ‘Thick Box Border’ to create the bold border around the table. Finally, highlight the top row and select ‘Thick Box Border’ again. Make sure you do ‘All Borders’ first otherwise it will undo all the other borders you have done! Why not play around with the border button to select the width and colour of borders that best suits the task you are doing. All the tools you will need to do this are found in the same drop-down menu.

TIP #4: Picture

Sometimes adding a picture to the background of a spread sheet can be appropriate, making it look less formal and more friendly. Add a picture of your choice using the Page Layout tab and selecting ‘Background’. This will open up your picture library; simply double click on a picture to use it.

Alternatively add a picture to the foreground of Excel using ‘Picture’ on the Insert tab which will also open your picture library.

 TIP #5: Print Preview

To view your spread sheet before printing, use the Print Preview button which is found at the top left of Excel.

To return to your document click on the home tab. You will notice that Excel has now inserted page boundaries into your document in the form of dotted lines. This is useful as it helps you to make sure that your document will fit within the page’s printable area. If you want to turn off the page boundaries simply close and reopen your document. Alternatively turn off page boundaries permanently using File> Options> Advanced> Show Page Breaks.

If you have any problems whilst using Excel, or there are any more functions you want to learn more about please contact us at sales AT flint-it DOT com or call 0845 3309680.

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1. Remove unnecessary Bloatware
2. Disable unnecessary toolbars in Internet Explorer
3. Check that your antivirus software is not running scans throughout the day as you work
4. Scan your PC for upgrade options to get the most out of your memory
5. Check how much memory your PC has and how much of it you are using. To check this use the shortcut CTRL+Shift+Esc to open task manager. This will show you how much you are using in green (in GB – multiply by 1000 to get MB) and how much your PC has available under ‘total pysical memory’
6. Always try to make sure you have 15% or more of free disk space
7. Use CCleaner to remove temporary files from your computer and free up space
8. Defragment your drive regularly to speed up your computer’s response time. First make sure all your files are backed up to another hard drive, CD Rom or DVD. Your computer should have a built-in Windows defrag tool in the Start menu; it could take up to several hours to run if you haven’t run a defrag before and you can’t use your PC while it’s running, so best to do it overnight

If none of these tips make any difference, it may just be that your PC is no longer adequate for your needs. Some PCs are just too old or slow to do what you want them to do, regardless of what clean-ups you try.

If you know the details of your processor (CPU) compare its processing power with other models; a modern processor should have a rating of 2000+.

Here at Flint IT we would be happy to talk to you about which computers we recommend to our customers and why, giving you an unbiased review of what’s out there and what is best for your particular needs. Contact us on 0845 330 9680 or email sales AT flint-it DOT com.

Contact Flint IT for IT consulting in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

The Flint IT technicians recently went out to a customer with a slow computer; as she was typing the computer was lagging behind. She thought she needed a new PC and was worried about the expense, but we quickly diagnosed a RAM problem and added an extra memory module to her computer.

This was all she needed to continue working straight away and, because she was on a Flint IT managed contract, we did it all at no extra cost to her.

If you are experiencing similar problems you may need additional memory. However, before you invest why not try out the tips below to make the most of the memory space you already have.

1. ReadyBoost works on Windows 7 or Vista, allowing you to use a USB flash drive or memory card to improve performance. However, if you are using up memory fast this will only act as a temporary solution.
2. Regularly clean up any programs you don’t need, or temporary files which you are no longer using.
3. Click Start and type ‘msconfig’ in the search box. Select the ‘Startup’ tab to see which programs start automatically when you boot up your PC. Remove any you don’t need from the menu.
4. Use a system scanner tool to scan your PC for memory upgrade options which can help you make the most of the space you have.

If none of these work you may need to purchase additional memory modules or upgrade your PC. Click here to read more about how to make the most of your PC’s memory.

Flint IT offers IT support services in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.