Category Archives: Excel Tips Blog

Excel How To Articles

GROUPBY and PIVOTBY in Excel: Build Dynamic Reports Without PivotTables (2026 Hands-On Guide)

Posted on July 31, 2026 by Mark Neustedt

Last updated: July 31, 2026 Quick Answer: GROUPBY and PIVOTBY are two powerful Excel functions introduced in Microsoft 365 that let you summarize and cross-tabulate data using a single formula, without building a PivotTable. They update automatically when your data … Continue reading →

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How to Fix Excel Formulas That Return Errors: The Most Common Causes and Solutions

Posted on July 30, 2026 by Mark Neustedt

Last updated: July 30, 2026 Quick Answer: Excel formula errors like #VALUE!, #REF!, #DIV/0!, #N/A, and #NAME? each have a specific cause. Knowing what each error code means is the fastest way to fix it. Use Excel’s built-in Error Checking … Continue reading →

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Custom Cursor Tools for Excel and Google Sheets: Apps, Extensions, and Settings to Make Point-and-Click Work Faster

Posted on July 29, 2026 by Mark Neustedt

Last updated: July 29, 2026 Quick Answer: Custom cursor tools for Excel and Google Sheets are apps, browser extensions, and OS-level settings that change how your cursor looks, moves, and behaves inside spreadsheets. They help you select ranges more precisely, … Continue reading →

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Excel Tutorial for 2026: A Step-by-Step Guided Project to Learn Core Features in One Weekend

Posted on July 28, 2026 by Mark Neustedt

Last updated: July 28, 2026 Quick Answer: This Excel tutorial for 2026 walks complete beginners through building a real side-business or household expense tracker from scratch over one weekend. By finishing the project, readers naturally touch every core feature: data … Continue reading →

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Spreadsheet Equations Explained: How to Turn Real-World Problems into Formulas in Excel

Posted on July 27, 2026 by Mark Neustedt

Last updated: July 27, 2026 Quick Answer: Spreadsheet equations in Excel are instructions that tell a cell how to calculate a value using data from other cells. To turn a real-world problem into a formula, break the problem into its … Continue reading →

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Spreadsheet Formulas for Everyday Work: 25 Core Equations You Should Master in Excel and Google Sheets

Posted on July 26, 2026 by Mark Neustedt

Last updated: July 26, 2026 Quick Answer: The most valuable spreadsheet formulas for everyday work cover five categories: math and aggregation (SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT), logic (IF, AND, OR), lookup (VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH), text handling (CONCATENATE, LEFT, TRIM), and date/time (TODAY, … Continue reading →

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Google Spreadsheets vs Excel Online: Which Web-Based Spreadsheet Is Better for Everyday Work?

Posted on July 25, 2026 by Mark Neustedt

Last updated: July 25, 2026 Quick Answer: For most everyday tasks, Google Sheets wins on collaboration and zero cost, while Excel Online wins on formula depth and compatibility with existing .xlsx files. The right choice depends on what your team … Continue reading →

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Excel Data Validation Rules: Stop Bad Inputs Before They Break Your Formulas or Dashboards

Posted on July 24, 2026 by Mark Neustedt

Last updated: July 24, 2026 Quick Answer: Excel data validation rules let you control exactly what data gets entered into a cell, numbers only, dates within a range, items from a list, or values that pass a custom formula. Setting … Continue reading →

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Excel vs Google Sheets for Students: Choosing the Right Tool for Assignments, Group Projects, and Data Courses

Posted on July 23, 2026 by Mark Neustedt

Last updated: July 23, 2026 Quick Answer: For most students in 2026, Google Sheets wins on cost and collaboration, while Excel wins on advanced analytics and career preparation. The right choice depends on your major, your budget, and what your … Continue reading →

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Excel Named Ranges: How to Make Complex Spreadsheet Equations Easier to Read, Debug, and Reuse

Posted on July 22, 2026 by Mark Neustedt

Last updated: July 22, 2026 Quick Answer: Excel named ranges let you assign a descriptive label (like SalesData or TaxRate) to a cell or group of cells. Instead of writing =SUM(B2:B100), you write =SUM(SalesData). The result is a formula that … Continue reading →

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