How to Quickly Rearrange the Order of Columns in an Excel Worksheet

Excel - Sort Horizontally

Sort Excel Data Horizontally

When I train clients locally, this Excel Tip always gets a big round of applause. It is such a time-saver! Frequently, when you receive MS Excel data – from a Main Frame Computer or from a client or colleague, the columns are not in the order that you prefer. So … what is the normal procedure that you take to change this? Do you:

  • Insert a blank column
  • Cut the data from an existing column
  • Paste this data into your new blank column
  • Delete the column that you cut the data from
  • Repeat, repeat, repeat?

In my experience, this is what most people do – over and over again. This is a complete waste of time. In this short ( 3 1/2 minutes) Excel Video Tutorial, I demonstrate how you can streamline this process – by sorting your data “horizontally! Click on this link to watch this video in High Definition on YouTube:  http://youtu.be/LN_EV5IjCkM

I hope that you enjoyed this tip! I invite you to visit my secure online shopping website: http://shop,thecompanyrocks.com – to take advantage of the many training resources that I offer you!  Check out my website frequently because I offer monthly specials and new product updates!

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4 Million Views on My YouTube Channel – DannyRocksExcels

DannyRocksExcels has 4 Million Views

Danny Rocks has 4 Million Views on YouTube!

I am honored and humbled to realize that my Excel Video Tutorials have been viewed more than 4 Million times!

Thank you to my 10,000 plus loyal subscribers!

I enjoy receiving your comments and requests. I try my best to respond as quickly as I can to each individual comment.

Interesting to note: My Top 10 “All Time Most Visited Videos “on my YouTube channel represented 26% of my total views!

Obviously, These statistics are “skewed” by longevity – how long have they been up on YouTube, etc. Nevertheless, I can use this information to determine which commercial products that I need to produce – ASAP!

Here is the listing of  my Top 10 – “All Time Most Viewed Excel Video Tutorials:”

  1. How to Merge Multiple Excel Workbooks into a Master Budget – http://youtu.be/FZD_j3xprhg – 123,382 Views –  – Posted May 14, 2010
  2. Compare Two Excel Lists to Spot the Differences – 123,023 Views – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnjcMksnU9U – Posted May 15, 2010
  3. How to Add a Check Box Control to an Excel Form – 120,800 Views –http://youtu.be/8BTrsRFdbY8– Posted September 1, 2012
  4. How to Use Advanced Filters in Excel – 119,955  Views – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_2cjh5Pd8o – Posted on December 27, 2010
  5. Introduction to Excel Pivot Tables – 104,662 Views – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ltAoeJWDnU – Posted on August 19, 2008
  6. How to Use an Excel Data Table for “What-if” Analysis – 103,411 Views – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSRr3g6ptYY – Posted on September 15, 2010
  7. How to Create an Interactive Excel Pivot Chart – 102,033 Views – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQK_bvuEeqM – Posted on May 11, 2011
  8. Use the Built-in Data Form in Excel – 96,079 Views – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cc7lUDLrXE – Posted on December 17, 2010
  9. How to Use the Solver Tool in Excel – 85,452 Views – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4QkLA3sT1o – Posted on September 21, 2011
  10. Import Excel Data in MS Access – 80,824 Views – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aH56dxqLhg – Posted on January 2, 2011

Watch My Excel Tutorials in High Definition on My YouTube Channel

Here is the link to my DannyRocksExcels Channel on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/DannyRocksExcels. The majority of my videos are produced in High Definition. Obviously, my older videos were posted before the High Definition Option was available on YouTube.

Visit My Secure Online Shopping Website

I invite you to visit my secure online shopping website – http://shop.thecompanyrocks.com – to preview the many video training resources that I offer!

 

 

Working with Worksheets in Excel Workbooks – Part 1

I have been quite busy this year teaching several “continuing education” courses online for colleges here in the USA. One of the benefits – for me as the instructor – is that I get “real time” feedback from my students when they submit their assignments. I like this!

Objectives for Lesson - Working w Worksheets Part 1

Working with Excel Worksheets in Excel Workbooks

From some of my recent interactions with my students, I realize that I need to reinforce the concept of working with Excel Worksheets inside an Excel Workbook.

In this Excel Tutorial, I address these three concepts:

  1. 1) Working in “Group Mode” to place content and corrections in multiple Excel Worksheets.
  2. 2) The Advantages of using Color-Coding for each Excel Worksheet Tab.
  3. 3) Using the Keyboard Combinations of Ctrl + Page Up and Ctrl + Page Down to navigate – and “activate” individual Excel Worksheets inside an Excel Workbook.

Watch this Video in High Definition  on My YouTube Channel – DannyRocksExcels

Here is the link to watch this video on my YouTube Channel

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How to Copy and Paste Cell Formatting Only in Excel

For the past several months, I have been teaching MS Excel online for the Continuing Education Courses at several major colleges here in the USA. It has been a great experience!.

Splash Page for Excel with ExcelOne of my clients, VanderCook College of Music, has recently adopted Schoology for their Learning Management System (LMS). This is a robust framework for presenting course work and interacting with my students!

Now, when I assign my weekly assignments to my class, I can quickly spot the common “stumbling blocks” or questions that many student have.

While I was grading my Week #1 assignments, I found that many students were unfamiliar with Excel’s AutoFill Option for “Filling the Formatting Only” in a contiguous range of cells. So, as a start to a class discussion, I created this YouTube Excel Tutorial where I demonstrate three ways to “Paste the Formatting Only” from one location to multiple locations in an Excel Worksheet.

Before I presented my course work for Week #1, I surveyed my class and realized that the majority of students were either novice or “rusty” users of Excel. Nevertheless, I find that Excel users at all levels of experience will benefit from this @ 7 minute video tutorial.

I invite you to visit my secure online shopping website – http://shop.thecompanyrocks.com – to discover the many resources that I offer you!

Watch this Excel Video Tutorial in High Definition on my YouTube Channel – DannyRocksExcels!

Click below to watch this video now on YouTube!

2.9 Million Views for My YouTube Channel – DannyRocksExcels

2.9 million viewsThis morning, I passed the 2.9 Million views milestone for my DannyRocksExcel’s YouTube Channel!

Thank you to all who have supported my Excel tutorials since I began posting them in August, 2008.

Top 10 Excel YouTube Videos Year-to-Date in 2013

Here are the Top 10 Videos that have been viewed so far (January 1 – March 21) in 2013. Click on the hyperlink to watch the video(s) on YouTube:

  1. How to Create an Interactive Pivot Table Chart – 65,095 Lifetime views
  2. How to Use Advanced Filters in Excel – 84,557 Lifetime views
  3. How to Add a Check Box Control to an Excel Form – 87,327 Lifetime views
  4. Compare 2 Excel Lists to Spot the Differences – 84,325 Lifetime Views
  5. Use Excel’s Built-in Data Form to Edit & Filter Records – 65,325 Lifetime views
  6. Use the Solver Tool in Excel – 46,035 Lifetime views
  7. How to Use an Excel Data Table for “What-if” Analysis – 72,694 Lifetime views
  8. How to Merge Multiple Excel Workbooks to a Master Budget – 104,376 Lifetime views
  9. How to Create a Summary Report from an Excel Table – 38,502 Lifetime views
  10. Import Excel Data into Microsoft Access – 54,601 Lifetime views

Quickly Improve Your Excel Skills

I have created many Video Tutorial Packages that I offer for sale at my secure online shopping website – http://shop.thecompanyrocks.com I invite you to visit and preview my training resources for MS Excel and the other programs in the Microsoft Office Suite.

The “Special Bundles” of videos are very attractively priced!

 

 

 

How to Edit an Excel Macro that You Recorded

Edit VBA Code for MacroThis is Part 3 in my series, “How to Record, Run, and Edit Macros in Excel.” In this episode, I demonstrate how to open up the VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) Code window and then:

  • Step Into each line of the code – using the F8 Keyboard Shortcut – to examine how the Macro Behaves
  • Use the ‘ (apostrophe) to “remark out” one line of the code. This will quickly change the macro to use Relative Cell Referencing rather than Absolute Cell Referencing!
  • Edit one line of the VBA Code to change the “text” that you want your macro to enter.

I created this series of Excel Tutorials to assist my viewers to “get started on the right path” when they first start to experiment with the power of Macros in Excel. I welcome your feedback on this – or any – Excel tutorial that I have published.

Step Into a Macro

When you run a Macro, it is impossible to “trouble shoot” or examine the individual actions that occur. In this lesson, I demonstrate how to use “Step Into” mode – with the keyboard Shortcut F8 – to run each line of the VBA Code step-by-step. Using Step Mode with any macro is a great way to learn how top efficiently write, record, or edit a macro.

Secure Online Shopping for Excel Training Resources

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Watch Excel Tutorial in High Definition

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Excel Macros: When to Use Relative Cell Referencing When Recording

This is Part 2 of my new series of Excel Tutorials: “Recording, Running, and Editing Excel Macros.” In this episode, I demonstrate how and when to use either Relative Cell Referencing or Absolute Cell Referencing.

Best Practice: Chose Relative Cell Referencing

Chose Type of Cell Referencing for Macro

Default Setting for Recording Macros – Absolute Cell Referencing

In my experience, the first major mistake Excel Users make when recording a Macro – they neglect to turn on Relative Cell Referencing. In the majority of Macros, you are better off using Relative Cell Referencing. There are a few – specialized – reasons to use Absolute Cell Referencing. However, they are in the distinct minority.

Select Starting Cell Before Recording a Macro

Once again, in my experience, I find that too many Excel users fail to select their “Starting Cell” before they click on the Record Macro Button. My Best Practice: “Minimize Cell Movements When Recording a Macro!”

Whenever Possible Use Ctrl + Enter When Recording a Macro

My Best Practice: “Minimize Cell Movements When Recording a Macro.” I recommend that your use Ctrl + Enter when entering or editing a value or formula in a cell. This procedure will keep the focus on the active cell. This will also minimize extraneous cell movements while recording your Macro. When you take steps to avoid extraneous cell movements, your Macro will be easier to edit or update.

Demonstration of Absolute vs. Relative Cell Referencing in a Macro

Watch my video tutorial to see the very different results that you get depending upon the type of cell referencing that you use when recording a Macro.

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Watch My Video in High Definition

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The 4 Steps to Take Before Recording an Excel Macro

Prepare to Record a Macro

The 4 Steps to Take Prior to Recording a Macro

With this video tutorial, I begin a new series – “How to Record, Run, and Edit a Macro in Microsoft Excel. I’ve designed this series to introduce Intermediate Level Excel Users to the “ins and out” of working with Macros.

Here are the “4 Steps to Take Before Recording an Excel Macro:”

  1. Add the Developer Tab to the Ribbon. I show you how to do this in both Excel 2010 and Excel 2007.
  2. Set the Proper Level for Macro Security. You do this from the Trust Center. My recommendation is to choose “Disable Macros with Notification.” – While this is a somewhat cryptic description, it is similar to the “Medium Level” Macro Security Settings in Excel 2003.
  3. Establish Trusted Locations. Here, you inform Excel that the Workbooks in this Folder (and Subfolders) contain Macros that are “safe” to open with the Macros Enabled.
  4. Unlike earlier versions of Excel, if a workbook contains a Macro, you MUST save it with the file extension .XLMS (Macro-enabled Workbook.) This applies to Excel Version 2007 and higher.

By taking these 4 steps, you will ensure that the Macros that you create will open safely and that they will run smoother.

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At my secure online shopping website – http://shop.thecompanyrocks.com – I offer a wide range of video training resources. I invite you to click on this link and take a look at my products.

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How to Work with Numeric Values in an Excel Pivot Table

Value Field Settings for Pivot Table

Value Field Settings for Pivot Table

One of my clients contacted me with a question about Excel Pivot Tables. Specifically, about how to control a field – Employee ID – that contains numeric values.

Beginning with Excel 2007, when you click – to add – a field that contains numeric values, it is automatically placed in the Values Zone of the Pivot Table and the Sum Function is used to Subtotal it. That is what was troubling my client.

It is really easy to change the location for any field in the Pivot Table. In this case, I moved the Employee ID to the Row Labels area and everything worked out nicely.

Value Field Settings for Pivot Table

In my experience, I use the commands in the Value Field Setting Dialog Box more than any other commands when working with Pivot Tables. Learning how to use the Value Field Settings Commands is an Essential Skill when working with Pivot Tables. In this video tutorial, I demonstrate how to:

  • Change the function used to subtotal a field
  • Change the name of the subtotaled field
  • Change the numeric formatting for the subtotaled field
  • Move fields to different drop zones in a Pivot Table
  • Expand and collapse entire Pivot Table fields
  • Remove fields from the Pivot Table

Video Training Resources for Sale

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Excel Pivot Tables Tutorials: My YouTube Playlist

I have been organizing the video tutorials on my YouTube Channel – DannyRocksExcels – into Playlists.

I quickly realized that I have more videos (70 +) that focus on Excel Pivot Tables than on any other topic. So, having a playlist for all 70 (and growing) Pivot Table Tutorials is a great help when you need to learn about Pivot Tables. Or, simply to refresh your memory about how to use a specific Pivot Table Tool.

Scope of My Pivot Table Tutorials

I posted my first Pivot Table Tutorial on YouTube back on August 1, 2008. So far, that 7 minute Introduction to Pivot Tables in Excel 2003 has received over 90,000 views! Since then, I have created Pivot Table videos for Excel 2007 and Excel 2010.

Front Page of Online Shopping SiteIn-Depth Focused Training for Excel Pivot Tables

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Link to My Excel Pivot Tables Playlist

Follow this link to go to my Excel Pivot Tables playlist on YouTube. If you like this Playlist, I encourage you to share it with your friends and colleagues.

Excel Pivot Tables Playlist on YouTube