Home Archives for Audit Excel Formulas
November 25, 2010 3 Comments

How to Trigger a Unique List of Values Based Upon Another Drop-Down List in Excel

You can use the INDIRECT() Function in Excel to create a drop-down list of unique values that is“triggered” by the label that you select in another drop-down list. In the scenario that I use in this lesson:

  1. Create your 1st Drop-down list using Data Validation in Excel – Allow “List.” Here the named range is “Departments.”
  2. Create a 2nd Drop-down list using Data Validation. This time the “list” uses the INDIRECT Function to reference the selected label from the 1st drop-down list.

Key Concept

 The labels in my 1st drop-down list serve as “named range” references. That is why the INDIRECT Function is able to pull up the correct list of “Job Titles” in the 2nd Drop-down list. For example, a reference to the text label “Sales” in the 1st drop-down list brings up a list of the values (Job Titles) from the “Named Range” (Sales) in the 2nd Drop-down list.

If you need to learn about – or review – Data Validation in Excel, follow this link to my free Excel video lesson on this topic.

Create Named Ranges in Excel

I have found that creating and using “Named Cell Range” references makes lookup functions and formulas so much easier in Excel. Watch this video to see how I use a variety of methods to Create Named Ranges in Excel. One tip is to use the Keyboard Shortcut “Ctrl + Shift + F3” – after you first select the Label and the Values for your Named Range.

In this lesson, I also demonstrate how to visually “flag” all of the cells that do not meet the criteria for your Data Validation. I find that most people are unaware that you can do this! I think that you will find many uses for this auditing tool as you work in Excel.

Additional Resources

Follow this link to watch this video on YouTube in High Definition, Full Screen Mode.

Here is the link to view the 2nd video in this series about the INDIRECT Function in Excel.

Learn how to “Master Excel in Minutes – Not Months!” – visit my new, secure shopping site – http://shop.thecompanyrocks.com

How to Trigger a Unique List of Values Based on Your 1st Drop-Down List [ 6:23 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1046)
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Filed Under: Data Validation, Excel Training, Lookup Functions in Excel, Names for Cells and Ranges, Podcast Tips & Timesavers Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,
February 11, 2010 2 Comments

Video Tour My DVD – The 50 Best Tips for Excel 2007

I invite you to join me on a four minute, seven second video tour of my new instructional DVD, “The 50 Best Tips, Tricks & Techniques for Excel 2007.”

This DVD is different. If you want to learn Excel and you are pressed for time (and who isn’t these days?) this is the DVD for you. I give you over 5 1/2 hours of focused video instruction. The average length of each video lesson is 6 1/2 minutes! So you can find the topic that you want, learn it, and put it into practice at home or at work in under 10 minutes!

As a bonus, I include the 50 Excel worksheets that I used to create and film the video lessons. Now you can practice the tips to master your new Excel skills!

Follow this link if  you want to see the complete list of the 50 video lessons on my DVD.

Are you ready to purchase “The 50 Best Tips for Excel 2007?” Follow this link to enter the online bookstore for The Company Rocks. This is a secure shopping site. And, I guarantee that you will be satisfied with your purchase. If you are not satisfied with your purchase, I will refund you money – no questions asked!

Sincerely,

Danny Rocks

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Filed Under: Excel Training, MS Excel 2007 DVD, MS Excel Tips, Online Store for The Company Rocks, Tips and Time Savers, Video Training Courses Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,
March 29, 2009 Leave a Comment

How to Create Scenarios in Excel

Scenarios are part of Excel’s “What-If” Analysis tool set – aka Data Analysis. Use Scenarios when you need to know what the result will be when you change one or more variables in one or more  situations (scenarios).

Frequently, I create Scenarios to define  a “Good, Better, Best” or “Worst Case, Best Case, Case Most Likely” outcome.

In this short Excel Training Video, I demonstrate how to create, edit,  and report four Scenarios for a Monthly Office Expense Budget.

These are the steps used in this Excel Video Lesson:

  • Create (or open) an Excel worksheet that contains a formula. Identify the formula and the precedent  cells that feed into the formula.
  • Select the “target cell” – the cell that contains the formula whose result will change with each Scenario.
  • Choose TOOLS – SCENARIOS and follow the directions in the Create Scenario dialog box.
  • First, click ADD. Name the Scenario. Click OK. Confirm that you have selected the “Target Cell” and then click / type in the “Changing cells.” The Changing cells should be either direct or indirect precedents to the Target cell formula. Click Add. Add additional Scenarios as desired.
  • Click on the name of your Scenario and select SHOW to display the changing cell values and the new result in your target cell.
  • If you wish, choose SUMMARY to create a summary report in a separate worksheet.
  • I strongly recommend that you create named cells and use them in the formulas and changing cells of your Scenario.

NEW! Download the Excel Practice file used in this lesson:

Use my Index to search for the free Excel Training Video that you want to view.

New! Danny’s DVD Training Series, “The 50 Best Tips …” is now available at the online store for The Company Rocks

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August 14, 2008 3 Comments

4 reasons to use Excel's Formula Auditing tools

In this Excel training video I will show you how to use the Formula Auditing Toolbar to:

  1. Learn about the relationships among your formulas and cells by tracing precedents & dependents.
  2. Finding the source of your formula errors – and correcting them!
  3. Evaluate your formulas step-by-step to better understand how they are built.
  4. Setting up a small window to “watch” your key formulas change as you enter and edit data in cells.

Here are the steps to follow in this video training lesson:

  1. Select Tools,  Formula Auditing, Show Formula Auditing Toolbar.
  2. Select a cell containing a formula and experiment with the icons to Trace Precedents and Trace Dependents. Click the icon several times to trace back as far as you can go.
  3. Select a cell and Evaluate its Formula. Step In and Step Out to learn how the formula is built.
  4. Paste a list of all of the Names in your workbook. Select Insert, Name, Paste, Paste List.
  5. Select a cell with a formula and click the Show Watch Window icon to see how the formula results change as you enter and edit data in cells that feed into that formula.

Find the Excel Training Video that you want – Index to all Excel Topics

News! My DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for Excel 2007” is now availabe to purchase. I invite you to visit my online bookstore for more details.

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