Microsoft Excel is a robust, full-featured tool for workbooks and spreadsheets. Whether you use it at work or at home, using features that save you time means that you can move on to your next chore faster.

The truth is, you don’t have to know complicated formulas or hidden Excel features to speed up your work. We’ll take a look at how you can save time while working in Excel with just a few clicks.

1. Time-Saving Templates

One of the best time-savers for almost any task is the use of templates. You may use them in Microsoft Word for meeting agendas, newsletters, or reports. In Excel, templates are just as useful. For project timelines, calendars, invoices, budgets, and more, taking advantage of these convenient pre-formatted tools can definitely save you time.

Use Excel templates

To insert an Excel template, go to File > New. Excel will show you a list of available templates, and you can search for the one that you need. If you can't find anything, you can download templates from the Microsoft website.

2. Freezing Rows and Columns

If you have a lengthy spreadsheet containing tons of data, you may have to scroll too far down or even across to view it all. This means you will lose sight of your headings and find yourself constantly scrolling back to see them.

To save you from constantly scrolling between the headings and the cell you’re editing, you should freeze Excel rows and columns. It all takes a few clicks, and you can easily undo it when necessary.

3. Operating the Fill Handle

The fill handle in Excel can be a huge time-saver when you need to populate multiple cells. If the data follows a pattern, you can use the fill handle to quickly insert data into multiple columns and rows. Also, it works if you have to insert the same value into more cells.

To use it, select at least a couple of cells, so Excel can detect an existing pattern. Then, click on the Fill Handle and drag it for as many columns and rows as you want to complete.

Use Excel fill handle

If you’ve inserted a formula and want to apply it to an entire row or column, there’s a keyboard shortcut you could use. First, select the cell containing the formula and press Ctrl + D or Command + D to fill the formula down in a column. For rows, press Ctrl + R or Command + R.

4. Transposing Columns and Rows

If you have a spreadsheet using headings in columns or rows (or both) and decide they would work better the opposite way, there is an easy process to make the change. This saves you from having to retype those headings. Here are the steps to move cells from row headings to column headings.

  1. Select the cells in the column that contain the headings.
  2. Either right-click and select Copy or click the Copy button on the Home tab of the ribbon.
  3. Select the cell in the row and column where you want the headings to start.
  4. Either right-click and select Paste Special or click Paste and then Paste Special on the Home tab of the ribbon.
  5. Select the checkbox near the bottom right that says Transpose.
  6. Click OK.
Transpose rows and columns in Excel

5. Customize Excel Toolbar and Ribbon

Excel comes with plenty of additional tools that may not be available by default in the toolbar. Instead of using separate apps or online tools, you can configure the toolbar and add whatever tools you need to save time when using Excel.

To add a new command to the Excel toolbar, go to File > Options. Then choose either Customize Ribbon or Quick Access Toolbar, depending on where you want it.

For Choose commands from, pick All Commands. Scroll down, click the wanted command, and then hit the Add button to insert it into the toolbar.

Customzie Excel toolbar

Note that if you choose to add it to your ribbon, you will have to create a custom group and add it there.

6. Linking to Tabs or Cells

If your workbook contains several spreadsheets with data being cross-referenced between them, creating a direct link provides speedy access. This is especially helpful if you are sharing a workbook so that others can jump to that data quickly. Follow these simple steps to create the link:

  1. Select the cell containing the data that you want to link.
  2. Either right-click and select Hyperlink or go to the Insert tab and click Hyperlink in the ribbon.
  3. In the popup window, select Place in this Document.
  4. Then enter the text to display in that cell, a specific cell reference if desired, and the spreadsheet in the workbook with the data you are linking to.
  5. Click OK.
Link Excel cells

Now, if you’re putting together a PowerPoint presentation, you can link Excel to your presentation.

7. Using Keyboard Shortcuts

If you are an avid Excel user, then keyboard shortcuts can certainly save you time. While there are almost too many keyboard shortcuts to list, here are several that can speed up your tasks.

  • F4 (or Fn + F4) to repeat the last command, including formatting changes such as color or font.
  • Alt + H, E, A to erase the contents, formatting, and other data attached to the selected cells.
  • Ctrl + W to close a spreadsheet and Ctrl + O to open one.
  • Ctrl + Shift + Colon to enter the current time and Ctrl + Semicolon for the current date.
  • Shift + F9 to calculate the active worksheet.
  • Shift + Tab to move to the previous cell or option.
  • Ctrl + Home to move to the beginning of the spreadsheet.
  • Ctrl + Page Down to move to the next spreadsheet in a workbook, and Ctrl + Page Up to move to the previous one.

If you can’t find the right keyboard shortcut to help you save time, you can create custom keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Excel.

8. Working With AutoSum

Some might think that working with formulas in Excel is too time-intensive to get into. But even for simple equations, these built-in functions can definitely move your spreadsheet work along faster.

Unless you have moved or deleted it from your ribbon, the AutoSum button should be on your Home tab. This handy feature gives you the most common formulas with a click. You can add, count, or average a group of numbers or obtain the minimum or maximum of them. Just click the arrow on the AutoSum button to choose your formula.

Use Excel AutoSum to save time

In addition to the AutoSum feature, your Formulas tab contains even more options. Each formula is grouped into a category to make it easy to find. You can select from financial, logical, math, statistical, or engineering functions. But for the most widely-used formulas, the AutoSum feature is quick and convenient.

9. Using Simple Conditional Formatting

Conditional formatting is another one of those Excel features that many might find intimidating. However, for data that you want to see pop off the page, it's a great tool.

For example, say you have a spreadsheet of data from a survey, and at a quick glance, you want to see how many "Yes" answers you have as opposed to "No" answers. These steps show you how to apply simple formatting.

  1. Select the cells containing the Yes/No answers.
  2. On the Home tab, click the Conditional Formatting dropdown box.
  3. Choose Highlight Cells Rules and then Text That Contains.
    Excel conditional formatting
  4. Type the word Yes in the left box and choose the formatting for it from the right box.
  5. Follow the same steps for the No answers.
Excel conditional formatting

You will then see all the Yes and No answers formatted the way you chose, making them easy to spot.

If you plan to continue to add data, you can also apply this conditional formatting to the entire column or row instead of just a group of cells. This way, future data will be automatically formatted as you enter it. Eager to learn more? Have a look at our dedicated article on conditional formatting.

10. Quickly Inserting Charts

The Charts feature within Excel is a terrific tool for displaying your data visually. And, you can choose from a variety of chart types such as pie, bar, line, column, and many others.

Using the above example of conditional formatting for Yes/No answers, you can insert a chart with just a few clicks.

  1. Select the cells containing the Yes/No answers.
  2. On the Insert tab, click Recommended Charts. With this option, Excel will take your data and put it into the type of chart it fits best.
  3. If you like the chart, click OK and it will be inserted into your spreadsheet.
Insert chart in Excel

This is the easiest and fastest way to create a chart in Excel, and it takes only a minute. However, if you do not like the chart created for you, you can click the All Charts tab in the popup window and experiment with other types.

11. Sorting With Filters

When you have a spreadsheet containing many columns of data, you may want to filter all the data by a certain column. Fortunately, you don’t have to manually analyze each cell to identify a pattern. Instead, you can add a filter in Excel to display the data you want.

12. Using the Format Painter

If you use other Microsoft Office applications, such as Word, you may already be familiar with Format Painter. In Excel, this convenient tool lets you apply the same formatting from one or more cells to others with a single click.

  1. Select the cell, group of cells, row, or column that you want to copy the formatting from.
  2. On the Home tab, click Format Painter.
  3. Select the cell, group of cells, row, or column that you want to copy the formatting to.

This is a fantastic way to quickly apply helpful formatting of cells to others without manual work.

13. Switching and Viewing Windows

Are there times when you need to work with more than one Excel workbook at the same time? Maybe you need to review data, compare it, or even copy data from one workbook to another. Excel provides a useful set of viewing features to help. Head over to the View tab to check out these options.

  • Arrange All: When you click this button, you can arrange all of your open workbooks on one screen. Choose from a tiled, horizontal, vertical, or cascade view.
  • View Side by Side: This option lets you choose two open workbooks to view next to or on top of each other, which is perfect for comparisons.
  • Switch Windows: Click this button when you have many Excel workbooks open at once and want to switch between them quickly. No minimizing and maximizing windows is necessary with this awesome feature.
Switch windows view in Excel

14. Installing Handy Add-Ins

Office Add-ins are similar to browser extensions in that they are tools to enhance your application experience, data, and efficiency. And in Excel, you have many helpful add-ins to choose from depending on your needs.

Select the Insert tab and click Add-ins > Get add-ins. You can then check out tools by category. For instance, the Productivity category contains add-ins for document automation and a template gallery. And, the Project Management category has add-ins for Gantt charts and activity timers.

Get Excel add-ins

Some add-ins are free while others are paid, so be sure to check the details before installing one.

Make Excel More Time-Efficient

As you can see, there are multiple Excel tricks and tools you can use to save time. These are just a few ideas that you can use while working with Excel. Now, if you constantly catch yourself manually performing a lengthy task, chances are Excel has a tool to help you complete it faster.

Now that you know how to work faster in Excel, you can extend its practicability to your daily life.