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what can you do with excel tables

by Anastasia McDermott Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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You should start using them asap regardless of the size of your data set, as their benefits are HUUUGE:

  • 1. Structured referencing;
  • 2. Many different built-in Table Styles with color formatting;
  • 3. Use of a Total Row which uses built-in functions to calculate the contents of a particular column;
  • 4. Dropdown lists that allow you to Sort & Filter;
  • 5. When you scroll down from the Table, its Headers replace the Column Letters in the worksheet;
  • 6. Remove Duplicate Rows automatically;
More items

What is an Excel Table? In Excel 2007, and later versions, you can use the Table command to convert a list of data into a formatted Excel Table. Tables have many features, such as sorting and filtering, that will help you organize and view your data.Sep 3, 2022

Full Answer

What are the benefits of using tables in Excel?

The pros and cons of using Excel tables

  • Pros for using Excel tables: New rows that get added to the table automatically expand the borders of the table (no more writing OFFSET formulas!)
  • Cons for using Excel tables:
  • In the 2nd half of the episode, I talk about some episodes from other podcasts I found interesting:

How do I work with tables in Excel?

To quickly create a table in Excel, do the following:

  • Select the cell or the range in the data.
  • Select Home > Format as Table.
  • Pick a table style.
  • In the Format as Table dialog box, select the checkbox next to My table as headers if you want the first row of the range to be the header row, ...

What does a table do in Excel?

Tables in Excel are beneficial for giving a structure to data sets. It has handy features from arranging the data, providing the headers along with applied filters. We can access tables from the Insert menu tab or select shortcut key Ctrl + T.

How to insert and customize a table in Microsoft Excel?

Try it!

  • Select a cell within your data.
  • Select Home > Format as Table.
  • Choose a style for your table.
  • In the Format as Table dialog box, set your cell range.
  • Mark if your table has headers.
  • Select OK.

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What is the main benefit of Excel tables?

The table feature of Microsoft Excel allows you to manage and analyze related data easier. With Excel tables, you can manage rows and columns inside it independently from the data outside the table. In this post, I will show you the 10 benefits of converting your data into Excel tables.

What are the 7 common uses for Excel?

At a basic level, Excel is using for storing information, analysing and sorting, and reporting....Business Analysis.People Management.Managing Operations.Performance Reporting.Office Administration.Strategic Analysis.Project Management.Managing Programs.More items...

What are 3 things Excel can be used for?

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Excel is a spreadsheet software application used to store, organize, and analyze data.

What are 5 common uses for Microsoft Excel?

The main uses of Excel include:Data entry.Data management.Accounting.Financial analysis.Charting and graphing.Programming.Time management.Task management.More items...•

Who uses Excel the most?

82% of jobs require Excel skills and/or experience with productivity software....You may change your mind when you see this list of careers that require it.Administrative Assistant. ... Accountants. ... Retail Manager. ... Cost Estimator. ... Financial Analyst. ... Project Manager. ... Business Analyst. ... Data Journalist.More items...•

Can Microsoft Excel get you a job?

MS Excel is one of the most demanded skills for employment across many industries. A certification in Excel will open many doors of opportunities for you. Because it can be used in a variety of business settings, from project management to human resources, anyone who is a Microsoft Excel expert is always in demand.

What are the 7 basic Excel formulas?

Basic Excel FormulasSUM.COUNT.COUNTA.COUNTBLANK.AVERAGE.MIN Excel.MAX Excel.LEN Excel.More items...

How do I use Excel as a database?

How to Create a Database in Excel (With Templates and Examples)Step 1: Set up a data spreadsheet framework.Step 2: Add or import data.Step 3: Convert your data into a table.Step 4: Format the table.Step 5: Save your database spreadsheet.

What are basic Excel skills?

Below you have the top ten basic Excel skills to learn by anyone who is just starting out with Excel needs to learn.Saving and Opening a Workbook. ... Managing Worksheets. ... Formatting Cells. ... Printing. ... Excel Functions (Basic) ... Charts. ... Sorting Data. ... Find and Replace Option.More items...

What can I use Excel for at home?

Whether it is family-based planning for a weekly, monthly or yearly calendar or a personal appointment daily planner or a schedule for managing bill payments, homework, favorite sports team's games, and many more, excel can make it easy to compile, filter, search, organize and simplify large amounts of data.

How Excel make life easier?

Instead of crossing your eyes over a full spreadsheet, Excel will easily regroup your data so you can make better comparisons. By viewing your data in these different perspectives, you can get a better picture of where your revenue is coming from by customer, offering, month, etc.

What are the 11 data formats in Excel?

The following are the type of number formats available in Excel.General. General is a number format selected as the default by excel for any number you type into the spreadsheet. ... Number. Number Format is exclusively used when you are working with numbers. ... Currency. ... Accounting. ... Date. ... Time. ... Percentage. ... Fraction.More items...•

What are the 10 uses of Microsoft Excel?

10 USES FOR MICROSOFT EXCELBUSINESS ANALYSIS. The #1 use for Microsoft Excel in the workplace is to do business analysis. ... PEOPLE MANAGEMENT. ... MANAGING OPERATIONS. ... PERFORMANCE REPORTING. ... OFFICE ADMINISTRATION. ... STRATEGIC ANALYSIS. ... PROJECT MANAGEMENT. ... MANAGING PROGRAMMES.More items...

What is the purpose of functions in Excel?

A function is a predefined formula that helps save you time. For example, use the SUM function to add lots of numbers or cells, and the PRODUCT function to multiply them.

What are the advantages of pivot table?

Advantages: Includes Field headers in each column; Can Repeat All Item Labels; See all data in a traditional table format used in Tables since their invention; Can reuse the data of the Pivot Table to a new location for further analysis

What is pivot table?

It is the most powerful tool within Excel due to its speed and output and I will show you just how easy it is to create one.

How to get a zero in a pivot table?

STEP 1: You will need to enter a value or a zero within this blank or text formatted cell (s) STEP 2: Go over to your Pivot Table, click on the Count of…. and drag it out of the Values area. STEP 3: Refresh your Pivot Table. STEP 4: Drop in the Values field (SALES) in the Values area once again.

How to activate calculated item in pivot table?

To activate the Calculated Item you have to make sure that you click on the chosen Item in the Pivot Table, then go to the PivotTable Tools tab in the Ribbon and go to Options > Fields, Items & Sets > Calculated Item. DOWNLOAD EXCEL WORKBOOK. STEP 1: Click on the item that you want to calculate.

What is pivot chart in Excel?

Pivot Charts in Excel are an extension of a Pivot Table and they show its values in a graphical representation. So when you filter a Pivot Table, the Pivot Chart updates accordingly.

How to group dates in Excel 2016?

STEP 1: Insert a new Pivot table by clicking on your data and going to Insert > Pivot Table > New Worksheet or Existing Worksheet. STEP 2: In the ROWS section put in the Order Date field. Notice that in Excel 2016 (the version that I am using) it will automatically Group the Order Date into Years & Quarters:

What is a custom list in Excel?

A Custom List in Excel is very handy to fill a range of cells with your own personal list. It could be a list of your team members at work, countries, regions, phone numbers or customers.

Why use Excel table?

Excel Tables can save tons of time in your workplace. In the excel table, the headings will hold the reference to that particular column. Tables are an extremely powerful tool when you are working with sets of data. Tables are powerful, but at the same time, it is tricky too, and that is why a lot of people still use normal data range instead ...

How to Create Tables in Excel?

Creating a table in excel is as easy as a walk in the park. I would say we can create an excel table in less than 5 seconds.

How to sum in Excel?

It is categorized under the math and trigonometry function entered by typing “=SUM” followed by the values to be summed. The values can be numbers, cell references or ranges. read more, Subtotal in Excel Subtotal In Excel The Excel Subtotal function is a built-in function that returns the subtotal of a given data table or data sets. This formula requires two inputs, the first of which is the function number and the second of which is the range. read more, Count, Max in Excel Max In Excel The MAX Formula in Excel is used to calculate the maximum value from a set of data/array. It counts numbers but ignores empty cells, text, the logical values TRUE and FALSE, and text values. read more, Min, etc.

What does "make sure my table has headers" do?

Now make sure My table has headers box is checked. What it will do is it will treat the first row in your data as your table headers.

What is the default name for a table?

Initially, when the table is created, the default name will be Table1 if it is your first table in the workbook. But in the long run, when you are working with many tables, you will get confused about which table you are referring to, so it is always a good practice to give a name to each and every table.

What can you do once a table is created?

Once the table is created, we can do a whole lot of changes, ranging from changing the table color, give the table a name, etc.

What is cell reference in Excel?

Do not worry about cell reference Cell Reference Cell reference in excel is referring the other cells to a cell to use its values or properties. For instance, if we have data in cell A2 and want to use that in cell A1, use =A2 in cell A1, and this will copy the A2 value in A1. read more because we have structured references.

The Parts of a Table

Throughout this post, I’ll be referring to various parts of a table, so it’s probably a good idea that we’re both talking about the same thing.

Create a Table from the Ribbon

Creating an Excel Table is really easy. Select any cell inside your data and Excel will guess the range of your data when creating the table. You’ll be able to confirm this range later on. Instead of letting Excel guess the range you can also select the entire range of data in this step.

Contextual Table Tools Design Tab

Whenever you select a cell inside a table, you will notice a new tab appear in the ribbon labelled Table Tools Design. This is a contextual tab and only appears when a table is selected. When the active cell moves outside the table, the tab will disappear again.

Create a Table with a Keyboard Shortcut

You can also create a table using a keyboard shortcut. The process is the same as described above but instead of using the Table button in the ribbon you can press Ctrl + T on your keyboard. It’s easy to remember since T is for Table!

Name a Table

Anytime you create a new table Excel will give it an initial generic name starting with Table1 and increasing sequentially. You should always rename your table with a descriptive and short name.

Rename a Table

Renaming a table you’ve already named is the same process as naming a table for the first time. If you think about it, when you first name a table you’re actually renaming it from the generic name of Table1 to a new name.

Navigate Tables with the Name Box

You can easily navigate to any table in your workbook using the name box the the left of the formula bar. Click on the small arrow on the right side of the name box and you will see all table names in the workbook listed. Click on any of the tables listed and you will be taken to that table.

How does Excel assign a name to a table?

When you create an Excel table, Excel assigns a name to the table, and to each column header in the table. When you add formulas to an Excel table, those names can appear automatically as you enter the formula and select the cell references in the table instead of manually entering them.

Why do you add or delete columns and rows in a table?

Add or delete columns and rows to the table Because table data ranges often change, cell references for structured references adjust automatically. For example, if you use a table name in a formula to count all the data cells in a table, and you then add a row of data, the cell reference automatically adjusts.

What is a table specifier?

Table specifier: [

  1. Totals], [Sales Amount]] and [
    1. Data], [Commission Amount]] are table specifiers that represent the outer portions of the structured reference. Outer references follow the table name, and you enclose them in square brackets.

Why do we need structured references in Excel?

Structured references also appear when you create a formula outside of an Excel table that references table data. The references can make it easier to locate tables in a large workbook.

What happens when you convert a range to a table?

Convert a range to a table and a table to a range When you convert a table to a range, all cell references change to their equivalent absolute A1 style references. When you convert a range to a table, Excel doesn’t automatically change any cell references of this range to their equivalent structured references.

What is a DeptSales table?

Table name: DeptSales is a custom table name. It references the table data, without any header or total rows. You can use a default table name, such as Table1, or change it to use a custom name.

Can you change the name of a table in Excel?

When you create an Excel table, Excel creates a default table name (Table1, Table2, and so on), but you can change the table name to make it more meaningful.

What is an Excel table?

An Excel table is a rectangular range of data that has been defined and named in a particular way.

Where do you find the name of a table?

Well, to start with, all tables have a unique name. You'll see this name in several places. First, you'll see the name in the name box menu along with any other named ranges and tables. You can use this menu to navigate directly to the data in a table. Even if a table is in a different worksheet.

How to open name manager in Excel?

You can open the Name Manager from the Formulas tab of the ribbon. Or you can use the shortcut Ctrl + F3. Next, notice an Excel table has automatic formatting. By default, we get row striping, and a different header format.

Can you use the menu to navigate to a table?

You can use this menu to navigate directly to the data in a table. Even if a table is in a different worksheet.

Can you use a filter in a table?

Tables also have a filter applied by default. You can use this filter to sort and filter data. The filter is optional and you can easily turn it off.

Why are pivot tables useful?

Pivot tables summarize your data for you. They are particularly useful when you’re working with large tables of data. They can save you from creating lots of summary calculations. The easiest way to create a pivot table using Microsoft Excel is:

How many terms can you have in Excel?

You can use cell indexes and/or actual numbers. The latest versions of Excel have an argument limit of 255 numbers. This means that you can have 255 terms.

What happens when you insert a value into a spreadsheet?

If you insert a value into any cell of any of the grouped spreadsheets, Excel will update all the spreadsheets with that value in the same cell.

What is freeze pane in Excel?

Excel has a freeze pane feature that allows you to freeze columns and rows. This makes it easier to compare and reference data. To access Freeze Panes:

How to become an Excel expert?

If you want to truly become an Excel expert, you’ll need to master Macros. Macros allow you to automate repetitive tasks in Excel by adding programming elements through Visual Basic code. You can even use Macros to extend some of Excel’s functionality.

How to open multiple Excel files at once?

You can simultaneously open multiple Excel files in different Excel instances by selecting the files in your file explorer and pressing Enter on your keyboard. To quickly switch between Excel instances/files, simply press CTRL + TAB on your keyboard.

What is grouping worksheets?

Grouping worksheets allows you to simultaneously edit multiple worksheets. To group your spreadsheets, do the following:

What do teachers use in Excel?

The teachers use tables, shapes, charts, and other tools in excel to present the topics to the students .

What is Excel used for?

Excel is used to do business analysis. Through this, businesses make decisions with collected data. Generally, companies gather data on a daily basis which is related to product sales, website traffic, insurance claim, etc.

What is the most effective spreadsheet software?

Excel helps people to perform complex calculations in no time. There are lots of uses of MS excel in daily life. MS Excel is the most popular spreadsheet software in the world. It is used to perform various tasks in our daily life.

How does MS Excel help in education?

There are various uses of ms excel in education. Even excel is making teaching a lot easier for teachers. The teachers are using tables, shapes, charts, and other tools in excel to present the topics to the students. Moreover, the teachers are also using the formulas to teach the students about mathematical computations.

How to turn data into performance report in Excel?

MS Excel can do monitoring and reporting of performance effectively. A simple way to transform data into a performance report in Excel is to build a pivot table. By creating a pivot table and linking it to data, you can get extra useful information from the dataset.

Why do housewives use Excel?

Housewives. It helps housewives to manage their daily expenses as well as grocery. With the use of excel, we can then create the report for weekly and monthly expenses. It also helps them to track their expenses. Most housewives are also helping their children to learn the basic skills of MS Excel.

How many rows are there in Excel?

Excel contains over 10 lakh rows and 16 thousand columns in the spreadsheet. You can also import data, add pictures and other objects through the insert tab. Excel enables you to put all the data you collected from different files in one place easily.

What is Excel used for?

Budget plans, forecasts, expense tracking, financial reports, loan calculators, and more. Excel was pretty much designed to meet these different accounting needs. And, considering that 89 percent of companies utilize Excel for its various accounting functions, it obviously fits the bill.

What is the purpose of Excel?

Of course, the core purpose of Excel all boils down to numbers. If you need to sort, retrieve, and analyze a large (or even small!) amount of data, Excel makes it a breeze.

How many people use Excel?

It’s true—with more than one billion Microsoft Office users globally, Excel has become the professional standard in offices across the globe for pretty much anything that requires management of large amounts of data.

Does Excel have a template?

Excel even has numerous different spreadsheet template s to make all of those processes that much easier.

Can you use Excel to design a website?

Excel might not be the first platform you think of when it comes to design. But, believe it or not, you can use the tool to put together various mock-ups and prototypes. In fact, it’s a surprisingly popular choice for creating website wireframes and dashboards.

Is Excel a chart?

We’ve already touched on the fact that Excel is a total beast when it comes to creating charts . And, this concept holds true when it comes to various charts for project management.

Does Excel help with productivity?

Want to kick your productivity into high gear? Well, Excel can swoop in and save the day with a variety of uses that can help you tackle your tasks and to-dos with ease and organization.

How to turn data into a table in Excel 2016?

STEP 1: Select your data and turn it into an Excel Table by pressing the shortcut Ctrl + T or by going to Insert > Table. STEP 2: Go to Data > Get & Transform > From Table (Excel 2016) or Power Query > Excel Data > From Table (Excel 2013 & 2010) Excel 2016:

How to list files in Excel?

STEP 1: Go to Data > New Query > From File > From Folder. (In Excel 2010 & 2013 you need to go to Power Query > From File > From Folder) STEP 2: Type in the path you want to list the files from. You can also browse for the folder. Click OK. STEP 3: This will give you a preview of the file list.

What is Power Query in Excel 2016?

Power Query or Get & Transform (In Excel 2016) lets you perform a series of steps to transform your Excel data. One of the steps it allows you to take is to remove duplicates easily. This removes the human error whenever you try to delete your duplicate data manually!

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Overview

  • Excel for Microsoft 365 Excel for Microsoft 365 for Mac Excel 2021 More...
    When you create an Excel table, Excel assigns a name to the table, and to each column header in the table. When you add formulas to an Excel table, those names can appear automatically as you enter the formula and select the cell references in the table instead of manually entering them. H…
  • That combination of table and column names is called a structured reference. The names in stru…
    Structured references also appear when you create a formula outside of an Excel table that references table data. The references can make it easier to locate tables in a large workbook.
See more on support.microsoft.com

What happens when I use explicit cell references?

  • If you enter explicit cell references in a calculated column, it can be harder to see what the form…
    In your sample worksheet, click cell E2
  • In the formula bar, enter =C2*D2 and press Enter.
    Notice that while Excel copies your formula down the column, it doesn't use structured references. If, for example, you add a column between the existing columns C and D, you'd have to revise your formula.
See more on support.microsoft.com

How do I change a table name?

  • When you create an Excel table, Excel creates a default table name (Table1, Table2, and so on), …
    Select any cell in the table to show the Table Tools > Design tab on the ribbon.
  • Type the name you want in the Table Name box, and press Enter.
    In our example data, we used the name DeptSales.
See more on support.microsoft.com

Structured reference syntax rules

  • You can also enter or change structured references manually in the formula but to do that, it will …
    =SUM (DeptSales [ [#Totals], [Sales Amount]],DeptSales [ [#Data], [Commission Amount]])
  • This formula has the following structured reference components:
    Table name: DeptSales is a custom table name. It references the table data, without any header or total rows. You can use a default table name, such as Table1, or change it to use a custom name.
See more on support.microsoft.com

Reference operators

  • For more flexibility in specifying ranges of cells, you can use the following reference operators to combine column specifiers.
See more on support.microsoft.com

Special item specifiers

  • To refer to specific portions of a table, such as just the totals row, you can use any of the following special item specifiers in your structured references.
See more on support.microsoft.com

Qualifying structured references in calculated columns

  • When you create a calculated column, you often use a structured reference to create the formul…
    The general rule to follow is this: If you’re using structured references within a table, such as when you create a calculated column, you can use an unqualified structured reference, but if you use the structured reference outside of the table, you need to use a fully qualified structured referen…
See more on support.microsoft.com

Examples of using structured references

  • Here are some ways to use structured references.
See more on support.microsoft.com

Strategies for working with structured references

  • Consider the following when you work with structured references.
    Use Formula AutoComplete You may find that using Formula AutoComplete is very useful when you enter structured references and to ensure the use of correct syntax. For more information, see Use Formula AutoComplete.
  • Decide whether to generate structured references for tables in semi-selections By default, when …
    Use workbooks with external links to Excel tables in other workbooks If a workbook contains an external link to an Excel table in another workbook, that linked source workbook must be open in Excel to avoid #REF! errors in the destination workbook that contains the links. If you open the d…
See more on support.microsoft.com

Need more help?

  • You can always ask an expert in the Excel Tech Community or get support in the Answers comm…
    Filter data in a range or table
  • Convert a table to a range
    Export an Excel table to SharePoint
See more on support.microsoft.com

1.Overview of Excel tables - support.microsoft.com

Url:https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/overview-of-excel-tables-7ab0bb7d-3a9e-4b56-a3c9-6c94334e492c

5 hours ago  · Excel tables are like closets and cupboards for your data, they help to contain and organize data in your spreadsheets. In your house, you might put all your plates into one …

2.50 Things You Can Do With Excel Pivot Table

Url:https://www.myexcelonline.com/blog/50-things-you-can-do-with-excel-pivot-tables/

20 hours ago You can open the Name Manager from the Formulas tab of the ribbon. Or you can use the shortcut Ctrl + F3. Next, notice an Excel table has automatic formatting. By default, we get row …

3.Videos of What can you do with Excel Tables

Url:/videos/search?q=what+can+you+do+with+excel+tables&qpvt=what+can+you+do+with+excel+tables&FORM=VDRE

18 hours ago  · 20 Things to Do in Excel That Will Make You an Expert 1. Pivot Tables. Pivot tables summarize your data for you. They are particularly useful when you’re working with large... 2. …

4.Everything You Need to Know About Excel Tables

Url:https://www.howtoexcel.org/everything-you-need-to-know-about-excel-tables/

35 hours ago Budget plans, forecasts, expense tracking, financial reports, loan calculators, and more. Excel was pretty much designed to meet these different accounting needs. And, considering that 89 …

5.Using structured references with Excel tables

Url:https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/using-structured-references-with-excel-tables-f5ed2452-2337-4f71-bed3-c8ae6d2b276e

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6.Excel tutorial: What is an Excel Table

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8.What are The Uses of Excel in Our Daily Life? - StatAnalytica

Url:https://statanalytica.com/blog/uses-of-excel/

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9.21 Important Uses of Excel in Business | GoSkills

Url:https://www.goskills.com/Excel/Resources/Uses-of-Excel-in-business

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10.50 Things You Can Do With Excel Power Query

Url:https://www.myexcelonline.com/blog/50-things-you-can-do-with-excel-power-query/

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