MPUG is excited to welcome TheExcelTrainer Mike Thomas back for another live Excel lesson on Wednesday, October 30 (register here!). Today we’re sharing highlights from a previous lesson with three game-changing tips to enhance productivity for project managers:
- Harnessing the Power of Excel Tables
- Leveraging Dynamic Array Functions
- Mastering XLOOKUP for Efficient Data Retrieval
Here are these standout techniques that can revolutionize how you work with data in Excel, with detailed instructions for implementation:
1. Harness the Power of Excel Tables
Converting your data into an Excel table is a simple yet powerful way to streamline your workflow. Here’s why:
- Automatic Expansion: As you add new data, the table automatically expands, ensuring all your formulas and charts stay up-to-date without manual adjustments.
- Easy Referencing: Tables allow you to reference columns by name in formulas, making them more intuitive and less prone to errors.
- Dynamic Headers: When scrolling through large datasets, column headers replace the standard A, B, C labels, improving readability.
To create a table, select your data range and press Ctrl + T, or go to Insert > Table. Remember to check the “My table has headers” box if your data includes column names.
2. Leverage Dynamic Array Functions
For Office 365 subscribers, dynamic array functions offer powerful data manipulation capabilities:
- UNIQUE Function: Quickly create a list of unique values from a column. For example,
=UNIQUE(TableName[ColumnName])will generate a list of unique entries from the specified column. - SORT Function: Easily sort data without altering the original dataset. Use
=SORT(TableName[ColumnName])to create a sorted list. - Combining Functions: You can nest these functions for more complex operations. For instance,
=SORT(UNIQUE(TableName[ColumnName]))will create a sorted list of unique values.
These functions automatically spill results into adjacent cells, updating dynamically as your source data changes.
3. Master XLOOKUP for Efficient Data Retrieval
XLOOKUP is a versatile function that surpasses the traditional VLOOKUP in many ways:
- Bi-directional Lookup: Unlike VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP can search both left and right, eliminating the need to rearrange your data.
- Simpler Syntax: The basic syntax is
=XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array), making it more intuitive than VLOOKUP. - Exact Match by Default: No need to specify FALSE for exact matches, reducing errors.
For example, to find an employee’s contract renewal date based on their ID:
=XLOOKUP(A2, EmployeeTable[EmployeeID], EmployeeTable[ContractRenewal])
This formula looks up the value in A2 within the EmployeeID column and returns the corresponding value from the ContractRenewal column.
By incorporating these tips into your Excel workflow, you can significantly enhance your data management efficiency, allowing you to focus more on strategic project management tasks rather than wrestling with spreadsheets.
Learn More
MPUG members will have the exclusive opportunity to ask Mike “TheExcelTrainer” Thomas anything at our upcoming live session! Join us for our first Excel Office Hour and get your Excel questions answered in real time. Register below!
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