Excel Semi-Pro

A Dynamic Dependent Drop Down List with a Horizontal Table Reference

April 9, 2012 Formulas

I received a comment asking if a dynamic dependent drop-down list in Excel could have a list where the “table headers were actually rows and not columns?” Since I’ve already detailed how this is done in the article mentioned above, I’ll keep this short. The screen shot below is what I’ll be referencing. At the [...]

Get the full story …

The VLOOKUP Function – Inside Out

March 25, 2012 Formulas

As part of Shark Week I’ve committed to write something for VLOOKUP week. (It’s what I get for using twitter.) So without further ado. I love the VLOOKUP Function in Excel. As the name implies, it’s a vertical lookup. Meaning the function will lookup data in columns. The VLOOKUP Function Arguments The VLOOKUP function has [...]

Get the full story …

How to Update a List or Range without OFFSET

March 22, 2012 Formulas

I avoid the use of Volatile Functions, especially OFFSET, which is commonly used to update a list or range. They can slow down the operation of your workbook. For very large workbooks with lots of data, it can be significant and irksome. Worksheet cells that use Data Validation for a drop-down list can simplify the [...]

Get the full story …

Select Excel’s Used Range on a Mac

March 20, 2012 Beginner

I recently read a good blog post over at Contextures about selecting the actual used range on an Excel sheet, both manually and with VBA. However, using Excel on a Mac makes you keenly aware that there’s no Home button. The used range on a worksheet starts with cell A1 and ends with the last [...]

Get the full story …

Microsoft Excel 2010 on the iPad with the OnLive Desktop

February 29, 2012 Product Review

The gold standard for Microsoft Excel is the latest Windows version, Excel 2010, and the gold standard for tablets is the iPad. The OnLive Desktop App brings them together. If you love Microsoft Excel and have an iPad, then this app is for you. I could go on and on and on about what a [...]

Get the full story …

Check the Analysis ToolPak Add-In in Excel 2003 [VBA Code]

February 28, 2012 Advanced

I recently began using the NETWORKDAYS function in Excel 2007, yet my file was going to be widely used by people with Excel 2003 (both are Windows versions). The NETWORKDAYS function is a standard function in Excel 2007, but with 2003 you have to install the Analysis ToolPak, otherwise you get an error. The only [...]

Get the full story …

An Excel Crossroads – Mac and Windows

January 5, 2012 General Update

I bought a MacBook Pro and installed Windows 7 with Boot Camp Assistant so I could access the “normal” Excel. This was important to me at the time because I was doing Excel development work in versions 2003, 2007 and 2010 on a Windows PC. I love my MacBook Pro, which I consider my computer [...]

Get the full story …

Select a Column of Non-Sequential Data

December 19, 2011 Advanced

In one of my posts on using VBA to select a column of data, I received a comment asking if the macro could be modified to select data like the screen shot you see to the left. This data is non-sequential and consequently the CurrentRegion property won’t work. The way around this is to select [...]

Get the full story …

Microsoft Office on the iPad

November 30, 2011 General Update

Over the past two days there has been talk of Microsoft coming out with a version of Office for the iPad in 2012. I for one would happily purchase the Excel part of this package, assuming the price point is similar to that of Apple’s Numbers app at $9.99 USD. If, like me, you started [...]

Get the full story …

Pay Periods and Funky PivotTable Controls

October 31, 2011 Intermediate

I like to use a PivotTable to figure out simple problems in Excel. So for this post I’m going to use Excel 2011 (Mac), where PivotTable controls look funky when compared to their Windows counterpart. Since I get paid every two weeks, certain months in a year will contain three pay periods. Planning future vacations [...]