Check in frequently where I might just surprise you—whether you work in a very large company or a very small one. Expect to find random ideas about Excel productivity, charts, functions & formulas, and so on.
Also expect Excel-centered blogs about economics, agile, collaboration, data plumbing, worksheet formulas, financial analysis, and other topics of interest to business users of Excel.
Articles with Free Downloads
Why INDEX-MATCH Is Far Better Than VLOOKUP or HLOOKUP in Excel
(Download the workbook.)
Excel’s VLOOKUP function is more popular than the INDEX-MATCH function combination, probably because when Excel users need to look up data then a "lookup" function...
Using the Hidden Power of Excel’s FILTER Function
When you take the time to explore a new worksheet function, it's amazing what you can discover!
And I won't tell you about the really...
How to Create and Use Dynamic Range Names in Excel
(Download the example workbooks.)
We Excel users often refer to ranges that need to move or expand in future versions of our reports. For example:
...
Find Leading Indicators Using Automated Cross Correlations in Excel, Part 1
It all seems so simple...
To improve your forecasts of sales or other measures, you simply need to find leading indicators...measures that are highly correlated...
How to Use Excel Formulas to Calculate a Term-Loan Amortization Schedule
"How do I calculate cumulative principal and interest for term loans? I have scoured the web for a function that will perform this task,...
XLOOKUP vs VLOOKUP vs INDEX-MATCH vs SUMIFS
SUMIFS? Really?
Why is SUMIFS included among those lookup methods? I'll explain in a few minutes.
But first, let's look at the lookup methods shown in...
How to Use Excel’s LET Function
In the summer of 2020, Microsoft introduced the LET function for Excel 365—one of the most-significant new worksheet functions that Microsoft has introduced in...
How to Set Up an Automatic Error-Checking System in Excel Reports
Decades ago, I worked as a cost accountant for a large company. But because our department received terrible reports, I wrote my own reports...using...
How to Stack and Shelve Dynamic Arrays
While using Excel 365 recently, I needed to create one dynamic array that would consist of two arrays, with one stacked on top of...
Simple Transformations Can Reveal Hidden Patterns in Your Data
Excel users have at least two significant advantages over business professionals who rely on other analytical and reporting tools.
First advantage: We Excel users can...
Use MS Query to Treat Excel as a Relational Data Source
Charley's Note: Because MS Query hasn't changed much since Marty Ryerson wrote this article years ago, his instructions are still quite accurate. I have,...
How to Define General Ledger Account Groups in Excel
In Part 1 of this series, How to Report GL Account Groups in Excel, we explored the strategy for creating financial reports that use...
Fun with XY (Scatter) Charts in Excel
Because I’d been working hard on a project for many months, I once decided to take a break and play around with XY charts…which...
How to Create Monte Carlo Models and Forecasts Using Excel Data Tables
(Download the workbook.)
(This is the second of two articles about normal distributions. The first article is, How to Return Random Numbers from a Normal...
How to Work with Dates Before 1900 in Excel
(Download the workbook.)
If you work with dates prior to the year 1900, Excel's standard date-handling system will be no help. However, there are several...
How to Create Cycle Plots in Excel to Chart Seasonal Sales Data
If your company's sales are seasonable, you've probably seen a chart that looks something like the first one below.
This Excel chart shows the continuous...
How to Report Top and Bottom Results Using Dynamic Arrays in Excel
In How to Use Excel’s LET Function, I showed several examples of a powerful function that Microsoft added to Excel 365 in the summer...
Here’s How Inflation Could Affect the Value of Your Home
November 5, 2021
Inflation is rising in the U.S. And that made me wonder how a higher rate of inflation could affect the price of...
An Introduction to Excel’s Normal Distribution Functions
(Download the workbook.)
When a visitor asked me how to generate a random number from a Normal distribution she set me to thinking about doing statistics...
Consumer Sentiment Suggests a 2022 Recession
In recent months, business websites have speculated about recessions and stagflation in 2022.
These predictions could affect your Excel work significantly in the next few...
Compare Loan Payment Options in Excel
When you’re comparing your payment options for mortgage loans, your choices can be overwhelming...
When in St. Ives, I found a home,
Then looked at seven...
How to Use Array Formulas to Report Groups of Accounts
Often, in accounting, marketing, and other departments, we'd like to report and analyze groups of items rather than one item at a time.
In Part...
