Yes, there is a "Secret" to using Excel.

But what does that mean? Is this a gimmick? No, its honest to goodness advice from a computer training consultant. Be patient, read this page, and you will be a much stronger Excel user in the next 3 minutes. If I have only 5 minutes to give anyone an Excel tutorial, I would teach them the "Secret".

I was amazed when I learned what I call the "Secret" to Excel. I was amazed that Microsoft hadn't placed the feature as an icon on one of their toolbars. I was amazed that all of the "real" books I owned regarding Excel failed to mention the "Secret". Finally, in an Excel reference book, I found the "Secret" to Excel somewhere on page 350. The "Secret" had been buried so deeply in the book no one would ever read, see, or use the "Secret".

A Brief History Lesson.

When you inherit someone's "old" spreadsheet you need to analyze the formulas of the spreadsheet to see what they are doing. Even if the spreadsheet is one you created, you may have created the spreadsheet so long ago that you have forgotten what formulas you used.

Over the years Excel has improved its quality control features for analyzing formulas. But even today, 95% or more of all users research their spreadsheet formulas the old fashioned way. They click on a cell to see if it's a formula. Then they study the formula. Then they might click on another cell to see if it's a formula. And do the same thing over and over again.

Checking formulas with the mouse-click method is slow, tedious, and not thorough. It's a bad process. But that's the way over 95% of all Excel users research their spreadsheets. But there's a much better way. It is the "Secret" to using Excel.

Life with Excel spreadsheets when using the Secret

After using the "Secret" the spreadsheet makes sense again. I can remember all of my formulas. Since I cant use pictures in this article, read this next passage carefully:

Learning the "Secret" to Excel helps you display all your formulas not as numbers but as logical text. You can see the logic of every single formula on your spreadsheet.

The "Secret"

The "Secret" to using Excel is a keystroke command named CTRL grav. This is pronounced "control gra-vay". (Gra rhymes with the word pa, and vay rhymes with the word bay).

Because I can't use pictures in this article, I need to write some steps for you. Don't skim over these steps, do them. You'll be glad you did. (It's really quite simple, it's a CTRL grav.)

First, open up an Excel spreadsheet file that has formulas in it.

Second, using your Windows (non-Apple) keyboard, look to the lower left hand corner of the keyboard.

Third, hold down the CTRL key with any finger.

Fourth, locate the number 1 key towards the upper left hand corner of the keyboard.

Fifth, find the key one key left of the number 1. It has the symbols ` and ~. The first symbol, the ` is called a grav.

Sixth, still holding down the CTRL key, tap the grav key.

Seventh, see that all your formulas now have logical text. So instead of saying 150, a cell might display =a1+a2

CTRL grav is a toggle. Do it once to see your formulas in the spreadsheet. Do it again to display the numbers again.

Do you remember how when you were little you learned how to read at age 4, 5, or 6? Wasnt it fun beginning to understand what all those neat symbols meant on the white paper? It was like discovering some secret code the grownups used.

Thats what the Secret to Excel is like. Every time someone gives you a spreadsheet, just use the Secret on the spreadsheet to understand its logic. Youll enjoy this technique so much youll start showing it to your friends.

Best wishes from Chicago, IL USA.