Excel Latest features
Microsoft Excel is constantly evolving, introducing new tools, formulas, and features that can save time, improve accuracy, and make data more visual and interactive. The Excel New Features course is designed to help school staff quickly get up to speed with these updates, enabling them to work smarter and more efficiently in a school context.
Even experienced Excel users often rely on older methods, missing out on features that simplify workflow, enhance data analysis, or improve presentation. This course ensures staff are confident with the latest tools, allowing them to manage spreadsheets faster, produce clearer reports, and make data-driven decisions with ease.
Participants will discover shortcuts, automation tools, and new visualisation options that make Excel an even more powerful tool for school administration, finance, and data management.
General / Overview Features
• Fullscreen mode and ribbon display options to see more data on your screen
• Quick Access Toolbar location and creating your own custom menu tab for frequently used tools
• Using SHIFT + drag to move and insert data efficiently
• Adding bullets. • Useful keyboard shortcuts and creating your own shortcuts
Home Menu
• CELLS pane: insert, delete, and format cells and sheets
• CLIPBOARD: using multiple clipboards, clearing clipboards
Insert Menu
• Insert SCREENSHOTS and partial screens with screen clipping
• Add SPARKLINES (mini graphs: line, column, win/loss) • SLICERS & TIMELINES for quick, visual filtering
• Insert ADD-INS such as Data to Pics (visual infographics) or Visio (flow charts, diagrams)
Page Layout Menu
• SCALE TO FIT pane for managing print layout • SHEET options for presentation and print management
Formulas Menu
• NAMES MANAGER pane: make formulae more intuitive and improve navigation
• XLOOKUP: search and retrieve information quickly from large lists
Data Menu
• Wolfram Data: insert automatic live data for foods, activities, animals, cities, structures, etc.
• Convert text to columns: split data automatically (e.g., addresses, class/form)
• Advanced Filter: apply criteria with AND/OR and wildcards
• Flash Fill / CTRL+E: extract, clean, combine, or format data (e.g., names, emails)
• Consolidate: join ranges of data efficiently • Groups & outline: drill down into summary information
Review Menu
• WORKBOOK STATS: view details about cells with data, number of formulae, etc.
• Accessibility review: check content for accessibility compliance
View Menu
• SHEET VIEW pane: customise view without affecting shared users
• Custom views: save settings such as column width and print options
• Zoom to selection • Hide/unhide options
Outcomes - By the end of this course, participants will be fully confident using Excel’s latest tools and features to save time and reduce errors and be equipped to use modern Excel to its fullest, ensuring day-to-day tasks, reporting, and data management are faster, easier, and more accurate.
