Earlier this week, I reported that Microsoft disrupted Excel’s user experience by introducing an un-dismissable floating Copilot button that obstructs data on the screen. "This is atrocious implementation," a user lamented. "I capture screenshots for validation, and this is inserting itself over the data, which already has limited space on my screen.

I reached out to Microsoft about the issue. While the company responded, it offered little beyond two resources: one explaining how to disable Copilot in Excel and Word, and another outlining its broader strategy of integrating Copilot into Office apps as part of an effort to "build an AI‑forward design system that supports work today, while carrying us into tomorrow."

And now, in a new report by Windows Latest, Microsoft has admitted that the floating Copilot button across its Office apps is getting in the way of users' workflows. Consequently, the company is now rolling out a fix that will allow users to move Copilot back to the ribbon.

"The placement of the Copilot button is the worst decision I've seen," a Windows Central reader complained. "I think I get the logic, of putting it in the lower right corner, where most chatbots and live chat buttons have been in web UI for decades, but Excel isn't a web app. There isn't a need for the button to be in the lower corner, covering usable working space. The toolbar is where everyone knows to go in Office, and it had a fitting home in the toolbar."

According to Microsoft:

"If intelligence doesn’t meet you at the right level of that cycle, it doesn’t feel like a partner. It feels like an interruption. That insight is the structural foundation of how Copilot behaves across Office apps. It sees what you’re working on and understands the context, allowing it to act within the given environment."

Microsoft has a big Copilot problem

But perhaps more interestingly, the tech giant indicated that it spotted higher Copilot interactions and engagement after it shipped the floating Copilot button as a default experience across its Office apps.

However, following backlash from users over the change, Microsoft is now rolling back the change and allowing users to move Copilot back to the ribbon. Windows Latest reports that Microsoft is expected to make this change in the last week of May 2026.

Elsewhere, Mat Velloso, a former Partner Director managing AI innovation in Windows at Microsoft, recently indicated that the company has already missed the AI wave, just like it did with the internet and mobile.

He argues that not even 3% of paying customers use Copilot, "even when the distribution is massive, and it's pre-deployed right in their faces," which lines up with a separate report suggesting that only 3.3% of Microsoft 365 and Office 365 users who interact with Copilot Chat actually pay for it, despite Microsoft spending $37.5 billion on its AI-themed efforts in Q2 FY26.

Interestingly, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella indicated that the company now has more than 20 million enterprise customers paying for Microsoft Copilot, representing a 33% increase in the platform's user base from January's 15 million.

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Updated 19/5/2026: This article has been updated to reflect a statement from Microsoft.I heard back from Microsoft about the issue flagged by Excel users about the unremovable floating Copilot button. The company shared two resources: one on how to disable Copilot in Excel and Word, and the other talked about architecting Copilot into Office apps as part of its broader strategy to "build an AI-forward design system that supports work today, while carrying us into tomorrow."

I had my head buried behind a Windows PC as early as the Microsoft Encarta days, but I’ve never quite managed to master Microsoft Excel. However, Microsoft's strategic partnership with OpenAI and the consequent integration of generative AI across its tech stack seemingly aimed to transform the user experience from an uphill climb to a walk in the park.

While Copilot in Excel might be viewed as a game-changer, allowing users to generate and explain formulas, summarize large datasets into charts, and more, Microsoft has seemingly resorted to disrupting the app's user experience with a floating Copilot button (via Neowin).

The change has received backlash from users because there's no way to hide the button from your user interface. However, you can right-click the floating Copilot button and select the Dock option, which will only slide the button to the side of the screen "with a caret-like behavior that launches the Copilot side panel and returns the floating button if you click on it," as the outlet describes the experience.

"The icon is visually disruptive and gets in the way for those that do NOT want to use Copilot - and lots of people don't," a user lamented. "And of course, speaking of which, even uninstalling it does not work, because it just gets reinstalled in the next update. What gives? Please stop trying to force people to use your apps when they do not want to. The only thing that it does is to make them look at alternatives. I know I certainly am."

The floating Copilot button does ship with useful capabilities, including options to either conduct research or create a table. Still, users have expressed reservations about the change and requested that Microsoft return it to its original position in the toolbar at the top or include an option to hide the floating button completely, while describing it as "visually disruptive."

According to a user in Excel's dedicated feedback hub: "Please get rid of the floating copilot icon at the bottom right of my Excel screen, or give me a way to turn it off. I do not want, nor need, Copilot in any capacity. Its presence is infuriating."

"This is atrocious implementation," another user added. "I capture screenshots for validation, and this is inserting itself over the data, which already has limited space on my screen. The button also blocks clicking the scroll bar at the point it overlaps (docked and undocked), at least on MacOS 26.4.1 (25E253)."

"Putting a button over the working content was not a good move by Microsoft. There needs to be a toggle or something to move it back to the ribbon (without requiring the admin to do it for our work 365 accounts). Or just undo this change, it was completely unnecessary."

In the past, Microsoft has been on the spot for forcibly integrating Copilot across its tech stack, specifically Windows 11. It's only recently that the company decided to scale back its aggressive AI push across its operating system by reducing where Copilot buttons and menus appear as part of its broader Windows "K2" initiative, which is designed to address pain points across the operating system and improve its overall user sentiment.

It'll be interesting to see whether Microsoft listens to feedback about adding an option to hide the floating Copilot button in Excel, and how fast it acts. While the integration can be useful, Microsoft should always give users control over Copilot, allowing them to surface it when they need it.

I've reached out to Microsoft for a comment about the issue and will update this article as more information becomes available.

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Microsoft Excel has a new AI tool for productivity. Agent Mode in Excel, which is part of Microsoft 365 Copilot, is now generally available on Windows and macOS. It was already available for the web and will roll out soon to macOS as well.

Agent Mode in Excel is an AI tool designed to be your partner. It supports multi-step workflows, and you can chat with it using natural language. The tool applies changes to your workbook directly, so you don't need to copy and paste suggestions.

Microsoft outlined several scenarios for Agent Mode in Excel when announcing the web version of the tool:

• Create workbooks: Generate new content directly in Excel, grounded in both existing workbook data and web search results to bring in relevant context.
• Scenario modeling: Run what-if analyses for revenue, budgets, or forecasts and model advanced scenarios with adjustable assumptions.
• Data analysis: Generate analyses of large datasets, highlight anomalies, and surface trends with formula-driven analysis.
• Formula generation: Fix broken formulas or and generate dynamic formulas that connect across your workbook data, including explanations for complex calculations.
• Data visualization: Create pivot tables, charts, and dashboards—all through natural conversation. Generate native Excel artifacts that recalculate and update based on changes to the underlying data.

Agent Mode in Excel entered public preview in September. Following feedback from those who participated in the preview and those who have used the web version, Microsoft has made several improvements to Agent Mode in Excel.

Most notably, Agent Mode is now supported in Excel for Windows and macOS. The feature is integrated into Copilot in Excel, so it should be easy to locate without much of a learning curve.

Microsoft also integrated web search into Agent Mode in Excel, which allows the tool to bring in up-to-date information from the web.

Users also have the choice to use models from OpenAI (GPT-5.2) or Anthropic (Claude Opus 4.5).

The default for Agent Mode in Excel is to have Copilot choose the best model for you, but you can also select to use a specific model for any prompt.

To use Agent Mode in Excel, you need to have one of the following: Microsoft 365 Personal, Microsoft 365 Family, Microsoft 365 Premium, or a commercial Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

Agent Mode is not available in the EU or UK at this time.

Do you use Copilot professionally? How does it change your workflow? Let us know in the comments!

Microsoft hasn't been shy about heavily integrating generative AI across its tech stack, including its wide range of Microsoft 365 productivity tools. This comes after the software giant made a multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI, granting it access to the ChatGPT maker's next-gen AI capabilities and intellectual property.

More recently, the company announced its plan to integrate its Copilot AI into Microsoft Excel. It's worth noting that the feature is already rolling out in phases to Beta users, which means it could ship to broad availability in the coming weeks or months.

According to Microsoft:

"It can be painful and time-consuming to wrangle data, summarize feedback, categorize information, and brainstorm ideas."

However, integrating Copilot into Microsoft Excel will allow users to use natural language prompts within a spreadsheet, making it easier to interact with the productivity tool while promoting efficiency and effectiveness.

• Summarizing text: Condense long strings or cell ranges into concise summaries.
  For example, =COPILOT("Summarize this feedback", A2:A20)
• Generating sample data: Create placeholder or example data for prototyping or demos.
  For example, =COPILOT("Five ice cream flavors")
• Classifying or tagging content: Assign categories or labels to text entries.
  For example, =COPILOT("Classify sentiment", B2:B100)
• Generate text: Create simple text content.
  For example, =COPILOT("Create a description for this product based on its specs", B2:B8)

While the new feature promises incredible productivity gains for users, Microsoft says it's not a one-size fits all solution for all your Microsoft Excel problems.

Copilot AI in Excel seems like a trivial feature at best

The new COPILOT function in Excel is touted as an incredible tool for classifying, summarizing, and generating content, but that's just about it. Microsoft has categorically warned users against leveraging its capabilities for "any task requiring accuracy or reproducibility," especially numerical calculations (via PC Gamer).

What's more, beyond the accuracy concerns, the feature's usability is capped at 100 calls per 10 minutes or 300 calls per hour. It's also worth noting that you'll not be able to leverage its next-gen capabilities to access live web data or internal business documents.

Perhaps more concerning, this cuts across financial reporting, legal documents, and other high-stakes scenarios, which are essentially the main things people use Excel for so it kind of defeats the purpose.

Microsoft Excel's COPILOT function is pretty limited, which can be attributed to generative AI's tendencies to generate wrong responses to queries, hallucinate, and misleading information.

As listed above, it's important to ensure that the data you're getting from Excel is accurate, but with AI in the fold, things are a tad complicated. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently revealed that he is concerned about the high degree of trust people have in ChatGPT.

Microsoft is also taking extra steps to maintain your data's privacy when interacting with Copilot AI in Excel. According to the software giant:

"Your data sent through the COPILOT function is never used to train or improve the AI models. The information you input remains confidential and is used solely to generate your requested output."

However, some of these limitations could be subject to changes as the new function is still in beta, which means Microsoft could further refine the experience based on feedback from users before it ships to general availability. And finally, you'll also need a Copilot license to leverage this new tool.

Copilot is on the way to Microsoft Excel. Or rather, more Copilot is being packed into the popular spreadsheet program. A new COPILOT function is rolling out now to users in the Beta Channel and should make its way to more users soon.

The COPILOT function allows you to use natural language prompts within a spreadsheet. For example, you can use the function to reference cell values and categorize data. Because it is a function, COPILOT can be used alongside other functions.

"It can be painful and time-consuming to wrangle data, summarize feedback, categorize information, and brainstorm ideas," explains Microsoft in a blog post.

"The new COPILOT function in Excel for Windows and Excel for Mac is here to save time and supercharge your workflows! Just enter a natural language prompt in your spreadsheet, reference cell values as needed, and watch Copilot instantly generate AI-powered results."

Another benefit of COPILOT being a function is that results and calculated values update automatically when information is changed. That's standard for functions within Excel and is much more flexible than if you used Copilot or another AI tool outside of the app and then imported the results.

To use the COPILOT function, you can go into any cell and press the equals sign and type Copilot. You'll then be presented with the following:

=COPILOT(prompt_part1, [context1], [prompt_part2], [context2], ...)

The prompt part of that text is used to direct Copilot. The context part can be used to reference information from your spreadsheet, such as a cell or a range of cells.

Using AI as an asssitant

AI receives a lot of criticism, often justifiably so. There are many companies that appear to cram AI into apps in ways that are not needed. Microsoft was accused of this when it added Copilot to Notepad.

The new COPILOT function falls into a different category. By making it a function rather than just a tie-in to a web app or web version of an AI tool, the results created with the COPILOT function are useful. It feels like an extension of Excel that allows you to use natural language to perform tasks that would normally require expert knowledge of Excel.

The ability to classify data stands out to me. I often use Excel to receive feedback. The team I manage is small enough that I can go through feedback individually, but I could easily see the classification feature coming in handy.

In the example video shared by Microsoft, the presenter shows the COPILOT function being used to categorize feedback about a coffee machine, adding a visual indication of the overall thoughts of each piece of feedback, and summarizing the feedback into a sentence or paragraph.

Microsoft's blog post highlights that the same functionality can be used for support tickets and tagging information.

I'm far from a competitor in the Excel World Championships — yes, that's a thing — but I can see how COPILOT could streamline a workflow and add value to a spreadsheet.

Microsoft shares some tips and tricks for using the COPILOT function in its blog post. The tech giant also notes some important limits of the feature. The COPILOT function uses data from Copilot, so it cannot grab live web data or retrieve information from an internal business document.

You can import documents into Excel to provide access to that information to COPILOT.

At the moment, the COPILOT function supports 100 calls every 10 minutes and up to 300 calls per hour. Microsoft plans to raise those limits in the future.

To use the COPILOT function, you need to be a Beta Channel user and have a Microsoft 365 Copilot License.

Microsoft 365 is bringing one of the best recent additions to OneNote over to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Those apps now include a fountain pen and a brush pen, giving you more options for taking notes.

Both pens rolled out to OneNote last year and can now be added to the Draw tab in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. They became popular for adding artistic flourishes to notes and annotations.

Unlike standard digital pens, the fountain pen and brush pen produce strokes with natural variation, mimicking the feel of writing on paper and avoiding the “too perfect” look of many digital tools.

"We know that many of you loved the Fountain pen and Brush pen introduced in OneNote on Windows a year ago, and we’re excited to bring them to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint," said Microsoft in a Tech Community post.

"Now, you can unleash your expressiveness and creativity with the Brush pen when adding ink and annotations in PowerPoint or Excel, or write your notes in Word with a bit more flourish using the Fountain pen."

The fountain pen replicates its real-world equivalent by allowing you to draw thin lines for detailed lettering. You can control how thick a line is with speed or pressure.

The brush pen is directional, meaning the thickness of your pen strokes depends on the angle of your stylus.

Mike Tholfsen, who is a product manager on the Microsoft Education team demonstrated the fountain pen in OneNote last year. That same pen is now available in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

To use the new pens in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, you need to be running Version 2508 (Build 19127.20000) or later of those apps. At least for now, the functionality is limited to Windows.

Considering macOS lacks pen support, the feature may not ever ship to that platform. But we could see the tools added to the Microsoft 365 apps on iPadOS or Android.

How to add pens to the Draw tab

Even if you don't use the fountain pen or brush pen, you may appreciate the additions. The new tools can make the drawing section of apps feel crowded, so Microsoft added the ability to add or remove different input methods.

You can also drag drawing tools around within that section to reorder them.

Here's how you can add the new pens to the Draw tab in supported Microsoft 365 apps:

• Open the Draw tab in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.
• Select "Add" to add the fountain pen or brush pen.
• Click or press and hold any drawing tool and then drag it left or right to reorder your tools.
• To delete any drawing tool, press and hold or right-click, then select "Delete."
  • Alternatively, you can expand the options for a specific tool and select "Delete Tool."

While you're in that section, you can add multiple copies of specific tools. For example, you could add two highlighters set to different colors.

Ever since Microsoft took a multi-billion-dollar bet on OpenAI's technology, the tech giant has seemingly shifted its focus to generative AI and practically integrated it across its tech stack.

At this point, Microsoft's CEO, Satya Nadella, is probably synonymous with AI, following his recent commitment to invest $80 billion in building data centers to support the company’s AI advancements. This comes after OpenAI unveiled its $500 billion Stargate project, aimed at reducing its reliance on Microsoft for cloud computing resources.

In case you missed it, the executive appeared in a podcast interview with Bill Gurley and Brad Gerstner, and as you might have guessed, most of the conversation was centered on AI. Perhaps more interestingly, Nadella indicated that the Agentic AI era might lead to the collapse of traditional SaaS (Software as a Service) business applications.

CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella: We are going to go pretty aggressively and try and collapse it all. Hey, why do I need Excel? I think the very notion that applications even exist, that's probably where they'll all collapse, right? In the Agent era. RIP to all software related jobs. from r/agi

According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella:

“Yeah, I mean, it’s a it’s a very, very, very important question, the SaaS applications, or biz apps. So let me just speak of our own dynamics. The approach at least we’re taking is, I think, the notion that business applications exist, that’s probably where they’ll all collapse, right in the agent era, because if you think about it, right, they are essentially CRUD databases with a bunch of business logic. The business logic is all going to these agents, and these agents are going to be multi repo CRUD, right? So they’re not going to discriminate between what the back end is. They’re going to update multiple databases, and all the logic will be in the AI tier, so to speak. And once the AI tier becomes the place where all the logic is, then people will start replacing the back ends, right?”

The executive argued that AI agents are going to be "multi-repo CRUD." As such, they won't discriminate between what the backend is. Instead, they will update multiple databases. He further added that all the business logic users seek from traditional SaaS business apps will be available in the AI tier.

Microsoft CEO seemingly indicated that most SaaS apps provide simple yet valuable services. They store data and run CRUD (Create, Read, Update, and Delete) operations on them. This should ideally make it easy to integrate AI into the business app to handle the intelligence aspect.

"Hey, why do I need Excel?," indicated Nadella. "Like, interestingly enough, one of the most exciting things for me is Excel with Python is like GitHub with Copilot, right?"

The executive says users can use Microsoft Excel alongside Copilot. "It is like having a data analyst," added Nadella.

According to Microsoft's CEO:

"A great way to reconceptualize Excel. And at some point you could say, Hey, I’ll generate all of Excel. Uh, and that is also true. After all, there’s a code interpreter, right? So therefore you can generate anything. Um, and so, yes, I think there will be disruption, but so the way we are approaching at least our M365 stuff is one is, you know, Build Copilot as that organizing layer, UI for AI, get all agents, including our own agents."

To that end, it remains to be seen if users will embrace AI into their workflows, potentially prompting them to pull the plug on traditional SaaS apps.

What you need to know

• Syncing data from Microsoft Forms to Excel spreadsheets is about to become more reliable.
• Microsoft announced improvements to using Excel and Forms together, which include a bump up in performance.
• Microsoft will phase out the older data sync solution by October 20, 2024 in favor of the better solution.
• You can upgrade a workbook to the improved sync setup as long as you update the workbook before the October 20 cutoff.

Keeping up to date with Microsoft Forms responses is about to get better and more reliable. Microsoft just announced an improved syncing solution for keeping data in sync between Microsoft Forms and Microsoft Excel.

Until now, some forms relied on an older syncing solution that left room for improvement regarding reliability and performance. Additionally, data sync was only available for two types of forms: Forms made with OneDrive for Business and Excel for the web and group forms made with SharePoint Online, Teams, and Microsoft 365 Group. The new syncing solution works with a wider range of forms.

The older syncing solution is being phased out and will be replaced by October 20, 2024. Ahead of that cutoff, you'll need to upgrade any current workbooks to the new syncing solution if you'd like data to continue to be synced. If you don't upgrade a workbook, the data will still be there, but it won't be updated with new responses from Microsoft Forms.

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If you open a form that uses the old syncing solution through the Forms website, you'll see a pop up prompting you to upgrade the form. Clicking "Update sync in Excel" will complete the process. Upgrading syncing through Excel on the web requires a similar process, though the prompt will appear in the pane on the right side of Excel. If you upgrade through Excel on the web, the workbook will create a second sheet so you can see the original data and the data that's now powered by the new syncing solution.

At the moment, syncing only works with Excel for the web but Microsoft is working on bringing the same functionality to Excel for Windows and macOS.

If you're unsure if a workbook has been upgraded, you can check by looking at the UI that appears when viewing results. If Forms shows "Open in Excel" with an ellipsis menu, you're on the old sync solution.

Improving Microsoft Forms

I use Microsoft Forms quite a bit to track responses from my American football team. I have photo release forms, team quizzes, and other bits of information I need to stay on top of when managing my team. Having responses sync with workbooks reliably saves me from using incomplete or incorrect data. It also prevents confusion created by juggling several static workbooks based on the same forms.

I've played around with the new syncing solution a bit and it seems to work as advertised. I have some forms with hundreds of responses that I need to be able to browse ahead of games. For example, since my team has players under the age of 18, I have to have certain forms filled out by parents or guardians. Being able to trust that those forms are up to date before a specific event is key to my team.

What you need to know

• Microsoft is adding a new way to interact with recently used Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents on iOS.
• You can access recently used files directly from the home screen through the new Recent Files widgets for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for iOS.
• The feature is rolling out to Microsoft Insiders but is expected to ship to broad availability soon.

Microsoft has announced a new and easier way to interact with recently used Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents on iOS. You access recently used files directly from the home screen via the Recent Files widgets for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for iOS.

Users can either view or open recently accessed files by adding the Recent Files widgets for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to the home screen on their iPhone or iPad.  It's worth noting the Recent Files widget is available in different sizes (small, medium, and large) to accommodate your needs based on the device you're using. 

What's more, you can use the widget to launch the app's home page by tapping anywhere on the widget outside the file cards. It's worth noting that the feature is rolling out to Microsoft 365 Insiders running iOS Version 2.85 (Build 24042818) or later.

It's possible that you might not be able to access the new feature immediately, as it's rolling out in waves. Microsoft uses this precautionary measure to ensure everything runs smoothly before shipping a feature to broad availability. 

Microsoft started testing checkboxes in Excel in October 2023. The feature lets you visualize data, including TRUE and FALSE values, which opens a world of possibilities within Excel. Checkboxes are still in beta, but a video by Exceldictionary showed a way to use the feature that's so useful I signed up to become an Insider.

Exceldictionary showed how checkboxes can be used to create an attendance tracker. Since I track the attendance of the American football team I run, I was interested immediately.

Excel already has a form of checkboxes now, but I find them clunky and unintuitive. The new checkbox feature is much more useful, and I also find it easier to use. I'll point you in the direction of Exceldictionary for a full how-to guide, but this is my experience in creating an attendance tracker and how making one showed me how useful checkboxes can be in Excel.

Tracking attendance

When it comes to coaching, one of the driving principles of my team is the quote by Thomas Monson, "when performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported back, the rate of improvement accelerates."

Keeping track of things isn't a foreign concept, but it can be tricky to streamline. When my team had fewer than 20 players and a few coaches, it wasn't much of a hassle to do things manually. But my team now has dozens of players, over ten coaches, and it can take ages to manually add things up. Previously, I used boxes set as 1 or 0 to indicate attendance. While that worked fine, it wasn't elegant and lacked some functionality now seen in checkboxes.

Little things like being able to select a box and press space to toggle a check are quite handy. This also works when you have multiple boxes selected.

By far, the most useful feature checkboxes have is that they mark a value as TRUE or FALSE depending on if they're checked. You can then use that value for tracking data.

Using check boxes as values

When I first used the checkbox feature, I viewed the main benefit as visualization of data. The combination of checkboxes, the repeat function, and the stencil font made a progress bar that gave a clear visual indicator of each player's attendance. But making the spreadsheet highlighted a major benefit to the new checkbox feature in Excel, the program can take a value from the checkbox.

At the top of my spreadsheet, there's a total attendance for players and another category for coaches. These are made with the SUM function, but I had to add a little bit more to make it work. I used the COUNTIF function to only give a checkbox a value if it is checked, or in this case TRUE. I could then use those values to create totals, averages, and other metrics.

This particular spreadsheet has my data set up within a table, so it has sortable columns. Since my checkbox values are already viewed as numerical figures because of the COUNTIF function, I can use that functionality to sort attendance. For example, I could sort the total column to show attendance in descending order (in this specific spreadsheet, doing so requires sorting by Z-A). If you prefer a numerical value, you can use the same formula I did for player or coach totals shown above, but then select a different range of cells.

A little goes a long way

When researching for this article, I showed a few of my friends the spreadsheet I created. One works in recruitment and the other is a primary school teacher. Both of them said they wanted a copy of the spreadsheet to use at work.

I know that's anecdotal, but I think interest in checkboxes within Excel will be large. They're easier to use than the older checkbox functionality, and they can be used in spreadsheets in a variety of ways.

Excel Beta

Checkboxes are still in beta, so you have to be an Office Insider to use them. I hope they roll out to everyone soon, but in the meantime, you can follow our guide on how to enroll in the Office Insider Program on Windows 11.

What you need to know

• The Microsoft Excel World Championship took place in Las Vegas and was live streamed and televised.
• Andrew Ngai was able to pull a 3-peat and is on his way to becoming the Michael Jordan of Excel.
• For Andrew's accomplishment he was awarded 3000 USD and a championship belt.

The Microsoft Excel World Championship, presented by the Financial Modeling World Cup, has steadily made waves over the past few years. In 2023, it was big enough to be televised on ESPN's The Ocho. Andrew Ngai has taken the crown for the last three years, but next year could be your chance as another World Championship was announced for 2024 at the end of the competition. If you want to put your skills to the test, you can sign up for the 2024 world championship at the Financial Modeling World Cup's site.

You can watch the entire 2023 Microsoft Excel World Championship live stream on the Financial Modeling World Cup's YouTube channel.

How is Andrew Ngai so good at Excel?

Andrew Ngai explained that his day job is that of an actuary. If you have seen the 2004 movie Along Came Polly with Ben Stiller and Jennifer Anniston, you probably remember that Ben Stiller's job was determining risk for an insurance company. This is a reductive take on what an actuary does, but there is a lot more math involved than what is shown in the movie. 

Andrew also explained that he spends time practicing and preparing for the competition by reviewing previous cases he has worked on. It is a unique thing to know you are the best in the world at something and be able to prove it over 3 years of tournaments. 

As the world moves to be further integrated with technology and programming and technical acumen becomes more notable than physical ability, we will likely continue to see competitions similar to this one pop-up. In the cybersecurity world, there are already hacking competitions where players compete to capture the flag (a secret phrase) from inside a protected network. 

While we might not be as good as Andrew Ngai at Excel, there is value in learning to be proficient with Excel and the rest of Microsoft's suite. According to ZipRecruiter, most actuaries in the United States make between $116,500 and $137,000 annually.

What is the Microsoft Excel World Championship?

If you want to learn more about how the competition works, check out our Microsoft Excel as an esport? This is the Financial Modeling World Cup article for a deeper look, or watch this quick promotional trailer from the Financial Modeling World Cup YouTube channel.

The actual competition is done in a decent format and is entertaining enough to watch. Even if I can't personally understand the methods they are using in Excel, they make the competition digestible and easy to follow who is in the lead. 

What does the world's most skilled Excel user think about AI?

While speaking to ABC's NG Drive, Andrew Ngai was asked about his thoughts on AI. Andrew Ngai believes humans with skills in Excel are still safe from AI for now. As pointed out, Microsoft wants to blame users for AI copyright infringement articles. If an AI has no user-generated content to train itself on, it will never be able to learn or grow. 

As quoted in this article's headline, Andrew Ngai said, "If you use incorrect data to train an AI model, then the AI model will give you wrong results, but it will also pretend as if it's confident about those wrong results." This is a brutally honest take on the issue with AI models. They are wrong a lot but are so bullish in its erroneous responses that people might start believing the wrong answers. 

I agree with Andrew on this. The number of ChatGPT and AI-generated articles online is starting to cause a significant problem. I often look for a verifiable fact on Google or Bing, search for something, and see articles with conflicting information. This is likely due to authors or websites trusting ChatGPT and not fact-checking. 

A recent example of this was when Jim Ryan announced his retirement. The entire world tried to figure out how old he was. If you Google it, you will see results saying he is 63, 55, or 52, and even after a while searching for a correct answer. I then asked ChatGPT how old Jim Ryan is, and it quoted PushSquare.com, which has his age as 63, but Factsbio.com says he is 55. 

This is the issue with AI: if the knowledge put online by humans is wrong, the AI will be wrong as well, and as Andrew Ngai so accurately said, it will be confident in its error.

For daily research, this isn't a huge issue. Still, when it comes to balancing spreadsheets or creating formulas to manipulate data so a company can accurately evaluate and manage risk if the AI is wrong, it can be catastrophic to a company, its bottom line, and eventually, the employees still working there.

This is likely why Andrew Ngai was confident that AI is not ready to replace skilled humans who are experts in their respective areas of expertise.

I have some understanding of this as well, as Microsoft and several other prominent cybersecurity vendors and platforms are working to improve AI in the cybersecurity industry. In fact, Microsoft has announced significant changes coming to Security Copilot. However, I am not worried that AI will soon make my role as a cybersecurity incident responder obsolete. AI can be a helpful tool in speeding up analysis and response, but at least for now, there will need to be a human to look at the AI-generated results and have the expertise to know whether the results are accurate.

What do you think about Andrew Ngai being the 3-time Excel World Champion? How long do you think it will take for AI to advance enough to start replacing skilled professionals like Andrew Ngai? Let us know in the comments.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Excel ships with the massively multiplayer online (MMO) space sim EVE Online as an add-in.
• Excel enthusiasts immersed themselves in role-playing fantasies deep in a persistent universe this past weekend in Las Vegas, during the the Microsoft Excel World Championship 2023 finals via the add-in.
• Some of the activities included crunching down data on market trades as well as asteroid mining within the Excel add-in.

Boy! They weren't kidding when they said all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Who said Microsoft Excel is only good for crunching down numbers? In 2022 at EVE Fanfest, it was announced that Microsoft Excel would gain a neat add-in from the massively multiplayer online (MMO) space sim EVE Online.

For a bit of contextd, first debuted in 2003, EVE Online allows gamers to immerse themselves in role-playing fantasies deep in a persistent universe. The same joy and fun was shared among Excel enthusiasts this past weekend in Las Vegas, during the the Microsoft Excel World Championship 2023 finals.

You can check out how the events unraveled at the tournament with EVE Online at the center of it all via the YouTube link embedded above. Finalists used the Excel add-in to showcase their prowess in writing Excel formulas and more.

At the end of it all, the finalists took part in a case study curated by EVE Online content creator Oz, which required them to analyze data from EVE's Microsoft Excel add-in. This entailed crunching down data on market trades as well as asteroid mining within the Excel add-in.

More than your basic productivity tool

As shared with Windows Central by TriplePoint:

"The first integration of its kind for a video game, EVE Online’s Excel add-in empowers EVE players to gain deep insights into their in-game activities, track their progress, and strategize their next steps. The free add-in is available now for all EVE Online Players via the Microsoft Store, accessed directly through Excel."

If you've dabble a bit with the Excel add-in, you're aware that it allows you to access and analyze in game data across all your accounts and characters within Microsoft Excel. Simultaneously, you can leverage the platform's analytic tools such as generation of graphs and custom reports for a better overview of the data.

Have you interacted with Excel's exciting add-in yet? Share your experience with us in the comments.

What you need to know

• A Reddit users made a fully functional version of Tetris within Microsoft Excel.
• The game has a scoreboard and a preview of the next block, just like the full version of Tetris.
• The shortcuts to move between tabs in Excel are CTRL+Page Up and CTRL+Page Down.

If you're tired of staring at spreadsheets all day, a Reddit user may have the perfect solution. User "MehmetSalihKoten" managed to make a fully functional version of Tetris within Microsoft Excel. The feat brings one of the world's most popular games to one of the most-used pieces of Office software.

MehmetSalihKoten did more than just make blocks fall into place. The game has a scoreboard and a previous of which block is up next, just like the full version of Tetris. The blocks aren't color coded yet, but I imagine that could be solved in Excel Tetris v2, if the user decides to take more time out of their workday. While working on that, they could also make the controls WASD or the arrow keys rather than clicking on a screen.

I Created Tetris In Microsoft Excel At Work from r/microsoft

As much fun as it would be to play Tetris within Excel for a few minutes, this is more of a fun engineering feat than a genuine way to enjoy a game. Getting games to play where they're not supposed to is a fun hobby among enthusiasts. Doom has famously been made to run in a range of weird places, including Microsoft Excel and Notepad.exe. Now, we get to see Tetris grace a "work" spreadsheet within Excel.

MehmetSalihKoten has not shared how they made Tetris work within Excel, so you'll have to wait for more details to play the game as you pretend to work. As a quick tip, CTRL+Page Up and CTRL+Page Down jump to a different sheet within Excel... just saying.

What you need to know

• A viral video of Microsoft's CEO, Satya Nadella making Microsoft Excel demo videos back in the day is doing rounds on social media.
• In the minute-long video, the executive demonstrates how to integrate data that exists on a host or a mainframe into Microsoft Excel.
• We unpack moments leading up to Satya Nadella's ascend to the top seat at Microsoft. 

We're a few hours shy until Thursday, and the Throwback Thursday trend (#TBT) is seemingly back in full swing. Talk about a blast from the past — a post on X recapping Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's humble beginnings at the company as a Technical Marketing Manager making Microsoft Excel demo videos has gone viral.

In the minute-long video, Nadella demonstrates to users how to integrate data that exists on a host or a mainframe into Microsoft Excel. It's evident that at the time, Nadella hadn't garnered as much popularity as he does now, which begs the question, how did Satya Nadella navigate his way from making Microsoft Exxcel video demos to leading a Fortune 500 company?

Satya Nadella's climb to the top seat at Microsoft as an "internal stranger"

Microsoft's CEO, Satya Nadella, recently touched base with Insider's Mathias Dpfner and discussed AI, Activision Blizzard, and more. But what might have stood out (at least for most people) might be how Satya became CEO.

Satya explained that he'd worked at the company throughout Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer's tenure and blatantly stated, "I don't think I ever got up in the morning and thought that someday Microsoft would have neither Bill nor Steve. And quite frankly, when Steve announced that he would leave, it was a real shock to me." 

Shortly after making the announcement, one of the board members tasked with finding the company's next CEO reached out to Nadella and outrightly asked him if he wanted to be CEO. He responded, "Only if you want me to be the CEO."

And the rest, as they call it, is history. Of course, this is only the short version of the story. And while we aren't going to get into the intricate details of his ascend to the top seat, Satya's love for Cricket, empathy, and more. 

Has Satya Nadella made any mistakes during his tenure?

The executive has admitted that he has made many mistakes while running the company. While he didn't list them don't, he recounts pulling the plug on Windows Phone as his biggest mistake, terming it as a "strategic mistake".

Satya's biggest win at Microsoft

Microsoft's CEO refers to his leadership skills after taking up the lead position at the tech firm from the founder as his most remarkable win. According to Satya:

"We needed to run the company as a team of senior leaders who are accountable to the entire company. And even the senior leaders cannot be isolated, they need to be grounded. So we found a way to be able to work together. There used to be this characterization, this caricature of Microsoft as a bunch of silos – which I thought was unfair. We were able to debunk that by showing that we are one team working together, flexible in our own ways but very fixed on our outcome goals. And that, I think, was probably the most important thing."

Empathy is the "hardest skill to learn," yet so vital 

The company lead has mentioned the importance of having empathy as a skill when it comes to leadership. Raising his son, Zain Nadella, who suffered from asphyxia in utero, leaving him with cerebral palsy, and his unfortunate passing early last year completely reshaped Satya's outlook on life, as it is no easy undertaking. 

Satya believes that empathy is a vital skill at work, and it plays a more crucial role in career development.

When will Satya Nadella retire?

Taking the lead at Microsoft for nearly ten years now, one might wonder when Satya is set to retire. Well. The answer isn't as simple as you Might think. While speaking in an interview earlier this year, the company disclosed that retirement plans weren't on his horizon as he's still in the middle of multiple projects that require his input. 

What will Satya Nadella be remembered for beyond his retirement?

The CEO believes he'll be remembered for his contributions at Microsoft, particularly his AI ventures. He added that it's up to the people to decide and choose what to remember him for, further stating that the company has made significant strides in the technology space in the past few years, with AI transformation at the forefront.

What you need to know

• Microsoft is shipping a new update to Excel for Windows and Mac users.
• The update addresses an annoying feature that affected data enthusiasts and scientists. 
• Users will now have the option to disable automatic data conversions that convert their alphanumeric symbols into dates. 
• The feature will not work during macro execution.

Microsoft is finally fixing an annoying Excel feature that data enthusiasts and scientists will appreciate. You might recall the automatic data conversion feature, which shipped to the platform last year for Windows and Mac users. It's essentially designed to help users control how and whether the data entered into the spreadsheet is automatically converted to specific formats.

While it's a resourceful feature, it doesn't play nicely with alphanumeric symbols, as it converts gene numbers and other scientific data into dates. However, this will no longer be the case as Microsoft is rolling out a new update for Windows and Mac users to address this issue.

Consequently, users will now be able to establish more control over the automatic conversion of their data. Users will also receive a notification from Excel highlighting the automatic conversion before it takes place. This will give the user ample time to decide if this is a change they'd like to implement on the file.

Users will need to navigate through the settings to disable these features since they are enabled by default so as to ensure that their data is not affected by the feature. Users can also prevent automatic data conversion while loading a .csv or similar file on the platform. However, the features won't work during macro execution.

How to disable automatic data conversion on Microsoft Excel

As highlighted above, automatic data conversion settings are enabled by default. You'll need to navigate through the settings to disable them, as outlined below:

1. Launch Microsoft Excel on your device and click on Files.
2. Next, select Options and click on Data.
3. Finally, select Automatic Data Conversion and check off the boxes for the settings you'd like to disable.

What you need to know

• The Microsoft Excel World Championship returns for another year.
• It's being shown as part of ESPNs "The Ocho" event.
• Anyone can enter and there's a total prize pool of $10,000 across the competition.

It's apparently that time of year again where you have the opportunity to put your Excel skills to the test and take part in the Microsoft Excel World Championship. This year's championship promises to be bigger than ever.

It's all part of ESPNs "The Ocho". It's an event that showcases sports you likely don't know exist, including of course the Microsoft Excel World Championship, Chase Tag, Teqball and I can't keep a straight face for this one; The Mullet Championships. The whole thing was inspired by the channel that shows the finals in one of the best comedy movies ever; Dodgeball. How this came to be is an interesting story in itself.

If you think you have the skills to take part in the Microsoft Excel World Championship, then get yourself entered. Or maybe this is making you want to brush up on your Excel skills for a championship push in the future? It's open to everyone and here's how it works:

• Register by October 6th - Entry to the event costs $50 but gives access to all Excel game tasks to train your skills with the chance to win part of a prize fund of $10,000.
• Qualification round on October 7th - The qualification round leaves 128 players left to compete for glory.
• Two Livestreamed rounds - Last 128 and 64 on October 28th followed by the last 32 and last 16 on November 2nd.
• The Final Round - The Grand Finale, an in-person event in Las Vegas with paid for travel.

Each round of the competition consists of a "Task" of a range of problem-solving questions that are solvable in Microsoft Excel and each Task will include several questions. These vary in complexity, with more complex questions awarding more points. For those that want to go in deep with the entirety of the rules it's worth giving them a read.

If you've spent most of your life working in Microsoft Excel and you see yourself as a bit of a pro, then this is clearly the competition of your dreams. Maybe.

What you need to know

• You'll soon be able to include images as well as other data types in your PivotTables in Microsoft Excel.
• PivotTables are text-based, but Microsoft is providing users with a new way of presenting their data.
• The feature is currently rolling out to Office Insiders on Windows and Mac.

Microsoft is currently testing a new feature with Office Insiders that lets them incorporate images as well as data types like Stocks and Geography into PivotTables while using Excel. The new feature is designed to provide users with a richer and more aesthetically pleasing look.

As you might already know, the PivotTable features in Microsoft Excel are used to create dashboards, reports, and summaries. And for the longest time, the feature has been text-based, thus limiting how users can present their data. 

However, Microsoft Excel's feature is designed to enhance this experience further for users by providing them with multiple new ways through which they can present their data.

The feature is currently rolling out to Office Insiders both on Windows and Mac, running version 2307 (Build 16609.20000) or version 16.74 (Build 23060401), respectively. As usual, you might not be able to access this feature immediately. This is because they roll out gradually to users in phases. 

In related news, Microsoft recently faced an outage that affected its Microsoft 365 service, affecting users based in Western Europe. The company narrowed down the issue to a faulty data center in Germany, but the issue has since been resolved. 

What you need to know

• CCP Games has announced a partnership with Microsoft to bring support for Excel as an add-in to their MMO EVE Online.
• The add in is the first of its kind for a video game.
• CCP Games hopes that the addition of Excel will bridge the accessibility gap for players who want to keep track of stats and data in the massive game.
• EVE Online is free to play and CCP Games are celebrating the game's 20th anniversary throughout 2023.

This year Icelandic based development studio CCP Games is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their massive and popular MMO, EVE Online. As part of the celebration, CCP Games has announced a partnership with Microsoft to bring add-in support for Microsoft Excel to EVE Online. This partnership marks a first for the video game industry, and CCP Games hopes that the add-in will transform the way players analyze and visualize the data they collect in game resulting in new strategies and experiences.

The add-in for EVE Online was developed in collaboration between CCP Games and the Excel team at Microsoft, including in-house capsuleers who proved to be invaluable to the project. The Excel add-in will provide valuable in-game data to players via a fluid and seamless UI that integrates perfectly with Excel. Players will be able to use that valuable information to adjust their in-game strategy dynamically which will change the tides of war when it comes to managing frontline warfare, maximizing profits, and ultimately taking over space itself. 

The world of EVE Online is incredibly competitive, and the players of that world already know that good data that is easy to read and analyze can make or break your strategy. Many competitive players already use spreadsheets to gain insight into their in-game activities already, but the inclusion of the Excel add-in will further maximize the way players can interact with the information. Players can expect the add-in to affect daily productivity in a variety of ways depending on the playstyle with which they approach the MMO.

• Manufacturers: Enhance production efficiency, identify profit margins, and uncover business opportunities.
• Miners: Make informed decisions about mining operations and optimize profits by calculating the value of mined asteroids.
• Haulers: Streamline cargo volume determination, assess cargo value, and maximize transportation profits.
• Enforcers: Keep track of bounties, mission rewards, and hourly earnings to identify the most lucrative activities.
• Explorers: Track earnings, item collection, and progression in the vast universe of New Eden.
• PvP Combatants: Monitor kills, losses, loot value, ship usage, and the outcomes of encounters.
• Corporation Leaders: Gain essential insights into member activity, roles, finances, and standings.
• All Players: Understand in-game actions and track progress over time with an aggregate overview of all character assets. 

While the Excel add-in for EVE Online may be the first of its kind, Microsoft and CCP Games have previously partnered together to create a JavaScript API that allowed players to export their data from EVE Online into Excel. 

If you would like to try out the EVE Online x Excel collaboration, you can do so by downloading the game for free from the EVE Online website. EVE Online is currently only available for PC. 

Ever find yourself with a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet jam-packed full of data but don't know where to look next? Do you wish you could sift, sort, and analyze and make your data work harder for you? Well, look no further. With this guide, we'll look at 7 handy tools to make your data much more accessible, giving you the top-line information you need (and looking good while doing so!). 

The following Excel functions can be used on new or existing databases to find or summarise information quickly and easily. You can use them to turn a wall of numbers into meaningful data with just a few simple clicks. 

Although we have only provided 7 tools here, they will make a huge difference to your capabilities. You can even combine most of them to enhance their impact even further, leaving your boss and colleagues in awe of your skills.

Most of these tools are relatively basic, but a few of the later ones may border on intermediate. Although, with a bit of practice, anyone can use them successfully and give your Microsoft Office projects that wow factor.

So without further ado, let's look at our first simple tool to get your data working.

Sum

It’s as simple as it sounds. Use the Sum function to Sum (add up) all of the requested data. You can do this across rows or columns, even adding together multiple numerical sources on your spreadsheet.

Let's have a look at creating a basic Sum formula:

=Sum(value1,value2,value3…)

To sum a range of data, you replace the value in the formula with the cells. For example, to add cells A1 through to A20, you would use ”Sum(A1:A20)”. Further cells or ranges can be added following a comma “=Sum(A1:A20, B15, C2:C5)”.

You can instruct the formula exactly which cells to include by typing in the cell names, or you can click and drag a box over the cells you wish to include, and the formula will automatically add these.

You can choose to Sum at the end of a row or column or make a table elsewhere on your sheet. You can even Sum the contents of one sheet and have them pull through the results to another sheet (or even workbook) entirely. Still a simple tool, but much more functional than it first appears.

Count

The most basic Count function does exactly what it says. It counts the total number of cells highlighted in a range. It does not, however, add up the total of the contents in the cells, just the number of cells present. We use the following formula:

=Count(value1,value2,value3…)

Inside the brackets, you can either list the individual values/cells or put in the range of cells you wish to consider. A range can be across multiple rows and columns, like A1:A50 or A1:D50.

The above example shows the total number of transactions made by customers in a small database.

The Count function will only count cells that contain numbers, so if a cell is blank or contains text, it will ignore the cell completely.

If you would like to count cells in a more specific manner, such as cells that contain a certain number or a certain string of text, then read on for the more powerful CountIf!

CountIf

This function will only count cells if they meet specified criteria (really living up to its name!). For example, you may want to only count cells containing a certain name or ID number or a value above or below a certain threshold.

=CountIf(range,criteria)

We select a range similar to the previous count function, then place a comma and state the criteria you wish to consider. In the below example, I added a count of the number of orders for each customer by counting how many times their name appears on the order list in the above example.

If we wanted to, say, count sales only above $100, you would simply set the criteria in the formula as >100. To do this, the formula would be “=CountIf(F1:F19, “>100”)”. The criteria can be quite versatile; you can count by numbers in a range, count if it’s a specific piece of text, or count if it matches the content of another specified cell.

SumIf

Similar to CountIf, we can use SumIf to only consider the cells which meet our given set of criteria. The difference here is, Countif will only count the number of cells, whereas SumIf will sum the contents of the cells if they match your set of guidelines.

=SumIf(range,criteria,[sum_range])

You can build up a whole string of different criteria, just like CountIf does above, to sum data in multiple cells which meet your strict set of rules. One difference you will notice is the inclusion of [sum_range] in the formula. This lets us specify the rules in one column but add the values from another corresponding column.

Building on the previous example, you can see here that I used SumIf to create a table to add up the order value for each customer, using their name as the criteria. On the spreadsheet extract (see above), the cells highlighted in blue are the cells it checks for criteria; then, if it’s a match, the cells in red are summed up.

Min / Max

This nifty function will simply pull out the highest or lowest values from a set of numbers to save you from having to trawl through lines and lines of info, playing spot the difference. This can be useful for seeing at a glance which customer is spending the most money with your business or, for example, if you have a list of times of marathon runners, it can instantly show you the fastest or slowest times achieved.

=Min(value1,value2,value3…)

or

=Max(value1,value2,value3…)

This little tool can be a real time saver. As your data changes the ranks, the Min and Max will always stay up to date by constantly looking at the formula and making sure it's correct. 

You can combine this with some conditional formatting to make the cells or text a different style of color or pull the information through to an overview page to always ensure you are up to date with any changes.

Rank

Rather than just seeing the highest and lowest values with the Min/Max functions, you can also rank a selection of data by their individual values. This is done using the rank formula.

Depending on what data you have, the Rank function can be used to quickly view where you need to focus your attention, such as which products are making the least sales or which webpages are receiving the highest clicks.

Let's look at an example:

=RANK(number,ref,[order])

You select the number to which you wish to assign a rank, then the ‘ref’ is the group of values it is being compared to, followed by the optional ‘order’ value – this can be either 0 for descending or 1 for ascending. 

Our above example shows which of our customers are making the most / least expenditure on sales. We could easily change to look at the volume of sales instead by selecting the previous column, depending on our needs at the time.

Again, you can even pair this with some conditional formatting to make the highest and lowest ranks stand out or even put each rank on a sliding color scale to really give it some flair.

Vlookup

The infamous VLookup is extremely useful but not nearly as difficult as its reputation suggests. By entering a unique value from the first column of your table (such as an order number, ID number, or name), the Vlookup function will scour the entire table and bring back some specific data related to your input.

Using our customer database from above, we can type the unique transaction number from the first column to pull up all details related to that transaction.

The formula used for this is:

=VLOOKUP(lookup_value,table_array,col_index_num,[range_lookup)

Although this looks complicated at first, it's actually quite straightforward. Let's break it down:

Lookup_value is the cell it reads before it goes off searching. This is a unique string of information you type to prompt the search. For example, you might type in a transaction number to look up a specific customer sale.

Table_array is the search location. Here you specify what data you want to be included in the search, and the function will search this table each time you enter a lookup value. Your unique lookup_value should always be in the first column in this table.

Col_index_num is the column from the above Table_array, which will provide you with the data to output. The lookup will take your lookup_value, find it in the table_array and then provide the data which is present in the column number we have entered here.

Range_lookup is an optional field. Here you can enter either TRUE or FALSE. If TRUE, then the lookup will search for an approximate match. If FALSE, then the lookup wants an exact match. If left blank, this will always default to TRUE.

In the example, the VLOOKUP formula in cell I4 reads the transaction number from cell H4. It finds this number in the table, then looks at column 2, which in this case is the customer name. It then reads across to this column and sends back the name Dan.

By extending the Vlookup to more additional cells, we can create a full recount of the customer order made with each transaction number. You only need to change the column number to look at the adjacent information to pull that through too.

As useful as they are, Vlookups do come with a couple of limitations. Firstly, the VLookup value will not recognize any duplicate values. If we had two transactions with the same ID number, the function would find the first occurrence and then stop. This is why it is important to have a unique value – If we used surnames, for example, and had 2 Smiths, the Vlookup would always stop at the first Smith.

Secondly, Vlookups can only look right. This isn't a Zoolander reference but a feature of how the search works. It looks down the left-hand column for the 'Lookup_value' and then returns information from the columns to the right of this (as specified by the user). There are way around this, such as the XLOOKUP function, but they are a bit more advanced.

By implementing and combining all of the Excel devices we have discussed, your spreadsheet will be constantly crunching numbers in the background while you put your feet up or grab another coffee. Collate everything into a simple dashboard or front page, and your data can look like a bespoke software package designed by and for you.

Using the tools in this article, along with the tips featured in our 10 top Microsoft Excel tips to help you become a spreadsheet sorcerer, you will be creating complex databases in no time. Add a little bit of your own style and flair, and you can easily create professional-looking pages to wow your colleagues and customers or even just impress yourself.

By putting in a little bit of time and effort during the creation of your spreadsheet, you can prolong its life and usability, making it work for you. Your data can keep you informed and save precious hours, all whilst looking good at the same time. 

More resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Microsoft held an event titled "The Future of Work with AI" today. During the presentation, the company introduced Copilot, a tool that uses AI to generate content across apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams. Copilot is also available in Viva and a new experience called Business Chat.

You can watch Microsoft's AI event to catch up, but we've also broken down the highlights. Microsoft shared a blog post recapping today's announcements as well.

Copilot in Word

Copilot in Word can summarize documents and suggest edits as you write. The tool also has the ability to generate a draft of a document based on information from an organization. Copilot in Word supports picking between tones, such as professional or casual, and can help improve documents in other ways.

Copilot in Excel

Using Copilot in Excel should make it easier to make complex spreadsheets. The tool allows you to ask questions in natural language and will then suggest formulas to use. Copilot in Excel can find correlations in data, generate models based on questions, and find trends. It can also create visual aids, such as charts.                                    

Copilot in PowerPoint

PowerPoint's Copilot features focus on creating presentations. You can have the tool gather information from a Word document to create slides, including speaker notes and sources. You can also compress preexisting presentations to be much shorter with the tool.

Like Excel, PowerPoint will let you use natural language to enter commands, such as timing animations and reformatting text.

Copilot in Outlook

Copilot in Outlook will use AI to read through emails. It can then write replies for you, which should save some time. Like Word documents, text generated by Copilot in Outlook can be edited, so it's more helping you with a draft than creating something set in stone.

You'll also be able to create messages from notes that prompt the AI. The tone can be adjusted to fit specific emails as well.

Copilot in Teams

If you're late to a Teams meeting, Copilot will be able to help you out by creating a summary of what's been said so far. The tool can answer specific questions regarding a meeting as well.

Copilot will also be able to generate meeting agendas based on chat history, suggest who should follow up about specific items, and recommend a time to schedule check-ins.

Business Chat

Business Chat is a new experience that extends across different apps and data sources. It uses Microsoft Graph and AI to gather information from documents, presentations, emails, notes, calendars, and more.

Here are some commands shared by Microsoft as examples:

• Summarize the chats, emails, and documents about the [customer] escalation that happened last night.
• What is the next milestone on [project]. Were there any risks identified? Help me brainstorm a list of some potential mitigations.
• Write a new planning overview in the style of [filename A] that contains the planning timeline from [filename B] and incorporates the project list in the email from [person].

Copilot in Viva

Copilot will integrate with Microsoft Viva in several areas, including Viva Engage. The tool will highlight trending topics from workplaces to help leaders better interact with colleagues. It will share suggestions for posts and will have the ability to add images and adjust the tone of text as well.

Copilot within Viva Engage will also suggest responses to help conversations continue and provide prompts to spark communication.

What you need to know

• Microsoft announced Copilot today, an AI-powered tool that works across Microsoft 365 applications.
• Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Viva, and Teams will all support Copilot.
• Within Excel, Copilot can suggest formulas based on questions you ask it and create charts and visual aids.

Microsoft announced Copilot for a range of applications. Among those is Excel, which will let you ask questions with natural language rather than relying on formulas you know off hand. The AI-powered tool will also share correlations it finds in data, suggest what-if scenarios, and recommend formulas based on the questions that you ask.

Copilot will also be able to generate content, such as charts and other visual aids.

Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Viva and Teams will all support Copilot as well. In addition to the tool working within the apps, Copilot can gather information from one document and use it to create content in another. For example, Copilot can use a Word document to create a PowerPoint presentation.

Microsoft shared some examples of what Copilot can do in Excel:

• Give a breakdown of the sales by type and channel. Insert a table.
• Project the impact of [a variable change] and generate a chart to help visualize.
• Model how a change to the growth rate for [variable] would impact my gross margin.

Copilot is in testing right now among 20 customers, including eight Fortune 500 companies. It will be available in preview for more users later this year.

What you need to know

• Microsoft 365 Copilot was just announced at The Future of Work with AI event presented by Microsoft.
• The tool uses artificial intelligence to generate content across a range of applications, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Teams.
• Microsoft's approach to AI connects apps, allowing users to generate content in one program by gaining insight from specific documents.

Microsoft just unveiled AI features for its Microsoft 365 suite of applications. Microsoft 365 Copilot brings artificial intelligence to a range of programs, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams. They center around the same concept, using AI to generate content intelligently.

An Microsoft 365 blog post outlines everything Copilot can do. Copilot is in testing with 20 customers, eight of which are Fortune 500 companies. More customers will be able to test Copilot in preview over the coming months.

Microsoft showed off a variety of features during today's event, including asking Microsoft 365 Copilot to prepare for a meeting, AI generating meeting notes for a Teams call someone joined late, and PowerPoint creating a presentation based on a specific document.

Copilot can use insights and information from one Microsoft app to generate content in another. For example, Details from a Word document can help create a PowerPoint presentation.

It's also possible to use Copilot to prepare for and catch up on Teams meetings. If you join a meeting late, Copilot can make meeting notes for everything you've missed. It can also help create a meeting agenda based on chat history and suggest which people should follow up with specific tasks. 

Business Chat is a new experience from Microsoft that brings together information from your documents, files, emails, and other areas. The feature is accessible through Teams and Microsoft365.com.

Within Outlook, Copilot can read an email sent to you and generate a reply.

Microsoft has made several AI announcements this year, including launching the new Bing powered by ChatGPT and features for Microsoft Teams.

This is a developing news story, and we will update it as more information becomes available.

Newcomers to Microsoft Excel on Windows and beyond are often overwhelmed by the vast quantity of tools and menus available. Fear not! 

Below we have a list of 10 useful tips and tools to enable you to create the spreadsheet you need (or spice up an existing sheet). Now you can wow your project team, or just make managing your personal budget clear and concise, with these simple but effective tips. 

1. Autofill

When first creating your Excel spreadsheet, you may find it very time-consuming to enter all your data. But Excel is equipped with features to help speed up the process. If entering a series of information, Excel can recognize this and autofill the data in ascending or descending order as required.

For example, if your column is a list of subsequent dates, enter the first date and left click on the small square in the bottom right corner of the cell. Still holding down your mouse button, simply drag downwards and Excel will follow the date sequence for as many cells as you drag, filling in the rest of the dates. This can save precious minutes (or even hours over the course of the year).

2. Format cells

If your cells are handling currency, dates or even time, Excel can adapt and treat them as such. By right clicking on a cell (or group of cells) and clicking on ‘Format Cells’ you can apply a different format of your liking. This saves you having to manually type symbols such as $ or % depending on the type of formatting you pick, as well as keeping the data format consistent and tidy. This can also help ensure that your math formulae make sense, for example when adding or subtracting time. There are dozens of options available, so you should be able to find something to suit your needs.

3. Today

Excel spreadsheets are great for tracking actions to manage deadlines. Thankfully, the tech wizards over at Microsoft have included a simple formula to let your spreadsheet automatically populate the current date. If you type the formula “=TODAY()” into a cell, it will always show the current date. Open your Excel sheet tomorrow and it will automatically update, and so on. This can be used as a reference point for other cells to help keep track of deadlines. The above example shows a cell with ‘Today’ followed by a list of action deadlines. Just have the deadlines subtract the date from ‘Today’ and you can easily work out how much time you have left on your project deadlines.

4. Absolute data $

Sometimes when you want to autofill, you might want to keep some of the data consistent. By adding a dollar sign ‘$’ to a formula, it makes the data absolute (always the same). Keeping with the above example, when we look at the ‘Days remaining’ formula, we want to keep the ‘Today’ data absolute. So, we simply add a dollar sign ‘$’ in front of the data we want to keep locked in — it will always apply to the number/letter directly to the right of the $. When we then drag to autofill, it will change the data without a $, so the B5 will become B6 but C2 will remain unchanged.

If you are dragging horizontally instead of vertically, just add the $ in front of the column letter. So C2 would become $C2 (or $C$2 if you want to keep both).

5. Conditional Formatting

This nifty feature allows you to set rules to make cells change their appearance depending on their contents. You may want values to stand out if they are over budget, or within a certain time frame. To do so, click on the Conditional Formatting option on the Excel toolbar:

There are plenty of pre-set options to choose from, like highlighting the top 10 values, data above or below a set value or within a date range. Or, if you’re feeling brave, you can easily create your own set of rules, even changing cells which contain certain text.

In the below example, I have created conditional formatting to change dates within the next week to amber or overdue actions to red, adding a visual aspect help prioritize actions.

6. Data validation

With this feature, you can help minimize potential errors in your Excel spreadsheet. Data validation allows you to limit the types of data that can be entered into a cell. The Data Validation menu can be accessed by clicking on the ‘Data’ toolbar tab, then finding the ‘Data Validation’ button:

From here you can set rules to prevent the input of the wrong type of data, by specifying only dates, numbers, etcetera, or my personal favorite; creating a list of acceptable data entries which can then be selected from a dropdown list when you click on these cells. Data Validation even allows you to set your own error message if the wrong data is entered!

7. Format Painter

Have you ever spent what feels like forever making your spreadsheet look like an aesthetic masterpiece, only to add new bland and boring cells and feel like you’re back to square one?

Fear not, Excel has a built-in feature called the Format Painter which does exactly what it says. You can easily copy and paste your formatting from one part of your spreadsheet to another (including any number formatting or conditional formatting you might have added).

First drag your mouse around the format you wish to copy, then in the top left corner of the screen, look for the Format Painter button. Clicking this will copy the format, which you can then simply click on to the cells you wish to apply it to.

Pro tip — double click the Format Painter icon if you wish to apply the same format multiple times or to different areas.

8. Sort and Filter

So, you’ve created a huge Excel spreadsheet with loads and loads of useful information. Now you can’t find what you’re looking for. With Excel's sort and filter features, you can easily reorganize your data to show you exactly what you need to see. To get started, highlight the top row of the columns you wish to include, then find the Sort & Filter button on your toolbar:

This applies a drop-down menu to each column header, which you can then click through and sort your data by ascending/descending based on values or alphabetically.

You can also click the filters to hide specified data, whilst keeping it matched up with its relevant rows. In the below example I have selected to only display my incomplete actions from my tracker to allow me to focus on what I still need to do. I then filtered by least time remaining:

It is useful to notice that the drop-down arrow on the column header changes to indicate that either a sort or filter has been applied (this is useful for tracking down your hidden data when you need to get it back).

9. Graphs and Charts

One of the most powerful tools available in Microsoft Excel is the ability to pull your data into a simple yet professional graph at the click of a button. This can make even the most mundane data look interesting and makes it much easier to spot trends in your data.

To create a graph, simply select the data you wish to include, then click on the Recommended Charts button on the ‘Insert’ toolbar tab.

This will provide you with a chart or graph which best suits the data you have provided, from bar graphs to pie charts or even the more advanced Pareto graphs.  Once you become more familiar with the basics you can even play around with adding trend lines or multiple data sets to the same graph to enhance your presentations ever further.

10. Save

Save, save, and save again. It really can’t be stated enough. The most important tip on this list is to frequently save your Excel spreadsheet. We’ve all been there before… One minute you’re pumping out figures at the speed of light, producing the best results you’ve ever seen, then in the next moment it's all gone. It could be a dead laptop battery, a network error or the dreaded ‘Not responding’ message — we’ve all lost work before. The larger and more feature rich your Excel spreadsheet becomes, the higher the chance of it crashing as it crunches your numbers and draws your graphs. Often this is recovered, at least partially, by Microsoft document recovery, but you don’t want to take that risk.

The best tips to master Microsoft Excel

Follow these 10 beginners’ tips and you’ll be the envy of the office at your next presentation, with your all singing and dancing Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. These are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Excel, but with a little time and practice they will become second nature and you will be ready for more advanced features to make your life easier and your data smarter.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Excel will soon support placing images within cells.
• The option will allow users to move, resize, sort, and filter images alongside cells containing other types of content.
• Microsoft could ship the feature as soon as December 2022, but that date is subject to change.

Microsoft is working on the ability to place images directly within the cells of an Excel spreadsheet. The feature would allow users to move and resize cells containing images. It would also let people sort and filter cells with photos alongside cells containing other types of content.

"Your pictures can now be part of the worksheet, instead of floating on top. You can move and resize cells, sort and filter, and work with pictures within an Excel table," reads the Microsoft 365 Roadmap entry for the feature (via TechRadar).

At the moment, Excel only allows images to be placed above cells. As a result, photographs merely float above spreadsheets. This can make it difficult to format spreadsheets with several photos. It can also make it hard to organize a picture within a group of cells. Being able to place photos within cells could be used to place charts, graphs, and other content.

The ability to place images within the cells of spreadsheets could arrive as soon as next month, but that date is subject to change. The Microsoft 365 Roadmap provides a rough outline for features, not strict release dates.

When the feature does ship, it will be available on Excel for the web as well as on Android, Windows, and macOS. The Microsoft 365 Roadmap does not mention the ability to place images within cells for Excel for iOS.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet program found in Office that can be used for simple data entry purposes or for building surprisingly complex software tools. 
• The organizers of a Excel-based esport called the Financial Modeling World Cup recently got their event onto ESPN and other televised segments, as the unlikely competition grows in popularity. 

Last weekend, ESPN and Sky Atlantic welcomed a new event to their sports line up, putting a spotlight on an unlikely esport that is snowballing in popularity. Instead of battling it out over League of Legends or DOTA 2, the participants solve complex problems using Excel, which is a powerful spreadsheet program within Microsoft's Office suite.

The organizers Financial Modeling World Cup (FMWC) likened the competition to an escape room quest, "but you’re in an Excel file and have 30 mins to get out!" The Excel Championship has built up quite the following on Twitch and YouTube, and the past weekend marked their big launch onto a mainstream TV channel via ESPN2. It would appear that the contest also enjoys Microsoft's backing, too.

The ‘All-Star Battle’ took place in May but was televised as part of ESPN’s ‘The Ocho’, a 24-hour showcase of niche sports such as chase tag, dodge ball, and air guitar. Eight players in total took part, with each round the top 50% moving to the next until a final face-off between the two top competitors. 

Far from the realms of standard office accounting, the players were asked to:

• Create a slot machine involving an emoji and points system. 
• Create and simulate a yacht regatta based on a pre-determined data table of wind direction and strength. 
• Complete a six-level platformer created in Excel.

The event is has spawned quite a strong march of interest, and has become popular enough to warrant a new Excel Open event in October, complete with a prize fund of $10,000. The FMWC website details additional upcoming events, with a European event taking place towards the end of August, along with the next stage of the World Cup taking place in September.

As of writing, the previous events have over half a million views on YouTube apiece, and will likely grow even further as a result of recent coverage. The traction this new 'esport' is generating has put an unlikely spotlight on the versatility of the Office tool kit. More and more esports are appearing that sidestep the twitchy reaction ceiling in games like Fortnite or Call of Duty, offering an alternative showcase to promote programming skills.

The tasks were designed to be completed in a maximum of 30 minutes, and are available to check out as free downloads if you want to see what it takes to be an Excel Grandmaster.

What you need to know

• Microsoft rolled out several features for Excel in July 2022, including improved Natural Language Query support.
• New tools are available for Excel for the web, Windows, and Mac.
• Insiders can test out the option to set automatic data conversions and use a resizable conditional formatting dialog.

Microsoft rolls out new features to all of its Office apps each month. While Excel might not get as many new features as Microsoft Teams, it still gains new capabilities on a regular basis. In July 2022, Microsoft added several new features to Excel for the web, Windows, and Mac, all of which are summarized in a Tech Community post.

Excel users on the web can now search for fields within PivotTables. This should make it easier to find content, though it might take some time to roll out to everyone.

On Excel for Windows and Mac, Microsoft improved Natural Language Query support. The feature allows users to search for information within a spreadsheet with everyday language. The company has a dedicated support page to help people get started.

Office Insiders on Windows can test out an improved set of tools for automatic data conversion. Specifically, users can choose how and when data is automatically converted.

Insiders on Mac will have the option to see more choices for resizable conditional formatting at once. The dialog box for the feature can now be expanded vertically or horizontally, which lets it show more rules at a time.

Here's everything that's new for Excel for the web, Windows, and Mac:

Excel for the web

• Search for fields in PivotTable field List

Excel for Windows

• Control automatic data conversions (Insiders Beta)
• Natural Language Query improvements (Current Channel & Monthly Enterprise Channel)

Excel for Mac

• Natural Language Query improvements
• Resizable Conditional Formatting dialog (Insiders Beta)

If you aren't already an Office Insider, you can sign up to become one on Microsoft's website.

What you need to know

• Microsoft will not block VBA macros by default in downloaded Office documents.
• The company has tested a default block for VBA macros since April 2022, but decided against rolling it out to general users.
• VBA macros present a security risk because they can be used to as part of malware and phishing attacks.

Despite testing a block on VBA macros since April 2022, Microsoft will not block these types of files by default in Office documents. Back in spring, Microsoft started rolling out a change to the Current Channel of Office that prevented downloading VBA macros by default. This was done in the name of security since these types of files can be used in malware and phishing attacks. Now, it appears that Microsoft is changing course.

Microsoft stated that it decided against rolling out the change due to feedback.

"Based on feedback, we’re rolling back this change from Current Channel production. We appreciate the feedback we’ve received so far, and we’re working to make improvements in this experience," said Microsoft's Wenjun Gong in a Tech Community post. "We’ll provide another update when we’re ready to release again to Current Channel. Thank you."

Based on Gong's comment, it seems likely that Microsoft will implement a similar change at some point in the future.

Some in the comments section of that post were critical of Microsoft rolling back the change without notice. "Rolling back a recently implemented change in default behaviour without at least announcing the rollback is about to happen is very poor product management," said vincehardwick.

The change was set to ship to general users in June 2022, but Microsoft rolled it back before that happened. 

VBA macros are commonly used in phishing scams and in efforts to get malware onto PCs. In attacks, unsuspecting victims see a macro attached to a document. If opened, the macro then places whatever it wants to onto a system, such as malware.

What you need to know

• Microsoft will end support for Money, partner offers, and Wolfram data types for Excel.
• The products will reach end of support on June 30, 2023.
• Some of the features, such as Money, have paid alternatives available.

Microsoft will end support for three Excel features on June 30, 2023. Money, Wolfram data types, and partner offers are all on the way out, as outlined by a Microsoft support document (via Thurrott.com). For now, the features are available to users with Microsoft 365 subscriptions, but they'll all stop working in just over a year.

Money is a tool that connects to a person's bank or financial institution. It's used to keep track of transactions by syncing with a bank account. After June 30, 2023, the feature will stop being able to connect to banks. New transactions will stop showing up through the tool as well.

Microsoft points people toward Tiller in its support document. Tiller can also sync transactions and other information to a spreadsheet, but it requires a paid subscription. Microsoft 365 subscribers can try Tiller free for 60 days, but the service will cost $79 per year after that.

Wolfram Alpha data types added new kinds of templates to Excel. Microsoft decided to not renew its partnership with Wolfram Alpha, instead deciding to focus on its own efforts.

"We're committed to bringing our subscribers consistent value. By learning from this program and our partners, we're looking for new ways to deliver that value," said Microsoft on its support document. "We believe there are other areas where we can do this, and we'll be focusing on those going forward."

Microsoft will remove these features due to low usage. "Microsoft is committed to improving your Microsoft 365 subscription,” said an email from the company. “As a result, we occasionally remove underused features and benefits."

EVE Online is a somewhat legendary spacefaring MMO where players build, manage, trade, and battle colossal space fleets in a continuous dedicated server world. EVE Online is known for its daunting complexity, and has often been described as "spreadsheets in space" owing to how managing data within the game often presents.

During the EVE Online Fanfest this week, developer CCP revealed an unlikely partnership to bring the spreadsheet meme into reality.

Microsoft Excel is partnering with CCP to build a special Javascript API that will grant budding spacefarers the capability to export in-game data directly into Microsoft Office. Exactly how this will all function remains to be seen, but CCP says it aims to provide more information on these features later in the year.

Additionally, EVE Online detailed its upcoming roadmap, which will feature new events, new story systems, and "improvements" to Fractional Warfare and infrastructure, with an effort to bring EVE's NPC empires to the fore. To support this, EVE debuted an intriguing trailer showcasing the Caldari.

As I noted earlier, EVE is notorious for being inaccessible to newcomers or casual players, but CCP is aiming to solve that. A new player experience dubbed the AIR Career Program will help acclimate new players across four dynamic roles; Explorer, Industrialist, Enforcer, or Soldier of Fortune. CCP is also intent on revamping and enhancing the visual engine to prepare the game for its third decade in operation, with improvements to the HUD, better particle FX, and much more.

I suspect this could be the first of many partnerships between Excel and games. Various titles that lean on deeper complexity such as Elite Dangerous or World of Warcraft often see players turning to Excel to parse data and theorycraft. It's an unexpected use case for Excel, but one that wholly makes sense.

EVE is available for free via EVEOnline.com.

This will be a bit of a personal article, so if that's not your bag, feel free to skip over. However, I wanted to share some of my experiences, with the view it might help a few people out here and there. This is how I've lost 100-plus pounds with Microsoft Excel, and a bit of old-fashioned willpower.

I've struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I just didn't really have the "I feel full" mechanism that other people seem to have, basically eating until I hit a wall of nausea to know whether or not I wasn't hungry anymore. This is something I carried with me through my teens and my adult life, made all the more worse by getting a work-from-home job. Coupled with the pandemic, and disposable income to spend on daily junk food, my weight went all the way up to around 420 pounds (probably higher — it was only when I dropped to 415 pounds that I could find domestic weighing scales that would actually weigh me).

The pandemic has a lot of people re-evaluating their priorities. The data around the world suggests that obese people are more susceptible to getting seriously ill with COVID. Even beyond that, I'd been dealing with a mysterious stomach illness for the past couple of years that made me want to improve my health in general.

So, here's an overview of how I lost 100-plus pounds in around 10 months by simply using Microsoft Excel, and good old calorie counting.

My spreadsheet and weight loss methodology

Essentially, all I've done here is create a range of tables that allow me to input what I've eaten, and roughly how many calories per day, by tallying up all of the calories eaten throughout each day. I've done it on a weekly rolling basis, then created a weekly average at the end of each seven-day block.

I also have a line graph at the top where I log my weight every Saturday for the past year, which offers an overview of my progress as soon as I open up the spreadsheet. The first time I was able to weigh myself was when I'd already dropped to 415 pounds (and when the scales stopped returning an error message for being too heavy). In the beginning, losing weight was incredibly easy, but as you can see from the chart, it dropped down a bit over time as my body got more used to the new diet plan, and the (fairly minimal) exercise I was doing.

Since Christmas, I've stopped tracking my food intake so aggressively because I'm trying to build up habits without having to log everything down. Admittedly, for me, it has certainly been a bit more difficult to consistently lose weight without actively counting, so I may go back to counting again this week. Either way, actively counting and measuring helps you figure out where to create a deficit. I find that if I eat around 1,600 calories per day on a weekly rolling average, I will probably maintain my weight. If I want to lose weight, I need to create a deficit that goes below 1,600 calories, which accounts for my relatively sedentary work-from-home lifestyle. I could certainly do more exercise to increase the number of calories I can eat, sure, but this is what works for me, and has worked for me thus far.

I've tried all of the restriction diets like keto and just found that none of them really worked for me. This method allows me to account for "cheat days" like going out for a pizza and drinks with friends, because I can average out the extra calories by eating less the next few days, as I target around 1,200-1,500 daily average for the week. It also helps me target calorie-sparse foods that are filling but contribute fewer calories overall to the average, such as lettuce and salad with a low-calorie dressing for flavor. Simple tactics like switching from bread to low-calorie crackers, or swapping out cheese for tuna on pasta has also helped immensely. What may otherwise seem like small changes do add up, contributing to a big overall difference.

Excel has seen me steadily and gradually lose weight over the course of a year, to a point where I'm almost below 300 pounds for the first time in decades.

The psychology of direct involvement

I've tried a lot of dieting apps like Noom, for example, which encourage you to build habits using psychology. Weirdly, none of these kinds of apps or services has ever worked for me. I think Microsoft Excel works for me because it feels like I created the project, and am fulfilling the project, using my own system and my own data. Excel even has a more granular diet plan template you can use, but it didn't give me the flexibility nor the weekly average tally I wanted to account for social events and cheat days.

There are no doubt technical methods I could use to improve my spreadsheet, like creating a database of food that will do calculations for me. I am most definitely an Excel novice, but I feel like my setup gives me a level of involvement that I feel some apps remove from the process. Calculating calories has been a bit harder in Germany, since their packaging often lists calories per 100 grams, forcing me to do annoying calculations and weigh food out. U.K. packaging more often lists calories per portion, which is far more friendly to this kind of method. Having to make those calculations somehow contributes to the sense of participation, though, in a way I'm not really sure how to explain, even to myself. There's something about building your own plan that existing apps and services don't really account for — at least for me, and my unique mentality around food.

Obviously, everybody will have something unique that works for them. Weight issues and overeating represent complex medical issues that governments and scientists around the world are fighting to understand. The intersection of social and genetic factors can make weight loss difficult to achieve for many, despite how debilitating it can be. I can't express how good it felt to be able to get on a plane without needing a belt extender for the first time in well over a decade. And sure, I still have quite a ways to go, but it's a great feeling to have made this progress. Simple things like getting up the stairs, or standing up in the shower are now pleasant tasks, rather than arduous missions.

If you're struggling with similar issues and would like to give my calorie-counting method a go — you can use my spreadsheet as a base with this blank version. If you don't have Microsoft 365, Excel and Office on the web are free to use via OneDrive.com.

What you need to know

• Microsoft has been taking increasingly large steps over the past few months to put a stop to macro-induced security risks in its apps and services.
• Its latest move is to block internet macros by default in five major Office apps: Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, and Visio.
• The new default change's rollout will begin in early April 2022 and is, at a date yet to be determined, set to come to versions of Office stretching as far back as Office 2013.

Microsoft's been taking a harder stance against macros in recent times, such as with its crackdown on Excel 4.0 macros. Now, the company's going even further.

Five Office apps will soon see internet macros blocked by default. The apps in question are Word, Visio, Access, Excel, and PowerPoint. Expect the default change rollout to hit Office beginning with version 2203 via an early April 2022 Current Channel (Preview) release. It will come to other channels, including Current Channel, Monthly Enterprise Channel, and Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel, at a later date. The change will also make its way to Office LTSC, Office 2021, Office 2019, Office 2016, and Office 2013, though dates for those rollouts have yet to be provided.

As to why Microsoft is doing this, the short answer is that the change adds an extra layer of security for users. Here's an excerpt from Microsoft's announcement: "For macros in files obtained from the internet, users will no longer be able to enable content with a click of a button. A message bar will appear for users notifying them with a button to learn more. The default is more secure and is expected to keep more users safe including home users and information workers in managed organizations."

The idea is that even with the previous disclaimers Office apps have offered, it was still too easy for someone to enable an internet macro and inadvertently expose their device to malicious payloads. Now, Microsoft is upping the barrier separating internet macros from Office apps to shield users from bad code.

What you need to know

• In 2021, Microsoft confirmed it would disable Excel 4.0 macros by default.
• Preview builds saw the new default instituted first and now the change is live for everyone.
• Admins can configure the new default.

Microsoft's not one to let its Office apps invite security threats, hence why it's cracking down on macros, otherwise known as a potential gateway for malware. No longer will Excel users have to fear for their lives when opening an Excel file only to end up infecting their system with all sorts of digital terrors.

Microsoft made it clear this change was on the way a long, long time ago, so the company's reaffirmation that it has followed through on its plans should come as no surprise.

Per Microsoft, "this setting now defaults to Excel 4.0 (XLM) macros being disabled in Excel (Build 16.0.14427.10000) Per the original blog post, Administrators can also use the existing Microsoft 365 applications policy control to configure this setting."

As noted in Microsoft's comments, admins can tinker with this new default to suit their organization's needs. But for the vast majority of users, what's done is done and the era of macro malware in Excel is officially in the rearview mirror. Which, it goes without saying, is an enhancement to the security of one of Office's core pillars. However, if you're still not satisfied with Microsoft's suite of productivity apps, it's worth checking out the best alternatives to Office 365.

Security's not the only thing on the Excel team's mind. The app also has an ever-evolving slate of new features on the way. For example, it was recently announced that Excel will enable you to add hyperlinks to modern comments. The feature addition has a tentative February 2022 release window, though that's subject to change at any time.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Excel will soon support adding hyperlinks to modern comments.
• Modern comments allow people to collaborate with features such as @mentions.
• The feature could roll out as soon as February 2022, but that date is subject to change.

Microsoft has a handy new feature in the works for Excel. Soon, the popular spreadsheet app will support hyperlinks within modern comments. This has been a requested feature for years, and should make it much easier to share content from the web while working together on a spreadsheet.

The feature appears in a recently updated entry on the Microsoft 365 roadmap. Support for hyperlinks within modern comments could arrive as soon as February 2022, but that's not a firm release date. Microsoft often delays features as its developers work out any kinks.

Modern comments are available in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Designed for collaboration, modern comments support @mentions, which can then notify people via email.

At the moment, it is possible to add hyperlinks to notes, but those are different than comments. People have used notes as a workaround for the lack of hyperlink support in comments for quite some time, but it's a complicated process that involves pinning a note to a sheet within Excel.

Support for hyperlinks within modern comments in Excel should smooth out people's workflows and make it easier to share online content.

What you need to know

• A 17-year-old high school student won the global title in the Microsoft Excel section of the 2021 Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship.
• Ami Nakazono defeated 160 students from 33 countries in the finals of the competition.
• Over 200,000 people applied to participate to show their skills at using Microsoft Office.

Ami Nakazono, a 17-year-old student from southwest Japan, won the Microsoft Excel section of the 2021 Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship. Over 200,000 students from 108 countries applied to participate in the competition. 160 students from 33 countries competed in the finals that ran from November 9 to November 11, 2021. Due to the ongoing global pandemic, the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship was held online for the first time.

Nakazono is the first student from Japan to win the competition, as reported by Mainichi Japan. She is a second-year student at Fukuoka prefectural Yahata High School.

To show their expertise in Excel, participants gathered and analyzed data. They also had to create reports by utilizing charts and graphs.

"I try to create material that anyone can easily understand straight away. Since I prepared so well, I felt I'd do fine, and oddly, I wasn't nervous," said Nakazono. "The material, which incorporated my point of view and experiences as a high school student might have been good."

Nakazono is no stranger to computer competitions, having won the MaiPaso national typing contest when she was in the sixth grade.

The ongoing global pandemic limited Nakazono's ability to participate in clubs, so she turned to competing with her Microsoft Office skills. She worked one hour per day to hone her skills in preparation for the competition.

What you need to know

• The Financial Modeling World Cup recently held its championship.
• In the event, Excel experts compete to solve questions with financial modeling.
• The winner of the Financial Modeling World Cup won $10,000.

For some in the United States, the weeks leading up to Christmas represent a lull in the sports calendar. The last regular-season college football games are squarely in the rear-view mirror, and the bowl games are a couple of weeks away. College basketball is in its pre-conference schedule, which generally consists of worse games than those we'll see in January. But those in the know recognize this time of year as a chance to enjoy the hyper-competitive world of making Excel spreadsheets.

The Financial Modeling World Cup (FMWC) can now be enjoyed on YouTube and the ESPN app (via PC World). The esport involves creating Microsoft Excel spreadsheets to solve complex problems. The winner of the FMWC received $10,000 and the bragging rights for excelling at Excel. The qualifying rounds started on November 13, 2021 and the finals occurred on December 11, 2021 (spoilers for who won below).

128 participants competed in the FMWC, including competitors from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America.

Competitions consist of case studies with problems between one and five pages long. The esport experts then have to answer the questions using financial modeling. The FMWC website has some examples of case studies.

Australia's Andrew Ngai defeated Canada's Michael Jarman in the finals. Ngai won by a score of 734-280. A perfect score in the finals would have been 1,000.

While competitive financial modeling may not draw the viewership of League of Legends or other popular esports titles, 194,000 people have viewed the FMWC final.

What you need to know

• Microsoft will soon disable Excel 4.0 XLM macros by default.
• The move is to improve security, as these types of macros can be used by threat actors to get malware onto PCs.
• People can use VBA macros instead, which support Antimalware Scan Interface.

Microsoft will soon disable Excel 4.0 XLM macros by default to protect people's PCs. These types of macros can be used by threat actors to get malware onto people's PCs. Attackers can place XLM macros into malicious documents that download malware onto the computers of unsuspecting victims. The switch will disable these types of macros by default in Microsoft 365 tenants.

Instead of Excel 4.0 XLM macros, Microsoft recommends that people use VBA macros. The company has pushed people towards these more secure macros for years but will now take that push further by disabling Excel 4.0 XLM macros by default. VBA macros support Antimalware Scan Interface (AMSI), which can scan documents for malware and other dangerous content.

Windows admins can disable XLM macros through the Excel Trust Center, though soon Microsoft will disable Excel 4.0 macros by default. Preview builds will have XLM macros disabled by default in October, and the change will roll out to the Current Channel in November (via Bleeping Computer).

The details of the switch were shared on Twitter by Omri Segev Moyal:

• Insiders-Slow: will rollout in late October and be complete in early November.
• Current Channel: will rollout in early November and be complete in mid-November.
• Monthly Enterprise Channel (MEC): will begin and complete rollout in mid-December.

If admins or individuals have already manually configured settings related to XLM macros, Microsoft won't change those settings.

What you need to know

• Microsoft is testing smooth scrolling in Excel.
• The feature lets you stop scrolling in the middle of a row or column.
• Smooth scrolling is available in the Beta Channel or Current Channel Preview with Version 2109 (Build 14430.20000) or later.

Microsoft is testing a feature that may get rid of one of the most irritating parts of scrolling through spreadsheets in Excel. Currently, Excel snaps to the top of a cell when you scroll. This can make it difficult to view content within a larger cell, such as one with multiple lines of content. Smooth scrolling fixes this by allowing Excel to stop in the middle of a specific row or column when scrolling.

Microsoft's Tech Community post on the feature emphasizes that implementing smooth scrolling is quite complex. "Though you might think this is an easy fix, simply requiring the alteration of a few lines of code, there's actually a lot more to it," says Microsoft's Steve Kraynak. "In fact, we learned that this change affects many different aspects of Excel, including freezing panes, resizing rows, cutting and pasting, filtering, cell styles, comments, dragging and filling, and more."

For everyday users of Excel, the important thing is that Microsoft is working on smooth scrolling. It's available to Insiders on Windows in the Beta Channel or Current Channel Preview with Version 2109 (Build 14430.20000) or later. If you're interested in the technical aspects of how Microsoft developed smooth scrolling, the Tech Community post goes into more detail.

One aspect the post breaks down is that Excel calculates where certain content should be based on the distance from the top left cell. Microsoft had to do a lot of work to make sure that items like charts would appear in the correct place when stopping midway through a cell.

If you aren't an Insider yet, you can follow our guide on how to enroll in the Office Insider program.

What you need to know

• The Microsoft Excel Twitter account has reminded everyone that financial modeling in Excel is an esport.
• Said esport's pros will "work their mad #Excel skills" on June 8.
• The event is being called "Financial Modeling World Cup - Multiplayer Battle."

Think you know esports? Well, think again. Throw Valorant, Overwatch, Rainbow Six Siege, and all the others in a dumpster because the true champion of multiplayer gaming is here, and it's none other than Microsoft's very own Excel program. On June 8, eight competitors will square off in the Financial Modeling World Cup - Multiplayer Battle, wherein "top financial modelers around the world work their mad #Excel skills," according to the official Microsoft Excel Twitter account.

Yes, it's true. Eight champions of financial modeling will assemble to show what they're made of on June 8 at 12 PM UTC. While you're investigating the site linked in the above tweet to suss out all the nitty-gritty details of the event, Microsoft would like to remind you that you can also grab merch from the same link. "Financial Modeling World Cup" hoodies, hats, and more can be yours. You can own a wearable piece of Excel history.

As can be evidenced from this Excel news, it's clear that Microsoft is putting its acquisition of Smash.gg to good use. Note that the Financial Modeling World Cup - Multiplayer Battle event will be streamed via YouTube, which is embedded into the aforementioned event page.

If all this Office talk has you itching to play some Excel, remember, you have time. The event is June 8, meaning you have all of tonight to hop into a few quick spreadsheet matches and rest up before the big day. Stock up on G Fuel, cue the motivational Imagine Dragons music, and prepare for the apex of esports action on June 8.

What you need to know

• Microsoft announced a new Office Scripts feature for Excel on the web.
• The feature lets you create automated scripts that make it easy to repeat steps within spreadsheets.
• You can use Excel's Action Recorder to record your steps to create scripts.

If you regularly work with Excel spreadsheets, you probably have to repeat the same steps on a routine basis. For example, you may need to import data, delete some columns, and reformat parts of the spreadsheet every day. To speed this process up and to reduce repetitive tasks, Microsoft has a new feature called Office Scripts.

Office Scripts is an automation feature available for Excel on the web. Microsoft announced its general availability today and outlines the feature in a Tech Community post.

The idea behind Office Scripts is that it lets people automate their workflow regardless of their programming knowledge. The Microsoft 365 Developer account on YouTube shared a video of the feature earlier this year before it was generally available.

Excel on the web now has an Action Recorder that lets you record steps within Excel. These are then placed in a script that you can run at any time. You can change the scripts any time you'd like through Excel's Code Editor, which is a TypeScript-based editor. You can also use Code Editor with the Office Scripts API.

If you'd like to run a script on a schedule, you can use Power Automate.

To use Office Scripts, you need to have a commercial or EDU license that gives you access to the Microsoft 365 office desktop apps, such as Office 365 E3 or E5 licenses.

What you need to know

• Microsoft just rolled out an update to Excel for the web.
• The update brings new options for cell colors, cell formatting, and tables.
• A new printing experience is also on the way, though it isn't here just yet.

Microsoft released an update for Excel for the web earlier this week. The company outlines the update in a Tech Community post. The update brings several new features, including new options for cell colors, cell formatting, and tables. The general theme behind the update is helping people create uniform spreadsheets. Microsoft also announced a new printing experience for Excel online, though it isn't available yet.

Excel online now supports custom colors within cells. You can click on the "more colors" option and then pick a specific color using sliders. You can also enter Hex values or RGB values to make sure the spreadsheet uses the exact color that you'd like.

You can also make sure your cells look the way you'd like by applying cell styles, which let you select fonts, number formats, cell borders, and shading. These styles can be easily applied to any cells in which you'd like to ensure a consistent look.

Separating cells is easier as well, with the new options to draw borders, draw border grids, and erase borders.

Moving over to tables, you can now select table designs and styling options, rename tables, and add a total row. You can also format any data as a table.

It isn't available in the current version of Excel for the web, but you'll soon be able to use a new printing experience. Once it's available, you'll be able to set a print area and insert and delete page breaks.

What you need to know

• Excel on the web recently received major performance improvements.
• The update improves loading, scrolling, cell selection, and more.
• The improvements should be generally available now.

Microsoft Excel on the web received major performance improvements earlier this week. The Excel experience should be faster and smoother in several key areas, including loading, scrolling, cell selection, and navigating. Overall, Excel on the web should feel more native and less laggy.

A Tech Community post from Microsoft outlines all of the improvements:

• Loading – We've significantly reduced the time it takes to load a workbook, making it faster for you to start working in Excel for the web.
• Scrolling – Scrolling is a fundamental part of working in Excel. Now, even in incredibly complex sheets, scrolling is smooth and fast.
• Selection – Even more fundamental than scrolling, is the need to interact with content in your workbook. We have optimized the speed of cell selection, so you'll experience less lag and a more fluid experience when working in the grid.
• Navigating - We optimized several navigation actions: find/search, Go-To, page-up and page-down are all now faster.
• Modifying - We developed faster cell editing and formatting experiences.

Excel for the web is free, though if you want to take full advantage of Excel, such as syncing spreadsheets across devices, you'll want a Microsoft 365 account.

The improvements to Excel on the web started rolling out on Monday, January 25, 2021, so you should see them now.

What you need to know

• You can download universal versions beginning today.
• This includes Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.
• The new Outlook for Mac remains in beta.

Mac users of Microsoft's popular suite have been rewarded, especially those using an Apple M1 device.

Microsoft 365 users who happen to have an Apple M1 computer have received an early holiday gift. The popular Office suite now runs natively on Macs using Apple silicon. The news means the flagship Office apps, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote, will run faster and offer performance improvements. It's not the only news Microsoft announced on Tuesday for Mac users.

The universal Office suite update, available on the Mac App Store and through Microsoft AutoUpdate, has also been redesigned to match the look of macOS Big Sur. Microsoft Teams, now used by more than 115 million daily active users, has not yet been given the universal apps treatment. However, Mac users can still use the software through Apple's Rosetta 2 emulation mode on Macs with M1 and the browser.

The first three Macs to include Apple silicon are the MacBook Air (M1, 2020), 13-inch MacBook Pro (M1, 2020), and Mac mini (2020).

In other news, the new Microsoft Outlook for Mac (finally) now supports iCloud accounts. It will become available in the coming weeks. The company also highlighted innovations for its Mac apps, making it simpler to get work done. One of these, Tell Me, is now available on Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote for Mac. The search box lets you enter words and phrases about what you'd like to do next.

Microsoft also noted the new Outlook for Mac, which launched in November after months of testing, will soon support shared calendars for customers subscribed to the Office Insider Mac Beta Channel. The option arrives in the first months of 2021. There's also a new commenting experience launching in Word for Mac in 2021.

You can access Microsoft 365 updates from the Mac App Store or by going into the Microsoft AutoUpdate app by accessing an Office app's Help menu and choosing Check for Updates.

In Microsoft Excel, VLOOKUP (vertical lookup) is a search function that you can use to find any data inside a particular column of the table by looking at the first column's entries and returning a corresponding value from another column.

While in a small table, you may be able to glance and quickly determine the information you need, it's different when working with an extensive spreadsheet with hundreds of rows and columns. Since you can spend a long time analyzing and finding the required information, Excel's VLOOKUP function was created to simplify data retrieval.

VLOOKUP works by performing a vertical search (top to bottom) for a value in the first column (that acts as the unique identifier), and then it returns a result from the matching row. The Excel function works like a drink menu at the coffee shop, where you start with the information you know, such as the drink's name, and then you look to the right to get the information you don't know, for example, the price.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to correctly write a basic VLOOKUP function with the desktop version of Microsoft Excel, whether you use the version of Office available through a Microsoft 365 subscription, Office 2019, Office 2016, or earlier version.

• How to write VLOOKUP function in Excel
• How to build VLOOKUP function in Excel

How to write VLOOKUP function in Excel

To write a VLOOKUP function manually in Excel, use these steps:

1. Open Excel.
2. Create the first column with items that will work as unique identifiers (required).

3. Create one or more additional columns (on the right side) with the different values for each item from the first column (on the left side).

4. Select an empty cell in the spreadsheet and specify the name of the item you want to find an answer to—for example, Orange.

5. Select an empty cell to store the formula and returned value.
6. In the empty cell, type the following syntax to create a VLOOKUP formula and press Enter:=VLOOKUP()

7. Type the following arguments inside the parenthesis "()" to write the function and press Enter:=VLOOKUP(lookup_value,table_array,col_index_num,range_lookkup)
   • lookup_value: defines the cell that includes the product identifier from the first column on the left.
   • table_array: defines the range of data where you want to perform a search. Typically, you would select the entire Excel table.
   • col_index_num: defines the column number that the function will look to find a value. When specifying multiple columns, you should do from left to right.
   • Quick note: If you don't specify a value, then the "true" option will be applied by default. Sometimes, when using the "true" option, the first column needs to be shorted, which may cause an unexpected result. If you're not getting the correct value, you should use the "false" option or sort the first column alphabetically or numerically.
   In the command, make sure to update the variables inside the parenthesis with the information you want to query. Also, remember to use a comma to separate each value in the function. You do not need a space between each comma.Here's an example that returns the price for the 20oz bottle of orange juice:=VLOOKUP(C10,B4:E8,4,FALSE)

Once you complete the steps, the feature will return the value for the item you specified on step No. 4. If you receive the "#NAME?" error value, then it means that the formula is missing one or multiple quotes.

If you are trying to find data for another item, update the name of the cell on step No. 4. For example, if you want to see the price for the "20oz" bottle of Kiwi juice, then replace "Orange" with "Kiwi" in the "lookup_value" cell and press Enter to update the result.

How to build VLOOKUP function in Excel

In addition to writing a formula directly into the spreadsheet, you can also use the Functions Arguments wizard, which gives you a more user-friendly interface to build the lookup formula.

To use the Function Arguments wizard to build a VLOOKUP formula in Microsoft Excel, use these steps:

1. Open Excel.
2. Create the first column with a list of items that will act as unique identifiers (required).

3. Create one or more additional columns (on the right side) with the different values for each item from the first column (on the left side).

4. Select an empty cell in the spreadsheet and specify the name of the item you want to find an answer to—for example, Orange.

5. Select an empty cell to store the formula and the returned value.
6. Click the Formulas tab.
7. Under the "Functions Library" section, click the Lookup and Reference drop-down menu and select the VLOOKUP option to open the Functions Arguments wizard.

8. In the Lookup_value field, specify the cell that contains the reference of the item you want to find the answer to—for example, C9.

9. In the Table_array field, select the section of the table where the search will be performed. Usually, you want to select the entire table.

10. In the Col_index_num field, specify the column number that contains the answer. For example, 4, which is the number of the column that stores the information you want to retrieve. In this case, the price for the 20oz bottle of juice.

11. In the Range_lookup field, specify whether VLOOKUP should look for a specific match (false) or an approximate match (true).Quick note: Typically, you want to use the false option to query a specific match of the information you need.

12. Click the OK button.

After you complete the steps, VLOOKUP will return the result based on the parameters you have defined in the Function Arguments wizard.

In the case that you want to determine the information for another item with different details from the first column, you want to repeat steps No. 4 through 12.

We're focusing this guide on the desktop version of Microsoft Excel for Windows 10, but you can also use VLOOKUP on the web version of Excel. However, the function wizard is available, which means you'll need to write the formula manually with the above steps. Also, these instructions should work with the version of Office available for macOS users.

What you need to know

• Microsoft announced that Excel will soon support custom live data types.
• The functionality allows you to import your own data as custom data types.
• These new data types allow you to place structured data within a single cell.

Microsoft announced a major update to Excel that brings the option to create your own data types. These data types can include live information that can greatly expand the functionality and relevance of data within spreadsheets. Excel can also work with Power BI and richly structured data within spreadsheets.

Microsoft shares context about data types in a new post. Previously, data was "two dimensional," meaning that people could place numbers, text, and formulas within a grid. These types of data can create complex spreadsheets, but they do have limits. Now, Microsoft has added a third dimension to Excel, allowing any cell to include a rich set of structured data. In other words, single cells can now include structured data that can be referenced by other parts of the spreadsheet.

In this context, "rich" means that a single cell can have references to other data types, images, intelligent actions, and a collection of hierarchical data. Microsoft explains the value of this new functionality:

Microsoft shares an example of a spreadsheet that relies on population data for the city of Seattle. You could import a data type for the population of Seattle and then have formulas that utilize that information.

Excel can also work with business data powered by Power BI. You can connect Power BI data in Excel as data types.

People can also have data within Excel transformed into a data type with Power Query. This feature allows you to add information from websites, databases, and files.

Microsoft also announced a partnership with Wolfram, which allows hundreds of new data types to be used within Excel, though this is in preview at the moment.

Power BI data types are available in Excel for Windows for Microsoft 365/Office 365 subscribers that have a Power BI Pro service plan. Power Query data types will roll out over the coming weeks for Microsoft 365/Office 365 subscribers. The Wolfram Alpha data type functionality is available in preview for Office Insiders.

What you need to know

• Microsoft has new updates out for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for iPad.
• The three apps now fully support trackpads.
• There are updated Start Screens and Ribbons as well.

Microsoft today announced a suite of updates for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on iPad. The company says that this is part of its commitment "to making sure Microsoft 365 users have the best experience possible on any technology platform they use."

Even if it's iPad.

The standout change is the arrival of full trackpad and mouse support, allowing for easier document control and editing across all three apps.

Microsoft has also updated the Start Screens and Ribbons of the apps, making the experience cleaner and "more modern" than before.

Some people will already have seen these updates as part of a phased rollout but everyone else will see them arrive within the next few weeks, the company says.

What you need to know

• Microsoft is testing trackpad support for iPad.
• Specifically for Word and Excel.
• It has rolled out the feature in betas of both apps through TestFlight.

Microsoft has started testing trackpad support for both Word and Excel on iPad through TestFlight for iPadOS.

As reported by MacRumors:

Apple released trackpad support for its entire iPad range back in March with iOS 13.4. From that release:

The feature supports Apple's Magic Mouse and Keyboard, as well as Apple's Magic Keyboards for iPad, and some third party offerings with options for both USB and Bluetooth connectivity.

As noted, the new trackpad compatibility for Word and Excel on iPad is currently only available to TestFlight users on the beta. As per the report, Microsoft has previously noted that it would bring trackpad support to Word, Excel, and indeed PowerPoint in the fall of this year.

How to use a trackpad or mouse with your iPhone or iPad

What you need to know

• Microsoft's new Money template for Excel is now available.
• The feature imports your banking information to make it easier to manage your money.
• Microsoft 365 subscribers can download the template now to get started.

One of the more interesting features touted at the launch of Microsoft 365 for consumers earlier this year is now rolling out: Money in Excel. The feature turns Excel into a handy money management tool, allowing it to automatically pull in your banking information to make budgeting and planning easier. The Money in Excel template is available for Microsoft 365 subscribers to download now.

Money in Excel appears to have much in common with other budgeting tools on the market. You'll get insights about your spending each month, and Microsoft provides charts to help you break things down. "Seamlessly connect your financial accounts to Excel to view and manage all your finances in one place," Microsoft says on the template's download page. "Understand how you're spending your money and receive personalized insights about your monthly spending so that you can achieve your financial goals."

As noted by ZDNet, which first spotted the template, Money in Excel's import feature is handled by a plug-in from Plaid. Plaid can currently connect to more than 10,000 financial institutions to import your financial data.

To use Money in Excel, you'll have to be a Microsoft 365 (née Office 365) subscriber. You can download the Money in Excel template to get started. Note that you'll have to grant access to the money add-in as well.

For more on Money in Excel, you can check out Microsoft's full FAQ page.

What you need to know

• Microsoft announced a new budgeting feature for Excel, called Money in Excel.
• The feature automatically connects to your bank and credit card accounts to import transactions.
• Money in Excel can serve up insights on spending categories and more to help you maintain your budget.

Excel is making it much easier to keep on top of your finances with a new feature, dubbed Money in Excel. If you've ever used or heard of budgeting services like Mint, or even Microsoft's old Microsoft Money service, then Money in Excel will feel familiar.

Money in Excel can connect to your bank and credit card accounts to automatically import transactions and account balances. Once the data is imported, you can easily drill in on your spending habit, and Excel serves up insights into how much you're spending on different categories. You can also get proactive alerts for things like price changes for recurring payments, overdraft warnings, and more.

Money in Excel is planned to be a Microsoft 365-exclusive feature, so there's no free version available. If you subscribe to Microsoft 365, Microsoft plans to launch Money in Excel "in the coming months" with U.S. users set to get it first.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Excel now supports natural language queries for Office Insiders.
• The feature allows people to ask questions naturally.
• Microsoft announced the feature at Ignite 2019.

Microsoft emphasized artificial intelligence support for several apps and services at Ignite 2019. One app that will benefit from this AI push is Microsoft Excel, which now supports natural language queries for Office Insiders.

Support for natural language queries means that people can ask Microsoft Excel questions without having to memorize specific formulas. Microsoft has not shared any specific examples of questions that can be asked but explains the general structure of the feature.

In addition to supporting natural language queries, Microsoft announced AI-related features for other parts of Microsoft Office as well as Cortana. MyAnalytics is now able to suggest actions in Outlook, such as booking a meeting, adding an item to an agenda, and following up on meetings.

What you need to know

• Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote are now testing dark mode on iOS 13.
• The move is part of an overall dark mode rollout across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
• Insiders beta testing each app through TestFlight can grab an early look at dark mode across all four apps on iOS 13 now.

More apps in the Office ecosystem across iOS 13 are picking up a fresh dark mode look today — at least for beta testers. Microsoft revealed today that the dark modes, which were announced earlier this summer, are now rolling out for Office Insiders testing Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote on iOS 13.

These dark modes mostly look as you'd expect, with black backgrounds highlighted by white text across each app. There's also plenty of each app's brand color throughout, which pops against the black background. Dark mode can be enabled in each app by toggling your iOS 13 system appearance settings from light to dark.

These rollouts are part of a larger push from Microsoft to roll out dark mode across its Microsoft 365 app lineup. We've seen dark mode roll out to Outlook and OneDrive so far, along with Microsoft To Do earlier today. In August, Microsoft released a video offering an early peek at what dark mode will look like across its lineup.

Assuming testing goes well, Microsoft is planning to release dark mode across these apps to everyone on iOS 13 next week.

All of Microsoft's iOS and Android beta programs, and how to sign up