Skill Guide Hub

Tag: Data Analysis

  • Excel Shortcuts Everyone Should Know 2026

    Excel Shortcuts Everyone Should Know 2026

    If you’re learning Microsoft Excel, you might find yourself spending a lot of time clicking with your mouse. That’s perfectly normal at the start, but learning a few keyboard shortcuts can make your work much faster and easier.

    Whether you’re a student, office worker, or data professional, these shortcuts are essential tools used daily. In this guide, I’ll share some of the most useful Excel shortcuts and features every beginner should know in 2026.

    1. 1. Ctrl + C – Copy
    2. 2. Ctrl + V – Paste
    3. 3. Ctrl + X – Cut
    4. 4. Ctrl + Z – Undo
    5. 5. Ctrl + S – Save
    6. 6. Ctrl + F – Find
    7. 7. Ctrl + A – Select All
    8. 8. Alt + = – AutoSum
    9. 9. F2 – Edit Cell
    10. 10. Ctrl + B – Bold Text
    11. Bonus Tip: Freeze Panes
    12. Bonus Tip: Lock Cells to Protect Formulas
    13. Conclusion

    1.Copy

    The Copy shortcut is one of the most commonly used commands in Excel.

    Shortcut: Ctrl + C

    It helps you duplicate data quickly without typing everything again.

    2. Paste

    After copying data, you can paste it using:

    Shortcut: Ctrl + V

    This saves time and makes moving information much easier.

    3. Cut

    The Cut shortcut allows you to move data from one location to another.

    Shortcut: Ctrl + X

    You can then paste the data wherever needed.

    4. Undo

    Mistakes happen while working in Excel, and that’s where Undo comes in handy.

    Shortcut: Ctrl + Z

    This shortcut instantly reverses your previous action.

    5. Save

    Saving your work regularly is always a good habit.

    Shortcut: Ctrl + S

    It helps prevent losing important files due to unexpected problems.

    6. Find

    Searching manually through large spreadsheets can take time.

    Shortcut: Ctrl + F

    This feature helps you quickly locate names, numbers, or text inside your worksheet.

    7. Select All

    This shortcut selects all the data in the worksheet.

    Shortcut: Ctrl + A

    It is useful when formatting or copying large amounts of data.

    8. AutoSum

    AutoSum is one of the most useful Excel features for beginners.

    Shortcut: Alt + =

    It automatically inserts the SUM formula and saves time while calculating totals.

    9. Edit Cell

    Instead of double-clicking a cell, you can edit it directly.

    Shortcut: F2

    This is especially useful while working with formulas.

    10. Bold Text

    This shortcut helps you highlight headings and important information.

    Shortcut: Ctrl + B

    It makes your spreadsheet easier to read.

    Bonus Tip: Freeze Panes

    When working with large spreadsheets, the column headings may disappear while scrolling.

    To keep important rows visible:

    1. Go to the View tab.
    2. Click Freeze Panes.
    3. Select Freeze Top Row.

    This feature is very helpful while analyzing reports and tables.

    Bonus Tip: Lock Cells to Protect Formulas

    Sometimes you may want to protect formulas or important values from accidental changes.

    To lock cells:

    1. Select the cells you want users to edit.
    2. Open Format Cells → Protection.
    3. Uncheck Locked and click OK.
    4. Go to Review → Protect Sheet.

    This feature is useful when sharing Excel files with others.

    Conclusion

    Excel shortcuts might seem like small tricks, but they can truly transform your daily work experience. At first, they may feel a bit tricky to remember, but with regular practice, they quickly become second nature.

    FAQ – Excel Shortcuts Everyone Should Know (2026)

    1. Why are Excel shortcuts important?

    Excel shortcuts help you work faster, reduce repetitive mouse clicks, and improve productivity when managing spreadsheets.

    2. What is the most commonly used Excel shortcut?

    Some of the most common shortcuts include Ctrl + C (Copy), Ctrl + V (Paste), Ctrl + Z (Undo), and Ctrl + S (Save).

    3. Are Excel shortcuts the same on Windows and Mac?

    Many shortcuts are similar, but Mac often uses the Command (⌘) key instead of Ctrl, and some shortcuts differ.

    4. How can beginners remember Excel shortcuts?

    Start by learning the shortcuts you use most often, practice them daily, and gradually add new ones as you become more comfortable.

    5. Can Excel shortcuts improve productivity?

    Yes. Using keyboard shortcuts can save time, speed up data entry, and make spreadsheet tasks more efficient.

    6. Do Excel shortcuts work in all versions of Excel?

    Most basic shortcuts work across modern versions of Microsoft Excel, including Microsoft 365, Excel 2021, 2019, and many earlier versions.

  • Basic Excel Formulas Everyone Should Learn 2026

    Basic Excel Formulas Everyone Should Learn 2026

    If you are starting with Excel, you might feel confused by all the functions and formulas at first. But once you understand the basics, excel becomes one of the most useful tools for studies, office work, and data analysis work.

    In this guide, I’ll share some of the most important excel formulas that every beginner should learn in 2026. These are simple but very powerful in real-world use.

    1. 1. SUM Function
    2. 2. AVERAGE Function
    3. 3. IF Function
    4. 4. VLOOKUP Function
    5. 5. COUNTIF Function
    6. 6. TEXTJOIN Function
    7. Conclusion
    8. FAQ – Basic Excel Formulas Everyone Should Learn (2026)
      1. 1. What are Excel formulas?
      2. 2. Which Excel formulas should beginners learn first?
      3. 3. What is the difference between a formula and a function in Excel?
      4. 4. How do I write a formula in Excel?
      5. 5. Can Excel formulas update automatically?
      6. 6. Why should beginners learn Excel formulas?

    1. SUM Function

    The SUM function is used to quickly add numbers in a range of cells. I am sharing following formula to help you to understand it better.

    Example:

    =SUM(A1:A5)

    This will add all values from cell A1 to A5. It is one of the most commonly used excel formulas.

    2. AVERAGE Function

    The AVERAGE function helps you find the average value of a group of numbers. The below formula will help you to understand it better.

    Example:

    =AVERAGE(B1:B10)

    For example, you can use it to calculate average marks obtained by student.

    3. IF Function

    IF function is useful when you want Excel to make logical decisions.

    Example:

    =IF(C1>50,"Pass","Fail")

    If the value in C1 cell is more than 50, it shows “Pass”, otherwise it shows “Fail”.

    4. VLOOKUP Function

    VLOOKUP function is used to search for a value in a table and return related data.

    Example:

    =VLOOKUP(E1,A1:C10,2,FALSE)

    E1 is the value or cell you want to search
    A1:C10 is the range of table
    2 is the column number from which result will returned, counting from left to right.

    This function is widely used in office reports and data management tasks.

    5. COUNTIF Function

    COUNTIF helps you count how many cells match a specific condition. It will count how many times a speific word occured in given range.

    Example:

    =COUNTIF(A1:A10,"Yes")

    It will count how many times “Yes” appears in a selected range.

    6. TEXTJOIN Function

    TEXTJOIN is used to join text from different cells into one.

    Example:

    =TEXTJOIN(" ",TRUE,A1,B1)

    For example, you can combine first name and last name easily.

    Conclusion

    Excel may look difficult at first, but once you start practicing these basic formulas, it becomes much easier to work with data.

    I recommend you to try these formulas in a real excel sheet while learning, as practical use helps you understand them faster.Also you can use pivot table for your analysis.

    FAQ – Basic Excel Formulas Everyone Should Learn (2026)

    1. What are Excel formulas?

    Excel formulas are expressions used to perform calculations, analyze data, and automate tasks in a spreadsheet.

    2. Which Excel formulas should beginners learn first?

    Beginners should start with SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, MAX, MIN, IF, and VLOOKUP (or XLOOKUP in newer versions).

    3. What is the difference between a formula and a function in Excel?

    A formula is an equation you create, while a function is a built-in formula provided by Excel, such as SUM() or AVERAGE().

    4. How do I write a formula in Excel?

    Every formula starts with an equals sign (=), followed by cell references, values, or functions. For example: =SUM(A1:A10).

    5. Can Excel formulas update automatically?

    Yes. Excel recalculates formulas automatically whenever the referenced data changes.

    6. Why should beginners learn Excel formulas?

    Learning Excel formulas helps you perform calculations faster, reduce manual work, improve accuracy, and analyze data more efficiently.