All Excel formulas start with an equal sign, right? It turns out that Excel will allow you to create your formulas with a plus sign instead. Episode 573 shows off the arrow key method for creating formulas.
This blog is the video podcast companion to the book, Learn Excel from MrExcel. Download a new two minute video every workday to learn one of the 277 tips from the book!
This blog is the video podcast companion to the book, Learn Excel from MrExcel. Download a new two minute video every workday to learn one of the 277 tips from the book!
Transcript of the video:
Hey, welcome back to the MrExcel netcast.
I'm Bill Jelen.
Today I have one of the simplest tips in the whole world.
Formulas in Excel you know that every formula in Excel has to start with an equal sign.
Well, you know there's a faster way to enter formulas using the arrow keys.
And when you're using the arrow keys It's a real hassle to go all the way up and hit the equal sign, when you have that large plus sign over on the numeric keypad on your desktop computer.
So, going back to the days of Lotus 1-2-3.
Lotus always started their formulas with a plus sign.
And sure enough, Excel still allows us to create a formula through plus sign.
So, if I enter plus, I can now type B2 minus C2 and Excel would accept that formula perfectly.
If you're gonna use the plus sign they'll show off the cool arrow key method.
Once, I hit the plus sign or an equal sign.
I'm gonna hit the left arrow key twice and instead of me having to type B2, Excel will point to B2, I then hit the minus sign hit the left arrow key once and now, I've been pointed to C2, hit Enter and Excel accepts the formula.
Now, one interesting thing you'll notice here in the formula bar is that, it changes the plus to equal plus.
It's the exact same thing as having an equal.
If you see people with spreadsheets with equal plus, just means that they're probably an old Lotus 1-2-3 user or someone who prefers using the plus key on the numeric keypad instead of the tiny equals key up at the top to create their formulas.
A great quick way to create your formulas, use the plus key instead of an equal sign to start.
Hey, thanks for stopping by.
We'll see you next time for another netcast from MrExcel.
I'm Bill Jelen.
Today I have one of the simplest tips in the whole world.
Formulas in Excel you know that every formula in Excel has to start with an equal sign.
Well, you know there's a faster way to enter formulas using the arrow keys.
And when you're using the arrow keys It's a real hassle to go all the way up and hit the equal sign, when you have that large plus sign over on the numeric keypad on your desktop computer.
So, going back to the days of Lotus 1-2-3.
Lotus always started their formulas with a plus sign.
And sure enough, Excel still allows us to create a formula through plus sign.
So, if I enter plus, I can now type B2 minus C2 and Excel would accept that formula perfectly.
If you're gonna use the plus sign they'll show off the cool arrow key method.
Once, I hit the plus sign or an equal sign.
I'm gonna hit the left arrow key twice and instead of me having to type B2, Excel will point to B2, I then hit the minus sign hit the left arrow key once and now, I've been pointed to C2, hit Enter and Excel accepts the formula.
Now, one interesting thing you'll notice here in the formula bar is that, it changes the plus to equal plus.
It's the exact same thing as having an equal.
If you see people with spreadsheets with equal plus, just means that they're probably an old Lotus 1-2-3 user or someone who prefers using the plus key on the numeric keypad instead of the tiny equals key up at the top to create their formulas.
A great quick way to create your formulas, use the plus key instead of an equal sign to start.
Hey, thanks for stopping by.
We'll see you next time for another netcast from MrExcel.
