Good day,
Let's make formatting a lot easier in Excel!
This week, I'll show you a system for formatting entire workbooks at once and also a simple but powerful tip for quickly formatting worksheets.
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Custom Formatting Tricks for Cells
This is one of Excel's most powerful formatting features: Custom Number Formats.
They allow you to change the appearance of values in cells without changing the values themselves, including hiding them.
Try These Custom Number Formats
Value | Custom Format | Displays As |
|---|---|---|
12,500,000 | 0.0,,"M" | 12.5M |
12,500 | 0.0,"K" | 12.5K |
25 | 0 "Items" | 25 Items |
0 | 0;-0;;@ | Hidden |
How to Use It
Select the cells you want to format.
Press Ctrl + 1.
Choose Custom from the Category list.
Type or paste one of the format codes above.
Click OK.
Why It's So Useful
Unlike formulas, Custom Number Formats only change how a value is displayed. The underlying number stays exactly the same.
Formulas still calculate correctly.
Charts still use the original values.
PivotTables still summarize accurately.
Your reports become much cleaner and easier to read.
Pro Tip
Custom Number Formats are one of the fastest ways to make an Excel workbook look more professional, without changing a single value.
More Formatting tips in this week's tutorial.
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Cheers and see you next week!
Don