My Favorite Excel Formulas, Tools & Pro Tips

Excel is my rapid prototyping sandbox for everything from quick data analysis to makeshift dashboards. Here are the formulas, features, and workflows I rely on most—plus some real-world tips you can use today.

Favorite Excel Formulas

• XLOOKUP / VLOOKUP / INDEX-MATCH — Core tools for connecting datasets and dynamic value lookups. Tip: XLOOKUP beats VLOOKUP for reverse lookups and shifting columns.
• SUMIFS / COUNTIFS — Instantly aggregate or count based on multiple criteria (e.g., sales by channel, inventory status by region). Pair SUMIFS with tables for automatically updating analytics.
• FILTER / UNIQUE — Extract data subsets and remove duplicates without extra steps. FILTER is perfect for on-the-fly reporting or dynamic dashboards.
• TEXTJOIN — Combines values across multiple cells (great for SKU codes or concatenating descriptions).
• LET — Names parts of complex formulas for clarity and speed.
• Dynamic Array Formulas — Modern “spill” formulas auto-update lists and simulations as data changes.

My Go-To Excel Tools

• Tables (Ctrl+T): Instantly convert ranges to structured, filterable, and auto-expanding tables.
• Power Query: Clean, merge, and transform data before it touches your main sheet—no more manual copy-paste.
• Name Manager: Keep formulas readable and flexible by using named ranges.
• Conditional Formatting: Visual cues for trends, outliers, and key business metrics at a glance.
• Data Validation: Dropdowns and rules that make templates “client-proof.”

Makeshift Dashboards: Pivot Tables, Slicers & Pivot Charts

• Pivot Tables: My #1 tool for instant “slice & dice” analysis. In seconds, summarize thousands of rows by any variable—perfect for sales, inventory, or customer data. Tip: Drag fields around to spot trends, then double-click a cell to drill down to the raw data behind any metric.
• Slicers: Turn any pivot table into an interactive dashboard. With just a click, filter results by product, customer, region, or any category—no coding required. Pro Move: Add Timeline Slicers for fast, visual time-based filtering. Instantly zoom in on a single month, quarter, or custom date range and watch your analysis update live.
• Pivot Charts: Build charts directly from your pivot tables—auto-linked and always up to date. I use these to visualize sales trends, margins by product line, or performance over time. Combine multiple pivot charts and slicers on a single sheet for a true makeshift dashboard—perfect for sharing insights or rapid iteration with a team.

Pro Tips for Rapid Prototyping

• Sketch First, Clean Later: Don’t overthink structure at first—get your data in and start manipulating. Once you know what’s valuable, formalize it with tables, formatting, and data validation.
• Reuse & Adapt: Keep a personal library of template files—margin calculators, inventory analyzers, or dashboard skeletons—to copy and customize for new projects.
• Automate the Boring Stuff: Use Power Query, macros, or simple formulas to clean and reshape data before you analyze it.
• Link, Don’t Copy: Reference original data sources so updates flow automatically. This is key for version control and data integrity.
• Audit as You Go: Use “Trace Dependents/Precedents” and “Show Formulas” (Ctrl + `) to debug and error-check complex sheets.

When to Graduate Beyond Excel

Excel is unbeatable for fast iteration, early analysis, and making ideas tangible. When a workflow needs multi-user access or long-term scalability, I “graduate” the prototype into Power BI, Python, or a dedicated database—but almost everything starts in Excel.

Bottom line: Excel isn’t just a spreadsheet—it’s your personal lab for rapid prototyping, dashboarding, and building mini-apps. If you want an Excel tip, template, or workflow idea, let’s connect!