Dennis O'Reilly began writing about workplace technology as an editor for Ziff-Davis' Computer Select, back when CDs were new-fangled, and IBM's PC XT was wowing the crowds at Comdex. He spent more ...

Have you ever opened an Excel spreadsheet and felt instantly overwhelmed by cluttered data, mismatched fonts, or confusing layouts? It’s a common frustration, yet so many of us accept it as the norm.

Have you ever stared at a massive spreadsheet, feeling overwhelmed by rows and columns of data that all seem to blur together? You’re not alone. Whether you’re tracking project deadlines, analyzing ...

When I started using Microsoft Excel, my spreadsheets were a mess, and I wasted hours trying to make them look professional. If you're struggling with manual formatting, these six simple tips are the ...

Microsoft Excel 2011 is packed with new features, but three areas in particular are worth taking some time to learn. 1. Themes and Cell Styles spruce up your spreadsheets Better-looking spreadsheets ...

Excel isn’t the sexiest application in the world—it has an unfortunate association with the type of Milton-esque office drones we all wish we weren’t. All the same, you’re going to have to use at some ...

Software engineer Chandoo shares some Excel conditional formatting tricks that make for good-looking and useful spreadsheets, like a Gantt chart. Conditional formatting makes a cell look a certain way ...

When working with a spreadsheet, shortcuts and tips that help you complete tasks faster or better are invaluable. Similar to ways to improve your workflow in Microsoft Word, Excel has its own set of ...

Sometimes when I’m working with an Excel worksheet and I want a cell to look a certain way, I run into what appears to be a limitation in the program. It might be trying to enter product numbers with ...

A giant grid of numbers can be mind-numbing. Once I discovered the magic of color-coded rules, spotting shifts and irregularities got a whole lot easier. A vivid spreadsheet quickly calls attention ...