If you’re in the habit of configuring your software programs to get the most out of them, you’ll be happy to hear that Excel has several useful details to tweak. To see them, choose File➝Options.
Adjust your starting point.
When you open a file or save it for the first time, Excel starts you off in your personal documents folder. This folder is a Windowsspecific folder that many programs assume you use for all your files. If you don’t use this folder, you can tell Excel to look elsewhere when saving and opening files. Choose the Save section, and then look under the “Save workbooks” heading for the “Default file location” text box. You can modify it so that it points to the folder where you usually store files (as in D:\Haja\MyExcel Files).
When you open a file or save it for the first time, Excel starts you off in your personal documents folder. This folder is a Windowsspecific folder that many programs assume you use for all your files. If you don’t use this folder, you can tell Excel to look elsewhere when saving and opening files. Choose the Save section, and then look under the “Save workbooks” heading for the “Default file location” text box. You can modify it so that it points to the folder where you usually store files (as in D:\Haja\MyExcel Files).
Sadly, you can’t browse and pick the path from a dialog box—instead, you need to type it in by hand.
Keep track of more recent documents.
Why stick with 20 recent documents when you can show dozens? If you want to keep track of more recent work, and you aren’t deterred by a long Recent Documents list, choose the Advanced section, scroll down to the Display group of settings, and then change the “Show this number of Recent Documents.” You can pick any number from 0 to 50.
Why stick with 20 recent documents when you can show dozens? If you want to keep track of more recent work, and you aren’t deterred by a long Recent Documents list, choose the Advanced section, scroll down to the Display group of settings, and then change the “Show this number of Recent Documents.” You can pick any number from 0 to 50.
Change the standard file type.
Most Excel fans prefer the new .xlsx file format, which Excel uses every time you save a new file (unless you explicitly choose another option in the “Save as type” list). However, if you’ve decided that something else suits you better, like the binary .xlsb format or the legacy .xls format, you can tell Excel to use this by default instead. Choose the Save section, look under the “Save workbooks” heading, and then change the “Save files in this format” setting by choosing another file type from the list.
Most Excel fans prefer the new .xlsx file format, which Excel uses every time you save a new file (unless you explicitly choose another option in the “Save as type” list). However, if you’ve decided that something else suits you better, like the binary .xlsb format or the legacy .xls format, you can tell Excel to use this by default instead. Choose the Save section, look under the “Save workbooks” heading, and then change the “Save files in this format” setting by choosing another file type from the list.
Get started with a bang.
You can tell Excel to automatically open a whole group of spreadsheet files every time it starts up. To find this setting, choose the Advanced section, and then scroll to the General group of settings. You can use the “At startup, open all files in” text box to specify a folder where you put all the Excel files on which you’re currently working. Then, the next time you start Excel, it automatically opens every Excel file it finds in a separate window. Of course, if you decide to use this option, make sure you don’t clutter your in-progress folder with too many files, or Excel opens a dizzying number of windows when it starts.
Excel 2010 improves performance in a number of areas. For example, Excel 2010 is more responsive when you move and resize charts, work in Page Layout view, and interact with shapes on the worksheet. Read more: http://www.bench3.com/2010/09/benefits-of-using-64bit-office-2010.html
You can tell Excel to automatically open a whole group of spreadsheet files every time it starts up. To find this setting, choose the Advanced section, and then scroll to the General group of settings. You can use the “At startup, open all files in” text box to specify a folder where you put all the Excel files on which you’re currently working. Then, the next time you start Excel, it automatically opens every Excel file it finds in a separate window. Of course, if you decide to use this option, make sure you don’t clutter your in-progress folder with too many files, or Excel opens a dizzying number of windows when it starts.
Excel 2010 improves performance in a number of areas. For example, Excel 2010 is more responsive when you move and resize charts, work in Page Layout view, and interact with shapes on the worksheet. Read more: http://www.bench3.com/2010/09/benefits-of-using-64bit-office-2010.html
