Excel 2013 has easy access tools that generate professional-looking results quickly.  There are several new features with the new version that should not be overlooked.

Flash Fill

Flash Fill identifies and adapts to basic formatting to automatically input your data.  This tool performs several tasks such as merging information from multiple columns, adding formatting to current column and fixing anomalies with data.  Flash Fill will recognize and apply the selected format to your data but if data differs from row to row, it will not format correctly.

Recommended Charts

Recommended Charts identifies data guides the user to choose the best chart type for their data.  The main objective of using a chart is to highlight your work in a significant way.

1. Open the Excel Spreadsheet needed to create a chart.
2. Select the Insert Tab.
3. Select the Recommended Charts button to see suggested charts.

Recommended PivotTables

Recommended PivotTables are interactive tables that can analyze data, compare data and detect patterns/relationships.  In previous versions, PivotTables were too complex.

1. Open the Excel Spreadsheet needed to create a table.
2. Select the Insert Tab.
3. Select the Recommended Charts PivotTables to see suggested tables. 

Quick Analysis

Quick Analysis is an additional way to generate a chart for data. To generate a chart to highlight your work in a significant way, select the data and click the Quick Analysis Icon.

Timelines

Timelines let you filter through PivotTables, similar to a slicer.  The timeline will be embedded alongside the Pivot Table.

1. Select the PivotTable.
2. Click the contextual Analyze Tab.
3. Select Insert Timeline (in the Filter Group).
4. Then select OK.
5. In the upper-right corner you can select years, quarters, months or days.

Cloud Support

Cloud Support by Microsoft allows users to save Excel files to SkyDrive or SharePoint site.  Saving to SkyDrive or a SharePoint site allows users to review and edit files from any device with an Office 365 subscription.

Apps for Excel

Microsoft offers Apps for Excel to enhance what you can do with Excel.  Categories for Apps include Content Management, Financial Management, Productivity, Workflow and Process Management and many more. 

Present Online

Present Online is a way to share workbooks and allows others to update it.  Present Online requires the installation of Lync (if you have Office Professional Plus; Lync is already installed).

1. Sign into Lync.
2. Open all workbooks you need to share. (Close workbooks you do not want to share).
3. In Excel, click the File Tab.
4. In the left pane, choose Share.
5. Click Present Online.
6. Click Present.
7. Select a Lync meeting or create a new one.
8. Click OK.

Takeaway:  New Tool for Excel 2013 is Flash Fill that identifies formatting and applies it to your spreadsheet.

Flash Fill identifies and adapts to basic formatting to automatically input your data.  It does not identify changes in source data.  This tool performs several tasks such as merging information from multiple columns, adding formatting to current column and fixing anomalies with data.

To use Flash Fill:

• From the Menu Screen: 

1. Select the Home Tab
2. In the Editing
3. Section, select Fill Button
4. Select Flash Fill

• Using the keyboard:

1. [CTRL] + [E]

Formatting

Flash Fill will recognize and apply the selected format to your data.  To use this tool, all information must be added to previous columns.  Flash fill is not perfect.  If data differs from row to row, it will not format correctly (Example:  All phone numbers must have an Area Code or none at all).  After all information is added, move to the next column and enter an example of what you would like done to the data.  Move down to the next row and Flash Fill will initiate when you start typing, press [Enter] to fill column.  Opting out of Flash Fill is just as simple, pressing [Esc] will allow you to continue to enter your data manually. 

Above is an example of concatenation; joining two columns of information.

When to use Flash Fill

1. Formatting
2. Lists
3. Concatenation (Joining)
4. Parsing (Break Down)