This article will provide you with five formatting tips that are helpful for those who are new to using Microsoft Excel.

What is Microsoft Excel?

Microsoft Excel is an application that was designed to store, organize, and analyze datasets on spreadsheets using formulas and functions. A variety of calculations can be performed on the spreadsheet data, and visualizations such as graphs or charts can be created to depict trends or patterns.

5 Excel Formatting Tips for Beginners

Formatting is a huge aspect of Microsoft Excel. Clear formatting not only improves the readability and accessibility of an Excel worksheet or workbook but also ensures that the data in the rows and columns are internally consistent and clean of errors. A few time-saving formatting shortcuts can save Excel users hours down the line, and can often be performed with just a few mouse clicks.

Keyboard Shortcuts for Formatting

If you spend enough time using Excel, you’ll likely begin to learn some shortcuts that can save valuable time and energy, especially when completing repetitive tasks with data. The following are some of the most basic, and helpful, shortcuts to commit to memory (for Mac users, simply replace the “CTRL” key with the “Command” key):

    • CTRL + 1: This shortcut opens a window in which the Excel user can format cells. Formatting options are available for: Number, Alignment, Font, Border, Fill, and Protection. 
    • CTRL + T: Create a table.
  • CTRL + B: Bold the selected text.
  • CTRL + U: Underline the selected text.
    • CTRL + I: Italicize the selected text. 
    • CTRL - N: Create a new Excel workbook.
  • Shift + Space: Select a whole row.
  • CTRL + Space: Select a whole column.
  • CTRL - K: Add a hyperlink.

Line Breaks & Text Wrapping

It can be a challenge to adjust to typing into spreadsheet cells. By default in Excel, the text that’s typed into a cell will continue on indefinitely, never wrapping down to a new line. However, it’s easy to change this setting. In order to create a new line in Excel, there are two options:

  • Select the cell in which you wish to wrap text. 
  • Then, type Alt + Enter (Command + Enter for Mac users) or choose the Wrap Text option in the Home tab.

This will wrap all text to the edge of the cell.

This can be applied to just one cell or can be used for multiple cells. If you wish to wrap text in more than one cell at once, you can wither select the content of all cells before choosing “Wrap Text” or can choose all cells where text wrapping will be required before text is entered to ensure that the content that’s added will wrap.

Once text wrapping is applied, rows and columns may need to be resized to accommodate re-wrapped text. 

To resize rows in Excel:

  • Select one row or a range of rows.
  • On the Home tab, choose Format > Row > Height (or Width)
  • Select OK.

If you need to make changes to the column size:

  • Choose one column or a range of columns.
  • On the Home tab, click on Format > Column Height (or Column Width)
  • Select OK.

Singel rows or columns can also be manually altered, as needed. To make a single column wider, simply drag the boundary on the column’s header to the right until it’s the necessary width. To decrease its width, drag it to the left. You will know if the change adequately accommodates the data because if the column is still too narrow to display all the contents of that column, ### will appear in the cell.

Conditional Formatting

Conditional formatting in Excel helps you automatically format cells whose values meet specified conditions. This is a helpful tool in situations such as when attention needs to be drawn to certain values, or when you need a quick visual cue to signify important information. For example, conditional formatting would be useful when it’s necessary to flag all values that are above the average or are in the top 25% of the spreadsheet’s data. Conditional formatting also provides a way to color-code any commonalities between Excel rows. 

In order to perform conditional formatting:

  • Select the cell group to which you want to apply these formatting changes, and highlight it. 
  • Select Conditional Formatting from the Home menu. A dropdown appears that includes various formatting options, such as Highlight Cell Rule” and Top/Bottom Rules. Choose whichever option best suits your data needs. If no option feels in line with what formatting changes you wish to impose, there’s also the New Rule option that allows you to make your own rule. 
  • A window pops up in which you will enter additional information pertaining to the kind of formatting you want to apply to the selected cells. 
  • Click OK once you have entered the necessary formatting specifications.
  • The results will immediately appear on the spreadsheet.

Formatting Percentages

In spreadsheets that include metrics like growth assumptions, proportions, or variances, percentages are likely required. There are several ways to format percentages in Excel:

The keyboard shortcut (which can be used for formatting that does not include decimal places):

  • Highlight any cells that must be formatted.
  • Type Ctrl + Shift + %

Formatting percentages using the ribbon: (for formatting that does not include decimal places):

  • Select the cell or cell range you wish to format.
  • From the Home menu, choose Number > Percent Style.

In addition, percentage formatting can be performed with the Format Cells Dialog Box:

  • Highlight the cell or cells you wish to format.
  • From the Home menu, select Number
  • Click on the dialog launcher, which is a tilted arrow icon located on the bottom right side of the group. 
  • The Format Cell dialog box will appear.
  • Select the Number tab, then Percent.
  • To change how many decimal places are shown on the spreadsheet, select the Decimal places option. 
  • Click OK.

Adding Borders

Excel users often need to visually separate a portion of spreadsheet data from the rest. The Borders tool provides a convenient way to apply different types of borders:

  • Select the cells around which you wish to place a border.
  • From the Home tab, choose Borders, which is a small square containing four smaller squares.
  • A dropdown menu will appear with various built-in border options.
  • Select the one that most suits the needs of your data.

The more you work with Excel, the more second-nature formatting will become, and the more you will learn how to quickly customize your spreadsheets.

Start Learning Excel with Hands-On Classes

A great way to learn more about how to format in Microsoft Excel is to enroll in one of Noble Desktop’sExcel courses in NYC and live online. Courses are available for those who are new to Excel, as well as learners who regularly work with this spreadsheet application and wish to brush up on their skills. In addition, there are also in-person and live online Excel courses available through Noble Desktop or one of its affiliate schools. A variety of course options are offered, ranging in duration from three hours to two days and costing between $229 and $1,099. 

Noble Desktop’s Excel Bootcamp provides a great option for those who want to master core Excel concepts, such as creating PivotTables or macros. Students who enroll in this rigorous, 21-hour course can elect to study in person in Manhattan or learn in the live online environment. This small class comes with the option of a free retake and covers a variety of Excel concepts applicable to the business world. 

Those interested in studying close to home can also browse over 400 in-person Microsoft Office classes in a city near you to find local Excel study options.