This may sound trivial, but one of the more overlooked features in Excel is the ability to remove all formatting with a few clicks. I know what you're thinking – "Out of Blog ideas already DataPig"? Yes, but that's not the point.
I can't tell you how many times I've seen competent analysts take a table like this one and clear the formatting one component at a time. That is to say, they typically make the cells white first. Then they remove borders. Then they clear any font and number styles.
The easy way to do this is to use the Clear Formats function.
In Excel 2007, go to the Home tab and click Clear -> Clear Formats.
In Excel 2003, click Edit -> Clear -> Formats.
Even easier than that, you can use the hotkeys Alt+E+A+F.
Now go away and be efficient somewhere else.
I know this, but I still use ctrl + F1, what does this mean? Am I a masochistic, I don't feel I that I'm getting any benefit if I am!
I liked the command so much I put it in my toolbar. One click to nothingness (in a formatting kind of way). I also put [Clear All] beside it on the toolbar.
Hi,
I always have difficulty remembering some of these short-cut keys, but this one…..maybe I'll remember
Alt – E(erase) + A (all) +F (formats)
When I first read this, I thought "Cool, I'll remember this…" So today when I needed it, I could not find it. Seems that my Home ribbon does not name the Clear icon for me and the little white block it does present gave me no cue. I think I will stick it in my toolbar now.