Excel University Blog
Read on for in-depth articles, tutorials, and videos. Search or browse for specific topics. Be sure to subscribe if you'd like to be notified when we write something new.
Features
Working with ZIP code data in Excel just got easier. With Power Query and a free web service, we can automatically retrieve city, state, and country details associated with any U.S. ZIP code. This approach is extremely helpful for users managing form inputs, mailing lists, or regional datasets who want to automate the lookup process…
Read More
Did you know Excel can be your new favorite Sudoku playground? That’s right! Using a clever combination of formulas, Power Query, or the COPILOT function, we can dynamically generate Sudoku puzzles and solutions directly within our workbooks. In this article, we’ll explore three powerful methods that bring Sudoku to life right inside Excel. Plus, we’ll…
Read More
Did you know Excel can fetch a brand-new Sudoku puzzle with a click of the refresh button? In this tutorial, we’re diving into how to tap into an online Sudoku API and use Power Query to turn that data into a styled and playable puzzle and solution right inside Excel. Even if you’re not much…
Read More
We’re always on the lookout for ways to automate repetitive tasks in Excel. And today, we’re diving into something a bit more fun: building Sudoku puzzles in Excel with the COPILOT and WEBSERVICE functions. Whether you’re a puzzle enthusiast or just looking to expand your Excel skills using its latest AI tools, this practical walkthrough…
Read More
Microsoft has just introduced one of the most impactful updates to PivotTables in recent memory: Auto Refresh. If you’ve ever relied heavily on PivotTables for financial reports, dashboards, or data summaries, this new feature is a game changer. In this guide, we’ll walk step-by-step through how to enable and use PivotTable auto refresh in Excel,…
Read More
If you’ve ever wished Excel could just “do the work for you,” then Microsoft Copilot might be exactly what you need. This AI-powered assistant can generate formulas, analyze data, apply formatting, and even explain complex calculations—all with simple, natural-language commands. Want to access Copilot? Check out this Microsoft Office 365 Bundle which includes Copilot, Excel,…
Read More
Planning an event can be a challenge, especially when tracking invitations and RSVPs. Fortunately, Microsoft offers a free Invitation Tracker template that can help streamline the process. Whether you’re organizing a wedding, birthday party, or corporate event, this template provides an easy way to manage guest lists, invitation statuses, and responses. In this guide, we’ll…
Read More
If you’ve ever wanted to create a reusable calendar that automatically updates each year with birthdays, holidays, and special events, then this tutorial is for you! In this guide, we’ll walk through how to use an Excel template to set up a dynamic events calendar—perfect for printing and gifting to family members each year. By…
Read More
A spin button in Excel is a great way to create an interactive and dynamic scrolling range for reports, dashboards, or data analysis. In this tutorial, we’ll walk through how to insert a spin button, link it to a cell, and use it to scroll through data by days, weeks, months, quarters, and years. Let’s…
Read More
When working with messy data, we often turn to Excel, but with the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT, we now have new ways to tackle these challenges. In this post, we’ll compare Excel and ChatGPT side by side, using three common data tasks: We’ll see how each tool handles the job, the pros and…
Read More