Tip #53 - Excel Lists

100 Computer Tips in 100 Days

Tip #53 - Excel Lists

You may have been introduced to lists by the Excel program. When you start to create what appears to the program to be a list, a window pops up asking if you would like Excel to convert your data to a list.

An Excel list provides features designed to make it easier to manage and analyze groups of related data in a worksheet. When you designate a range as a list, you can manage and analyze the data in the list independently of data outside the list. For example, using only the data contained within the list, you can filter columns, add a row for totals, and even create a PivotTable report, using only the data contained within the list.

You can have multiple lists on your worksheet, which allows you a great deal of flexibility for separating your data into distinct, manageable sets according to your needs.

 NOTE:   You cannot create a list in a shared workbook. You must remove the workbook from shared use first if you want to create a list.

If you already have entered information in an Excel worksheet but didn’t use the list feature, you can convert the data area to a list. To do this click any cell within the data area. From the Insert tab choose List. If your first row contains column headings make sure you have checked the “My table has headers” box, and then click OK.  Now your data is in a table. You’ll notice that you have access to the Table Tools tab at the top of the screen, which will include an option to add a Total Row. If you add a Total Row, you’ll see that each column has drop down choices for how you would like to calculate it. 

So the next time Excel suggests adding a List to your worksheet, consider clicking on OK.