The best keyboard shortcuts to use with functions and formulas - Help and How-to

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The best keyboard shortcuts to use with functions and formulas

Applies to
Microsoft Excel 2000

If you don't know which function to use, select the cell you want to put it in, and then press SHIFT+F3.

The Paste Function dialog box appears with a list to choose from. The available functions are categorized and have descriptions.

If you know the name of the function, but don't know details such as what arguments it can take, you can use the Formula Palette. Type =function in a cell (where function is the name of the function) and then press CTRL+A.

For example type =LEFT in a cell and then press CTRL+A.

Picture of the Paste Function dialog box with the Left function displayed.

In the Formula Palette, press TAB and SHIFT+TAB to move between the boxes, and ENTER when you are done. Or press ESC to discard any changes.

If you know the name of the function, and remember some of the details, but just need a reminder, type =function in a cell, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+A.

The arguments of the function are inserted into the cell, and you can type over them.

Picture of reminders of the arguments for the Left function.

There are other useful keyboard shortcut to use with formulas and functions.

Press	To
= (equal sign)	Start a formula
ALT+= (equal sign)	Insert the AutoSum formula
SHIFT+F3	Paste a function into a formula
CTRL+SHIFT+A	Insert the argument names and parentheses for a function after you type a function name in a formula
CTRL+A	Display the Formula Palette after you type a function name in a formula
CTRL+SHIFT+F3	Create names from row and column labels
F3	Paste a defined name into a formula
CTRL+` (single left quotation mark)	Alternate between displaying cell values and displaying cell formulas
CTRL+[ (opening bracket)	Select only cells that are directly referred to by formulas in the selection
CTRL+] (closing bracket)	Select only cells with formulas that refer directly to the active cell
CTRL+SHIFT+} (closing brace)	Select all cells with formulas that refer directly or indirectly to the active cell
CTRL+SHIFT+{ (opening brace)	Select all cells that are directly or indirectly referred to by formulas in the selection
F9	Calculate all sheets in all open workbooks
SHIFT+F9	Calculate the active worksheet

For more information about keyboard shortcuts, type shortcuts in the Office Assistant or on the Answer Wizard tab in the Excel Help window, and then click Search.

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