I need help converting a 800+ page payroll report with very employee IDs showing up on only one row and the period (month) on the top of the page.

Power query crashes when I try to upload the document so cant use it. And the data in it is confidential so I cant try free software avaliable online.

Feels like I’m wasting hours every month on something that should be simple…

I download CSV files from different banks and platforms, and every single one comes out differently: column names don’t match , date formats are all over the place ,sometimes there are separate debit/credit columns ,sometimes everything is combined

By the time I get everything cleaned up in Excel so I can actually use it, I’ve already lost a ton of time.

I’ve tried a few things (Power Query, manual cleanup, formulas), but it still feels way more complicated than it should be.

Curious how you guys are handling this?

Do you have a workflow or a method that actually saves time?

For the love of god, any ninjas here, is there a way to remove this copilot icon permanently ?? (not hiding)

Office 365 here. I just ask every AI with prints and cant find any option.

I'm a student who's looking to get into finance, which will mean a lot of my life wasted on excel. I've had a pretty bad experience with Windows these past couple of years and I'm looking to switch. I'm wondering exactly how much worse is excel on MacOS and if there are any workaround to that.

There's a brand new copilot floating icon overlaying my data and best I can do is dock it to only cover 1/4 of a cell. I have presentations which use my screen with kpis on the sheet and I have optimized it to use as much screen space as possible, but this is getting in the way

Copilot itself doesn't know how to remove it and there seems to be no option to do so. It's not an 'add-on' so it cannot be disabled there.

I hate it and need it gone. How?

i know there is text to column the problem here is sometimes the name is first "name/93183", so doing the separator wont work ideally, is there a better way?

name1/1234

name2/1256

6532/name3

5432/name4

how to seperate?

if you do normal split ou would have a column like

name1
name2
6532
5432
and the other is a mess too
i want all the numbers in one column and all the names in one column, and text split will do mixed columns

So I’ve tried everything I can find online. I’m trying to save to the device not to a cloud. Although it doesn’t matter where I try to save it. I’ve tried save. Save as. Etc. it will just hang on the save. I’ve left it like that for 20 minutes. Doesn’t finish. I’ve tried deleting and reinstalling. I’ve tried a hard reboot of the iPad. I tried to reset credentials. I’ve made sure it’s not trying to auto save or sync. I’ve turned off Bluetooth and WiFi. My IT person at work can’t come up with a solution. Just posting here to see if anyone has any clue. Other apps are accessing cloud storage and on device storage just fine. Thanks in advance.

Edit: So I’m on an iPad. I am now using the browser version of excel in chrome. It works. A little clunky getting it to save to our cloud service but it works. I’m doing this until a fix arrives.

=8400*(0.9-0.6-0.3)

Mathematically, this should evaluate to 0.

However, Excel returns:

0.0000000000000466

This seems inconsistent with expected arithmetic behavior.

Is this just floating point precision, or something else?

My file is now big to delete a single row of data that formulas. The file serves as HRIS so.. it's so fucking frustrating to do job. I tried converting it into xlsb format but it's still lag

I have a pretty simple question.
I work with filtered data in Excel a lot, and there’s one thing that really annoys me.
Let’s say I have a column with formulas and apply a filter. Now I want to replace those formulas with their calculated values using Copy → Paste Special → Values.
But Excel won’t let me do that while the data is filtered.
So every time, I have to remove the filter, copy the cells, paste them as values, and then apply the filter again.
It’s really annoying, especially when working with large datasets.
Is there a simple way to paste values into filtered cells without removing the filter? Maybe a shortcut or a trick I’m missing?

I received a data set that had a space before the value (number data type) started i.e. the first character was a space. I tried TRIM function and Text to Columns to eliminate it.
Finally had to depend on Copilot.

The solution from Copilot:

The character was a non-breaking space (CHAR(160)), which TRIM() does not remove. For future imports, use:

=VALUE(TRIM(SUBSTITUTE(B3,CHAR(160)," ")))

Wondering whether there are any easier fix that I did not think before using AI to solve the issue. Thoughts? Thank you.

Edit: after reading the responses, I must clarify that I did not realize it was Char(160) until Copilot told me.

Hey everyone,

I’m currently interning at an electrical company and I'm trying to build a system to improve our workflow (and hopefully stand out a bit).

Our workers review field missions, but they often make procedural errors. I already have the logic done to completely classify and categorize all the wrong missions in my master Excel file. However, I am having trouble figuring out the mechanics for the rest of the workflow.

Here is exactly what I need the system to do from this point on:

1. Group by Worker: Read the master Excel file and group all the flagged mission IDs by the specific worker.
2. Batch Email: Send ONE automated email to each worker summarizing all their errors along with my explanation of why they are wrong. (For example, if John has 42 wrong missions, he gets 1 single email containing a list of all 42, not 42 separate emails).
3. Collect Explanations: Include a way for the worker to provide a justification/explanation for each specific mission error.
4. Auto-Update (The tricky part): Automatically pull their responses back into my master Excel file so I don't have to manually copy and paste anything.

What is the absolute best, most reliable and straightforward way to build this entire loop? Should I use Python? Excel VBA? Or something else entirely?

Any advice on the smartest path to take would be hugely appreciated!

I have an Excel 2025 spreadsheet containing text entries for a dictionary. When I need to correct a typo in a text inside a cell, I have to click at the cell/typo twice to place the cursor where the typo is. When in a hurry, I often mis-click (1 or 3 click instead of 2) and the whole cell content gets erased when I start typing.

Is there a way to click a just once and start editing immediately from the cursor in the text (where the click was)? I looked through this sub, and F2 is recommended, but the cursor ends up at the end of the text in the cell, not at the typo where the cell was clicked; that makes it even harder.

Thank you all in advance!

I have been using Excel on a different (new for me) computer and I noticed that by default, every single cell in every file shows an apostrophe at the beginning of any text filled cell

They only appear on this computer, but they don't show up when i email them to others, or other computer I use. and they show up in every file I open, whether I created it or opened someone elses.

is there anyway to get rid of them.

Hey all,

I really need some help.

My father has recently passed away. He left my mum a spreadsheet with all of his pension and other financial bits in. The only problem is that he locked the spreadsheet and we cannot find the password anywhere.

Obviously I can't ask him, but I was hoping for any help and it would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Been tasked by my PI to transfer data from a 9 year old excel. He does not have the password. It’s 5,000 rows and 9 columns across worth of data. Doing this one by one is pain. I can’t upload it to R studio, when I do the zip trick it’s DRM encrypted and my boss wants this done in 2 weeks. I need help. Typing this one by one is going to be pain

My job has Excel workbooks generated 3 times a week that sometimes contain hundreds of worksheets in a single Excel file. They have to stay as a single workbook due to our workflow so long story short, I am looking for the easiest way to be able to look at what is on a worksheet, while also being able to organize them easily. I've been a MacOS user for years and I know Preview makes it easy to do this if I save the Excel workbook as a PDF, but I need the file to stay as a .xlsx file. I tried saving the Excel file as a PDF, organizing with Preview, then converting back to a .xlsx file and the file was unusable after converting back to .xlsx. TIA

I need to be able to quickly see for any given arbitrary column, on a whim, a count of how often each unique value shows up, without actually putting anything into a cell anywhere. Ideally, this should take me a maximum of half a second to do.

I need Google sheet's column stats functionality basically, and I don't want to have to set up a power query or a pivot table or anything to do it (and the fact that these solutions are offered with a straight face is genuinely mind blowing, something this basic should not require those functions at all.)

Hi everyone,

I'm responsible for daily reporting on audit observations at work. The process has grown over time into a chain of separate Excel files that depend on each other, and running it has become very time-consuming. I'd really appreciate some advice from people who have dealt with something similar.
A team fills in a database workbook (Obs DB) manually every day. I then take it from them and run the rest of the process, which involves several separate workbooks:

1. Parameters – I manually set the reporting date
   
2. Mapping – definitions/lookup tables
   
3. Warehouse – I copy-paste the whole Obs DB into it
   
4. Obs Calc – pulls from Warehouse + Parameters + Mapping; I refresh and save
   
5. Four report workbooks (Checks, Weekly Status, N-1 KPI, AC) – I open each one and refresh

Every time, I have to open, refresh and save each file in the right order. It's slow and exhausting.

I want to shorten this process but I don't know what the right solution is. Any suggestions on how to make it faster with fewer steps and fewer files to open?

Hello all,

I have been venturing on quite the Excel journey the past year or so. I made a corporate spreadsheet that is approaching 500k formulas and that is starting to get serious speed issues at this point. It is 2026, so I conversed with ChatGPT several times regarding the speed issue, but realized I am way better off asking the experts here anyways.

What is the problem

So, my spreadsheet imports flat databases with specific information regarding objects that need further analysing. The imported flat databases run from say A tot CC or something, from which I probably draw about 12-15 datafields that are used for further analysis. It 'may' be more in the future. Afterwards, said data gets 'enriched' (manually) by things that aren't in the database, also because said data needs a human eye that cannot be automated. So far, so good.

Right now, each object gets analysed from several different angles. As it stands, my spreadsheet runs from A until NA or something on the Formula Page. Many columns receive data from preceding columns, that are in the turn the result of many (slightly complex) logical IF or IFS tests, many of which are nested 3 or 4 deep. Often, they work in conjunction with X.LOOKUP to retrieve values, as the columns on the formula page are not equal.

For example: A until BC on the Formula Page may analyze 150 objects, BD until DD may analyse 100 objects (from the same dataset, so narrower), and so forths. Thus a lot of X.LOOKUP is required, also because the first 'block' comes up with values that need to be found with X.LOOKUP. Also, values need to be retrieved from the flat database 'import' page with X.LOOKUP. Finally, X.LOOKUP is an insurance compared to FILTER, as I am not fully convinced that empty values in the flat database always contain a space (" ").

To get to the point

I use many IF, IFS, AND, and if need be, OR, formulas. Thinks: tens of thousands, probably in excess of 100k.

These are compounded with X.LOOKUP, or X.LOOKUP gets used copiously without those. Here too, think tens of thousands.

These formulas are - as much as possible - in array format, even though I find it controversial to do that as I consider how it can create a chain of updates throughout the spreadsheet.

'Dependencies' is the name of the game, with one object receiving many possible alterations / adjustments due to manual input data, for which the spreadsheet needs to provide.

Right now, when I update a value, it may take up to 4 seconds to update the spreadsheet, which is already beyond the annoyance point for me. This leads me to these (hopefully) simple questions:

• Is it smart to use array formulas, knowing that each thing I change should only impact that one object line (for example, row 488) and none other? It is important to mention that object 1 does not influence object 488, or any other. Any manual data field only effects the object in the row it is in. In my mind, array formulas do not make sense in that regard, as it can result in a cascade of updates, but apparantly array formulas are 'way more efficient'.

• Is use of a VBA library the way to go to reduce lag and create more of an instant spreadsheet again? I am not able to code in VBA yet, but I am in the slow process of learning it regardless.

• Alternatively: should I use LET whenever a repeated lookup is needed in the same formula?

Really looking for to your answers!

As of this morning, there's a floating Copilot button in the bottom right of the viewport for all my files.

I've looked through all the settings I can find and I can't find a way to disable it. I even asked Copilot how to disable itself and it made something up that doesn't work.

This is new for me as of this morning. Any idea how to disable it?

I've seen other posts that advise going to Options > Copilot tab but this tab is missing for me

As the subject says, Excel is deleting information right in front of my eyes. All I can do is sit back and watch it delete field-by-field, bringing each Excel file I have open to the forefront, deleting anything I've put in that day (nothing prior) until its back to the saved version I originally opened. It does it FAST, maybe 5 to 7 seconds total and no matter what I try, it will not stop.

​

It doesn't happen daily, sometimes it will happen 2 or 3 times in a day, sometimes once a week, sometimes I can go a whole week without it happening (like last week).

​

It is not my keyboard, I have more than 1 (hybrid worker) and it will happen regardless of where I am working.

​

My computer is virus free, IT confirmed. I have had office reinstalled, network setting reset, etc.

​

These are shared Excel files for the most part (some are not) but deletion does not happen to any other users and will delete any information on any open Excel file regardless of shared or not.

​

Any ideas???

Hi all, I am completely excel illiterate. I want to create a simple spreadsheet for tracking employee’s PTO. We are a very small office with only 8 employees and we get 10 total days a year. Can someone help me design a spreadsheet to track this? Thank you!

I have students doing an exam of 53 questions.

When they tell me the score, eg. 46 out of 53 questions correct, I want to put that number into a cell, and then have it automatically convert it to a percentage in that same cell. Is there a way to do this in the same cell into which I input the number?

example. in Cell B3.

I put in the number 45.

Excel makes a calculation of "45 divided by 53 multiplied by 100" and puts the result as a percentage in the same cell (B3) where I input the value 45, in this case 86.79%.

I know how to do this using more than one cell, where the formula is put in to cell B4, which would tell excel to take the value of cell B3, apply the formula, and get the result in cell B4. I am trying to find out if I can do it inside the cell without additional cells and external cell references.

Thanks!

I work in Finance and have a large data set with payroll register info going back to the start of 2025. I just eclipsed 500,000 rows. Right now, I dump monthly payroll register data into a folder on my desktop and then do some transformations through Power Query to refresh a couple analytics dashboards I have. However, I just timed the PQ refresh and it took 10 minutes. It's a long time to wait. I'm sure there's a better way to house, process and display this data, right?

Because it's payroll, I can't give it to IT to input into a data warehouse and pull into our usual BI tools. I'm also hesitant to run it through any AI tools for the same reason. This is really just for me when reviewing our monthly P&Ls, headcount stats, wage fluctuations, etc. Would this be a case for Power Pivot or something else? I'm unfamiliar but of course willing to learn.

Thanks for your time.