Excel Your Way Into Finance

The average professional loses 30+ minutes a day in Excel just by not using shortcuts.

(And yes - I used a formula to calculate that)

If I wanted to level up my Excel skills quickly, I would not:

→ Take another online course
→ Learn VBA right away
→ Memorise 100+ formulas

Because that’s not how you level up fast.

Here is what I would do instead:
I would start by moving faster.

And that means learning shortcuts.

Not just knowing them, but actually using them daily.

Here are my top 3 that save me hours every week:
◾ Shift + Arrows / Shift + Ctrl + Arrows – for fast selecting blocks of data
◾F2 – to jump into and edit formulas without touching the mouse
◾Ctrl + D – to copy down formulas without dragging

In fact, that is what I did in the first year of my career. Saved me hours of wasted time.

You’ll be shocked how much time you save once these become muscle memory.
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👉 What are your favourite Excel shortcuts?

🤯 Ever opened an Excel file and thought, “What is going on here?”

This happened to me so many times. Moreover, I’ve built models so complex, even I got lost in them later. 😅

But here’s the thing — a good financial model isn’t about fancy formulas or a million tabs. It’s about helping someone make smarter decisions, faster.

Whether you’re new to modeling or have been doing it for years, here are 3 things that always keep my models clean and useful:

✅ Clarity wins.
If your model makes people squint, it’s doing too much. Keep the layout clean, label everything, and avoid building formulas that look like rocket science. Simple > smart-looking.

✅ Stay flexible.
Assumptions change. So should your model — without blowing up. Don’t hard-code numbers all over the place. Use an “Inputs” tab and make everything link back to that. Life-changing.

✅ Say what you assumed.
Growth = 5%? Say so. And why. Hidden logic = broken trust. Assumptions should be easy to spot and adjust.

📊 These three things have saved me (and my teammates) more headaches than I can count.

What’s your #1 tip for building better models? Drop it below 👇

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Want to work smarter (not harder) in Excel?
Start using keyboard shortcuts. They’re the fastest way to boost your speed, impress your boss, and maybe even leave work on time.

Here are 5 Excel shortcuts that every spreadsheet wizard should know:

Ctrl + Arrow Keys – Jump to the edge of your data instantly.

Ctrl + Shift + L – Toggle filters on/off like a boss.

Alt + = – Auto-sum a column or row in one keystroke.

Ctrl + Shift + ↓ – Select an entire column of data in seconds.

F2 – Edit the active cell without reaching for the mouse.

And now for the secret weapon:

🎯 Ctrl + [
👉 Instantly jumps to the cell that a formula is referencing.
No more hunting through sheets trying to find the source — Excel does the detective work for you.

Try a few of these today and watch your workflow transform. ✨

Excel Magic Trick: Turn your boring data into Tables!

Why use Excel Tables?
✅ Automatic formatting
✅ Filters & sorting with 1 click
✅ Formulas that actually stick
✅ Auto-expanding when you add new data
✅ And - bonus - your charts won’t fall apart

Once you go Table, you never go back.
Try it: Ctrl + T

Still staring blankly at Excel formulas like they’re ancient code?
👋 Welcome to Excel Your Way Into Finance – where we turn “What the heck is VLOOKUP?” into “Hire me, I’ve got pivot powers!”

✅ Learn Excel in 7 days
🎓 Taught by a finance vet

Follow for tips, hacks, and a little tough love.
Let’s upgrade your job hunt, one cell at a time. 📈