The best keyboard shortcuts to use with functions and formulas Help

Assistance > Office 2000 > Excel 2000 > Data

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.

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.

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.

Move to the beginning of the line. F4 or CTRL+Y Repeat the last action. CTRL+HYPHEN Delete the selected cells. CTRL+SHIFT+PLUS SIGN Insert blank cells. F2 Edit the active cell and position the insertion point at the end of the cell contents. ALT+ENTER Start a new line in the same cell. BACKSPACE Edit the active cell and then clear it, or delete the preceding character in the active cell as you edit cell contents. DELETE Delete the character to the right of the insertion point, or delete the selection. CTRL+DELETE Delete text to the end of the line. F7 Display the Spelling dialog box. SHIFT+F2 Edit a cell comment.