# Excel 2013 Preview



## Domski (Jul 17, 2012)

I'm guessing many will already have seen this but thought I'd share it anyway:

http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/en/excel-2013-preview

Dom


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## Trevor G (Jul 17, 2012)

Thanks for sharing Dom.


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## Domski (Jul 17, 2012)

Nothing that groundbreaking by the looks of it. Be interesting to hear what anyone who has tried the beta thinks.

Dom


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## arkusM (Jul 17, 2012)

Excellent, that means my most up-to-date knowledge is based on TEN year old software... That makes me feel old.


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## BenMiller (Jul 17, 2012)

Looks like they didn't really add much... In the typical Microsoft style, they don't give any real-life examples of _when and how_ one would actually use these new features... "*Flash Fill   Here’s the easy way to reformat and rearrange your data. Excel learns and recognizes your pattern and auto-completes the remaining data, with no formulas or macros required."

*Explain, Microsoft, explain.


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## BenMiller (Jul 17, 2012)

Though I am excited for it, I will admit that.


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## Domski (Jul 18, 2012)

Flash fill just sounds like an upgraded text to columns but maybe you can do more with it than that.

Dom


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## T. Valko (Jul 18, 2012)

arkusM said:


> Excellent, that means my most up-to-date knowledge is based on TEN year old software... That makes me feel old.


Nothing wrong with that.

My default Excel version is Excel 2002. I do have 2007 but I absolutely hate the ribbon.


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## T. Valko (Jul 18, 2012)

BenMiller said:


> Looks like they didn't really add much... In the typical Microsoft style, they don't give any real-life examples of _when and how_ one would actually use these new features... "*Flash Fill Here’s the easy way to reformat and rearrange your data. Excel learns and recognizes your pattern and auto-completes the remaining data, with no formulas or macros required."
> 
> *Explain, Microsoft, explain.


Hopefully, that's something that can be disabled!


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## Domski (Jul 18, 2012)

T. Valko said:


> Hopefully, that's something that can be disabled!



A bit like background error checking which gets turned off whenever I use a fresh copy of Excel.

Dom


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## T. Valko (Jul 18, 2012)

Domski said:


> A bit like background error checking which gets turned off whenever I use a fresh copy of Excel.
> 
> Dom


Exactly!


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## Michael M (Jul 18, 2012)

Hey Biff.....I'm hearing ya !!
I'm on 2003, with 07 at home and the ribbon still drives me nuts.
Our org (6000 odd staff) is about to change from 2003 to 2010, and the powers on high have decided we won't need any training, just an induction into the new system.
Boy, am I looking Fwd to that, 'cause I'm about the only one in our office, that has the slightest idea !!  

@ArkusM
Nothing wrong with 10 year old software.......at least 99% of the code is the same !!!
and the majority of users only use about 25% of Excels capabilities.....so a new version will have little or no impact on most people !!


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## RoryA (Jul 19, 2012)

T. Valko said:


> Hopefully, that's something that can be disabled!



I'm 99% sure you can turn it off in the options.


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## Domski (Jul 19, 2012)

Michael M said:


> Our org (6000 odd staff) is about to change from 2003 to 2010, and the powers on high have decided we won't need any training, just an induction into the new system.



Ditto. Chaos is going to reign from 1 September. Fortunately I go on holiday for a couple of weeks that day 

Dom


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## Firefly2012 (Jul 19, 2012)

I loathe the ribbon too (although I am slowly getting more familiar with it).

I look forward to seeing the new features, although I haven't really touched what's available in 2010 yet (slicers still mean nothing to me and tables to me are things with 4 legs that you cover in a tablecloth).  I'm behind the curve I know...


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## Jon von der Heyden (Jul 19, 2012)

I'm excited by PowerView


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## Firefly2012 (Jul 19, 2012)

Jon, what's PowerView?  I take it it sits alongside PowerPivot?


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## Domski (Jul 19, 2012)

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/bi/Products/PowerView.aspx

http://officepreview.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/whats-new-in-power-view-in-excel-2013-and-in-sharepoint-2013-HA102901475.aspx

Dom


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## RoryA (Jul 19, 2012)

What is it with the Excel team and pie charts??


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## Firefly2012 (Jul 19, 2012)

Thanks Dom.  So it's SQL Server rather than Excel?  Completely ignorable by me in which case


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## Trevor G (Jul 19, 2012)

Michael when it happens it happens, to help perhaps you can check out the interactive flash movies which show the old 2003 screen and when you click on an item it rolls over to show you where to find the same item in the 2010 version, they are a good guide, obviously it won't tell you how to use the feature though.

Here is a link which maybe of use to you.  http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/getting-started-with-office-2010-FX101822272.aspx


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## Domski (Jul 19, 2012)

Firefly2012 said:


> Thanks Dom. So it's SQL Server rather than Excel? Completely ignorable by me in which case



I assume like PowerPivot it just needs SQL Server to run.

Dom


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## RoryA (Jul 19, 2012)

Neither of them requires SQL server. They are both integrated to Excel. (PowerPivot is now installed by default rather than being a separate download)


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## Michael M (Jul 19, 2012)

@TrevorG
I don't have the problem....
I think I'm reasonably tech savvy, so I'll move on and adapt.....but there are people in our org, that still think I'm a guru !!!
Most of these poor beggars can't work out how to use copy / paste......remember....it is the Government...

But, I really like the link...I may show that to a few of my minions !!


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## Domski (Jul 19, 2012)

My mistake, I thought I remembered having to install it when I put PowerPivot on my home laptop.

Great if not as will be more likely to get it at work if it's part of the core install. Best learn how to use it a bit better.

Dom


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## RoryA (Jul 19, 2012)

Unless your IT department is quicker than most, I think you've got a while yet.


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## Trevor G (Jul 19, 2012)

I do see that you are well versed Michael, I think the link will help others in your organisation.


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## theBardd (Aug 6, 2012)

RoryA said:


> What is it with the Excel team and pie charts??




Not to mention that meaningless KPI colour button. As the data is sorted, it would seem to me that a horizontal line indicating threshold breaks would be far more visually effective. The only useful colour button there is on the totals.


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## Obsidian (Aug 11, 2012)

BenMiller said:


> Looks like they didn't really add much... In the typical Microsoft style, they don't give any real-life examples of _when and how_ one would actually use these new features... "*Flash Fill   Here’s the easy way to reformat and rearrange your data. Excel learns and recognizes your pattern and auto-completes the remaining data, with no formulas or macros required."
> 
> *Explain, Microsoft, explain.



Flash Fill Explained


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## pgc01 (Aug 13, 2012)

Hi

From the Excel 2013 preview:



> Your workbooks are saved online to SkyDrive or SharePoint _*by default*_.



... by default ???


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## BenMiller (Aug 13, 2012)

I checked out a beta of Windows 8 in a Microsoft store today. Not impressed.


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## RoryA (Aug 13, 2012)

pgc01 said:


> ... by default ???


IIRC, you can switch that to default to a local save in the options.


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## pgc01 (Aug 13, 2012)

RoryA said:


> IIRC, you can switch that to default to a local save in the options.



I understand, Rory, but I really don't like the idea that the default storage place of some program that I install in my pc is someone else's disk.


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## RoryA (Aug 13, 2012)

pgc01 said:


> I understand, Rory, but I really don't like the idea that the default storage place of some program that I install in my pc is someone else's disk.


I think it only applies if you have signed in with a Live account, and you only have to turn it off once. I agree it shouldn't be the default though.


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