Excel 2007

[Expiry]

I've just got myself a new laptop for home and I've invested in a copy of Excel 2007.

Never used it before and it looks very different. I know there are some functions within it that are new (SUMIFS, etc).

Has anyone got any tips/ advice on what's great about Excel 2007?

 

[RoryA]

The new functions are handy, conditional formatting is better (though the interface is awkward). A lot of the rest is worse - I hate to say it but I'd have gone for 2010 instead.

 

[justme]

If he just bought 2007 can't he upgrade to 2010 for almost nothing?

 

[RoryA]

Quite possibly. I don't know for sure as I've not had to actually buy any MS stuff for a few years.

 

[baitmaster]

likes

• better autofilter
• better name manager (but still not as good as free add-ins available via web)
• sumifs formula is faster that array formula equivalent
• countifs formula as above
• conditional formatting has some new features
• bit more capability around pivot tables
• more results available in statusbar, i.e. not just sum, but averaegs etc too
• mouse wheel can move you along the ribbon (that's how low I have to sink to suggest "good" bits!)

dislikes

• layout changed too much without adding much functionality. E.g. page layout - I still have to bring up the old menus (which fortunately are still there) in order to configure the layout right, the new menu has just duplicated the old one, and not even all of it...
• ribbon - difficult to find advanced functions e.g. developer tab
• my customised drop-down menus are now hidden in a new section of the ribbon
• other customised features (adding new buttons) appear under the rest of the toolbar, as opposed to in it
• new .xlsm, .xlsx etc save formats. I still just default to .xls to avoid compatibility problems
• annoying mesages about "incompatible formats leading to minor loss of fidelity" every time I save a .xlsm as a .xls, so colleagues can use files on older versions, and to avoid macro security issues. So what if a colour is going to change imperceptibly?!
• .xlsm = macro-enabled workbook - I mean why? when would I want a workbook in which I couldn't use macros?!
• conditional formatting - easier to screw up formats, and its more cumbersome to set certain conditions

New functionality appears minimal - basically, apart from a few new formulae, its just been updated to look prettier for novices, whilst at the same time confusing those of us that knew our way around.

There may be some benefit to having more that 65536 rows or 256 columns, but not much because it can't handle that much data anyway.

Overall, disliked it initially, now I'm not too bothered.

 

[VoG]

You might find this handy http://www.rondebruin.nl/0307commands.htm

 

[Richard Schollar]

I much prefer 2010 too. It hasn't annoyed me much at all (compared to 2007 which I continue to loathe).

One thing about 2010 that does irritate is the File ribbon - I'd have much preferred it to appear as just a ribbon across the top of the spreadsheet rather than taking you away from your file window completely.

 

[RoryA]

(compared to 2007 which I continue to loathe).

When's your renewal date again?

 

[Expiry]

Fantastic. Thanks, guys. If I find it too much of a bind, I'll upgrade to 2010 before I get too 'used-to-it'.

 

[Greg Truby]

If I'm reading the footnotes correctly, looks like you can upgrade for free?

http://store.microsoft.com/microsoft/Office-Office-2007-Suites/category/202