Is the GoTo dialog really useless?

[Lewiy]

Having just received and digested part 6 of Bill’s “Learn Excel from Mr Excel” book, I notice that he comments on the uselessness of the GoTo dialog:

no one in his or her right mind uses the Go To dialog. If you are
at cell A10 and need to go to cell A100, it is pretty easy to just hit PgDn
a few times.

However, personally, I use the GoTo dialog nearly everyday. The situation is thus:

I have a spreadsheet of clients outstanding invoices in which column A houses a formula which creates a unique reference number for each client based on other information in the row. I don’t want to see column A, so I hide it.

When I want to add new data to the bottom of the spreadsheet each day, I copy and paste this from a system report (to column B onwards) and I then need to copy down the formula in column A. Rather than go through the process of un-hiding the column, I use GoTo to select a cell in column A from where I can copy the formula and paste it down.

Is it just me, or does anyone else have legitimate uses for the GoTo dialog?

 

[Hermanito]

I voted no, because from your explanation Lewiy, I understand it does have its uses... however, I have never used it yet...
I could do very well without it, but that doesn't mean it's useless

 

[Richard Schollar]

I use it all the time - altho only to hit the 'Special' button...

 

[litrelord]

I use it to quickly skip to named ranges although not very often. Mostly just when I'm defining dynamic ranges. It's easier to use the drop down box at the top but if I'm using the keyboard I'll hit Ctrl+G.

maybe there's a keyboard shortcut for the dropdown goto box at the top i don't know about.

Anyway: Voted no on that basis.

Nick

 

[SydneyGeek]

I don't use it to navigate to a known location. You can use the Name box for that (enter the destination, press Enter ... hold down SHIFT and press Enter if you want to select), but Go To > Special unlocks all sorts of useful stuff.

So, I voted No...

Denis

 

[Jon von der Heyden]

I use F5 to open GoTo dialog. I agree with what Bill intended. I never use it to navigate to a cell / range. I do use the special features but I'd rather that F5 opened this so I can ovoid yet another step to reach it. I also think too few people even know of the 'Special' dialog because it's not as obvious to navigate to.

With regards to names, I always navigate using Insert->Name->Define. Only because often I am checking out a dynamic range and when you click in the formula it oulines the actual range that the formula returns.

So I'm inclined to agree with Bill, sorry, GoTo sucks! Hehe!

 

[TinaP]

I don't know what I'd do without the Special button...

 

[Oaktree]

I voted "no" (and pushed that "no" button with a lot of vigor).

If you've ever inherited a workbook where apparently, empty columns and rows were on sale the day the workbook's author designed it (thereby preventing you from using the CTRL + arrow shortcuts to jump to the ends), you're very happy the Goto functionality is there

 

[Jon von der Heyden]

If you've ever inherited a workbook where apparently, empty columns and rows were on sale the day the workbook's author designed it (thereby preventing you from using the CTRL + arrow shortcuts to jump to the ends), you're very happy the Goto functionality is there

I have fortunately never - that would really annoy me! Point well put, in this instance I'm sure I would find it handy

 

[Lewiy]

So it would seem that the main use for the GoTo dialog is to obtain access to the Special button (although I still maintain that it is useful for navigating to hidden cells )

Looks like the Special button is another example of Microsoft's genius ideas of putting things in stupid places. Does anyone know what the deal is with XL2007? Have they sorted this out?