What are your favorite keyboard short cuts?

[RobMatthews]

When I do it, not only is it not much quicker, it's not quicker at all.

But that's not the point that SydneyGeek was making with his post #97. It was a response to JRB in #96. T-Beards, Boller and Nimit, I'm talking to you.

If anyone thinks F2 is an awesome shortcut, then either they haven't been using Excel (or even Windows!) for very long, or I have a bridge I want to sell them...

 

[Boller]

But that's not the point that SydneyGeek was making with his post #97.

But it was the point he was making in his post #108, which was the one to which I was replying.

 

[SydneyGeek]

The reason I stick with the F2-Tab combination is that it's easy to teach. With a room full of people who don't know much about shortcuts or VBA, it's a quick take-home. In that sense it *is* quicker; 'click in the formula bar, then hit tab' results in me having to show at least one person in the room how to do it again, because they don't always click in the formula bar (don't ask...). They don't get the other version wrong.

Whether it's a short cut is a moot point, but the question arose in this thread so I answered it.

Denis

 

[Boller]

So in you post #108, you meant to write that it's quicker to teach using F2 instead teaching to click in the formula bar, rather than writing it's "much quicker" to use F2 rather than the mouse click.

Hmm .........

Basically, it's a matter of personal preference whether to use keyboard shortcuts or mouse clicks.

There are many keyboard shortcuts that are really not shortcuts in the sense of being quicker.

 

[SydneyGeek]

So in you post #108, you meant to write that it's quicker to teach using F2 instead teaching to click in the formula bar, rather than writing it's "much quicker" to use F2 rather than the mouse click.

Hmm .........

Basically, it's a matter of personal preference whether to use keyboard shortcuts or mouse clicks.

There are many keyboard shortcuts that are really not shortcuts in the sense of being quicker.

I agree about the preference. I like having both options, and I use them interchangeably depending on the situation.
And yes, the 'much quicker' probably should have been 'much quicker to learn in a group situation' -- in this case. I generally find keyboard-based navigation shortcuts to be quicker than using the mouse, and Alt = for summing rows and columns in a table takes some beating.

Denis

 

[Boller]

Alt = for summing rows and columns in a table takes some beating.

That's a matter of opinion.

I think clicking on the AutoSum button for summing rows and columns takes some beating (and it also involves only one click versus pressing two keys).

 

[SydneyGeek]

Yes, but Autosum does one total. You still have to fill down or right. Alt = does them all at once. Select a table, plus one row, Alt =

Denis

 

[Boller]

Yes, but Autosum does one total. You still have to fill down or right. Alt = does them all at once. Select a table, plus one row, Alt =

Denis

True, but with Alt= you first have to select the whole range which amounts to the same thing in terms of time as filling down or right after AutoSum (maybe filling down is quicker since it might suffice merely to click on the cell handle).

 

[Nimit]

Alt= you first have to select the whole range which amounts to the same thing in terms of time as filling down or right after AutoSum

Interesting. I am sorry, Denis but I second that argument because that is a valid point evaluated by her

@Boller
I had an excellent time reading all the discussion and I bet they are to the point and very much concrete ! Albeit, (this is what I feel) handling of a mouse is rather time consuming, be it a click or scroll and keyboard will always win when it comes to speed Moreover, the title of this thread signifies about your keyboard shortcuts so I guess its time for a hot coffee

 

[Boller]

handling of a mouse is rather time consuming, be it a click or scroll and keyboard will always win when it comes to speed

"always" ?

I think you meant to write is "often". (I don't really see how pressing a key will always be speedier than a click, nor why a click is time consuming).

You should also take into account that not everyone is proficient with a keyboard, and some people are very deft at handling a mouse.

As I wrote before :-

"Basically, it's a matter of personal preference whether to use keyboard shortcuts or mouse clicks."

For anyone really interested in expanding their use of keyboard shortcuts, I think their time would be more efficiently spent by looking up the list of keyboard shortcuts in the help file, rather than wading through this thread.