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Check the Newsletter Past Issues:

2024-05  (May) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the May 2024 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here.

Excel Improvements and New features:

      • New Regular Expression (REGEX) Functions (Insiders) [Excel for Windows] [Excel for MAC] Microsoft is introducing three new regular expression (REGEX) functions in Excel: REGEXTEST, REGEXEXTRACT, and REGEXREPLACE. These functions allow users to quickly check if text matches a pattern, extract substrings that match a pattern, and replace text that matches a pattern.The REGEX functions require using specific terminology to describe the patterns we want to work with. David Benaim posted a great video explaining how these functions compare in Excel and Google Sheets and using AI (ChatGPT and Copilot) to get the correct code to use for the pattern we want to find, extract or replace.
      •  Filtering for Comments  [Excel for Web] You can now filter comments by active, resolved, or those that mention you, making it easier to find specific comments. This filtering updates the comment indicators on your worksheet, helping you focus on important comments in the context of your work. This feature is already available on Mac and is currently being rolled out to Web users.A summary of Excel’s new features and improvements and a list by Excel version is available here.

Excel Events:         

Tech News Events:   

Must-have apps:

      • Monkey Tools – It helps you streamline your work with Power Query, Power Pivot and DAX in Excel, and also with functions and other routine tasks in Excel, like being able to name a Table when it is created. One of the features I have been using a lot is the Biblio Monkey, which allows me to store the LAMBDA functions and queries that I need to reuse all the time. You can also store DAX Measures, Excel Formulas, Python, VBA and Office Scripts.
      • List Slicer —Part of my daily work includes using the auto filter buttons in a cell range to search for a list of given items. Anyone doing this knows how time-consuming it can be to select those items, especially if you need to filter by more than a few items. With List Slicer, simply paste in the list of all the items to filter by, and that’s it!
      • Lambda Explorer – this tool helps with exploring and debugging Excel Lambda Functions. You need and will love this tool if you work with LAMBDAS or other longer formulas.

2024-04  (April) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the April 2024 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here.

Excel Improvements and New features:

      • Generating multiple formula columns with Copilot in Excel [Excel for Windows] [Excel for Web] Copilot in Excel now allows for generating multiple formula columns from a single question, such as extracting first and last names into separate columns simultaneously.
      • Creating complex formula columns that span multiple tables with Copilot in Excel [Excel for Windows] [Excel for Web] Copilot now supports the creation of complex formula columns that extend across multiple tables, employing functions such as XLOOKUP and SUMIF. This enhancement simplifies data processing and enables efficient management of intricate data analysis tasks involving multiple tables.
      • New ways to engage with Copilot in Excel [Excel for Windows] [Excel for Web] You can now use the Microphone feature to verbally interact with Copilot, bypassing the need for typing. Additionally, explore customized prompt suggestions by clicking on the View Prompts.
      •  Ink to text pen [Excel for Windows – Insiders] This feature enables users to write directly in cells, select and delete content with pen gestures, and offers tips on using the tool effectively.
      •  Copying and pasting Improvements  [Excel for Web]These enhancements include drag-and-drop features for easier data manipulation, autofill capabilities for filling series and copying cells, and improved paste options for more efficient pasting. These new features offer users a more seamless and intuitive experience in Excel for the Web.
      • Sharing link to sheet views [Excel for Web] Users are allowed to share links to existing or new Sheet views, enabling efficient collaboration on large or complex workbooks. For example, when you filter data by a specific criterion and want to share the resulting view with other users. Users can create or select a Sheet view, copy the link to the view, and share it with others via email, Teams chat, or other means.

Excel Events:         

 

2024-03  (March) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the March 2024 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here.

  • Excel Improvements and New features:
      • New Default Theme for Office   [Excel for Windows] [Excel for Mac] Microsoft 365 has a new default theme that is designed to be more modern, accessible, and professional. The new theme includes a new font, color palette, and styles.
      • Export to CSV [Excel for Web] In Excel for the web, it is now possible to download a spreadsheet as a CSV file. This functionality is beneficial for storing structured data ina simple, human-readable format, facilitating data transfer between spreadsheet
      • Create Power BI Connected Tables in Excel [Excel for Web][Excel for Windows]
        It is now possible to connect directly to data in your Power BI dataset or semantic model.
        After indicating the data, filters and field order toapply, you will get a Table in your workbook that is connected to your Power BI semantic model.
        Show Details in PivotTables The Microsoft team has introduced a “Show Details” button under the ‘PivotTable Analyze’ tab to create detailed tables from value cells.

Excel Events:         

  • Must-have apps:
        • Monkey Tools allows you to create Excel-based parameter table and function to easily use values from your Excel file in your queries. I love this tool! 💚
        • List Slicer is my new favourite Excel add-in, as it saves me so much time every day!

 

2024-02  (Feb) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the February 2024 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here.

  • Guest Presenter:
      • My presentation “Dynamic Dropdown Lists Master Class” to the East, Central & South Africa Microsoft Excel Forum on Mar 3, 2024 is now available on YouTube.
  • Excel Improvements and New features:
  • Must-have apps:
      • Monkey Tools allows you to create Excel-based parameter table and function to easily use values from your Excel file in your queries. I love this tool! 💚
      • List Slicer is my new favourite Excel add-in, as it saves me so much time every day!

2024-01  (Jan) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the January 2024 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here.

  • Guest Presenter:
      • February 8 2024 – Global Excel Summit 2024 -The Global Excel Summit is the biggest and best event in the Excel industry, offering fabulous opportunities for learning and doing business.I will be presenting for the 4th year in a row and am looking forward to seeing you there.
  • Excel Improvements and New features:
      • Insert Pictures in Cells [Excel for Windows] [Excel for Mac] This functionality allows users to insert pictures directly into cells. Initially, it only accepted pictures saved online, but now it also supports local pictures from your device, stock image libraries, and even your mobile device.
      • Check Performance [Excel for Windows ] This feature identifies cells that no longer contain data but still occupy space due to residual formatting, allowing users to optimize their workbooks by removing these cells.
      • “Show details” button on Pivot Tables [Excel for Windows – Insiders] When you click it or double-click a value in a PivotTable, you will get the table starting on row 3 with a description in cell A1 (previously, the table would start on A1 with no title).
      • Sync Forms Data to Excel [Excel for Web] When we created a form directly from Microsoft Forms (and not from within an Excel file on the web), each time we wanted to see the answers collected from that form, we were presented with a new Excel file to download
      • Date Picker [Excel for Web] This feature has been visible in Excel for the Web for a few months but only now was announced in the blog. Entering or editing a date is so much easier with a calendar pop-up.
      • Google to Microsoft Forms Migration in 365 Admin Center [Excel for Web] With this new feature in the Microsoft 365 admin center, administrators can now seamlessly transition forms in bulk, ensuring a smooth integration into the Microsoft ecosystem.
      • PivotTables for iPad [Excel for Ipad]  Microsoft has introduced support for PivotTables on iPad, enabling users to create and edit PivotTables directly on their devices.
      • Office’s new default theme is now available in the Current Channel – Microsoft updated the default font and colours of the Office theme.

Excel Events:         

  • Content You don’t want to miss:
  • Must-have apps:
        • Monkey Tools allows you to create Excel-based parameter table and function to easily use values from your Excel file in your queries. I love this tool! 💚

2023-12  (Dec) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the December 2023 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here.

  • Guest Presenter:
      •  January 11, 2024 – 6:30 PM EST –  Dynamic Dependent Dropdown Lists will be the topic of my presentation to the Women in Financial Modelling Meetup Group organized by Danielle Stein Fairhurst. Register here.
      •  February 6 – 8, 2024  – Global Excel Summit 2024. Are you coming? You can still grab a promotional price of 23% OFF for the next edition in February 2024 by applying coupon code BYE2023 on checkout. 

2023-11  (Nov) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the November 2023 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here.

2023-10  (Oct) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the October 2023 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here.

2023-09  (Sept) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the September 2023 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here.

  • What I have been up to:
      • My training program on automating recurring reporting procedures in Excel is open for registration.
  • Guest Presenter:
      • I will be presenting at the Excel Virtually Global, one of the biggest Excel events in the industry, delivered entirely online and priced as “donate what you can to a charity of your choice.”
  • Excel Improvements and New features:
      • Data Validation Autocomplete [Excel for Windows] [Excel for Mac – Insiders] The Autocomplete feature for data validation dropdown lists has been one of the most wanted features for years. After being available in Excel for the Web, Mobile devices and the Beta channel for a long time, it is finally being rolled out to all Microsoft 365 desktop users – Current channel and for Windows and Excel for Mac Insiders.
      • Stale Value Formatting [Excel for Windows – Insiders Beta] This feature helps users to identify cells that contain outdated values, which can happen when switching the calculation mode from Automatic to Manual.
      • Python in Excel [Excel for Windows – Insiders Beta] Python in Excel is a new feature that enables users to perform complex data analysis and machine learning tasks directly from Excel, without leaving the familiar Excel environment. It is now available to all Enterprise, Business, Education, and Family and Personal users running Beta Channel on Windows (build 16.0.16818.20000 or later).
      • Python Editor from Excel Labs  [Excel for Windows – Insiders Beta] The Python Editor in Excel Labs is a new tool that allows you to write and edit Python formulas in Excel. It has features like syntax highlighting and code completion, and it can also be used to write longer sections of code and to debug your code.
      • Copilot Support for Python in Excel  [Excel for Windows ]  Copilot is the new AI engine supporting most apps in the Microsoft 365 environment. In Excel, Copilot will support Python, and we can use it to write code to analyze data. It can help you access popular Python libraries and visualizations and can be used to break down complex.
      • Workbook links [Excel for Windows] Linking Excel files has always caused issues; with this new feature though, it is much better managed and easier to control. The “Edit Links” pop-up on the Data tab has been replaced with the more intuitive “Workbook Links” pane, which is more robust in finding links and breaking them if need be.
      • Catch up [Excel for the Web]When co-authoring a workbook, you will now see “Show changes” on the top right of the screen. This will unveil the “Show changes” pane, which will give you all the changes made by other collaborators on a cell-by-cell basis since you last opened the workbook.
      • Power Query Web by examples [Excel for Windows] When importing data from the Web from Excel’s Data tab, you can now import non-tabular data using AI.
      • Checkboxes [Excel for Windows – Insiders] Select cells and, on the Insert tab, click the button Checkbox, and you will have checkboxes inside cells. These evaluate to TRUE when ticked and FALSE otherwise.
  • Excel Events:         

2023-08  (Aug) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the August 2023 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here.

2023-07 (Jul) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the July 2023 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here.

2023-06 (Jun) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the June 2023 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here.

2023-05 (May) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the May 2023 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here.

2023-04 (Apr) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the April 2023 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here

2023-02 (Mar) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the Match 2023 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here

2023-02 (Feb) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the February 2023 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here

2023-01 (Jan) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the January 2023 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here

2022-11(Nov) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the November 2022 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened here

2022-10(Oct) – Topics:
The following is a summary of the October 2022 newsletter, the original newsletter can be opened “here”

2022-08 (Aug) – Topics:

2022-07 (Jul) – Topics:

2022-05 (Jun) – Topics:

2022-05 (May) – Topics:

2022-03 (Mar) – Topics:

2022-02 (Feb) – Topics:

2022-01 (Jan) – Topics:

  • FREE CLASSES online about Excel/VBA/Power Query on my YouTube channel:
    • How to rename columns in Power Query that change the name on each data update.
    • Ways of recycling work in Power Query and saving time.   
    • How to combine pivoted data from multiple sheets in an Excel file when you are not sure how many sheets your source file will have.
  • Excel – improvements and new features:
    • Excel for Windows Desktop is getting one of the most awaited features for years! Searchable and AutoComplete dropdown lists.
    • Announcing Data Types APIs: Data Types in Excel Add-ins Microsoft has developed a new API which allows developers to create their own custom data types
    •  Excel for the Web is getting better and better and a must-use tool for collaborate work.
    • Conditional Formatting also received significant improvements in Excel online.
    • Excel for the Web can handle more files and larger files
  • Excel Events:
  •  Recommended Books:

2021-08 (Aug) – Topics:

  • FREE CLASSES online about Excel/VBA/Power Query on my YouTube channel:
    • M Language Tips to achieve more with Power Query.
    • How to make Table.Combine include extra column from the previous query step.   
    • Two automations to share Power Query results without allowing to refresh the query.
  • Excel – improvements and new features:
    • New Navigation Pane In Excel provides a vertical list of your sheets and other objects like tables, charts, shapes, etc.
    • Import data from local files with Power Query in Excel for Mac.
    • New Name Manager in Excel for Mac with same capabilities as in Excel for Windows.
    • Wolfram data types now available to Enterprises.
  • Tech News:
    • Wall Street’s Hottest Commodity: College Grads With Excel Skills.
    • Microsoft is looking for your input to help them define the future of automation in Excel. Can you offer 2 minutes to fill in this survey? Thank you in advance for your collaboration.
  •  Recommended Books:

2021-07 (Jul) – Topics:

  • FREE CLASSES online about Excel/VBA/Power Query on my YouTube channel:
    • How to import and clean data from a web page with Power Query into Excel.
    • How to combine pairs of rows in Power Query with different criteria per column.   
    • How to add a File Picker in Excel to select the data source file for Power Query.
  • Excel – improvements and new features:
    • LAMBDA HELPER FUNCTIONS – Microsoft announced the release of seven (wow!!) new functions.
    • Restrict usage of Excel 4.0 (XLM) macros with new macro settings control.
    • New Name Manager in Excel for Mac.
    • Export from Power BI to Excel – improvements for table and matrix visuals.
  • Content you do not want to miss:
    • The Orca Template – Introducing middle-school students to Wolfram Data Types in Excel.
    • Generating Excel Reports Using Power BI, Cube Formulas, Office Scripts And Power Automate.
    • Excel Office Scrips Basics.
  •  Events:
    • MS Excel Toronto Meetup sessions

2021-06 (Jun) – Topics:

  • FREE CLASSES online about Excel/VBA/Power Query on my YouTube channel and blog:
    • How to import and clean data from a web page with Power Query into Excel.
    •  Dealing with dates prior to 1900 in Excel with Power Query.   
  • Participation in the Excel Weekend 7
  • Participation in A Bit of Excel – Power Query _The tool that can save you Hours of WORK in Excel
  • Participation in Excel Office Hour: Tips for more productivity with Power Query in Excel
  • Excel – improvements and new features:
    • Office Scripts allows users with all levels of programming experience to automate their repetitive workflows.
    • Excel for the Web.Several improvements and new features available, including Text to Columns and enhanced Pivot Table settings.
    • Office Add-ins. Add custom keyboard shortcuts to your Office Add-ins in Excel.
  • Content you do not want to miss:
    • Convert VBA user-defined functions to LAMBDA functions by Jan Karel Pieterse
  •  Events:
    • MS Excel Toronto Meetup sessions
    • Financial Modeling World Cup

2021-05 (May) – Topics:

  • FREE CLASSES online about Excel/VBA/Power Query on my YouTube channel:
    • Learn how to build a Timesheet System – Exclusive access to this playlist to readers of the newsletter.
    • Importing multiple Google Sheets files with Power Query in Excel – Claudia Roxo.
    • How to get the data from the 1st of the current month onwards with Power Query
  • Excel – improvements and new features:
    • New data types and smart templates powered by Wolfram are now generally available.
    • Make your Excel documents accessible to people with disabilities
    • Add custom keyboard shortcuts to your Office Add-ins in Excel Power BI connected PivotTables in Excel for the web
    • Collaborate with confidence: Introducing Show Changes for Excel on the Web
  • Content you do not want to miss:
    • If you use Excel for Mac, you may want to add Ron de Bruin’s website to your favorites. Mac Excel Automation
    • Import data from local files using Power Query in Excel for Mac
    • Power BI, Excel Organisation Data Types And Images article by Chris Webb.
    • Get Power BI data in Excel without Pivot Tables | Excel Data Types video by Ruth Pozuelo, Curbal channel.
  •  Events:
    • MS Excel Toronto Meetup sessions
    • Excel Weekend 7 – FREE ONLINE

2021-04 (April) – Topics:

  • FREE CLASSES online about Excel/VBA/Power Query on my YouTube channel
  • Participation on Bill Jelen’s channel (MrExcel) talking about Rounding methods in Excel and Power Query.
  • Participation on Ruth Pozuelo’s channel (Curbal) talking about best practices when building charts in Excel.
  • Excel – improvements and new features:
    • POWER QUERY NEW OFFICIAL ICON, WEBSITE, BLOG AND TWITTER
    • Tracking changes in Excel Online workbook
  • Content you do not want to miss:
    • How to embed Excel file on a website
    • LAMBDA function
  • Tech News:
    • Microsoft is retiring USERVOICE
  • Events:
    • MS Excel Toronto Meetup sessions

2020-09 (September) – Topics:

  • Video Tutorial: Enable Background Refresh property in Power Query in Excel
  • Training offer: Power Query Fundamentals in Excel
  • Excel – improvements and new features:
    • PDF Connector for Power Query
    • Natural Language in Excel
    • Excel Online
    • Date Picker Add-In
    • Excel and Power BI
    • Office Scripts
    • Excel Uservoice
  • Content you do not want to miss:
    • Microsoft’s updated documentation for Power Query
    • API’s in Power Query
    • Power Query Geography And Geometry Functions In Power BI And Excel
  • News:
    • Scientists rename human genes to stop Microsoft Excel from misreading them as dates
    • Researchers bring Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel into VR
    • Excel Virtually Global Summit Raises $15,000 For Charities
  • Events:
    • Microsoft Ignite 2020
    • MS Excel Toronto sessions & October SPECIAL EVENT

2020-07 (July) – Topics:

  • Excel dynamic array functions – SORT, SORTBY, SEQUENCE, FILTER, UNIQUE and RANDARRAY
  • Other new Excel formulas – XLOOKUP, XMATCH and LET
  • Excel new features – Sheet View
  • Excel new collection of Data Types
  • Excel mobile version – Insert data from picture
  • Office Scripts – the new programming language that allows the user to create scripts that will run the same way in Excel for Windows, Excel for Mac, and Online.
  • Training offer: Power Query Fundamentals in Excel
  • Video Tutorial: The Longest Absence with Power Query and M Code in Excel
  • Presentation Sessions in English:
    • Fundamentals with Tips & Tricks of POWER QUERY (ETL Tool) in Microsoft Excel
    • Power Query Tips and Tricks
    • Speed up your reporting processes with Advanced Filters and VBA
  • Presentation Sessions in Portuguese:
    • Conceitos Básicos de Power Query no Excel
    • Pontos de Atenção ao Unificar Dados no Power Query
  • Excel Events – MS Excel Toronto meetup group next sessions

Client Reviews

Celia is an amazing contractor. She far exceeded my expectations for the job. I would and will use her again and again for any and all similar needs.

Ron Gad, Bervely Hills Therapy Group - Executive Director, Clinical Supervisor

Celia was a brilliant contractor; she completed her tasking well in advance of schedule to a high standard. Her level of communication was high and her pricing was fair. I would highly recommend her services.

Chris Hoffman, Cowichan Valley Computer Services - Operator

I had to create a very complex financial spreadsheet that required understanding of mathematics and high-level Excel expertise. There is a lot of complexity to my model and Celia delivered a fantastic job. She was prompt, dedicated, detailed and one week ahead of time. This is a person that I hire again.

Riccardo Ferrari, Bitcoin Cryptocurrency Training - Cryptocurrency Entrepreneur
Project: our complete system data entry, invoicing , accounts payable , accounts receivable

Outcomes and advantages: It is time-saving, It simplifies our workflow, It is easy to use, It avoids data entry errors, It produces professional and accurate reports/documents, It provides me with fundamental insights about my business KPIs

The speed in which this project was accomplished was amazing, the overall results outstanding, the time saving was significant . Would highly recommend Celia’s services.

John Chimuk, Big Dog Containers, Inc - President, Owner
John Cotter - Solve & Excel
The work you did for me is paying off in spades.
So easy now to run all my volume and commission reports.
Wonderful!

I met Celia Alves from watching a youtube video on Excel programming. I saw from her video that she had automated some financial statements for other clients.

I realized how powerful her services would be for my company.

Celia understood the challenge immediately and created several solutions that literally reduced the amount of time I spent on creating and disseminating financial information by 10 hours per month.

The work Celia did for me is paying off in spades!
So easy now to run all my volume and commission reports.
Wonderful! I strongly recommend her services. It was a pleasure working with her.

John R. H. Cotter, Passport Title Services, LLC - President and CEO
Antonio Carapuço IAF Treasurer Solve & Excel
I decided to work with Celia Alves after looking at the good references about her.

As treasurer of “The International Association for Falconry”, I need an Excel tool to import the income and expense entries from different sources and merge them on a comprehensive scheme to present to our members. The goal was also to facilitate my work and eliminate, as much as possible, the manual work to post all the transactions.

After a short period, I have the right solution. Much easier now!
Many thanks, mission accomplished!

Antonio Carapuço, IAF Treasurer
Francis de La Torre Solve & Excel
Celia is at the top of her game, Excel is a great bit of software but hard to master, and this is where Celia comes in. She really knows her stuff. Very helpful and accommodating, especially as the project grew in complexity.
Francis De La Torre, Certum - Director