Excel command guide: Keyboard shortcuts and symbols

Keyboard shortcuts

Using shortcuts is the best way to optimize your time in Excel. Below are the Windows key combinations that will be most helpful while taking your Ninja Excel courses, with alternatives between parentheses in case your locale settings require them:

1. General management and basic editing

• Copy: Ctrl + C

• Paste: Ctrl + V

• Undo: Ctrl + Z 

• Redo: Ctrl + Y

2. Font formatting

• Apply Bold: Ctrl + N (or Ctrl + B)

• Apply Italic: Ctrl + K (or Ctrl + I)

• Apply Underline: Ctrl + S (or Ctrl + U)

3. Data structures and search

• Insert Table: Ctrl + Q (or Ctrl + T / Ctrl + L)

• Search: Ctrl + B (or Ctrl + F)

• Replace: Ctrl + L (Ctrl + H)

4. Selecting data

• Select an entire column in a table: Ctrl + Shift + Down Arrow

• Select an entire row in a table: Ctrl + Shift + Right Arrow

• Select an entire table/range: Ctrl + E (or Ctrl + A)

5. References and navigation

• Locking cells (Anchoring): While editing a formula, press F4 (or Fn + F4) to toggle between relative, absolute, and mixed references.

• Navigating to the start/end of data: 

  • Ctrl + Up Arrow: Jumps to the first cell with data in that direction.

  • Ctrl + Down Arrow: Jumps to the last cell with data in that direction.

Symbols

The correct use of symbols is vital for formula syntax. If you can't find them on your physical keyboard, here are the most common US QWERTY combinations and a manual alternative:

1. Common keyboard combinations (US QWERTY)

• Quotation marks (" "): Shift + ' (single quote key). Used to wrap text inside functions.

• Parentheses (( )): Shift + 9 and Shift + 0. Essential for opening and closing arguments.

• Semicolon (;): Press the ; key (next to the L key). This is the primary argument separator used in the platform.

• Comparison symbols:

  • Greater than (>): Shift +. (period key).

  • Less than (<): Shift +, (comma key).

  • Equal to (=): Press the = key (next to Backspace).

• At sign (@): Shift + 2.

• Dollar Sign ($): Shift + 4. Crucial for creating absolute references manually.

• Ampersand (&): Shift + 7. Used for concatenating or joining texts.
  
  

2. Equal to (=): Press the = key (next to Backspace).

If a symbol is difficult to find due to your language or keyboard settings, you can insert it directly:

1. Go to the Insert tab.

2. On the far right, look for the Symbols group and click on the Symbol icon.

3. A dialog box opens where you can browse all available characters. Select the one you need and click Insert.

Note for Mac Users: On the Ninja Excel platform, shortcuts should be executed using the Control (Ctrl) key rather than the Command key. Please note that combinations involving the Option (Alt) key and F keys are not enabled; therefore, actions like creating references must be done manually by typing the $ sign or copying and pasting it. For more details, see our specific Mac User Guide.