Excel Keyboard Shortcuts Really That Necessary?
I'm doing training for deal advisory internship rn, doing ib internship this next winter also. We're watching an Excel tutorial and the guy is only using keyboard shortcuts to do everything.
Is it really that necessary to use the shortcuts? Does it save you that much time in IB grinding endless Excel models? I'm so much faster and more comfortable with mouse right now but I can learn it if its a big time saver.
People in IB generally use shortcuts bc they can't master using the mouse efficiently, if you're already at that level just continue to master the mouse and by the time you hit the desk you will be light years ahead.
I find it very hard to believe that, please don’t listen to this guy. Are there things that are faster to do with the mouse? Of course there are!
You don’t have to never touch your mouse while using excel. Don’t listen to stupid hardos who said that because they think it makes them look cool lol
However, there are so many shortcuts that save you 2-3 seconds here and there, which you might thing it’s nothing, but it adds up to a lot of time saved.
One of the biggest time saves you can have is having some shortcuts in your quick ribbon (alt + 1, alt + 2, etc). It all comes down to preference what you want to put there but it can help a lot since it’s an easy shortcut to remember.
r/woosh
+1 SB. It's all about finding your personal balance. Push yourself to learn as many shortcuts as possible and then move back to what works best and then occasionally try to learn new ones that could save you time.
I've literally sat behind a hardo tripping up on his shortcut three times in a row as he is working through a model. At that point, PICK UP YOUR FUCKING MOUSE!
anyone who says this is guaranteed to suck at modeling
woosh
Yes - it saves you a lot of time. You'll be working in Excel at least several hours per day every day, so shaving off a couple of seconds every time you insert a sheet, re-name a sheet, re-color a sheet, change font color, row height, column width, sort something fuck w/ number formatting, etc. adds up.
The first-year who is a self-proclaimed virtuoso w/ the mouse is slow af and doesn't realize it.
Yes - but have you considered the wireless mouse?
Yes. Copy some random model sheet a bunch of times. Break some formulas at random.
On each sheet color the error cells red and the blank cells grey. Then hide all the extra blank rows and columns at the end. That should take like 20-30 seconds per sheet.
Here are shortcuts I often use-
(Ctrl + shift + arrow to select multiple cells quickly)
Ctrl + space (select column) and shift + space (select row) are two shortcuts I people use often but I personally don't.
I have been using these shortcuts a lot for my college assignments and my current internship and I generally don't use the mouse at all.
Hope this helps!
F4 outside of a cell reference is also repeat a command.
You can also reset you entire command prompt giving up to 9 additional two keystroke short cuts. Alt + Num key
Keyboard shortcuts are helpful in that you're not moving your hand back and forth from your keyboard and your mouse. Also, the time it takes to move your cursor to the ribbon vs. a 3-letter Alt code adds up over time. There are certainly things that are easier with a mouse, and whatever firm you end up working for will have its own color scheme and number formats and some keyboard shortcuts that allow you to quickly cycle between those colors/formats.
You are very likely faster on a mouse currently than you are with only keyboard shortcuts, but as you get more comfortable using the keyboard for the most part, you will quickly catch up (think of it like learning to touch type; you won't be faster initially but you will definitely be faster once you're good at it). It's certainly something worth investing time into getting good at and it will get you ahead of your peers who didn't spend time getting accustomed to it.
Only thing I can think of that is more efficient to do with a mouse is pivot tables...shouldn't be hands off the keyboard otherwise IMO.
Thanks for your input everyone. I will definitely try to do as much as I can by hand, especially during training. Ive already seen the benefits of just using ALT to get to the right tab and button/function.
Learn excel shortcuts it will also help with your typing ability in general. The you can also type out WSO post faster.
Follow
Voluptates quia voluptatem corrupti. Eligendi nihil ut ratione. Quo mollitia numquam tempora dolores quam.
Sit autem in non natus aut aut dolore. Illum commodi quas est tenetur id sed. Et quaerat voluptate id saepe et.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...