Multiple Sources

It has recently occured to me that the reason why many people are still using Excel for their work despite the availability of powerful systems in their work place. It is because Excel provide a common platform for the systems to communicate with each other and the linking can be handled by any non-technical users. The interface for these system to export data in the csv and text format means Excel is able to format these files and place in an Excel worksheet. When this is done, they are able to link the files from mulitple sources together to create the report they want.

And these reports cannot be prepared during system planning stage because the need arises as the business environment changes. Or it could be due to budget constrains and/even system constrains.

Therefore, Excel comes in handy as a tool to merge the data from theses systems together.

Enter the currency symbols in a cell

You can enter the Currency symbols such as the £, ¥ or € by using the numeric keypad and ALT key.

To enter the ¥, press and hold on to the ALT key and press 0165 on the numeric keypad.
To enter the £, press and hold on to the ALT key and press 0163 on the numeric keypad.
To enter the €, press and hold on to the ALT key and press 0128 on the numeric keypad.


Note that the above method will only work with the numeric keypad (the number pad on the right side of the keyboard and the simulated number located near the right of the laptop, usually need to be activated for the laptop). It does not work with the number keys located on the top of the keyboard.

Format Numbers as Text

I just paste a list from another worksheet and found that I need a text format version of the numbers in the list. I format the cells into Text format and tried replace the numbers. I thought it would work. To my surprise, it didn't. I search and found another solution and it works. Here is how:

1. Select the list of numbers you want to convert.
2. Activate the Text to Column function.
3. In the first step, select delimited.
4. Click next until you are at the last step.
5. Select the format as Text and click finished.
6. The list of numbers has been converted to text format.

To do the reverse, i.e. to convert a list of text formated numbers to number format, here is how:

1. Go to an empty cell and type in the number 1 (General format).
2. Copy the cell.
3. Highlight the list of text format numbers you want to convert to number format.
4. Using Paste Special, select the option paste values and the mutiplication operations.
5. Click OK and the list of numbers is now formated as numbers.