Datasheet

Figure 2-1: The look of the Ribbon varies, depending on the width of the Excel window.
•
Right-click just about anything on-screen to get a context-sensitive shortcut menu. It’s
one element of the old user interface that’s still in place. And, if you’re trying to
decrease your mouse dependence, you can also press Shift+F10 to display the shortcut
menu for the selected item (cell, range, or chart element, for example).
•
Right-click certain items in Excel to take advantage of the mini Toolbar, displayed above
the shortcut menu (see Figure 2-2). This toolbar contains formatting tools that may save
you a trip to the Ribbon. When I started using Excel 2007, I just ignored the mini
Toolbar, but I soon realized that it’s a very handy tool.
•
Don’t ignore the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT). This part of the new user interface is the
only interface element that you (the user) can customize. Check out Tip 10 to find out
how easy it is to customize it.
•
Finally, keep in mind that Excel has additional commands that aren’t even on the
Ribbon. If you come up empty-handed after performing an exhaustive Ribbon search for
the old text-to-speech commands, for example, don’t despair: You need to add those
commands yourself, by customizing the QAT (see Tip 10).
Figure 2-2: The mini Toolbar is easy to ignore, but it can save lots of trips to the Ribbon.
Tip 2: Maximizing Ribbon Efficiency
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Part I
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