Simpler analysis

In the “recipe” Simple sales analysis, you could learn how to get to the value that is in the intersection of the row and column of the sales report. On that occasion, we used the INDEX and MATCH functions. The new XLOOKUP function allows this analysis to be performed in a much simpler way, by combining two instances of this function. Let’s see how it’s done!

Filtering charts

Filtering affects the appearance of a report by setting certain criteria. If we create a pivot chart, it will be formed based on the data from the pivot table. If we change something in it, the chart will also change. Is this possible to do in traditional Excel reports? Yes, if you have an Office 2021 or Office 365 subscription, with the new XLOOKUP function. This is a simple method by which you can get effective reports.

Data Visualizer

Do you like Visio? It is an application that essentially belongs to the Microsoft Office, but is purchased separately. I used it to draw diagrams, but the number of objects it offers indicates that it is applicable in many activities where some type of design is performed. Recently, there is an add-on that allows you to easily create Visio diagrams within an Excel document. It’s called Data Visualizer. Let’s see how it is used!

Custom data types

Traditional Excel has only two data types: text and numbers. All others (date, time, percentage, etc.) are specially formatted numbers. In the second half of 2019, Microsoft added new data types to Excel: Geography and Stocks. First, for a given term, offers an abundance of geographical determinants while the second provides data on stock market. A lot of new types have been announced, and since recently users of Microsoft 365 subscriptions can create custom data types.

Publish to Power BI

From the very beginning, Power BI allows us to import Excel workbooks in two ways: as a data source or as a report. This second option is useful when we already have ready-made reports that we want to use in parallel with Power BI reports. Recently, within the Microsoft 365 subscription, the Publish to Power BI option has appeared, which enables direct publishing of reports on the Power BI service. How does this work?