Filtering is Unavailable when Selecting Entire Worksheet

Filtering is easy to use in Excel, but sometimes you might have problems activating the filtering capabilities of the program. One such time could be if you select the entire worksheet and try to filter. This tip explains why this approach to filtering might cause an issue.

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(Thanks to Steve Aprahamian, Ryszard Raciborski, Alex Blakenburg, Dave Newcomer, Andrija Vrcan, and Michael Avidan (MVP) for contributing to this tip.)

Applying Range Names to Formulas

If you define your named ranges after you create your formulas, you can have Excel update those formulas to reflect the newly defined names. This can be a powerful way to use those names in your worksheet.

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Making Sense of Times and Dates

One of Excel's great strengths is its ability to work with huge amounts of raw data. Two of the most common types of data stored in Excel are times and dates. Working with these special data types is not as easy as it may first seem. Check out ExcelTips: Times and Dates and learn the secrets of working with your times and dates.

Filling a Drawing Object

Want to add some spice to the graphics in your worksheets? There are many colors and effects in Excel that allow you take a run-of-the-mill drawing object and add a little extra punch to your project.

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First and Last Names in a Page Header

When you have a worksheet that includes a long list of names, you may want the first and last names on each page to appear in the page's header when printed. This is easy to do in Word, but more difficult in Excel.

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This section is for those having problems making Excel behave. If Excel is giving you fits, feel free to submit your own Help Wanted question.

If you have a solution for the problems below, click the link after the problem to send us your answer. (All responses become the sole property of Sharon Parq Associates, Inc., and can be used in any way deemed appropriate.) If your response is used in a future issue, you will be credited for your contribution to the answer.

Notification of When a Copy is Complete

When copying multiple columns (say, 10) by several hundred thousand rows, it understandably takes a while for Excel to pull it all into the Clipboard. I usually get flashes of data on the screen, and the occasional "not responding" message, but it usually will copy without crashing. When I then try to paste after 10 to 20 seconds, I find that Excel's not finished copying. Is there a way to KNOW when the copy is completed so I know it is safe to paste? A message such as "copy complete" would be helpful in these situations.
—David Turner (provide an answer for this Help Wanted question)