up vote 0 down vote favorite
share [g+] share [fb]

Looking for a tip on Microsoft Excel (2003):

If you click on a cell containing a formula, click into the formula, and click away, Excel will enter the cell or range you next select into the formula at the cursor. This is fine and dandy a lot of times, but right now I am working with a spreadsheet that has a lot of really long formulas. If I click into a cell and it goes into the state where it wants to enter a reference to the next cell I click into the formula, I can't always get out of it, and if I click on something, I don't always even know what the change was (these are really long formulas).

So my question is, is there a keystroke I can press or some other action to immediately get out of "input the next thing you click" mode and be sure there are no side effects? Ctrl-Z doesn't do it.

link|improve this question
As a side note, try using "Named ranges" and "constants" it helps make formulas more readable, and will reduce their length too! – Matt 'Trouble' Esse Aug 27 '09 at 21:46
If only the original programmer of this spreadsheet had had this advice. Though to be fair it's really pushing Excel to its limits. I am converting it to a program. – Erika Aug 28 '09 at 14:27
Matt's advice is good, and you can still replace ranges with defined names going forward – datatoo Nov 24 '09 at 4:45
feedback

2 Answers

up vote 4 down vote accepted

Hit Esc or Enter I believe.

link|improve this answer
Esc will cancel what you've typed, and Enter will save it. – Jeffrey Aug 27 '09 at 21:21
Esc! Perfect, thanks. – Erika Aug 27 '09 at 21:22
3  
The inverse to this is if you have a cell selected and want to start typing in it, press F2 to begin editing it. – mandroid Aug 27 '09 at 21:37
Ooh, the F2 thing is great, too. – Erika Aug 28 '09 at 14:29
feedback
up vote 2 down vote

Hit the escape key.

link|improve this answer
feedback

Your Answer

 
or
required, but never shown

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.