Key advantages to Excel Tables
Compared to manually formatted tables, Excel Tables have several key advantages: Structured data - data appears in rows and columns without spaces. This makes it easy to work with the data like a database. Automatic formulas - new rows “inherit” existing formulas, and changes to an existing formula automatically propagates throughout a column. Filters - although filters can be applied to any normal table, they are automatically available in an Excel Table. Automatic formatting and styles - Tables can be rapidly formatted using Table Styles, and new data added to Excel Table inherits this formatting. Structured references - structured references make it easy to refer to table rows and columns without specific cell references. Enhanced shortcuts - shortcuts for manipulating rows and columns work better with Excel Tables. See this video for a demonstration. Dynamic ranges - Excel tables automatically expand to include new rows, so they behave like dynamic ranges, and are perfect for things like charts and pivot tables. Author
Dave Bruns
Hi - I’m Dave Bruns, and I run Exceljet with my wife, Lisa. Our goal is to help you work faster in Excel. We create short videos, and clear examples of formulas, functions, pivot tables, conditional formatting, and charts.
