Best Practices for Formatting Excel Spreadsheets

This guide outlines best practices for formatting Excel spreadsheets effectively. It begins by addressing the significant amount of time business professionals spend on formatting tasks and introduces the session's objective of improving formatting efficiency. The document details various Excel features, including Custom Format Codes, Templates, and Styles, which can streamline the formatting process. It explains how to utilize Excel's Styles feature to apply consistent formatting across workbooks, thereby saving time and ensuring uniformity. The guide also provides a step-by-step process for creating customized styles and modifying default templates, emphasizing the importance of saving these templates in the XLStart folder for easy access. Additionally, it discusses the advantages of using the Accounting Format for financial data, highlighting specific formatting options that can enhance clarity and presentation. Overall, the guide serves as a comprehensive resource for professionals seeking to optimize their Excel formatting practices.