Let’s be honest: Excel isn’t exciting—but it’s essential.
From managing customer lists to tracking budgets or building staff rotas, Excel is still the go-to tool for most SMEs. But if you’re only using the basics (or feel like you’re “just getting by”), a few simple Excel tricks can make a big difference.
This week, we’re sharing practical, easy-to-use Excel tips that can help your team save time, reduce mistakes, and stay better organised—based on PCMag’s guide to becoming a spreadsheet pro.
How Excel Supports SMEs
Microsoft Excel might be decades old, but it’s still the #1 tool for day-to-day business operations.
✔ Financial forecasting
✔ Project tracking
✔ HR and payroll admin
✔ Stock level monitoring
✔ CRM and customer data
Yet many SME teams are using Excel like it’s 2005. If your staff are constantly dragging formulas, manually formatting cells, or eyeballing data errors—it’s time for an upgrade.
Why This Matters
We see it every week:
- Overwritten files with no backup.
- Manual errors from copying and pasting.
- Time wasted formatting columns that could be automated.
And all of it costing your team valuable time. These tips are perfect for non-technical staff—admin teams, finance assistants, marketing coordinators, and anyone managing day-to-day tasks in Excel.
✅ 8 Key Excel Tips That Actually Help SMEs
- Save Your Work with AutoRecover
📌 Ever lost hours of work from a crash or power cut? Excel can auto-save every few minutes.
👉 Go to File > Options > Save, and make sure AutoRecover is ON.
💡 Essential for busy teams juggling multiple tasks or shared laptops. - Wrap Text for Clearer Notes
✏️ Tired of text getting cut off? Use Wrap Text to make notes readable in one cell.
👉 Highlight the cell > click “Wrap Text” on the Home ribbon.
💡 Perfect for customer notes, delivery details, or staff instructions. - Quick Total with AutoSum
📈 Need totals fast? Click an empty cell below a column of numbers, then press Alt + =.
👉 Excel will instantly calculate the total.
💡 Great for expense claims, timesheets, or simple stock counts. - Split Names Easily with Text to Columns
👥 Got a contact list with full names in one cell? Split them into first and last names.
👉 Select the column > Data > Text to Columns > choose “Delimited.”
💡 Saves hours when prepping email campaigns or CRM imports. - Use Ctrl + Z (Undo) Often
⏪ Made a mistake? Just press Ctrl + Z. You can undo several steps in a row.
💡 Avoids panicking or redoing work—especially with large spreadsheets. - Copy Formatting with Format Painter
🖌 Want consistent formatting? Click a well-formatted cell, then the paintbrush icon (Format Painter), and apply it elsewhere.
💡 Handy for invoices, reports, and client-facing docs. - Protect Your Data with Sheet Protection
🔐 Worried someone might accidentally delete your formulas or layout?
👉 Use Review > Protect Sheet to lock it down with a password.
💡 Ideal for reports, price lists, or templates you send to clients or colleagues. - Use “Find & Replace” to Clean Up Data Fast
🔎 Replacing the word “Pending” with “Completed” across 200 rows?
👉 Hit Ctrl + H to use “Find & Replace.”
💡 Great for updating order statuses, supplier details, or contact records.
Everyday SME Scenarios
- Admin team uses AutoSum to speed up monthly expenses reporting
- Recruitment firm splits candidate names for bulk email automation
- Construction company uses Protect Sheet to stop accidental changes to site costings
Practical Advice for Building Excel Confidence
You don’t need to take a course to get better at Excel. Just:
✅ Pick one new tip each week to try
✅ Share shortcuts with your team during a 10-minute Friday session
✅ Save a master copy before editing shared spreadsheets
Tools like Excel don’t need to be “techy” to deliver serious gains in time and accuracy. They just need to be used smarter.
Want to Streamline Your Spreadsheet Use?
If your business is still battling Excel errors, wasted time, or poor data management… you’re not alone.
📞 Let’s talk about how to get more from the tools you already have.
I can help you identify where your teams are losing time and how to fix it—fast.
What’s your favourite time-saving Excel trick—or the one you wish someone had taught you years ago?
