In this video, we are going to learn some of the ways we can use our keyboard instead of the mouse to perform our work more quickly and efficiently. And the things that we are going to learn here are not all specific Excel concepts, but are true across the entire office suite, including programs like Word and PowerPoint. What typifies a keyboard shortcut is that we've pressed more than one key at the same time. And commonly, we use modifier keys like Ctrl, Shift and Alt, or in fact combination of them together with the other keys. A simple example of this is pressing the letter B on your keyboard, tops at a V. When we hold down the control key and press B that applies a bold format. Can you see that the control button has modified the command that typing out the letter B actually performs.

So let's have a look at a few examples. We can perform quick formatting using shortcuts Ctrl Shift and one which provides thousand separators and decimals Ctrl Shift three for dates Ctrl Shift four for currency five for percentage, and the list goes on. The common ones that you must already know include Ctrl C for copy Ctrl V for paste Ctrl x for cut, and once again we can use Ctrl V for paste. Again, the important principle is that we are using a modifier key to change the way that other buttons normally work. And then we have more obscure shortcuts. For example, selecting entire rows or columns using Ctrl and the spacebar for an entire column, or shift in the spacebar for an entire row.

Or even removing all the borders within cells using Ctrl. Shift and minus. The point is not to memorize all of the shortcuts. You will eventually learn all of them through practice and through noting them when they appear while watching a video. The only exception to this idea of pressing multiple buttons at the same time are the F, or function keys that you find at the top of your keyboard. Sometimes, just pressing these buttons on their own are great shortcuts.

An example of this is simply hitting f5, which brings up the go to dialog box for f7, which brings up spellcheck. And now we need to contrast a keyboard shortcut to a keyboard keystroke. And the key difference is that with a keystroke, we press the keys one at a time in sequence, and that sequence is always initiated by pressing and then releasing the Alt key. If you actually just do this, press and release the Alt key, you will notice a range of numbers and letters which appear on your screen and the Alt key triggers those on and off. We could follow the prompts that appear on the screen to initiate any of the commands that are available on our queue at On the ribbon. So let's have a look at an example of removing a full color.

I'm going to press ALT as the trigger, and release it. And then because I now want to get to the full pot, I need to press h for home. Once I release, I notice a brand new list of letters that appear. And I can see that the full pot has the letter H. And now to apply no fool, I can use the letter in. So as you can see, I've pressed each of those keys one at a time in sequence in QuickTime. To do that again.

It was alt H, H n. Let's have a look at a few more examples. Adding a new row or column which is a very common Excel task, I can press Alt, h for home I for insert an R for or out h i and C for column At this point, it's worthwhile mentioning that there are also some legacy keystrokes which still exists from prior versions of Excel. And adding new rows and columns are a good example of this. Because in Excel 2003, you could simply hit alt, and I for insert, followed by R or C for row column. But as you'll notice, we get this tooltip which appears, and it says continue tapping the menu key sequence from an earlier version of Excel or just press escape. So Microsoft have made sure that these older keystrokes are still available, so that people who became proficient in Excel many years ago, are still able to use their favorite keystrokes.

So we could also add new rows or columns by simply hitting alt, I for insert r for or Alt I and C for column. And those are two very easy to remember keystrokes. And there is Really no limit to the keystrokes that you can actually perform. Another one of my favorites is auto fitting the column width. And I use the legacy keystroke of auto see a, or you could use alt H, followed by oval format, followed by I, for autofit, the column width. Now again, it might seem overwhelming, but believe me that after attempting a few of these for your favorite commands, those sequences will be ingrained in your mind.

And you will simply remember them when it comes time to use them. You certainly don't need to sit and learn an entire list of a heart. So to conclude, the fundamental difference between keyboard shortcuts and keystrokes is that shortcuts we press more than one key at the same time. With keystrokes we press one key at a time in sequence. So hopefully these concepts will give you the tools that you need to become really efficient using your keyboard instead of your mouse. We'll see you next Next video