When you're plotting data over time, you may want to plot a trend line that describes the data. A trend line points out general trends in your data.

For certain chart types, you can add error bars to your chart. Error bars often are used to indicate "plus or minus" information that reflects uncertainty in the data.

To protect your spreadsheet, Excel proposes the following options:

Some function in Excel is available only when the add-in is installed. For example, Solver or the Analysis group is not available in standard ribbons; you need to install the add-in before you can use it. See also Using Solver.

This tip describes how to add watermark text or picture to your workbook.

Sometimes you need to manage lists where the information is arranged in rows. Excel offers a simple way to work with this big data in rows.

Enable the Developer tab in Excel to manage Excel add-ins, create and run recorded macros, or VBA applications with Microsoft Office programs in 3 simple steps.

If you work with the same workbooks every day, it will be helpful to open specific workbook files automatically whenever you start Excel. Any workbooks placed in the XLStart folder open automatically.

You can make a worksheet more visually appealing and more comfortable to read by centering text across multiple columns. Often you do this by merging and centering the merged cells, but it is not the only option.

If you are creating a chart or diagram in Excel with shapes, you might need to update the shape text automatically depending on the value in a particular cell.