3 things we’re covering today:

• How to speed up slow Excel files
• Newcomer in AI image generation
• The newsletter gets a rebrand

First things first. You voted last week. We heard you. It wasn't even close. By almost unanimous decision, XelPlus Weekly is now: Between the Sheets.

We don't carry this 👇 product yet - but who knows we might have an Excel version of it someday 😉

Jokes aside, nothing else about our weekly newsletter is changing.

We'll continue to share useful Excel hacks and productivity tips. And keep you updated with exciting new developments in office apps, AI news as well as share our handpicked favorite finds of the week. In case you have an Excel friend who you think will benefit from our newsletter, we'd appreciate it if you pass this on to them. If they like what we share, the link to signup is on our site.

Now onto your regularly scheduled newsletter...

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⏩ Fix Slow Excel Files: Simple Steps to Enhance Performance

Do you often find yourself drumming your fingers waiting for that Excel file to finally load?

Many of us deal with big files that have lots of sheets and thousands of calculations on each one.

I've had my share of anxiety attacks at the office hoping the file will finally open and it's not broken.

We know the stress, so we've put together some tips to help lighten the load on your spreadsheets:

1. Optimize Formulas ✂️

Simplify complex formulas that can bog down your workbook. Break them into smaller, manageable pieces using helper columns or defined names. Also, avoid referencing entire columns. Instead of (C:C) do (C1:C3000). On a related note...

2. Avoid Volatile Functions 🚫

Functions like NOW, TODAY, INDIRECT, RAND, OFFSET recalculate every time you make any change in your workbook. Use them sparingly! That is not to say *never* use them. They serve their purpose and can be extremely helpful. But if your file is slowing down, be aware they might be the cause.

If you need to use them to generate one-off results (for example some random numbers using the RAND family of functions), paste them over with values. That actually applies to any one-off formula.

Another method of limiting the impact of volatile functions would be to...

3. Use Manual Calculation Mode 👌

You can disable automatic calculations (under Formulas > Calculation Options) and recalculate (using the shortcut F9) only when needed.

That way, you can continue working without waiting for all the formulas to recalculate whenever you make any change.

If you're worried you might forget to run "Calculate Now" and your values will not update, you can take advantage of a new feature (currently in Office Insiders) - Stale Value Formatting. Selecting this option applies strikethrough formatting to any cells containing values that need your attention because they are dependent on values that changed.

It might take some time getting used to. But it wasn't your colleague who crossed out your values, it was Excel's Stale Value Formatting. Recalculate the sheet and all is well.

4. Keep External Links in Check 🔗

Links to other workbooks can slow things down.

Make sure to update references that changed or break any links you no longer need.

In Microsoft 365 "Edit Links" has been renamed to "Workbook Links".

You will still find it in the same place (Data > Queries & Connections) but the experience has also been refreshed, with a side pane replacing the old dialog box.

The "old" experience looked like this. While the interface has changed (it may be a while before you see the change in your version), the principle is the same.

5. Reduce File Size 🖼️

Starting with the obvious - delete unnecessary worksheets and cells.

If you have images in your workbook, compress them - select the image, go to Picture Format and (in the Adjust group) click Compress Pictures.

When I'm not sure where to start, I try to identify the sheet that's causing the most trouble. Here's a simple way to do it:

1. Make a copy of your file to keep the original safe.
2. Delete one sheet at a time and save the file.
3. Check the file size after each sheet is deleted to see if it changes.
4. If the file size drops, you've likely found the "problem" sheet.
5. Now you can focus on fixing issues on that particular sheet.

One more way to reduce file size is to...

6. Avoid Unnecessary Formatting (esp. Conditional Formatting) 🪄

Admit it - how often, when highlighting some data, you end up highlighting the entire row?

Or you remove values from cells without clearing all, unaware that you're potentially leaving formatting metadata behind?

All of this excessive and hidden formatting increases the file size and potentially impacts performance. But (with Microsoft 365), you can get rid of redundant formatting in 2 clicks 🤯.

A while back, I introduced you to the Check Performance feature in this #shorts.

Back then, it was only available in Excel for the Web. It has since made its way into the desktop version of Excel for Microsoft 365 (Insiders Beta for now).

Check Performance helps you find and clear empty cells that still contain formatting data. A clean slate!

Unfortunately, it doesn't work on conditional formatting. Too many conditional formatting rules can also slow the workbook down.

That takes me to the bonus tip: if possible, keep your Excel updated to the latest version. Microsoft 365 continues to improve the Office suite with performance optimization in mind. If you check release notes, you'll find a lot of "unexciting" background updates to conditional formatting, recalculation options, filtering etc., that can make a major difference.

So there you have it! A few quick changes and you're on your way to a smoother, faster Excel experience. Try these out and let me know how it goes!

Remember, these tips are not one-size-fits-all, so analyze your specific situation and apply the ones that make sense for you.

What other tactics do you use to overcome Excel slowness? 🤔 Feel free to reply and let us know.

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🤓 Geeky News

🤖 AI Images - competition between Google and Microsoft heats up

You can now generate AI images directly from Google Search (as long as you opted into Search Generative Experience via Google's Search Labs). As well as images, you can also generate written drafts that can be then exported to Gmail or Google Docs.

Meanwhile, Microsoft's Bing Image Creator upgraded to DALL-E 3, the latest version of OpenAI's text-to-image model, offering improved prompt recognition and better quality of visuals.
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🌈 Google homepage as you know it may be about to change

Google's clean homepage has been a staple for over 20 years. It may be about to change. Google is currently testing Discover Feed - adding news, weather, sports and stock feeds under the search box, similar to what you see in Bing.

Could it be Google's response to the evolving landscape of internet search and user behavior? As search activity is predicted to shift toward AI-powered bots and voice assistants, Google may be exploring ways to provide additional value to users and keep them engaged with its platform.
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🌈 Chrome enhancements - control memory use

​Good news for Chrome users who tend to keep multiple tabs open and then complain about their machine "inexplicably" slowing down 😉 - soon you will be able to hover over a tab to see how much memory each open site is using. The feature is still in preview, but if you can't wait, you can already find this information in Chrome's Task Manager.

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💚 My Favorite Things

🎧 Podcast – Tim Ferris interviewing Arnold Schwarzenegger

I really enjoyed this interview. Growing up in Austria, Arnold was a big deal in my household. My dad, who is a big fan himself, made sure we watched all of Arnold’s and Van Damme’s movies. A “proper” movie was a full action movie.

In the podcast, Arnold talks about his new book, Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life, where he covers his rules and life lessons for success. What I find fascinating about Arnold is that he doesn’t shy away from challenges and he doesn’t seem to care what others think. If he has a goal, he goes for it.

Two concepts really resonated with me.

First one is Arnold’s take on failure. He talks about how in weightlifting 🏋️ ️ you HAVE to fail in order to grow. And it’s the same in life (actually, it’s the same in Excel too 😉. Don’t be afraid to mess up a formula or two). That’s how we learn.

The other insight was the idea that no one is a “self-made” person. Here’s my slightly paraphrased version of what he said:

“As soon as you realize that you're not a self-made man, that you didn't make it on your own, that you owe your success to your family, mentors, teachers, and many others who've helped you, you'll see that your achievements and even your wealth come from a community of support. Recognizing this gives you the responsibility to give back and help others.”

Great lessons for anyone aiming to excel in life! 💚

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🚀 Power Stories

It really made my day to hear that Automate with Power Query provided Paul with the tools to solve real business problems.

That was exactly our intention behind this course. We tried to collect and tackle as many real-life challenges that members of the XelPlus community came across in their work.

We're currently compiling some of those Power Query cases and methods into a handy QuickFix recipe book, so that it's even easier to find the right solution to any future data challenges.

It will be included with the course, available to download and keep on hand.

With the bonus eBook as well as additional lectures we have added over the last few months, the value of the course has significantly increased.

LAST CALL: The Automate with Power Query price will go up next Tuesday, October 24th. But if you're already a student, you'll get these exciting new extras at no additional cost. So, if you want to lock in the current $99 rate before it jumps up by 30%, act now and enroll today to make the most of this opportunity!

Join Paul and 2800 of our enthusiastic students in automating their daily tasks.

Got a success story about using your XelPlus skills? I’d love to hear it! Hit reply to share the details, and inspire other students 😇

See you next week,

Leila️

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