AI and Microsoft Excel (Completed)

Although artificial intelligence seems like it is suddenly permeating every aspect of our daily lives, AI has been part of Excel for over a decade now. In this presentation author and Excel expert David Ringstrom, CPA will walk you through various AI-powered features in Excel, including Flash Fill, Analyze Data, Power Query's Column From Example, extracting data from pictures and PDF documents, and more. Of course, no discussion of AI would be complete without an exploration of ChatGPT, so David will show you how to write and deconstruct formulas as well as automate repetitive tasks with only a minimal understanding of Excel's Visual Basic for Applications programming language. David is the author of “Exploring Microsoft Excel's Hidden Treasures: Turbocharge your Excel proficiency with expert tips, automation techniques, and overlooked features”. He demonstrates every technique at least twice: first, on a PowerPoint slide with numbered steps, and second, in the subscription-based Excel for Microsoft 365. David draws your attention to any differences in Excel 2021, 2019 or 2016 during the presentation and in his detailed handouts. The handouts include an Excel workbook with most of the examples he uses during his demonstrations. Excel for Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based product that receives periodic feature updates. Conversely, perpetually licensed versions have year numbers in their names and do not receive any feature updates.

Topics Covered

• Keep or remove rows from the start or end of an array with the TAKE and DROP functions
• Deconstructing existing formulas by asking ChatGPT to explain the formula in detail
• Sorting lists of data dynamically from elsewhere in a spreadsheet with the new SORT function
• Understanding the nuance of editing dynamic array-based formulas in Excel 2021 and Microsoft 365
• Extracting data from pictures by way of the From Picture command
• Transforming data in Power Query by way of the Column From Example feature
• Stack different ranges of cells vertically or horizontally with the VSTACK and HSTACK functions
• Using ChatGPT to create formulas in Excel based upon a written description of the desired calculation
• Jump-starting PivotTables by way of the Recommended PivotTables feature
• Displaying subsets of data dynamically by way of the new FILTER worksheet function
• Retrieving geographic information directly into Excel spreadsheets with the Geography data type
• Merging text from two or more columns into a single column with without using formulas or repetitive retyping with Flash Fill

Learning Objectives

• State the functionality that the Flash Fill feature offers
• Define the purpose of the Forecast feature in Excel 2016 and later
• Recognize the color that dynamic array functions are displayed in within Excel's formula bar in all cells except the cell where the formulas was entered

Level
Intermediate

Instructional Method
Group: Internet-based

NASBA Field of Study
Specialized Knowledge and Applications (2 hours)

Program Prerequisites
Prior experience with Microsoft Excel is recommended.

Advance Preparation
None