Clean data entry prevents pivot and formula pain later—consistent headers, no stray totals in the middle of tables.
Entry tips
- One header row; no blank rows inside tables
- Use Excel Table (Ctrl+T) for structured references
- Enter dates as real dates, not text "01/02/03" ambiguity
Editing
F2 or double-click to edit. Ctrl+Enter fills selected cells with the same formula.
Find/replace
Ctrl+H — option to match entire cell contents when fixing codes.
Important interview questions and answers
- Q: Ctrl+Enter?
A: Fills all selected cells with active cell formula. - Q: Blank rows in table?
A: Break sorting and pivot ranges.
Self-check
- Why one header row?
- What does Ctrl+Enter do?
Pitfall: Trailing spaces in codes—use TRIM before VLOOKUP.
Interview prep
- Ctrl+Enter?
Fills all selected cells with the same entry/formula.