Maruf Islam
The first and foremost way to use Excel is to have information/data. Therefore, users need to organize information in Excel to be able to make interpretable outcomes. Excel provides various tools to organize newly entered or existing data. Go through the below sections to have a lucid idea of how this kind of arrangement of data can be achieved.
2 Circumstantial Ways to Organize Information in Excel
Method 1: Organize Information while Entering in Cell
In cases where users have to input raw data, they can follow the below tricks to be able to input them in an organized manner.
🔄 Use Template
Entering raw data into Excel is quite time-consuming and error-prone. Therefore, organizing raw data while maintaining a preset format can be done using an Excel Template. Excel offers a plethora of Template categories to choose from. Go to Excel Worksheet File > New to find the desired Template. Type your required workbook type in the Search space, then hit ENTER to view what Excel offers.
Users, most of the time, select blank worksheets to enter raw data. In those cases, users need to follow some data entry guidelines to organize the information in a user-friendly way. Follow the below points while entering data/information into blank worksheets.
🔼 Place Similar Entries in the Same Column
Put similar data in the same column such as First Name, Last Name, Address, etc.
🔼 Try to Avoid Blank Rows and Columns
While entering the data, don’t leave an entire row or column blank. There can be blank cells, but entire blank rows or columns are not preferable.
🔼 Display Hidden Rows or Columns before Formula Inserting or Modification
Excel’s various features malfunction when there are hidden rows or columns within a range. Also, making certain changes in the exciting ranges while hiding rows or columns may result in disarray. So, make sure all the rows or columns are displayed before applying formulas or making any changes.
🔼 Keep Ranges Separate
Sometimes, a single Excel worksheet contains multiple ranges. In those cases, always leave a row or column gap between ranges. This is because leaving space between different ranges helps other users easily understand the data ranges. Also, users can apply Excel features or operations such as Table, Sort, Filter, or Insert more easily.
🔼 Place Critical/Sensitive Data Outside of the Ranges
Sensitive data should reside outside the ranges. Otherwise, they cause problems such as meddling with formula outcomes, data format, etc.
Read More: How to Organize Raw Data in Excel (6 Easy Methods)
Method 2: Organize Existing Information in Excel Worksheets
Most of the time, users get data from external sources, and they exist in multiple formats or in disaster conditions. As a result, users want them to be in an organized format. Follow the below sections to get the most probable way-outs to organize information in Excel.
🔄 Use Excel Tables
Excel Tables are very useful tools to place existing data/information in. Excel offers simple Excel Table and Pivot Table options to transform normal ranges into. Go to the Insert tab > Table/ PivotTable. An Excel Table arranges data in a very effective way.
🔄 Maintain Cell Formatting
After putting entries in the cells, Excel has an in-built tendency to display data differently depending on their types such as Numbers, Texts, or others. Also, writing the entries in regular Fonts, Shades, etc. is also needed depending on the importance of any data. Users can apply a single cell formatting using the Format Cells window. Click on the Font Setting Icon (bottom-most right-side icon in the Home tab’s Font section) or press CTRL+1 to fetch the Format Cells window.
🔄 Use Sorting
Similar to Excel Tables, Excel Sort organizes data in ascending or descending order. That’s why it’s easier for users to find specific entries more effectively than any other method. Move to the Home tab > Editing section to apply Sort.
🔄 Hide, Delete, or Clear Unnecessary Data
 Redundant data requires cleaning. Therefore, Excel’s Hide, Delete, or Clear feature offers data cleaning. In the Home tab, users get these features as Context Menu options, Cells, and Editing section’s commands respectively.
Hide: Right-click on any row or column. Then select the Hide option from the Context Menu.
Delete: in the Home tab-Cells section, the Delete feature exists. Also, you can execute the feature from Contex Menu options.
Clear: In the Editing section (Home tab), Excel offers the Clear feature.
 🔄 Create Multiple Sheets for Different Data Types
 It’s obvious that users encounter all sorts of data regarding their businesses or what they do. Placing varying data in a single worksheet cause inconvenience to deal with. So, it’s a good practice to make separate worksheets for each variant of data. These variants can be Days, Weeks, Months, Cities, etc.
 🔄 Insert Hyperlink to Move Among Worksheets
Whenever users use multiple Excel Worksheets, they need to move different worksheets for finding various data. In those cases, the Hyperlink feature is very useful. Inserting Hyperlink allows users to directly go to the cells or ranges they needed. To insert Hyperlinks, go through Insert > Link> Insert Link.
🔄 Use Excel Formulas, Features, and Keyboard Shortcuts
Excel has numerous in-built formulas and features. Also, it allows keyboard shortcuts to execute commands. Go through This Link to learn more about the Excel keyboard shortcuts. Using Excel formulas is an effective way to perform rigorous calculations and organize the outcomes. Have a tour of This Link to have an idea of how versatile Excel’s built-in formulas are.
🔄 Use Excel Charts
Excel Charts are time powerful whenever there is multiple varying data involvement, they depict the overall data in a manner that is easy to understand. Comparative depiction of data in Pie, Column, Stacked Bar, etc. charts helps users organize the most challenging data in Excel.
Read More: How to Organize Data for Analysis in Excel (5 Useful Methods)
Conclusion
In this article, we discuss and demonstrate the probable steps of information organizing, also ways to organize information in Excel. I hope by following these ways you can shape your information in a tidy manner. Comment, if you have further inquiries or have anything to add.
