Excel 2013

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Whats New

Introduction

Advice

Caution

Process Summary

Microsoft Excel 2013 has undergone some slight user interface (UI)
enhancements while still keeping a similar look and feel to Microsoft Excel
2010. In this self-help document, you will learn about the general new
features that are available in the 2013 version of Microsoft Excel.

Introduction
Modified Backstage
View
Launch Screen

Modified Backstage View

The Backstage view was introduced in the 2010 version of Microsoft
Office. Backstage View is where you manage the file actions of a
Microsoft document, slideshow or worksheet such as creating, saving,
setting file properties, printing or modifying program options.

Viewing the Backstage

Quick Analysis Tool

Flash Fill
Chart
Recommendations
Filter Table Data by
Using Slicers

1. Launch Excel as you would normally.

2. The program view defaults to the Home tab (Fig 1, 1).
3. Click the File tab on the Ribbon (Fig 1, 2). The Backstage View will
appear (Fig 2).

One Workbook, One

Window

Figure 1

Figure 2

OTS Publication: OF13-02 08-09-13 Training@Towson.edu Office of Technology Services

2013
Details available at http://www.towson.edu/OTStraining

-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License.

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Excel 2013: Whats New

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The Launch Screen

When an Office Application opens, the Launch Screen will appear (Fig 3).
1. Recent Documents appear on the Left Panel (Fig 3, 1).
2. Templates appear on the Right Panel (Fig 3, 2).
3. To Open other documents, click the Open Other Documents button (Fig 3, 3).
Figure 3

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Opening a File
1. From the File tab, select Open. The Open pane will appear (Fig 4).
2. Select a location from the left pane (Fig 4, 1) and a folder from the right pane (Fig 4, 2).
3. Alternately, you can click the Browse button to launch the Open dialog window (Fig 4, 3).

Figure 4

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Caution

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Excel 2013: Whats New

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Caution

Quick Analysis Tool

The Quick Analysis Tool provides single-click access to data analysis tools. These tools include charts,
totals, tables, sparklines and formatting.
1. Highlight a section of text you want to analyze (Fig 5).

Figure 5

2. Click the Quick Analysis icon (Fig 5, 1).

3. Analysis options will appear in a pop-up window (Fig 6).
4. The pop-up window is comprised of five tabs (Fig 6, 1). Select a tab
from the list and choose an analysis option by clicking the selection
(Fig 6, 2). The data will appear depending on the selection. For
formatting options, the data will be formatted accordingly
(Fig 7). For Charts, Totals, and Tables, the data will appear on
top of the existing data (Fig 8).

Figure 6

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1

Figure 8

Figure 7

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Excel 2013: Whats New

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5. For Sparklines, the data will appear in the column to the right (Fig 9).
Figure 9

Flash Fill
If you have a large amount of data which needs to be entered, the new flash fill feature in Excel 2013 will
help. For instance, if you wish to extract a piece of text from a larger string you can fill an entire column
in a couple of seconds.
1. Click in the column adjacent to the data (Fig 10, 1).

Figure 10

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Excel 2013: Whats New

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2. Type a section of the text that you want Excel to autocomplete for you (Fig 11, 1).
Figure 11

3. After completing at least two entries, Excel will recognize the trend and fill in the remaining blank cell
with relevant data (Fig 12, 1).
4. Press the Enter key on your keyboard to accept the Flash Fill.

Figure 12

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Excel 2013: Whats New

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Chart Recommendations
When inserting a new chart into an Excel worksheet, Excel will analyze the data and present
recommended options depending on the type of data.
1. Select the data that you want to chart (Fig 13, 1).

Figure 13

2. From the Insert tab, select Recommended Charts in

the Charts group (Fig 14, 1).

3. The Insert Chart window will appear (Fig 15).

4. Select a chart from the Recommended list (Fig 15, 1)
or alternately, click the All Charts tab to select any
chart of your choosing (Fig 15, 2).
5. Once you are satisfied with the chart, click the OK
button (Fig 15, 3).

Figure 14

Figure 15

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Excel 2013: Whats New

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Filter Table Data by Using Slicers

Slicers were introduced to Pivot Tables in Excel 2010. Now they are available for any data that is
formatted as a table. Slicers are graphic objects that enable you to quickly filter the contents of a table.
1. Select the data you want to filter by clicking in a single cell inside the data range (Fig 16, 1).
2. On the Home tab, select Format as Table from the Styles group (Fig 17, 1). A dropdown menu will
appear.

Figure 16

Figure 17

Figure 19

Figure 18

3.

Select a table style from the available list (Fig 17, 2). The Format as Table dialog box will appear
(Fig 18). Confirm the data range is correct and click OK (Fig 18, 1).

4. The data range will be converted to a table complete with filter buttons on the header row (Fig 19).

5.

Once your table has been created, you can use Slicers to filter. From the Format contextual tab, click
Insert Slicer from the Tools group (Fig 20, 1).
Figure 20

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6. The Insert Slicers box will appear (Fig 21). Select a segment of the data you want to filter
(Fig 21, 1) and click the OK button (Fig 21, 2).
Figure 21

7.

The Slicers will be added to the Excel Worksheet. Select any category from the Slicer and your data
will be filtered accordingly (Fig 22).

Figure 22

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Excel 2013: Whats New

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One Workbook, One Window

Excel has always opened multiple workbooks within the same window. In Excel 2013, each workbook is
opened in its own window making it easier to work on two workbooks at once (Fig 23). It also makes life
easier if you are working on two monitors.

Figure 23