Improvements Galore: Microsoft Excel Web App Takes a Quantum Leap!

The web version of Microsoft Excel has historically lacked the features available on the desktop versions. However, it has made significant progress and is now suitable for most spreadsheet tasks. In order to bridge the remaining gaps, Microsoft recently unveiled various enhancements to formulas within web Excel.

One notable improvement is the introduction of the Insert Function dialog. Users can access this feature by clicking on the "Insert Function" button located on the Formulas tab or by selecting the fx button on the formula bar. This dialog closely resembles the Formula Builder in the desktop versions of Excel, although it is presented as a popup rather than a sidebar.

The blog post announcement details how the Insert Function dialog streamlines the creation of intricate formulas. With its user-friendly interface, users can easily select the appropriate function and its arguments. Whether searching for a specific function or browsing through categories, finding what you need is quick and effortless. Every function is accompanied by a description and its expected arguments, along with a preview of each argument's value and the complete formula.

Microsoft has made several enhancements to improve the readability of formulas. One of these enhancements is Parenthesis Coupling, which visually highlights the beginning and end of each set of parentheses as you type in a formula. This is a common feature in code editors and simplifies the identification of paired parentheses, allowing you to focus on the specific section of the formula you are currently editing.

Furthermore, Excel on the web now utilizes a monospaced font in the formula bar. This change was initially tested on Excel for Windows in August and has now been implemented. The new font enhances the readability and editing of formulas, without affecting the regular document font and style options. Once you have finished editing a cell, the text reverts back to its previous styling.

Excel on the Web and Windows now have a new feature called "Value Preview." It allows you to see the result of specific parts of a formula by simply hovering over them. This feature is similar to step-by-step debugging in programming and it provides a clearer understanding of complex formulas without the need to remove and re-add components.

The changes should already be live for everyone in the web version of Excel, which you can try through onedrive.com.

Source: Microsoft Excel Blog