How Familiar Are You With Excel Cell Modes? (Ready, Enter, Point, Edit)

How Familiar Are You With Excel Cell Modes? (Ready, Enter, Point, Edit)

 

This Excel topic is not talked about often: Excel Cell Modes. Once you know which mode you're in: Ready, Enter, Point or Edit, it will be easier to decide whether to use the arrow keys or switch your mode first.  This is the reason why Excel behaves differently when you're in a certain dialogue box. For example when you go to data validation and would like to adjust the formula, Excel adds a cell reference when you try to move around with the arrow keys.  

 

This is because of the Excel Mode you're in.   You can see the active mode in the bottom left corner of your Excel spreadsheet. The normal cell mode is called Ready Mode. The moment you start to input something in a cell Excel will remove "ready" mode to Enter Mode. When we input a formula and start using the arrow keys Excel changes directly to Point Mode for formula selection.   

 

When you want to change an existing formula in a cell Excel will change to Edit Mode. In this mode the arrow keys can be used to move around inside the formula. But if you want to change a reference in the formula you can't use the arrow keys. You first have to change to Point Mode by using the short cut key F2.  

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