Excel Tips cover art

Excel Tips

Excel Tips

By: CPA Australia
Listen for free

About this listen

 Excel Tips is a podcast for accounting, business and finance professionals who are looking to sharpen their spreadsheet skills and learn new hacks and tricks from Neale Blackwood CPA, a Microsoft Excel expert. Excel Tips helps spreadsheet users discover Excel’s hidden features and shortcuts and understand how best to apply the newest features and functionality. The podcast is a companion to regular articles in INTHEBLACK, CPA Australia’s award-winning business magazine. Every podcast episode includes links to the accompanying Excel Tips digital magazine article. Neale Blackwood CPA has more than 20 years of experience as a Microsoft Excel educator. He is the author of more than 200 INTHEBLACK articles as well as a book, Advanced Excel Reporting for Management Accountants. Subscribe today to stay up-to-date with the latest episodes. Excel Tips is presented by CPA Australia, one of the world’s largest accounting bodies, with core services that include education, training, technical support and advocacy. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts: With Interest, INTHEBLACK, INTHEBLACK Out Loud and Excel Tips. To find out more about our podcasts, visit https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts - or search for the shows in your podcast service. To contact the podcast team email us at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au.© CPA Australia Economics
Episodes
  • Getting started with Python in Excel

    Getting started with Python in Excel
    Jul 1 2025
    Unlock the potential of Python in Excel with this essential first episode in a three-part series. Designed for accountants, finance professionals and Excel power users, this episode introduces the basics of integrating Python code directly into Excel cells. Learn how Python enhances Excel’s capabilities for data handling and visualisation without replacing core Excel functions. You’ll discover how Python in Excel works and how code is processed using Microsoft’s Azure platform. Understand the key steps to get started, including how to enter code using the =PY function and the role of the new Python editor in the Formulas tab. Also explained is how Python variables behave across sheets, the concept of data frames and how Python’s popular Pandas library comes into play when working with datasets. You’ll also learn how to manage calculation options and understand the new dependency logic within Python-enabled workbooks. Whether you're completely new to Python or already familiar with this programming language, this episode gives you the foundational knowledge needed to begin using Python confidently inside Excel. And don’t miss the fun trivia at the end to learn the surprising origin of Python’s name. Tune in now. Host: Neale Blackwood CPA. He has more than 20 years of experience as a Microsoft Excel educator and is the author of more than 200 INTHEBLACK articles as well as a book, Advanced Excel Reporting for Management Accountants. You can find a CPA at our custom portal on the CPA Australia website. Would you like to listen to more Excel Tips episodes? Head to CPA Australia’s YouTube channel. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK INTHEBLACK Out Loud Excel Tips Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au
    Show More Show Less
    9 mins
  • Excel’s GROUPBY and PIVOTBY explained

    Excel’s GROUPBY and PIVOTBY explained
    Jun 2 2025
    Excel’s new functions, GROUPBY and PIVOTBY, offer a smarter way to build reports. Instead of relying on traditional pivot tables, these new tools allow you to summarise datasets using dynamic, formula-based solutions that update automatically when the underlying data changes. In this episode: Understand the key differences between GROUPBY and PIVOTBY See how these tools can save time and reduce manual errors Explore practical applications for accountants and analysts Discover how to modernise reporting with flexible, auto-updating formulas For fast reference use the episode timestamps.  00:17 - Two new functions that can change report creation 00:35 - PivotTables can create summary report based on a data set 00:52 - The limitation of PivotTables – Refreshing the data 01:06 - New functions GROUPBY and PIVOTBY 01:12 - Use a function to create a PivotTable report – no Refresh needed 01:36 - GROUPBY reports – row-based reports 01:41 - PIVOTBY reports - row and column-based reports 01:59 - Best practice data source – a formatted table 02:14 - GROUPBY arguments listed and explained 02:46 - Multiple columns and subtotals are possible but require other functions 03:09 - Two functions that combine columns – HSTACK and CHOOSECOLS 04:03 - Structured references include table names and column names 04:18 - Formatted tables automatically expand when new data is added 04:35 - Formatting subtotal rows differently using conditional formats 05:05 - Filtering and sorting is possible in the GROUPBY report 05:25 - Companion video has an example of a Slicer as filter 05:43 - Controlling sorting 06:18 - New function to add percentages to reports called PERCENT OF 06:42 - Companion video has a hack to easily combine SUM and PERCENT OF 07:02 - Multiple calculations add headings to the report – they can be removed 07:09 - Remove heading with the DROP function 07:25 - PIVOTBY function description and explanation 08:09 - Dates can be problematic as you want to group them by month 08:31 - Companion video shows the TEXT function solving the problem 08:53 - Allowing the user to modify the report 09:15 - INDIRECT function solution 10:05 - Explanation of the INDIRECT function 10:38 - Adding extra calculations to the report 11:07 - The LET function allows you to capture and modify the report Whether optimising month-end processes or improving team workflows, GROUPBY and PIVOTBY help turn complex datasets into clear, actionable reports. Listen now to stay up to date with these Excel capabilities. Host: Neale Blackwood CPA. He has more than 20 years of experience as a Microsoft Excel educator and is the author of more than 200 INTHEBLACK articles as well as a book, Advanced Excel Reporting for Management Accountants. You can find a CPA at our custom portal on the CPA Australia website. Would you like to listen to more Excel Tips episodes? Head to CPA Australia’s YouTube channel. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK INTHEBLACK Out Loud Excel Tips Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au
    Show More Show Less
    13 mins
  • Better share price reports with Excel’s new tool

    Better share price reports with Excel’s new tool
    May 1 2025
    Need to turn stock market data into smart, professional reports? Discover how to use Excel’s new and powerful Stock History function to quickly transform raw share price data into clear, insightful reports. Learn how to streamline reporting, visualise trends and make better-informed decisions with ease. In this episode, gain the skills to: Access daily, weekly or monthly data, including volume, opening/closing prices and highs/lowsSet up stock codes, choose custom date ranges and define intervals with easeUse Power Query to import real-time stock exchange data directly into ExcelBuild interactive, professional-grade charts (including stock and combo charts) to visualise trends Whether you're preparing reports for clients, internal dashboards or just keeping a close eye on the stock market, this episode gives you the tools, steps and techniques you need to do it with confidence using Excel. For fast reference, use the episode timestamps: 0:00 – Introduction to Excel Tips podcast 0:18 – Overview of Stock History function 0:31 – Using Stock History for reporting share price information 1:00 – Internet access requirement for Stock History 1:11 – Disclaimer for information accuracy 1:35 – Options for reporting frequency (daily, weekly, monthly) 2:08 – Setting up share code and trading day considerations 2:47 – Defining start and end dates for reports 3:45 – Reporting intervals and their corresponding numbers 4:39 – Using MATCH function for human-friendly reporting 4:59 – Customising report headers 5:23 – Defining properties for the Stock History function 5:35 – How to add multiple properties to reports 6:30 – Importing stock exchange names and codes 6:40 – Using Power Query for stock data updates 7:20 – Overview of Excel stock chart features 7:30 – Understanding stock price movements in charts 8:25 – Overview of monthly vs weekly stock charts 9:44 – Creating combo charts for better comparisons 10:30 – Introduction to Sparkline charts 10:05 – Converting vertical to horizontal data for Sparklines 10:35 – Adjusting Sparkline chart vertical axes 11:03 – Updating Sparklines for spill ranges 11:18 – Function updates and internet speed considerations 11:32 – Conclusion on the usefulness of Stock History Listen now to level-up your stock market share price reporting skills in Excel. Host: Neale Blackwood CPA. He has more than 20 years of experience as a Microsoft Excel educator and is the author of more than 200 INTHEBLACK articles as well as a book, Advanced Excel Reporting for Management Accountants. You can find a CPA at our custom portal on the CPA Australia website. Would you like to listen to more Excel Tips episodes? Head to CPA Australia’s YouTube channel. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting: With InterestINTHEBLACK INTHEBLACK Out LoudExcel Tips Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au
    Show More Show Less
    13 mins

What listeners say about Excel Tips

Average Customer Ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.com.au reviews

Amazon Reviews
No Reviews are Available
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.