Excel Tables Tutorial Video – Beginners Guide for Windows & Mac

The following video tutorial is an in-depth look at Excel Tables.

I show you how to create a Table and then explain 10 awesome features that will save you lots of time when working with your data.  The Tables feature is available in Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2011 for Mac.  This video is a step-by-step guide and the file I work with in the video can be downloaded below.

Video Tutorial

Download File

What is an Excel Table?

Tables are a feature in Excel that let you convert a range of data into an organized list called a table.  They help automate many repititive tasks such as formatting, sorting, filtering, and summarizing your data.  Tables bring a new and intuitive way to write formulas using structured references.  They also integrate with Excel's most powerful tools including charts, pivot tables, remove duplicates, PowerPivot, and more.

10 Awesome Reasons to Use Excel Tables

There are a lot of great benefits to using tables.  Here are the 10 that I explain in the video.

1. Formatting | 1:55
2. Table Names | 2:44
3. Sorting & Filtering | 3:15 
4. Auto Expansion & Navigating | 4:35
5. Total Row | 6:34
6. Remove Duplicates | 7:18
7. Create Unique List | 7:53
8. Pivot Table Integration | 8:33
9. Chart Integration | 10:24
10. Table Formulas | 11:26

The video also shows some incredible new features for Excel 2013 including Recommended Pivot Tables and Recommened Charts.

Additional Resources & Videos

Here are some additional videos and articles that helped me learn tables.  Please let me know if you have any others to add to the list.

Videos

Excel Tables Feature (Excel as a Database) | Excel Is Fun (18:29)

Create an Excel Table With a Specific Style Applied | Contextures (2:14)

Microsoft Excel 2013 Timeline Video | Excel and Access (8:50)

Chandoo Explains Structured Table Reference | Mr. Excel and Chandoo (5:52)

Absolute References in Structured Table Formulas | Excel Campus (7:17)

Articles

Creating an Excel Table | Contextures

Save Time With Excel 2007 Tables | MyOnlineTrainingHub

Learn Excel Data Tables | Chandoo

Why you should use structured references in tables | Zack Barresse

Absolute Formula References in Structured Tables | Excel Campus

Working with Microsoft Excel tables in VBA | Zack Barresse

Overview of Excel tables | Microsoft

Books

A whole book on Tables! My friends Zack Barresse and Kevin Jones have written THE GUIDE to everything Tables.  This is a great read if you are looking to master Excel Tables. It also includes tons of information and resources for writing VBA for Tables.
eBook Version – Excel Tables Book
Paperback version – Excel Tables Book

How Do You Use Tables?

Do you use Tables?  Why or why not?  Please leave a comment below.  And don't forget to subscribe to my free email newsletter below to get more articles like this and learn Excel.