Excel Agility: Spreadsheet Accessibility

On Demand Webinar

Webinar Details $219

  • Webinar Length: 100 Minutes
  • Guest Speaker:   David Ringstrom
  • Topic:   Software, Taxation and Accounting, Business Administration, Business Skills
  • Credit:   ATATX 1.5, ATAOP 1.5, CPE 2.0
All Access Membership

In this presentation, author and Excel expert David H. Ringstrom, CPA, will unravel the secrets of accessible spreadsheets, covering a wide range of essential topics. You'll learn the importance of meaningful worksheet names for better organization and ease of navigation using the Navigation task pane in Microsoft 365. Discover the power of using Cell Styles to assign titles and headings, and how to create and apply cell styles seamlessly across your spreadsheets. Help users avoid frustration by not storing vital information in headers/Footers.You'll also see how to ensure your documents are accessible to all by adding Alt Text to images and objects. Explore the Accessibility Checker feature, available in Excel 2019 and beyond, to enhance document accessibility. Plus, uncover the pitfalls of merged cells, which can create accessibility challenges for all users, and see how to avoid such pitfalls by using Center AcrossSelection. Join us for this comprehensive webinar to elevate your Excel skills and ensure your spreadsheets are efficient, organized, and accessible to all.

David is the author of “Exploring Microsoft Excel's Hidden Treasures: Turbocharge your Excel proficiency with expert tips, automation techniques, and overlooked features”. He demonstrates every technique at least twice: first, on a PowerPoint slide with numbered steps, and second, in the subscription-based Excel for Microsoft 365. David draws your attention to any differences in Excel 2021, 2019 or 2016 during the presentation and in his detailed handouts. The handouts include an Excel workbook with most of the examples he uses during his demonstrations.

Excel for Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based product that receives periodic feature updates.Conversely, perpetually licensed versions have year numbers in their names and do not receive any feature updates.

Who should attend:
Professionals seeking to use Microsoft Excel more effectively.

Your Benefits For Attending:

  • State which ribbon tab (menu) contains the Navigation task pane command.
  • Recall which command enables you to import cell styles from another open workbook.
  • Identify the location of the Accessibility Checker within the ribbon in Excel 2019 and later.

Topics typically covered:

  • Comparing Center Across Selection to Merged cells for centering text across two or more columns.
  • Adding descriptive text to hyperlinks so that the user can determine the purpose or destination through context.
  • Determining how using merged cells in spreadsheets can stymy simple tasks and create accessibility issues.
  • Creating title and heading levels with cell styles.
  • Learning how the Table feature empowers you to improve the integrity of Excel spreadsheets.
  • Double-checking manual inputs easily by having Excel read numbers aloud to you.
  • Monitoring the Accessibility Checker by way of Excel's status bar.
  • Eliminating pictures of data in spreadsheets because the information is inaccessible via assistive technology.
  • Checking Excel workbooks for accessibility issues by way of Excel's Accessibility Checker feature.
  • Using the Find feature in Excel to identify merged cells so that they can be removed.
  • Navigating through workbooks and identifying non-blank worksheet cells with the Navigation task pane in Microsoft 365.
  • Using text to convey the meaning of colors used in a spreadsheet.
Level:Basic
Format:Live webcast
Instructional Method:Group: Internet-based
NASBA Field of Study:Specialized Knowledge and Applications (2 hours)
Program Prerequisites:None
Advance Preparation:None
  1. Introduction
  2. Please Ask Questions Today 00:02:37
  3. Excel Versions 00:04:54
  4. Navigation Task Pane (Microsoft 365) 00:05:50
  5. Creating and Applying Cell Styles 00:10:30
  6. Transferring Cell Styles 00:18:34
  7. Table Feature 00:23:28
  8. Filtering Excel Tables with Slicers 00:43:44
  9. Conditional Formatting - Equal To 00:44:19
  10. Avoiding Storing Vital Info in Headers/Footers 00:47:35
  11. From Picture command (Microsoft 365) 00:53:10
  12. Extracting PDFs with Power Query - Steps 1 - 8 00:58:44
  13. Extracting PDFs with Power Query - Steps 9 - 17 01:02:29
  14. Extracting PDFs with Power Query - Steps 18 - 24 01:06:15
  15. Determining Color Contrasts  - Steps 1 - 4 01:08:54
  16. Determining Color Contrasts  - Steps 6 - 10 01:10:10
  17. Determining Color Contrasts - Step 11 01:13:25
  18. Accessibility Checker on Status Bar - Steps 1 - 4 01:13:36
  19. Accessibility Checker Feature (Excel 2019+) 01:17:21
  20. Accessibility Checker Feature (Excel 2019+) Cont. 01:19:29
  21. Inaccessible Formulas and Worksheets 01:21:00
  22. Deconstructing Formulas with ChatGPT 01:3
  23. Merged Cells Create Inaccessibility 01:34:51
  24. Center Across Selection/Accessibility 01:37:55
  25. Locating Merged Cells - Steps 1 - 5 01:39:07
  26. Locating Merged Cells - Steps 6 - 10 01:31:45
  27. Text to Speech Command 01:40:46
  28. Thank you for attending! 01:42:50
  29. Presentation Closing 01:42:55

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) 00:53:34, 01:31:48
  • Cell 00:06:47, 00:12:35, 00:24:29, 00:34:17, 00:43:48, 00:44:54, 00:55:04, 01:37:51
  • Cell Styles 00:10:31, 00:12:46
  • Chart 00:06:52
  • ChatGPT 01:31:47, 01:32:50
  • Color Contrast Analyser (CCA) 01:09:40
  • Column 00:24:14, 00:26:46, 00:57:01, 01:02:22, 01:21:25
  • Column Headings 00:24:16
  • Conditional Formatting 00:44:30
  • Dialog Box 00:12:56, 00:24:42, 00:59:30, 01:14:21
  • Filter 00:21:38, 00:34:35, 00:43:57, 01:02:31
  • Format 00:10:40, 00:13:51, 00:20:39, 01:21:06
  • Format Painter 00:17:23
  • Formula 00:20:44, 00:32:31, 01:26:28, 01:32:36
  • Header/Footer 00:47:42, 00:48:40
  • Keyboard Shortcut 00:23:28
  • Merged Cell 01:35:13
  • Microsoft 365  00:04:57, 00:06:27, 00:59:56
  • Name Box 00:27:32
  • Navigation Task Pane 00:05:50, 00:06:29, 00:07:06, 00:08:34
  • Page Break Preview 00:48:00, 00:52:06
  • Page Layout Menu 00:48:23, 00:52:52
  • PDF 00:59:18
  • Power Query 00:58:53
  • Quick Access Toolbar 01:41:07
  • Ribbon 00:48:48
  • Row 00:24:51, 00:34:26
  • Slicer 00:06:53, 00:43:46
  • Spreadsheet 00:00:08, 00:01:22, 00:10:37, 00:23:41, 00:53:13, 01:09:46, 01:21:15, 01:32:19
  • SUBTOTAL 00:31:51
  • SUM 00:32:37
  • Table 01:01:17
  • Table Feature 00:23:28, 00:26:24
  • Task Pane 00:55:01, 01:19:36
  • TextBox 00:06:52
  • Total Row 00:26:36
  • Workbook 00:06:40, 00:08:38, 00:14:59
  • Worksheet 00:06:40, 00:08:38, 00:13:39, 00:24:12, 00:54:25, 01:24:14

Artificial Intelligence (AI): Artificial intelligence is intelligence demonstrated by machines, as opposed to the natural intelligence displayed by humans or animals.

Cell: In spreadsheet applications, a cell is a box in which you can enter a single piece of data. The data is usually text, a numeric value, or a formula. The entire spreadsheet is composed of rows and columns of cells.

Cell Styles: In Excel, cell styles are preset formats that use color, alignment, cell borders, and number formats to visually represent data. You can use cell styles to format cells by selecting the cells, clicking the Home tab, and then clicking Cell Styles in the Styles group. This will open the cell styles gallery, which displays a variety of predefined styles. You can then click on the style you want to use, and Excel will apply the formatting to the selected cells.

Chart: In Microsoft Excel, a chart is often called a graph. It is a visual representation of data from a worksheet that can bring more understanding to the data than just looking at the numbers. A chart is a powerful tool that allows you to visually display data in a variety of different chart formats such as Bar, Column, Pie, Line, Area, Doughnut, Scatter, Surface, or Radar charts.

ChatGPT: ChatGPT, which stands for Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer, is a large language model-based chatbot developed by OpenAI and launched on November 30, 2022, notable for enabling users to refine and steer a conversation towards a desired length, format, style, level of detail, and language used.

Color Contrast Analyser (CCA): The Color Contrast Analyzer (CCA) is a free tool that helps determine if the contrast between text and images is adequate. It can also be used to check how people with low vision or color blindness will see colors. The CCA is available for Windows and macOS and can be used with many types of content, including websites, PDFs, PowerPoint slides, and social media graphics

Column: A column is a vertical series of cells in a chart, table, or spreadsheet in Excel.

Column Headings : The column heading or column header is the gray-colored row containing the letters (A, B, C, etc.) used to identify each column in the worksheet. The column header is located above row 1 in the worksheet.

Conditional Formatting: A feature on Excel's Home menu that allows you to dynamically apply formatting such as colors, bolding, icons, data bars, and so on based on criteria that you specify for a given set of worksheet cells.

Dialog Box: A dialog box in Excel is a screen where you input information and make choices about different aspects of the current worksheet or its content, such as data, charts, and graphic images.

Filter: The Filter feature in Excel allows you to show or hide rows within a list of data by making selections from drop-down lists. The Filter feature is available on the Data tab of all versions of Excel as well under the Sort & Filter command on the Home menu.

Format: When we format cells in Excel, we change the appearance of a number without changing the number itself. We can apply a number format (0.8, $0.80, 80%, etc) or other formatting (alignment, font, border, etc). By default, Excel uses the General format (no specific number format) for numbers.

Format Painter: The Format Painter copies formatting from one place and applies it to another. For example, if you have written text in Word, and have it formatted using a specific font type, color, and font size you could copy that formatting to another section of text by using the Format Painter tool.

Formula: A formula is an expression which calculates the value of a cell.

Header/Footer : You can add headers or footers at the top or bottom of a printed worksheet in Excel. For example, you might create a footer that has page numbers, the date, and the name of your file. Headers and footers are displayed only in Page Layout view, Print Preview, and on printed pages.

Keyboard Shortcut: A keyboard shortcut is a series of one or several keys that invoke a software program to perform a preprogrammed action. This action may be part of the standard functionality of the operating system or application program, or it may have been written by the user in a scripting language.

Merge Cell: Merge cell is a function in database software that allows multiple adjacent cells to be combined into a single larger cell. This is done by selecting all cells to be merged and choosing the "Merge Cells" command. A close-up of a spreadsheet on a computer screen.

Microsoft 365: Microsoft 365, formerly Office 365, is a line of subscription services offered by Microsoft which adds to and includes the Microsoft Office product line.

Name Box: The Name Box is the box to the left of the formula bar that displays the cell that is currently selected in the spreadsheet. If a name is defined for a cell that is selected, the Name Box displays the name of the cell. You can use the Name Box to define a name for a selected cell as well.

Navigation Task Pane: The Navigation pane in Excel is an easy way to understand a workbook's layout, see what elements exist within the workbook, and navigate directly to those elements. Find and access elements such as tables, charts, PivotTables, and images within your workbook. Once you've opened the Navigation pane, it displays on the right side of the Excel window.The Navigation pane also makes it easier for those with visual impairments to access all parts of the workbook. It can improve how tools such as screen readers interpret your workbook.

PDF: Portable Document Format, a universal document format created by Adobe that allows cross-platform compatibility of documents.

Page Break Preview : You can see the range of cells that will be printed by selecting (View > Page Break Preview). This lets you see the print area clearly with all the page breaks identified. The White area denotes the area that will be printed.

Page Layout Menu: The Page Layout Tab holds all the options that allow you to arrange your document pages just the way you want them. You can set margins, apply themes, control of page orientation and size, add sections and line breaks, display line numbers, and set paragraph indentation and lines.

Power Query: Power Query is a data connection technology that enables you to discover, connect, combine, and refine data sources to meet your analysis needs. Features in Power Query are available in Excel and Power BI Desktop. Power Query is one of three data analysis tools available in Excel: Power Pivot.

Quick Access Toolbar: A customizable shortcut toolbar that appears above the ribbon in Office 2007 and later.

Ribbon: The "ribbon" is the strip of buttons and icons located above the work area that was first introduced in Excel 2007. The ribbon replaces the menus and toolbars found in earlier versions of Excel. Above the ribbon are a number of tabs, such as Home, Insert, and Page Layout.

Row: A row is the range of cells that go across (horizontal) the spreadsheet/worksheet. Rows are identified by numbers e.g. row 1, row 5. Examples of use. A row might contain the headings of a table e.g. product ID, product name, price, number sold.

SUBTOTAL: A worksheet function that allows you to sum, average, count, and other otherwise analyze data on just the visible cells within a given range.

SUM: Microsoft Excel defines SUM as a formula that “Adds all the numbers in a range of cells”. This definition clearly points that Sum function has a job to add numbers and the arguments can be supplied using combinations of both numbers and range of cells. =SUM The SUM function is a built-in function in Excel that is categorized as a Math/Trig Function. It can be used as a worksheet function (WS) in Excel. As a worksheet function, the SUM function can be entered as part of a formula in a cell of a worksheet.

Slicer: You can insert slicers in Excel to quickly and easily filter pivot tables. Slicers were introduced in Excel 2010, and they make it easy to change multiple pivot tables with a single click

Spreadsheet: Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet developed by Microsoft for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. It features calculation or computation capabilities, graphing tools, pivot tables, and a macro programming language called Visual Basic for Applications. Excel forms part of the Microsoft Office suite of software.

Table: A table is an arrangement of data in rows and columns, or possibly in a more complex structure. Tables are widely used in communication, research, and data analysis. Tables appear in print media, handwritten notes, computer software, architectural ornamentation, traffic signs, and many other places.

Table Feature : The Table feature in Excel 2007 and later is an improvement on the List feature in Excel 2003 and earlier. The Table feature provides enhancements that make it much easier to analyze lists of data.

Task Pane: Task panes are interface surfaces that typically appear on the right side of the window within Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook. Task panes give users access to interface controls that run code to modify documents or emails, or display data from a data source.

TextBox : Textboxes are used in worksheets or userforms to display information or to allow the user to input information.

Total Row: A Total row appears below the data where each column has access to several automatic formulas. The default selection for the Total Row is none, meaning no function is selected when you first turn on the Total Row on your Table.

Workbook: In Microsoft Excel a workbook is a collection of one or more spreadsheets, also called worksheets, in a single file.

Worksheets: A worksheet is a collection of cells where you keep and manipulate the data. Each Excel workbook can contain multiple worksheets.


Guest Speaker

  • David H. Ringstrom, CPA

Webinar Survey Overall Rating

This webinar received a total of 7 survey responses. Attendees have given an average rating of 4.2 stars out of a possible 5, reflecting the quality and value of the content presented.

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Our webinars are crafted to deliver exceptional value and insight to business professionals. To ensure we meet and exceed your expectations, we conduct thorough post live webinar surveys. Below, you'll find genuine feedback from attendees, sharing their thoughts on the event and the speaker's performance. These reviews highlight our commitment to continuous improvement and excellence in providing top-tier educational experiences.

Elizabeth G.
August 27, 2024
3.6 / 5
Webinar Rating:
3.3 Stars
Speaker Rating:
4.0 Stars
Do you have any other comments, questions or concerns?
The information was presented to the best of the presenter's ability, but there was so much to review it was hard to keep up. I would suggest either lengthening the time of the presentation, or split it into 2 presentations.

Janie P.
August 27, 2024
3.6 / 5
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3.3 Stars
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It was pretty fast but I can always go back and read the notes or watch again

Robin S.
August 26, 2024
5.0 / 5
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5.0 Stars
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Mr Ringstrom is willing to answer questions during and after the webinar. Love the way he walks us through the new concept first and then shows us the new concept in Excel. I try to attend all his webinars.

Brittany W.
August 26, 2024
4.6 / 5
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4.7 Stars
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no comment

Horacio V.
August 26, 2024
5.0 / 5
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Shelly V.
August 26, 2024
3.0 / 5
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2.3 Stars
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I thought the time spent on Color Contrast was a waste of time, but that's just me. I was also disappointed that nothing was said (at least were I read) that you have Excel 365

Anna H.
August 26, 2024
4.8 / 5
Webinar Rating:
5.0 Stars
Speaker Rating:
4.5 Stars
Do you have any other comments, questions or concerns?
no comment

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