Q. I usually like Excel PivotTables, but because they don’t allow me to do certain things, such as delete cells or insert new columns or rows, I’m wondering if there is a reasonable alternative? A.

Most online Excel tutorials are obsessed with flashy new functions, complex formulas, or clever hacks that solve simple problems in overly complicated ways. But the real upgrade isn't new or exciting ...

If you record daily sales data in Excel, it may be impossible to explain variances from day to day. Instead, it may make more sense to summarize the data by week to spot trends and explain variations.