The Quick Analysis Tool in Excel can simplify data analysis, as it lists some of your options in one convenient place, except for add and delete. You can’t perform these actions in the Excel Quick Analysis Tool, but there are plenty of others you can tackle.
The tool isn’t listed on the ribbon, so where is it and how do you use it?
We’ll cover this and more in the following paragraphs.
What Is the Quick Analysis Tool in Excel?
The Quick Analysis Tool contains some of the options you use to analyze data. Instead of searching for various options, the tool contains them in one spot.
Options for limited formatting are found in the tool, along with sparklines, charts, and pivot tables. When you select a type of data, for example, dates, text, or numbers, the tool also shows you the options based on your supplied criteria.
One thing to remember when you are searching for the Quick Analysis Tool is it’s only available in Excel 2013 and later versions.
When you select an option in the tool, you are limited on what you can do. However, some of the options are a little more flexible depending on the type of data you selected.
Where Is the Quick Analysis Tool in Excel?
You won’t find the tool on the ribbon in Excel. If you are wondering about the location of the Quick Analysis Tool in Excel on Mac, you still won’t find it on the screen.
When you want to use the Quick Analysis Tool in Excel on Mac, you need your keyboard or mouse. Go into the tools menu, and select Add-Ins. The next step is to click on the tab for the Analysis Toolpak box. Finally, select OK. The helpful tool and the list of options should open on your screen.
Other users, wondering where the Quick Analysis Tool in Excel 2016 is or other versions from 2013 and later, will follow different steps than on a Mac.
To open the tool in Excel, start by selecting the data you want to analyze. A small icon will appear at the bottom right side of the screen. Click on the icon to open the Quick Analysis Tool. From there, you can select the options you want.
Why Is the Quick Analysis Tool Not Showing Up?
Sometimes the tool doesn’t appear in Excel after selecting the data. It’s not a common problem, but it does occasionally occur.
Don’t panic; you can still bring up the tool. Here’s an easy fix to turn the Quick Analysis tool on, with a few simple steps.
- Click on the File tab, then Options, and select Tick Mark. Tick Mark shows you if Quick Analysis is activated.
- Select the box labeled Show Quick Analysis Options on Selection. It will turn on the tool.
Now, every time you select data, the icon will appear at the bottom of the page.
Quick Analysis Tool Shortcuts
You open the Quick Analysis Tool in Excel using a simple shortcut. You still need to select the data and then hold down the Control + Q keys.
The shortcut works even if the tool is disabled.
Another option is to right-click on the menu and select the Quick Analysis option.
How to Use the Quick Analysis Tool in Excel
Using the Quick Analysis Tool in Excel is a breeze, even if it’s your first time.
You already know how to get the Quick Analysis Tool in Excel, so then:
- Select the data to analyze
- Click on the Quick Analysis tab
- Choose the option you want to use
Remember, the Quick Analysis tab won’t appear if you select the entire column or row. It also won’t pop up if you select empty cells.
Create Data Bars
Formatting numerical data is easy with the tool. Select the Data Bars option and watch as the cells turn blue.
You can also change the color or make other customizations to the cells by clicking on the Home tab, and then Styles, Conditional Formatting, and finally Manage Rules.
Analyze Dates
In the Quick Analysis Tool options, you can organize dates. Select how you want the data analyzed from the following:
- Last month highlights all the dates from the previous 30 days.
- Last week brings up the data from the previous seven days.
- Greater than highlights the dates greater than the ones you selected.
- Less than shows you the dates lower than the specified one.
- Equals to brings up the dates that are the same as those you selected.
How to Create a Pivot Table
The Tables tab in the Quick Analysis Tool in Excel will insert a pivot table after you select your option.
The options available are based on your selected data, but you can expand the list by clicking the More tab. Open the Pivot Tables option and select the one for a blank table. From there, you can create a pivot table to fit your data.
How to Use Sparklines to Create In-Cell Charts
Follow the steps to open the Quick Analysis Tool and go to the Sparklines tab. Select the one you want to use from the available options, and the tool does the rest.
How to Add Grand Totals
You have several options to add totals to rows and columns:
- Sum
- Average
- Count
- Percent total
- Running total
The total for the rows or columns will appear in the table. With the running total option, it automatically changes as more data is added.
How to Highlight Duplicate or Unique Values
When you select the text option in the Quick Analysis Tool, you can easily identify duplicate and unique values by clicking on the appropriate tab.
After selecting your option, the cells with duplicate or unique values are highlighted in red.
Summary
The Quick Analysis Tool in Excel is quick and easy to use, even if you didn’t know about its existence.
You won’t see the tool on the ribbon, but it’s not hard to access and makes it easier to analyze text and numerical values.
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