Adding, Editing, Showing, and Converting Notes in Excel
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Notes in Excel allow you to add annotations or reminders to individual cells. Unlike comments, which are designed for collaboration, notes are personal and static. Here’s a comprehensive guide to adding, managing, and converting notes in your Excel spreadsheets.
How to Add a Note
You can insert a note into a cell in two ways:
- Using the Review Tab:
- Go to the Review tab on the ribbon.
- Click the Notes drop-down arrow.
- Select New Note.
- Using Right-Click:
- Right-click the cell where you want to add a note.
- Choose New Note from the context menu.
Once the note box appears:
- Type your note.
- Click anywhere outside the note box to save it automatically.
Indicator: A small red triangle appears in the top-right corner of the cell, signaling that a note is attached.
How to Display Notes
To control when notes appear:
- Go to File > Options.
- Select Advanced on the left.
- Scroll to the Display section.
- Under For Cells With Comments, Show, choose one of these:
- Hide Comments and Indicators: Neither indicators nor notes display.
- Indicators Only, and Comments on Hover: Notes display when hovering over the cell.
- Comments and Indicators: Both the note and its indicator remain visible.
Editing Notes
To modify a note:
- Select the cell with the note.
- Use one of these methods:
- Go to the Review tab, select the Notes drop-down menu, and click Edit Note.
- Right-click the cell and choose Edit Note.
Displaying and Hiding Notes
Show a Single Note
- Select the cell with the note.
- Go to the Review tab, open the Notes drop-down menu, and select Show/Hide Note.
- Alternatively, right-click the cell and pick Show/Hide Note.
Show All Notes
- Go to the Review tab.
- Select the Notes drop-down menu and choose Show All Notes.
Hide Notes
- Deselect Show/Hide Note or Show All Notes in the Notes menu.
Navigating Between Notes
If your spreadsheet contains multiple notes, you can move through them:
- Go to the Review tab.
- In the Notes menu, select Previous Note or Next Note to navigate.
Deleting Notes
To remove a note:
- Select the cell containing the note.
- Use one of these methods:
- Go to the Review tab, click Delete in the Comments section.
- Right-click the cell and choose Delete Note.
Converting Notes to Comments
To collaborate with others, you can convert notes to comments:
- Open the Review tab and click the Notes drop-down menu.
- Choose Convert to Comments.
- Confirm the action in the pop-up by selecting Convert All Notes.
After conversion:
- Notes become comments.
- The red triangle changes to a purple comment indicator.
Why Use Notes?
- Add reminders to update data.
- Include source references.
- Track specific details for a cell.
By integrating notes into your workflow, you can improve organization and streamline your data management in Excel.