Until recently, Microsoft (and to be honest, end users too) saw Excel for the Web as a “consumption-based companion app to [the] desktop version” (to quote the software company). This meant that you were limited in viewing, creating and editing charts via this medium. However, it is beginning to improve, which both free and paying customers starting to see noticeable improvements.

Data Validation may be used to control what end users may input into a cell. This may be accessed by going to the Data tab of the Ribbon, then go to the Data Tools group and click the Data Validation icon.

There is a new side pane coming to Excel for the Web. Now, you may manage the rules whilst seeing the formatting result on the grid. All you have to do is hover the mouse pointer over a rule to see the range it refers to:

July last year saw the release of a new Excel Trust Center (sic) setting option to restrict the usage of Excel 4.0 (XLM) macros. From mid-January 2022, this has been made the default setting when opening Excel 4.0 (XLM) macros. This is to assist users in protecting themselves against related security threats.

Microsoft decided to get busy before they broke up for the seasonal year-end break. Excel for the web benefitted immensely with a raft of new features / updates...

This month’s updates see a new sparklines Preview feature, several new Format Pane updates, e-mail subscription access via Admin API and numerous other useful features.

If you have ever collaborated with someone else in a workbook and suddenly notice that the data table you’re looking at has changed drastically, this often happens because someone has filtered or sorted the table while you were looking at the data. Microsoft accepts that while people want to work together in a file, it doesn’t necessarily mean everyone has the same task at hand. To provide users with the freedom to collaborate as they want, they have previously developed Sheet View.

For many years, Microsoft Excel used to only allow two types of data: text and numbers. But that’s changing: Microsoft is opening up Excel to provide you with the freedom to create your own custom data types that can contain images, arrays and more.

To replace Excel UserVoice, the software giant has introduced their new Microsoft Feedback portal, where you may submit suggestions about Excel and other Microsoft products, vote and comment on suggestions made by others, and see feedback submitted.

This month’s updates see the release of a new Format pane Preview feature, Page and Bookmark navigators and new text box formatting options, amongst other goodies.