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How to Customize the Ribbon in Excel 2016
Edited 2 weeks ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team
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Microsoft Excel 2016 is a powerful tool used for data management, analysis, and visualization. Although Excel has a variety of built-in functionality that can be accessed from its ribbon menu, you may find that personalizing this interface can increase your productivity. Customizing the ribbon allows you to quickly access your most frequently used commands, speeding up your workflow. Below is a detailed guide on how to customize the ribbon in Microsoft Excel 2016.
Understanding the ribbon
The ribbon is the toolbar at the top of Excel that is divided into tabs such as Home, Insert, Page Layout, etc. Each tab contains groups of related commands. For example, the Home tab contains clipboard operations such as copy and paste, font customization, alignment features, etc. Knowing which commands fall under which tab can help simplify the customization process.
Why customize the ribbon?
There are several reasons why you might want to customize the ribbon in Excel 2016:
- Efficiency: Frequently used commands are easily accessible, reducing the time spent searching for them.
- Simplification: You can remove commands you rarely use to de-clutter the interface.
- Personalization: Customize the ribbon to suit specific tasks or projects, such as data analysis or financial modeling.
Steps to customize the ribbon
To customize your ribbon, follow these steps:
1. Open the Customize Ribbon dialog
Start by opening Excel 2016. Click the File tab located on the ribbon. From the File menu, choose Options. This will open the Excel Options dialog box. On the left sidebar of this dialog box, you will see a section called "Customize the Ribbon." Click it to open the ribbon customization options.
2. Add a new tab
You have the option to add a new tab to the ribbon, which can then be populated with the commands you use most often. To do this, click the "New Tab" button. Excel will add a new tab called New Tab (Custom). This new tab will also have a new group called New Group (Custom) by default.
You can change the name of the new tab and group by clicking the "Rename" button. A small dialog box will pop up, allowing you to rename your newly created tab and group to something more meaningful, such as "Data Analysis" or "My Commands."
3. Add commands to your new tab or group
In the Customize the Ribbon section, you have a “Choose commands from” list on the left, and a list of ribbon contents on the right. By default, the left panel will show the most popular commands. You can change this to show all available commands, macros, or commands that are not on the ribbon.
Once you find the command you want to add, select the new group you created in your custom tab from the right list. Then, select the desired command from the left list and click the Add >> button. This will move the selected command to your custom tab or group. Repeat this process to add other commands to your custom tab.
4. Delete a command or tab
If you want to delete a command from a tab, click the group in the right pane that contains the command, select the command you want to delete, and click the Delete button. To delete an entire tab or group, simply select it and click Delete. Note that you can't delete built-in tabs, only custom tabs you've created yourself.
5. Reorder tabs and groups
The ribbon can be rearranged to customize the order of commands based on your workflow needs. In the Customize the Ribbon dialog box, you can click and drag tabs and groups to reposition them. Alternatively, select a tab or group and use the arrow buttons to move them up or down.
6. Resetting the Ribbon
If you want to return to Excel's default ribbon setup at any time, you can click the Reset button. You have two options here: you can reset only the selected tabs, or you can reset all customizations. This will remove all custom tabs, groups, or commands and restore the ribbon to its original state.
Practical scenarios for ribbon customization
Here are some examples of how customizing the ribbon can be beneficial:
Example 1: Financial analysis
Imagine you are an accountant or financial analyst who needs quick access to some financial functions. You can create a tab called "Financial" and add commands such as "SUM", "VLOOKUP", and "PivotTable". This allows you to quickly navigate to and use these functions without having to dig through existing tabs.
Example 2: Data visualization
If you frequently create charts and graphs, you can benefit from a customized "Charts" tab that includes commands for different types of charts, formatting options, and data sorting features. Having quick access to these commands can help make the data visualization process more efficient.
Example 3: Student projects
For students working on complex academic projects, a custom tab can streamline access to essential resources. They can include commands related to formulas, references, or add-ins that are used specifically for their coursework.
Troubleshooting common problems
During your customization process, you may encounter some challenges. Here are some common issues and solutions:
Problem 1: Commands are missing
If you can't find a specific command in the left pane, make sure "Choose commands from" is set to display all commands. This shows all available commands. If you still can't find a certain command, check if it's a feature limited to certain installations or Excel versions.
Issue 2: Built-in tabs cannot be added or modified
Excel does not allow modifications to its built-in tabs other than adding new groups. If you want to customize extensively, consider creating a completely new custom tab instead.
Problem 3: Customization not saved
If your custom ribbon setup is not saved, make sure Excel is closed properly. Sometimes unsaved changes may not persist if the program crashes or is forcibly closed. As a precaution, regularly create backups of your settings to an exported file. This can be done in the Options dialog under Import/Export.
Advanced customization: VBA macros and the ribbon
For users who are familiar with Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), macros can be added to the ribbon for advanced functionality. After writing a macro in the Visual Basic Editor, it can be linked to a button on the ribbon by importing the macro command into a custom tab or group.
Steps to add a macro to the ribbon
- Create or record a macro in Excel.
- Open the Customize Ribbon dialog in Excel Options.
- To view all available macros, select Macros in Choose commands from.
- Add the macro you want to a custom group or tab.
- Optional: Rename the macro command for easier identification on the ribbon.
This allows you to perform complex tasks at the click of a button, increasing your productivity even further.
Conclusion
Customizing the ribbon in Excel 2016 can significantly improve your efficiency and ease of use. By personalizing tabs and groups with the commands and features most relevant to your work, you streamline processes and make Excel a more powerful tool in your daily tasks. Whether you're adding frequently used commands or setting up a completely new tab for a specific project, the possibilities are endless. Investing time in ribbon customization is worth it, leading to a smoother and more customized Excel experience.
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