If you were leading an introductory Excel class, which tips and tricks would you share with beginners to enhance their skills?

In teaching an introductory Excel class, it’s crucial to focus on practical skills that empower novices to work efficiently with data. Here’s a detailed list of fundamental Excel tricks every beginner should explore:
Basic Navigation: Teach them how to efficiently navigate Excel using keyboard shortcuts, such as Ctrl + Arrow keys to move quickly across data ranges, and Ctrl + Home to return to cell A1.
Data Entry: Show how to use Autofill to populate columns or rows with repetitive data or sequences. Explain how typing a value and dragging the fill handle can automatically extend a pattern.
Simple Calculations: Introduce basic arithmetic functions like SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, and MAX, including how to write and copy formulae. Demonstrate the use of the AutoSum tool for quick calculations.
Cell Formatting: Explain how to format cells for data readability, including font adjustments, cell color fills, and number formatting (currency, percentage, dates).
Sorting and Filtering: Describe how to sort data alphabetically or numerically. Explain how to apply basic filters to display only data meeting certain criteria, enhancing visibility of pertinent information.
Conditional Formatting: Introduce the concept of conditional formatting to automatically format cells based on specific criteria, helping highlight important data trends or outliers.
Creating a Pivot Table: Provide a basic introduction to Pivot Tables as a powerful tool to summarize and analyze data, highlighting its drag-and-drop functionality for creating quick data insights.
Understanding Absolute vs. Relative References: Teach how to use absolute ($A$1) and relative (A1) cell references in formulas, helping beginners understand how cell referencing affects formula copying.
Using Freeze Panes: Explain the use of the Freeze Panes feature to keep headers or specific columns visible while scrolling through large sets of data.
Basic Chart Creation: Guide them through creating simple charts (e.g., bar, line, pie charts) to visually present data, detailing the use of chart elements like titles, labels, and legend.

These foundational skills will equip Excel novices with a solid starting point to explore more advanced functionalities as they grow more comfortable with the platform.