Freeze Panes in Excel!

It’s not enough that if you select your data and then use auto sum Excel will write the formula for you. Excel will also keeps track of the numbers you place in cells so if you define cells to refer to each other, and if you change the numbers in any cell, the equation is automatically updated without you having to rewrite the formula. But my current favorite is the Freeze Panes option.

Say you have created a large table of data nicely formatted with labels to identify the data. But your table is so large that the minute you scroll down, all the labels vanish from sight and you don’t know which column holds what data. Or you are in row 200 and all you see are a lot of numbers but you don’t know what they represent since you can’t view the row labels. So starts a lot of scrolling back and forth in order to read the column/row label and then the data! If you want to avoid this constant scurrying back and forth you can lock or freeze the row or column that holds your labels so no matter how far down or along the page you scroll, your labels are still accessible to view. Here’s how:

To freeze/lock rows: click or select the row below the row you want to be able to view as you scroll horizontally.

To freeze/lock columns: click or select the column to the right of the column you want to be able to see as you scroll further down your table.

To freeze/lock both the rows and columns: click or select the cell below and to the right of the rows and columns that you want to be able to view when you scroll.

The next step is as easy as clicking on the View tab, in the Window group, clicking on Freeze Panes to access the menu and choosing the option you want.

Once you have frozen the row or column of your choice, you will notice a black line will appear to demarcate the row or column that you have locked. This line does not appear when you print your Excel document.

After you have locked your rows or columns the menu option under Freeze Panes will change to Unfreeze Panes. So in order to unlock or unfreeze your rows or columns, all you have to do is just click Freeze Panes and then choose the option to Unfreeze Panes and depending on your earlier action unlock any frozen row or column.

- Rina B.