Microsoft Office

Part IV
Using Advanced Excel Features
n All Commands: Displays a complete list of Excel commands.
n Macros: Displays a list of all available macros.
n Office Menu: Displays the commands available in the Office menu.
n Home Tab: Displays all commands that are available when the Home tab is active.
In addition, the drop-down contains an item for every other tab.
To add an item to your QAT, select it from the list on the right, and click Add. Notice some of the commands
in the list on the left display an icon. The icon tells you what form the command will take: A drop-down, a
split button, and edit control, or a Ribbon group. If the command doesn’t display an icon, it’s a button control.
If you add a macro to your QAT, you can click the Modify button to change the text and choose a different
icon for the macro.
TIP
The only times you ever need to use the Customize tab in the Excel Options dialog box is when
you want to add a command that’s not in the Ribbon, or add a command that executes a macro.
In all other situations, it’s much easier to locate the command in the Ribbon, right-click the command, and
choose Add To Quick Access Toolbar.
Other QAT Actions
Other QAT actions include the following:
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CAUTION
Rearranging the QAT icons: If you want to change the order of your QAT icons, you can do so
in the Customization tab in the Excel Options dialog box. Select the command and then use the
Up and Down arrow buttons on the right to move the icon.
Removing QAT icons: The easiest way to remove an icon from your QAT is to right-click the
icon and select Remove From Quick Access Toolbar. You can also use the Customization tab in
the Excel Options dialog box. Just select the command in the list on the right and click Remove.
Resetting the QAT: If you want to return the QAT to its default state, display the Customization
tab in the Excel Options dialog box and click the Reset button. All your customizations disappear,
and the QAT then displays its three default commands.
You can’t undo resetting the QAT.
Behind the Scenes
You may be curious about how Excel keeps track of your customized QAT. The information is stored in an
XML file named excel.qat. The file is located here:
C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Office
You can view this file with a text editor or an XML viewer. If you make a copy of the file and rename it with
an XML extension, you can even open it with Excel (when prompted for how to open the file, specify as an
XML table). However, you cannot modify the excel.qat file using Excel.
If you create the ultimate QAT, you can share your excel.qat file with your colleagues.
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