Task Panes
The Task Pane is a rectangular window that appears docked on the right side of your Excel window.
It acts as an open menu allowing you to select from a range of commands and functions.
It displays a list of links and commands allowing you to perfrom different tasks depending on what you are doing at the time.
The task pane is designed to help you complete tasks quickly and will change automatically according to the task in hand.
Excel 365
| Accessibility Checker - File, Info, Check for Issues, Check Accessibility |
| [[Actions]] - Can be used in document-level customisations (Excel and Word). Cannot be accessed from the UI. |
| Clipboard - Collects items between the Microsoft Office applications and allows them to be quickly pasted.. |
| Data Selector - Helps you to choose the right linked data type. |
| Document Recovery - This automatically appears when you restart Excel after it has crashed. This displays links to the files you were working on so you can hopefully recover with the last previously saved version. displayed if the office application closes unexpectedly before you were able to save. Your file might open automatically or you will see this task pane with 3 previous versions. |
| Format Chart Element - This replaces the Format dialog box |
| Analyze Data - Previously called Ideas. |
| Navigation - Find and access elements such as tables, charts, PivotTables, and images in your workbook. |
| Search - |
| Selection - Home tab, Editing, Find & Select, Selection Pane |
| Smart Lookup - |
| Share - ? |
| Thesaurus - Lets you search for synonyms, antonyms or related words. |
| Translator - |
| Watch Window - Formulas tab, Formula Auditing, Watch Window |
| Accessibility Checker - File, Info, Check for Issues, Check Accessibility |
| [[Actions]] - Can be used in document-level customisations (Excel and Word). Cannot be accessed from the UI. |
| Clipboard - Collects items between the Microsoft Office applications and allows them to be quickly pasted.. |
| Data Selector - Helps you to choose the right linked data type. |
| Document Recovery - This automatically appears when you restart Excel after it has crashed. This displays links to the files you were working on so you can hopefully recover with the last previously saved version. displayed if the office application closes unexpectedly before you were able to save. Your file might open automatically or you will see this task pane with 3 previous versions. |
| Format Chart Element - This replaces the Format dialog box |
| Analyze Data - Previously called Ideas. |
| Navigation - Find and access elements such as tables, charts, PivotTables, and images in your workbook. |
| Search - |
| Selection - Home tab, Editing, Find & Select, Selection Pane |
| Smart Lookup - |
| Share - ? |
| Thesaurus - Lets you search for synonyms, antonyms or related words. |
| Translator - |
| Watch Window - Formulas tab, Formula Auditing, Watch Window |
Earlier Versions
| Ideas - Available in Excel 2019 and renamed to Data Analysis in Excel 365. |
| Insights - Available in Excel 2016 and renamed to Data Analysis in Excel 365. |
| Format Picture - Available in Excel 2013. |
| Format Shape - Available in Excel 2013. |
| PivotTable Fields - Available in Excel 2013. (previously PivotTable Field List) |
| PivotChart Fields - Available in Excel 2013. Lets you quickly choose which fields to include in your pivot table. |
| Research - Availabe in Excel 2013. Lets you quickly look up words and phrases from several references including the Encarta dictionary, thesaurus and encyclopedia. These are available in several different languages. In Excel 2013 this was removed. |
| XML Source - Available in Excel 2013. Lets you apply XML schemas to your workbooks so you can easily open and manipulate structured data. Displays the list of XML maps currently saved in the workbook. Used to map xml elements to your workbook. Add this to Excel XML page - Data tab, Get External Data, From Other Sources, From XML Data Import. Browse to an XML file. Once the data has been inserted you can access this from the table shortcut menu selecting XML > Source Pane. |
| Clip Art - Available in Excel 2010. Lets you quickly organise and access all your graphics, photos, movies and sounds including all those available from the Microsoft Office Articles website. Appears on the right by default. In Excel 2013 this was removed. |
| Document Management - Available in Excel 2010. Used on conjunction with Microsoft SharePoint Services and lets you monitor workbooks that are part of a shared workspace. This was called Shared Workspace in 2003. In Excel 2013 this was removed and replaced with the File > Info tab and the introduction of the Document Information Panel. |
| Document Updates - Available in Excel 2010 and was replaced in Excel 2013 with the File > Info tab and the introduction of the Document Information Panel. |
| PivotChart Filter - Available in Excel 2007. Lets you sort and filter the underlying data. The field names appear on the actual pivot chart. |
| Advanced File Search - Available in Excel 2003. Lets you quickly find Excel files. In Excel 2007 this was removed. |
| Basic File Search - Available in Excel 2003. Lets you quickly find Excel files. In Excel 2007 this was removed. |
| Getting Started - Available in Excel 2003. In Excel 2007 this was removed. |
| Excel Help - Available in Excel 2003. In Excel 2007 this was removed and replaced with (File > Help) |
| New Workbook - Available in Excel 2003. In Excel 2007 this was removed and replaced with (File > New) |
| Search - Available in Excel 2003. Refers to the Basic File Search and Advanced File Search task panes. They both let you search for specific Excel files. In Excel 2007 this was removed. |
| Shared Workspace - Available in Excel 2003. Used on conjunction with Microsoft SharePoint Services and lets you monitor workbooks that are part of a shared workspace. In Excel 2007 this was renamed to Document Management. |
| Template Help - Available in Excel 2003. Appears when you download templates from the Microsoft Office Articles website. In Excel 2007 this was removed. |
| Ideas - Available in Excel 2019 and renamed to Data Analysis in Excel 365. |
| Insights - Available in Excel 2016 and renamed to Data Analysis in Excel 365. |
| Format Picture - Available in Excel 2013. |
| Format Shape - Available in Excel 2013. |
| PivotTable Fields - Available in Excel 2013. (previously PivotTable Field List) |
| PivotChart Fields - Available in Excel 2013. Lets you quickly choose which fields to include in your pivot table. |
| Research - Availabe in Excel 2013. Lets you quickly look up words and phrases from several references including the Encarta dictionary, thesaurus and encyclopedia. These are available in several different languages. In Excel 2013 this was removed. |
| XML Source - Available in Excel 2013. Lets you apply XML schemas to your workbooks so you can easily open and manipulate structured data. Displays the list of XML maps currently saved in the workbook. Used to map xml elements to your workbook. Add this to Excel XML page - Data tab, Get External Data, From Other Sources, From XML Data Import. Browse to an XML file. Once the data has been inserted you can access this from the table shortcut menu selecting XML > Source Pane. |
| Clip Art - Available in Excel 2010. Lets you quickly organise and access all your graphics, photos, movies and sounds including all those available from the Microsoft Office Articles website. Appears on the right by default. In Excel 2013 this was removed. |
| Document Management - Available in Excel 2010. Used on conjunction with Microsoft SharePoint Services and lets you monitor workbooks that are part of a shared workspace. This was called Shared Workspace in 2003. In Excel 2013 this was removed and replaced with the File > Info tab and the introduction of the Document Information Panel. |
| Document Updates - Available in Excel 2010 and was replaced in Excel 2013 with the File > Info tab and the introduction of the Document Information Panel. |
| PivotChart Filter - Available in Excel 2007. Lets you sort and filter the underlying data. The field names appear on the actual pivot chart. |
| Advanced File Search - Available in Excel 2003. Lets you quickly find Excel files. In Excel 2007 this was removed. |
| Basic File Search - Available in Excel 2003. Lets you quickly find Excel files. In Excel 2007 this was removed. |
| Getting Started - Available in Excel 2003. In Excel 2007 this was removed. |
| Excel Help - Available in Excel 2003. In Excel 2007 this was removed and replaced with (File > Help) |
| New Workbook - Available in Excel 2003. In Excel 2007 this was removed and replaced with (File > New) |
| Search - Available in Excel 2003. Refers to the Basic File Search and Advanced File Search task panes. They both let you search for specific Excel files. In Excel 2007 this was removed. |
| Shared Workspace - Available in Excel 2003. Used on conjunction with Microsoft SharePoint Services and lets you monitor workbooks that are part of a shared workspace. In Excel 2007 this was renamed to Document Management. |
| Template Help - Available in Excel 2003. Appears when you download templates from the Microsoft Office Articles website. In Excel 2007 this was removed. |
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