Tabs in Excel?

Whilst I have a consumer 365 subscription (purchased for the 1TB storage) I’ve been using Softmaker office for the past few years. The one thing I really like about Softmaker (latest version) is the tab feature in its spreadsheet package called PlanMaker. This is like google sheets where you can have a number of different files open at once and they are displayed as tabs under the top menu bar so it’s very easy to switch files. I’m trying to get to grips with excel and the only way I can do this is to go to View>switch windows, which isn’t as convenient. Does excel support tabs and if so how do I turn it on?

Conversation 16 comments

  • Chris_Kez

    Premium Member
    18 September, 2020 - 5:31 pm

    <p>Assuming you're using Windows, then Stardock's <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">program </span><em>Groupy </em>is $5 and does this for not just Excel but other software, including Windows File Explorer:</p><p><a href="https://www.stardock.com/products/groupy/&quot; target="_blank">https://www.stardock.com/products/groupy/</a></p><p>Then again, on Windows you can set the Taskbar so that as you open new Excel files they appear as separate, labeled icons on the taskbar (at least until you have too many things open, at which point they're collapsed). I find it just as easy to hit the taskbar on bottom as it is to hit tabs on top, but everyone has preferences. Good luck, and let us know how it goes!</p><p><br></p>

    • Dave

      19 September, 2020 - 5:50 am

      <blockquote>Thanks I'll certainly look into stardock and the taskbar settings. I've got stuck in a bit of a rut having used Google sheets and softmaker products for a number of years. I'm trying to shake off my reliance on Google and move most of my work (and life!) over to Microsoft. MS makes great products and I think they respect my privacy more than Google.</blockquote><p><br></p>

    • Dave

      21 September, 2020 - 1:10 am

      <blockquote>I've finally settled on Groupy – it's inexpensive (£4.99 in UK) and does the job perrfectly. MMettin kindly recommended office tab but the price was prohibitive. Groupy is also better than using my taskbar as it's already cluttered with many pinned icons. Thanks Chris.</blockquote><p><br></p>

  • boots

    18 September, 2020 - 8:25 pm

    <p>I know it's not the same thing, but you could change the "Combine taskbar buttons" in your Taskbar setting to "Never". This will show all of your open Excel files side-by-side on your Taskbar. They will work the same way as a tab bar.</p>

    • Dave

      19 September, 2020 - 5:51 am

      <blockquote><em>Thanks I'll certainly give this a try</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

  • BigM72

    18 September, 2020 - 10:21 pm

    <p>How much does the UI help really? You can alt-tab or win-tab using the keyboard and "real Excel users" don't use a mouse ;)</p>

    • Dave

      19 September, 2020 - 5:53 am

      <blockquote><em>I'll hold my hands up to this one. I've got lazy and really do need to wean myself off my reliance on the mouse!</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

    • hrlngrv

      Premium Member
      19 September, 2020 - 4:47 pm

      <p><a href="https://www.thurrott.com/forums/microsoft/microsoft/thread/tabs-in-excel#576669&quot; target="_blank"><em>In reply to BigM72:</em></a></p><blockquote>"real Excel users" don't use a mouse</blockquote><p>Or silly [Alt]+[Tab] or [Win]+[Tab].</p><p>We use [Ctrl]+[F6] with or without [Shift] as we've been using since the late 1980s. Real Excel users also don't care for the SDI which came with Excel in Office 2013. Finally, real Excel users who have accepted the ribbon UI isn't going away have added the Switch Windows menu to the QAT to switch windows with a mouse more easily than hunting for it in ribbon tabs.</p><p>Less sarcastically, I figure you can tell a REAL EXCEL USER by how much is in their QAT, and whether 90% of their ribbon usage is just in the Page Layout tab because everything else they do access through the keyboard or the QAT.</p>

      • arnstarr

        19 September, 2020 - 6:00 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#576849">In reply to hrlngrv:</a></em></blockquote><p>I know someone who fits your real Excel user profile exactly! All true. </p>

  • madthinus

    Premium Member
    19 September, 2020 - 3:08 am

    <p>Excel's sheet management is truly terrible. </p>

    • navarac

      19 September, 2020 - 7:57 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#576746">In reply to madthinus:</a></em></blockquote><p>Having used it daily since Office 95, I can say I'm about used to it now. Muscle memory would be totally wrecked if it changes too much !!</p>

  • mmettin

    Premium Member
    19 September, 2020 - 7:29 am

    <p>I use a paid option to do just that.</p><p><br></p><p>It's called office tab.</p><p><br></p><p>I'd link it here, but don't want to appear as a spammer.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

    • Dave

      19 September, 2020 - 8:47 am

      <blockquote>Ah that's exactly it. Cheers</blockquote><p><br></p>

      • lwetzel

        Premium Member
        19 September, 2020 - 10:23 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#576780">In reply to Dave:</a></em></blockquote><p>Groupy from Stardock adds tabs to anything and it is only $5</p>

    • jrjr

      19 September, 2020 - 12:38 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#576765">In reply to mmettin:</a></em></blockquote><p>That is what I use too. It also adds tabs to Word and PowerPoint.</p>

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