How to Add a Note to a Cell in Excel

In this article you will learn how to add, edit and delete a note in Excel.

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How is the note feature useful?

Notes in Excel are a useful feature that allows you to provide additional information to a cell. Here are some ways notes can be helpful in Excel:

1. Provide context: If you have a complex spreadsheet with a lot of data, it can be difficult for others to understand the meaning behind specific cells or calculations. Notes can provide additional context and clarity to help others understand what is going on in the spreadsheet.
2. Explain formulas: If you have a formula in a cell that is particularly complicated, you can add a note explaining what the formula does and how it works. This can help others who may need to modify the formula or understand how it's being used.
3. Flag potential issues: If you have data in a cell that requires additional attention or may be incorrect, you can add a note to flag the issue. This can help you or others identify potential errors or inconsistencies in the data.
4. Collaborate with others: If you are working on a spreadsheet with others, notes can be a useful way to communicate with each other. You can use notes to ask questions, provide feedback, or make suggestions.

Overall, notes can be a powerful tool for improving the clarity and usability of your Excel spreadsheets.

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How to insert a note in Excel?

Step 1: Select the cell where you want to insert the note.

Step 2: Right-click the cell and select "New Note" from the context menu. Alternatively, you can click on the "Review" tab in the Excel ribbon, then click on “Note” and then "New Note".

Step 3: A text box will appear next to the selected cell. Type your note into the text box.

Step 4: Click outside the text box to close it. The note will remain visible in the cell as a small red triangle mark in the upper-right corner.

Step 5: To view the note again, hover your mouse over the cell with the note and the note will appear in a popup box.

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Shortcuts to add a note in Excel

Keyboard shortcuts can also be used to add notes to an Excel cell, please see below for the shortcuts to be used:

1. Select the cell where you want to add the note.
2. Press "Shift" + "F2" keys on your keyboard.
3. Type your note in the box that appears.
4. Press "Enter" to save the note. 

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Editing and deleting Notes in Excel

You can also edit or delete a note by right-clicking the cell and selecting "Edit Note" or "Delete Note" from the context menu..

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How are Notes different from Comments in Excel?

There are two ways to add contextual information to a spreadsheet, Notes and comments. Please see below to understand how the two differ from each other:

1. Reply feature: Notes are used by users to share information with other people who are reviewing / working on the same file. However this can be unidirectional only, meaning the other users will not be able to reply to the note. Comments are threaded in nature which means they have the reply feature allowing users to respond to each other and have a conversation.
2. Formatting: Notes allow you to format text or add images versus comments which do not have this feature
3. Visuals: Notes look like a Yellow post-it note versus a comment which has a white background and looks like a chat box. Additionally one can resize Notes based on their requirements however you cannot resize a comment box. 

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You can learn about other Excel and Google Sheets formulas and tips that are not mentioned here on this page: LiveFlow‘s How to Guides