Your numbers are lying to you 😦

Hi there! Pop the confetti (or the Pivot Tables): This is the 200th edition of The Workbook! 🥳 

Whether you’ve been with us since the very beginning or are just joining us, I’m so happy you’re here. And since The Workbook is all about you, I’d love your input to see how we can make it even better!

The 10-Second Formula That Fixes =SUM() 

Imagine your boss asks for an expense summary from donors five minutes before a meeting. 💼 The good news: all the expenses are in Excel. The bad news: every amount was imported into one messy column.

“No problem,” you think. “I’ll just use =SUM().”

But when you drag the formula down…every row shows the exact same total. 🫠 

Upon closer inspection, you find the culprit: those "numbers" aren't numbers at all. They're comma-separated text strings.

Deep breath. There’s an easy fix! Just use the formula: =SUM(--TEXTSPLIT(B3,”,”))

Here’s how it works: The double negative (--) converts each text into a number. TEXTSPLIT splits it apart at each comma. Then SUM adds them all up! 

Voila! And if your numbers are divided by spaces or semicolons instead? Just swap the “,” in the formula with “;” or “ “ and Excel handles the rest.

14 Outlook Shortcuts I Can’t Live Without

I come bearing gifts! 🎁 

Here are the 14 Outlook shortcuts I use every day, all in one handy graphic. From creating new emails without touching your mouse to deleting messages, each one shaves seconds off tasks you do a hundred times a day (and those seconds add up fast 😉 ).

Save it, print it, and tape it to your monitor. Your inbox is about to move a whole lot faster!

There’s No Such Thing as the Wrong Decision 🚪

I swear we’ve all been in this situation—one where you’re facing a big decision, you’ve made your pros and cons list (in Excel, naturally), and yet you still find yourself awake at 2 AM, whispering to the ceiling: 

“But what if I choose wrong?” 

I’ve been there. 😅 The promotion or switching career paths. The move to a new city or staying put. And no matter how detailed your pros and cons list, the fear that you might make the “wrong” choice is all-consuming. 

But what if I told you that there’s no such thing as a wrong decision? 

Of course, if an option comes with flashing red flags, listen to your gut! But when you’re torn between two solid options? The reframe isn’t to see one path as “right” and the other as “wrong.”

It’s to realize that you are what makes a path right. 

That’s exactly how I approached moving to Sedona, Arizona. 🏜️ Was I nervous? Very! But instead of waiting for life to hand me a verdict, I wrote my own: I dove into my community, poured love into my friendships, and built a life I adore. 

Sedona didn't turn out to be the right decision. I made it the right decision. (See the difference?) 

So if you're standing at a crossroads right now, remember: you can't choose wrong. You can only choose, and then decide what you build on the other side.  

Whichever door you pick, I'll be cheering. 💚

P.S. I share more life tips like this one on my new Instagram, @kat_norton! Follow me to get direct insights that’ll help you maximize your life, energy, career, and so much more. ✨ 

• Stop doing this one thing if you want to level-up your career.

• Tired: manually typing long numbers. Wired: Using barcodes in Excel. 

• These five Excel shortcuts will save you 3+ hours a week. 

• Don’t have a second monitor? No problem! Try this trick. 🖥️ 

• This ChatGPT interview prep trick feels illegal. 😦

Thanks for reading! I just got back from the most incredible trip in Europe with my dad, George, and my heart is so full. Feeling very grateful for all the time I got to spend in the “Georgetal” (what we call time spent with my dad who happens to be the most fun person ever). 

Stay Exceling,

Kat