People often ask me which macros in the XLEV8 Excel add-in are my favorites. As you can imagine, I use a lot of them, but the ones below stand out, and below I explain why. It helped to run the Macro Usage report to show which ones I use the most frequently and includes a conservative estimate of how much time they save me. Below are my top 10 favorites and some thoughts about each one. You can also see a video with some of these in action at this article or a larger list of popular macros on the Excel add-in details page.
1. Search Macros 
This one is my favorite because I can quickly and easily type just a few characters to do a Google-like search and run any macro in the entire add-in. With 294 macros in the Excel add-in (108 in Word, and 128 in PowerPoint) at the time of this writing, that’s extremely helpful. It’s like being able to assign unlimited shortcuts! It’s a great way to explore which macros are available!
- Google-like search suggestions to find and run any macro in the add-in
- Results are re-ordered based on usage every time you launch Excel (frequently run macros display at the top)
- Set and un-set keyboard shortcuts for individual macros
- Details about each macro are displayed to the side
2. Copy Special Picker
This one adds a bunch of helpful copy-related options, many of which are separate macros within the add-in. With all the pickers, you can set the default option such that to run the default option, you just have to press the shortcut keys then the Enter key. It’s so much faster than using the mouse, especially if the action takes several mouse clicks. Some of the options I use the most are:
- Copy Select Sum – copies the sum of the selected cells, or a delimitted list if any of the values are not numeric
- Copy Formula – copies the formula as a string so can be pasted to instructions, comments, or pasted absolute
- Copy Range Address – copies the range address to the clipboard, optionally with the sheet/file name
- Copy Workbook – if saved, copies the active file to the clipboard so it can be pasted to a folder, email, etc.
3. Paste Special Picker
This one adds a bunch of helpful paste-related options, many of which are separate macros within the add-in. For most options, you can easily add the option to transpose the copied cells. Some of the options I use the most are:
- Paste Values – pastes values only, no formulas or formats
- Paste Unique Values – paste values and removes duplicates, and optionally sorts ascending or descending
- Paste Formulas – pastes formulas, no formats
- Paste Formats – pastes formats only, similar to the format painter
- Paste Links – pastes links to the copied cells
4. Cell Action Picker
This one displays several options for working with cells, mostly formatting. Some of the options I use the most are:
- Alignment – launches the alignment picker
- Border – lauches the border picker
- Clear – launches the clear picker
- Column/row size – lets you quickly specify the column width or row height
- Conditional Formatting – launches the conditional formatting picker
5. Filter Picker
This one displays several options for working with filters. Filtering is one of the best features in Excel, and this macro helps you perform a lot of common filter-related tasks really quickly. Some of the options I use the most are:
- Filter This – filters to the values in the selected cells
- Unfilter – clears all the filters in place
- Filter Blanks – filters to blanks (or optionally filters them out)
- Filter Zeroes – filters to zero-values (or optionally filters them out)
- Filter to Errors – filters to cells with error values
6. Toggle Cell Highlight
If you’re like me, you are constantly highlighting cells a few different colors. I use them as status codes and for many other uses every day. Some reasons I love this macro:
- Toggles through up to five common fill/highlight colors (plus no fill), applying them to all cells in the selected range
- Set custom fill colors that you use the most (using Highlight Color Picker or Assign Macro Defaults)
- Basically gives you six shortcuts in one
7. Toggle Number Format
I also apply a few common number formats to cells all the time, and this one really expedites it. Some reasons I love this macro:
- Toggles through up to five common number formats, including dates (plus the general format), applying them to all cells in the selected range
- Set custom number formats that you use the most (using Number Format Picker or Assign Macro Defaults)
- Basically gives you six shortcuts in one
8. Sheet Action Picker
This one displays several options for working with sheets. Most sheet actions in Excel require using the mouse, which can be frustrating. This macro allows you to use the keyboard for them and adds some additional functionality. If you use workbooks that have LOTS of sheets, the options in this picker macro can save a lot of time. Some of the options I use the most are:
- Table of Contents – adds a sheet to the front of the workbook listing all the sheets, with hyperlinks
- First Sheet – jumps to the first sheet in the file (especially helpful when the first sheet is a table of contents)
- Rename Sheet – allows you to quickly rename the active sheet
- Unhide Sheets – unhides all hidden sheets in the file
- Select Sheets Basd on Cell Values – selects the sheets based on the selected cells’ values (i.e. from the table of contents)
9. Email File Link
If you work with shared files, this macro is really helpful. Some reasons I love this macro:
- Creates an email in Outlook with a link to the active file or folder containing the file
- Optionally can attach the file to the email containing the link
- Optionally just copy the link to the clipboard to paste in another file for reference
10. Modify Fields
If you constantly run the same report, add a bunch of extra columns with formulas, apply formatting, freeze panes, AutoFilter, etc., this macro can save a lot of time. It’s just one of dozens of bulk task macros in the Excel add-in that can perform repetitive tasks very quickly. Some of the reasons this macro is great:
- Creates a settings sheet where you specify existing columns to modify or additional columns to add
- Modify/add formulas, formats, column widths, hide/show columns, and header labels
- Freeze the panes wherever you want in the sheet
- Apply autofilter and set values to filter the columns to
- Apply to one or more sheets in the file
- Save the settings sheet as a default option that can be applied quickly over and over again
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