Excel provides a wide range of formatting for both the contents of cells and their appearance so that the cells show exactly the data you want, in the right format, and with the appropriate emphasis. You can apply most cell formatting using the keyboard.
[Alt] - [']
[Ctrl] - [1]
This shortcut works only with the 1 key in the key row, not the 1 key on the keypad.
[Ctrl] - [Shift] - [~]
[Ctrl] - [Shift] - [$]
[Ctrl] - [Shift] - [%]
[Ctrl] - [Shift] - [^]
[Ctrl] - [Shift] - [#]
[Ctrl] - [Shift] - [@]
[Ctrl] - [Shift] - [!]
[Ctrl] - [5]
Excel includes two shortcuts for applying and removing an outline border by using the keyboard.
[Ctrl] - [Shift] - [ & ]
[Ctrl] - [Shift] - [_]
For more complex borders, press [Ctrl] - [1] , and then use the Borders tab of the Format Cells dialog box (Figure 5-1). This tab is largely graphical, but you can also manipulate its border controls by using [Alt] -based keyboard shortcuts. Unlike most dialog box shortcuts, these shortcuts aren t marked with underscores, so most people don t know about them.
[Alt] - [T]
[Alt] - [B]
[Alt] - [L]
[Alt] - [R]
[Alt] - [D]
[Alt] - [U]
[Alt] - [H]
[Alt] - [V]
You can also use the access keys that are displayed on the Borders tab: [Alt] - [N] to apply the None preset, [Alt] - [O] to apply the Outline preset, [Alt] - [I] to apply the Inside preset (to a multicell selection only), and so on.