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MAY 1

Template tips to boost workflows

Most finance professionals have made this mistake at least once. You open last month's file, update the numbers, hit save, and only then realise you should have saved it as this month's version of the file. This is where templates can help. In this episode, explore how Excel templates solve that problem while also improving consistency across your reporting. Main learnings: How Excel templates prevent accidental file overwrites The difference between workbook, sheet and task-based templates Where to find and manage built-in and personal templates How to create blank templates with pre-set formats and settings Using templates to embed headers, footers and branding Managing template storage, including system and shared folders How to apply templates across teams for consistency and control Tune in now. Host: Neale Blackwood CPA. He has more than 20 years of experience as a Microsoft Excel educator and is the author of more than 200 INTHEBLACK articles as well as a book, Advanced Excel Reporting for Management Accountants. For more, check out the accompanying video - https://youtu.be/RJdT6FF-w58 Read more of Neale's Excel articles on INTHEBLACK. Loving this content? Don't forget to subscribe to EXCEL TIPS and share this episode with your colleagues and friends in the business community. Would you like to listen to more Excel Tips and other CPA Australia podcasts like INTHEBLACK and With Interest? Head to CPA Australia's YouTube channel. And don't forget to subscribe to the channel. You can find a CPA at our custom portal on the CPA Australia website. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK Excel Tips INTHEBLACK Out Loud Search for them in your podcast platform. You can email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au

May 1

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8 min
MAY 13 · VIDEO

Federal Budget 2026-27: CPA Australia's expert analysis

In this special Federal Budget 2026–27 episode, hear expert analysis of the measures announced by Treasurer Jim Chalmers in last night's budget. CPA Australia's business and tax policy experts break down what Budget 2026–27 means for the issues that matter most to businesses and Australians. Analysis and commentary include: Overall reaction: Did the budget deliver? Who were the winners and losers? The tax measures examined, including CGT and negative gearing Building wealth and investor confidence analysed What the budget means for entrepreneurs The impact on businesses, trusts and intergenerational equity Revenues and WATO (Working Australians Tax Offset) explained Productivity and regulation initiatives assessed Tune in for a practical, expert-led breakdown of the budget measures announced in Canberra last night and what they could mean for you and the future of business in Australia. Host: Elinor Kasapidis, chief of policy, Standards and External Affairs Policy, CPA Australia Guests: Gavan Ord, business investment and international lead, Policy and Advocacy, CPA Australia, and Jenny Wong, tax lead, Policy and Advocacy, CPA Australia. For more, head to the Federal Budget 2026-27 page on the CPA Australia website, which has comprehensive coverage of last night's announcement, including CPA Australia's pre-budget submission. And on YouTube later today (May 13), tune into the webinar with CPA Australia's policy experts, who discuss and distil the key announcements from the 2026-27 Australian Federal Budget. This event will have a 1 CPD-hour learning outcome. Loving this episode? Listen to more With Interest episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@CPAaustralia/podcasts And don't forget to subscribe to the channel for a wide range of content that will help your career. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting: With Interest https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/with-interest INTHEBLACK https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack INTHEBLACK Out Loud https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack-outloud Excel Tips https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/excel-tips Search for them in your favourite podcast platform. Email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au

May 13 · Video

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20 min
06/01/2023

22 Excel shortcuts to supercharge your efficiency

Unlock your Excel efficiency with these 22 time-saving shortcuts for everyday work tasks. Tune in now to supercharge your productivity. Timestamps: Files and folders: 1:05 Quick access toolbar: 4:17 Keyboard types: 7:20 Keyboard shortcuts: 9:06 Save as: 12:54 Control key: 13:45 More control key shortcuts: 14:46 Copying: 15:55 Date shortcut: 17:36 Control key combinations: 18:12 The ALT key: 19:46 Grouping: 21:39 Accessing the ribbon with ALT: 22:55 Remove filters: 24:45 Pasting values: 25:01 Queries and connections: 25:07 Digital validation dialog: 25:28 Mouse shortcuts: 25:54 The format painter: 26:42 Border navigation: 27:39 Double clicking the fill: 28:28 Right clicking: 29:14 Host: Neale Blackwood CPA has more than 20 years of experience as a Microsoft Excel educator. He is the author of more than 200 INTHEBLACK articles as well as a book, Advanced Excel Reporting for Management Accountants. There is also an accompanying online article and video of this podcast, which includes a tutorial and sample formulas. CPA Australia publishes three podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK Excel Tips Search for them in your podcast app. You can email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au

06/01/2023

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32 min
MAR 2

Master your messy data

Messy, unstructured data. It slows reporting, creates errors, and tests everyone's patience. Right? This episode breaks down how the new Regular Expressions (REGEX) work and how they help you find patterns in unstructured text, from email addresses to dates and hidden white space. You will learn: what REGEX is and why it matters for accountants and analysts how to use REGEXEXTRACT, REGEXTEST and REGEXREPLACE when to combine REGEXTEST with FILTER for smarter analysis how REGEX now works inside XLOOKUP and XMATCH ways to manage white space and non-standard characters why building a reusable pattern library will save time. Programmers have been using REGEX patterns for decades, but they've only just come to Excel. The good news is Excel's new REGEX functions give finance teams a practical way to take back control. Listen now to help improve your Excel skills. Host: Neale Blackwood CPA. He has more than 20 years of experience as a Microsoft Excel educator and is the author of more than 200 INTHEBLACK articles as well as a book, Advanced Excel Reporting for Management Accountants. For more, check out the accompanying YouTube video of this episode. Read more of Neale's Excel articles on INTHEBLACK. Loving this content? Don't forget to subscribe to EXCEL TIPS and share this episode with your colleagues and friends in the business community. Would you like to listen to more Excel Tips and other CPA Australia podcasts like INTHEBLACK and With Interest? Head to CPA Australia's YouTube channel. And don't forget to subscribe to the channel. You can find a CPA at our custom portal on the CPA Australia website. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK Excel Tips INTHEBLACK Out Loud Search for them in your podcast platform. You can email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au

Mar 2

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6 min
APR 1

Increment dates easily in Excel

What if you could simplify Excel date calculations with one powerful custom function? Well, this episode explains how. You'll learn: How to handle different date increments including days, weeks and months in one function Using the SWITCH function to create a lookup table How the LAMBDA function can be deployed Best practice tips for this custom function Listen now to improve your Excel skills. Host: Neale Blackwood CPA. He has more than 20 years of experience as a Microsoft Excel educator and is the author of more than 200 INTHEBLACK articles as well as a book, Advanced Excel Reporting for Management Accountants. For more, check out the accompanying video for this episode. Read more of Neale's Excel articles on INTHEBLACK. Loving this content? Don't forget to subscribe to EXCEL TIPS and share this episode with your colleagues and friends in the business community. Would you like to listen to more Excel Tips and other CPA Australia podcasts like INTHEBLACK and With Interest? Head to CPA Australia's YouTube channel. And don't forget to subscribe to the channel. You can find a CPA at our custom portal on the CPA Australia website. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK Excel Tips INTHEBLACK Out Loud Search for them in your podcast platform. You can email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au

Apr 1

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7 min
12/01/2025

Unlock 7 underused Excel features you still need today

Handy new Excel features are added regularly – but some "older" functions are still particularly useful to your workflows. Smart power users know these older functions and their value – which is why this episode highlights some of the overlooked Excel features that are still valuable to your spreadsheet work today. Tips include: How multiple windows make it easier to copy and compare How the grouping feature works well with rows and columns How auto outline and subtotals automate structure and hierarchy in datasets Techniques for selecting visible cells to avoid errors during copying How custom lists save time and support non-alphabetic sorting This is a practical guide for anyone looking to sharpen their Excel capability, streamline reporting and improve their workflow efficiency. Listen now. Host: Neale Blackwood CPA. He has more than 20 years of experience as a Microsoft Excel educator and is the author of more than 200 INTHEBLACK articles as well as a book, Advanced Excel Reporting for Management Accountants. For more, check out the accompanying YouTube video of this episode. Read more of Neale's Excel articles on INTHEBLACK. Loving this content? Would you like to listen to more Excel Tips and other CPA Australia podcasts like INTHEBLACK and With Interest? Head to CPA Australia's YouTube channel. And don't forget to subscribe to the channel. You can find a CPA at our custom portal on the CPA Australia website. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK Excel Tips INTHEBLACK Out Loud Search for them in your podcast platform. You can email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au

12/01/2025

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16 min
07/02/2023

Why Excel can be a university student's secret weapon

Are you a university student or recent graduate? Are you looking to gain a competitive edge in the job market, specifically in the fields of accounting and finance? Then this episode is what you need! Packed with practical advice tailored to your needs, it will equip you with valuable Excel tips that will enhance your employability as you move into your first accounting or finance role. Delve into the world of Excel and hear expert insights on how to leverage this powerful spreadsheet tool. Tune in now and unlock the secrets to succeeding with Excel. Host: Neale Blackwood CPA has more than 20 years of experience as a Microsoft Excel educator. He is the author of more than 200 INTHEBLACK articles as well as a book, Advanced Excel Reporting for Management Accountants. CPA Australia publishes three podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK Excel Tips Search for them in your podcast platform. You can email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au

07/02/2023

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26 min
11/03/2025

How to simplify complex calculations with custom functions

Did you know that you can transform the way you can build models, reports and schedules with custom functions? This episode guides you on how they make complex calculations cleaner and easier to maintain. You'll also learn practical ways to document, test and reuse these functions for consistent results. In this episode, an Excel expert will: Explain how to create custom functions using the LAMBDA function Outline how the LET function works Demonstrate creating a loan schedule "mega formula" Cover useful functions like HSTACK and VSTACK Perfect for accountants, analysts and finance professionals ready to take Excel mastery to the next level. Tune in now. Host: Neale Blackwood CPA. He has more than 20 years of experience as a Microsoft Excel educator and is the author of more than 200 INTHEBLACK articles as well as a book, Advanced Excel Reporting for Management Accountants. There is a useful companion video to go with this episode of Excel Tips. And you can read more of Neale's Excel articles on INTHEBLACK. You can find a CPA at our custom portal on the CPA Australia website. Loving this content? Would you like to listen to more Excel Tips and other CPA Australia podcasts like INTHEBLACK and With Interest? Head to CPA Australia's YouTube channel. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK Excel Tips INTHEBLACK Out Loud Search for them in your podcast platform. You can email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au

11/03/2025

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8 min
04/06/2023

Learn Excel's built-in artificial intelligence feature

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has come to Microsoft Excel, and it will make your life easier when working with data. The AI function can easily create PivotTables and PivotCharts, which is useful for analysis and audit work. You can also generate reports at the click of a button. Listen here to learn more. Host: Neale Blackwood CPA has more than 20 years of experience as a Microsoft Excel educator. He is the author of more than 200 INTHEBLACK articles as well as a book, Advanced Excel Reporting for Management Accountants. You can also read the accompanying online article and video tutorial of this podcast. BOILERPLATE COPY (REPEATS EVERY EPISODE) CPA Australia publishes three podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting: With Interest INTHEBLACK Excel Tips Search for them on your podcast platform. You can email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au

04/06/2023

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11 min
MAY 12 · VIDEO

Layne Beachley's mindset strategies (including her 7% rule)

Layne Beachley AO has done it all in the sporting arena – she's a seven-time world surfing champion, after all. And through her incredible journey, she's learned powerful mindset strategies that could help you today. And it's not what you might think. Drawing on her experience as a sporting great, Layne connects elite sport principles to the realities of accounting and finance, offering practical ways to manage stress, sustain energy and make clearer decisions in demanding roles. And you can apply these habits to your own work life in finance and accounting to improve your performance, focus and resilience – in other words, to help bring out the best version of you. In this special episode, Layne also shares how her 7% rule helps professionals reset, refocus and perform under pressure. Other key learnings include: Practical ways to reset your nervous system during the workday The importance of mental health and how to switch off What success actually looks like How to deal with pressure when you're busy at home and at work How leaders can embed resilience into team culture The one thing accountants and CFOs can take away from this episode Layne brings a unique perspective from elite sport, translating high-performance habits into practical actions you can apply immediately. Tune in now for elite insights into how you can make improvements to your daily work habits. Host: Tahn Sharpe, Editor, CPA Australia Guests: Layne Beachley, a seven-time world surfing champion, widely regarded as one of the greatest surfers of all time. She's also a high-performance mindset coach, helping professionals translate elite sporting principles into everyday success. Layne Beachley will be speaking at CPA Week 2026 in June. And head online for more about Layne Beachley's Awake Academy. Loving this episode? Listen to more INTHEBLACK episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. Go to our podcast page CPA Australia - YouTube And of course, click subscribe to the channel today. We deliver regular content that will help boost your career skills and capabilities. Additionally, INTHEBLACK online has stories on everyday ethics issues. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts INTHEBLACK https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack INTHEBLACK Out Loud https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack-outloud Excel Tips Excel Tips | CPA Australia With Interest https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/with-interest Search for them in your favourite podcast platform. Email the podcast team at podcasts@cpaaustralia.com.au

May 12 · Video

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24 min

CPA Australia podcasts provide commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting.

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CPA Australia

Top Shows

Template tips to boost workflows

Federal Budget 2026-27: CPA Australia's expert analysis

22 Excel shortcuts to supercharge your efficiency

Master your messy data

Increment dates easily in Excel

Unlock 7 underused Excel features you still need today

Why Excel can be a university student's secret weapon

How to simplify complex calculations with custom functions

Learn Excel's built-in artificial intelligence feature

Layne Beachley's mindset strategies (including her 7% rule)

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