Ever wanted to do a "ToDo" entry in Excel?

Being able to add a tick mark ("done") at the beginning of an Excel line makes it possible to create "To do" lists (or rather, it makes it possible to mark something in a list as "complete").

As usual, you can do this manually.
Alternatively, you can create a macro to do it for you, and then add a shortcut button the the Excel Quick Access Toolbar. 

The manual (one-off) way

If you just want to do the odd one, and aren't interested in automating it, use the "Symbol" facility.

• Go to the line containing the text you want to Tick. 
• Edit the line (F2 or click in the Edit bar below the Ribbon)
• Go to the beginning of the line
• On the Ribbon, select the Insert tab, and click on "Symbol" (far right hand side of the Ribbon)
• Selecrt the Windings font
• Scroll down to the bottom; right on the bottom row of characters, you'll see the tick symbol.
• Click on that, click on Insert, add spaces etc if you want to tidy it up - and there you are!

Automating it - using a macro.

If you need to be able to add a Tick Mark quickly and easily, here's a macro that will do it for you. I have to assume here that you know how to Create a Macro in Excel.

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Sub Tick()
'
' Excel macro to add a bullet symbol (character 252 in Wingdings font)
' before text in a cell
'
' V1
' Chris Sharpe, Ubestree IT,  2011
' www.ubestree.co.uk/hintsntips
'
    ActiveCell.Value = String(1, 252) & " " & ActiveCell.Value
   
    With ActiveCell.Characters(Start:=1, Length:=1).Font
        .Name = "Wingdings"
        .FontStyle = "Bold"
'        .Size = 11
        .Strikethrough = False
        .Superscript = False
        .Subscript = False
        .OutlineFont = False
        .Shadow = False
        .Underline = xlUnderlineStyleNone
        .ThemeColor = xlThemeColorLight1
        .TintAndShade = 0
        .ThemeFont = xlThemeFontNone
    End With
End Sub

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 If you'd like to know more, or have any comments on this tip, phone or email - details above.