Configure Your Quick Access Toolbar for Tax Season — 10 Commands, 10 Keystrokes

TL;DR: The Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) is the tiny row of icons above or below Excel’s ribbon. Most people ignore it. But every position becomes a keyboard shortcut — Alt+1 for the first command, Alt+2 for the second, up to Alt+9. Move your 10 most-used commands there and you eliminate hundreds of mouse clicks per day. This post shows you exactly which 10 commands to add, why each one matters for tax work, and how to set it all up in under five minutes.

#What Is the Quick Access Toolbar?

The QAT is the small row of icons in the top-left corner of Excel, above or below the ribbon. By default, it shows Save, Undo, and Redo. Most people never touch it.

Here’s what matters: every position on the QAT is accessible by keyboard. Position 1 = Alt+1. Position 2 = Alt+2. Up to Alt+9 (position 10 and beyond require two digits, e.g., Alt+0+1, which is still faster than the ribbon but harder to memorize).

The QAT also works across all workbooks — the commands you add stay there regardless of which file you open. It’s the only toolbar in Excel that you fully control.

The math: A tax preparer working a 10-hour day clicks the ribbon 1,500–2,000 times. Each click takes ~2 seconds to locate and execute. Moving 10 common commands to the QAT eliminates ~200 clicks per day. That’s 6–7 minutes saved just on navigation. Add the cognitive benefit of not context-switching between “thinking about tax” and “hunting through the ribbon,” and the real-time saved is closer to 15–20 minutes.

#Step-by-Step Setup (Under 5 Minutes)

#Step 1: Move the QAT Below the Ribbon

By default, the QAT sits in the tiny title bar above the ribbon. You can barely see it. Move it below the ribbon so it’s larger, more visible, and closer to your data.

1. Click the dropdown arrow at the right end of the QAT (the tiny ▾ icon).
2. Select “Show Below the Ribbon.”

The QAT now extends across the full width of the window just above the formula bar, with larger icons. Alt+1 through Alt+9 still work exactly the same.

#Step 2: Add the 10 Recommended Commands

There are two ways to add commands to the QAT:

• Right-click any ribbon command → “Add to Quick Access Toolbar.” Fastest for commands you can see.
• QAT dropdown → More Commands → Choose commands from the full list. Best for commands not on the ribbon or when you want to reorder.

Here are the 10 commands to add, in order, with their final shortcut keys:

Position	Shortcut	Command	Why It’s on the List
1	Alt+1	Save	You press this 80+ times per day. One key.
2	Alt+2	Save As	Timestamped backups, copies for the client, format conversions
3	Alt+3	Quick Print	Print the active sheet without the Print dialog
4	Alt+4	Print Preview	Check layout before printing (and before the partner sees it)
5	Alt+5	Email (Send as Attachment)	Attach the current workbook to a new email in one click
6	Alt+6	Camera	Live snapshot of a range — paste a dynamic picture anywhere
7	Alt+7	Watch Window	Monitor key cells (totals, flags) while working on other sheets
8	Alt+8	Freeze Panes	Toggle freeze panes at the current cell with one key
9	Alt+9	Spell Check	Review → Spelling, now one keystroke
10	Alt+0→1	Macro Security	Enable or disable macros without digging through Trust Center

#Step 3: Reorder and Remove

In the QAT customization dialog (dropdown → More Commands), the right panel shows your QAT commands in order. Use the up/down arrows to arrange them. Remove commands you never use (Undo and Redo are fine at positions 1 and 2 — move Save to 3 if you prefer Ctrl+Z and Ctrl+Y).

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#The 10 Commands — Tax Workpaper Use Cases

#1. Save — Alt+1

Why it’s position 1: You save after every meaningful edit. After pasting in the trial balance. After updating the period-end date. Before running a macro. After the macro finishes. Before closing the lid on your laptop. Ctrl+S already exists, but position 1 is about starting a pattern: the first QAT key you learn is the one you’ll use most. If you already have Ctrl+S burned into muscle memory, keep Position 1 as Save anyway — it makes the toolbar predictable for anyone who sits at your desk.

Tax scenario: You just linked the period-end date across 29 tabs using the Bulk Date Updater macro. VBA has no undo. Alt+1 saves before you run it. Alt+1 saves again after. Two keystrokes, zero anxiety.

#2. Save As — Alt+2

Why it’s position 2: Before any destructive macro. Before sending to a client. Before starting a new review cycle. You want a timestamped copy in the same folder. Alt+2 opens the Save As dialog. Type the filename (or let the Timestamped Backup macro do it for you). Done.

Tax scenario: The partner emails: “Send me the Henderson workpapers before you run the year-end close adjustments.” You Alt+2, add “_pre-close” to the filename, save. Then close the dialog and start working on the original. If you mess something up, the snapshot is right there.

#3. Quick Print — Alt+3

Why it’s position 3: Quick Print sends the active sheet directly to the default printer — no dialog, no preview, no page count confirmation. It’s the fastest way to get ink on paper. Use it when you know the sheet fits on one page and you just need a physical copy.

Tax scenario: The partner walks to your desk and says “Print the M-1 for me.” You click on the M-1 tab. Alt+3. The printer across the room whirs to life. The partner is still standing there, mildly impressed. You didn’t navigate File → Print → Print Active Sheets → Print.

Warning: Quick Print bypasses the preview. If the sheet is 47 columns wide, it prints across 14 pages. Use Print Preview (Alt+4) first on sheets you haven’t printed before.

#4. Print Preview — Alt+4

Why it’s position 4: Before Quick Print. Before the partner sees the workpaper. Before you PDF a schedule for the client. Print Preview shows you exactly what the printed page will look like — margins, page breaks, headers, and footers. Problems you catch in preview are free. Problems the partner catches cost you credibility.

Tax scenario: You’ve been working on the Henderson fixed asset schedule all morning. The depreciation total is in column P. Alt+4 reveals that column P is on page 3 because the print area only goes to column O. You adjust the print area before printing. The partner never knows there was an issue.

#5. Email (Send as Attachment) — Alt+5

Why it’s position 5: Attaches the current workbook to a new Outlook email without File → Share → Email → Send as Attachment. The subject line defaults to the file name. The body is blank. You fill in the recipient and hit Send.

Tax scenario: The client asks “Can you send me the current depreciation schedule?” You Alt+5. Outlook opens with the workbook attached. Type the client’s email. Send. Six seconds from request to sent. The client thinks you had it ready — and functionally, you did.

Note: This command requires Outlook as your default email client. If your firm uses webmail or a different client, skip this one or replace it with Publish as PDF (exports the workbook as PDF and opens it for review).

#6. Camera — Alt+6

Why it’s position 6: The Camera tool is Excel’s most underrated feature. It takes a live snapshot of any range and pastes it as a dynamic picture. The picture updates automatically when the source range changes. It’s a live dashboard widget, not a static image.

Tax scenario: You’re building a cover sheet for the Henderson workpapers. The partner wants to see three key numbers on one page: total assets from the balance sheet, taxable income from the M-1, and total depreciation from the fixed asset schedule. Instead of copy-pasting values (which go stale instantly), you use the Camera:

1. Select the range on the balance sheet showing total assets.
2. Alt+6. The cursor becomes a crosshair.
3. Click on the cover sheet where you want the snapshot.
4. Repeat for M-1 taxable income and depreciation total.

Now the cover sheet shows live numbers. The partner opens the file, sees all three key figures on one page, and doesn’t have to flip through tabs. When you update the depreciation schedule, the cover sheet updates automatically.

How to add Camera to the QAT: Camera is not on the default ribbon — it’s a “command not in the ribbon.” In the QAT customization dialog, change the dropdown from “Popular Commands” to “Commands Not in the Ribbon.” Scroll down to Camera. Add it.

#7. Watch Window — Alt+7

Why it’s position 7: The Watch Window is a floating panel that displays the current value of any cells you add to it — even cells on different sheets. It stays visible while you work on other tabs. It’s like pinning key cells to your screen.

Tax scenario: You’re adjusting journal entries on Sheet 3, but the number that matters is the total taxable income on Sheet 1. Without the Watch Window, you toggle back and forth — make an adjustment, flip to Sheet 1, check the total, flip back. With the Watch Window: add the taxable income cell from Sheet 1 to the watch list. Work on Sheet 3. Watch the total update in real-time in the floating panel. When it hits the target number, you stop.

Common watch targets during tax prep:

• Taxable income — the number every adjustment flows into
• Book-tax difference totals — are your M-1 adjustments balancing?
• State apportionment percentages — did that schedule change shift the factor?
• Depreciation total — the number reviewers compare to the fixed asset register
• Trial balance check figure — debits minus credits should be zero

Add a cell to the Watch Window: Alt+7 → Add Watch → select the cell → Add. Remove a cell: select it in the Watch Window panel → Delete.

#8. Freeze Panes — Alt+8

Why it’s position 8: Freeze Panes locks rows or columns in place while you scroll. It’s on the View tab, buried three clicks deep — View → Freeze Panes → Freeze Panes. The QAT button toggles between “Freeze Panes” and “Unfreeze Panes” based on whether the active cell has a freeze applied.

Tax scenario: Your trial balance has 400 rows. The header row (Account, Description, CY Balance, PY Balance) scrolls off-screen past row 25. You click cell A2. Alt+8 freezes row 1. Now you scroll to row 387 and still see the column headers. When you’re done reviewing and want normal scrolling back, Alt+8 again unfreezes.

The one-click pattern: Click the cell below and to the right of what you want frozen. Then Alt+8.

• Freeze row 1 only: click A2, then Alt+8.
• Freeze column A only: click B1, then Alt+8.
• Freeze both: click B2, then Alt+8.

#9. Spell Check — Alt+9

Why it’s position 9: The last line of defense before a workpaper hits the partner’s desk. Excel’s spell checker catches typos in cell text, text boxes, headers, footers, chart titles, and sheet names. When you’re tired at 9 PM on March 12th and you’ve been staring at numbers for 11 hours, you will miss typos. The spell checker won’t.

Tax scenario: You’ve finished the Henderson engagement workpapers. The cover letter says “We have reviwed the Company’s Form 1120S…” You didn’t notice because your brain autocorrected it. The partner notices. Now the partner wonders what else you missed. Alt+9 catches “reviwed” before it leaves your computer.

What it catches: Misspelled words in cell text, text box content, chart titles, headers and footers. By default, it checks the active sheet only. To check all sheets: Ctrl+click each sheet tab (or right-click a tab → Select All Sheets) first, then Alt+9.

What it doesn’t catch: Numbers that should be text, wrong formulas, incorrect account classifications, tax positions — that’s your job.

#10. Macro Security — Alt+0→1

Why it’s position 10: Macros are disabled by default in modern Excel. When you open a workbook with macros, you get a security warning bar. Clicking “Enable Content” works for that session. But if you’re downloading and testing macros regularly (say, from this blog), you want faster access to the macro security settings.

Tax scenario: You downloaded a sample workbook from Delete Broken Named Ranges to test before adding the macro to your Personal Macro Workbook. The macros are disabled. You need to enable them for this file without changing global settings. Alt+0→1 opens Macro Security. Choose “Disable all macros with notification” (the safe default) and click OK. The security bar reappears — click “Enable Content” and the macros are live.

If your firm locks down macro security via Group Policy: This command will be grayed out. In that case, replace position 10 with Paste Values (the most-used Paste Special command — Alt+0→1 becomes your one-key value paste).

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#Why This Specific Order?

The order matters because the shortcuts become Alt+1 through Alt+9. You want the most-used commands on the easiest-to-reach keys. Here’s the rationale:

• Alt+1 (Save): Your index finger naturally rests near the 1 key. Save is the most frequent operation. Muscle-memory match.
• Alt+2 through Alt+5: Save As, Print, Preview, Email. These are the workflow commands — you use them in sequence (preview, then print; save copy, then email). Keeping them adjacent means your fingers stay in one row.
• Alt+6 through Alt+8: Camera, Watch Window, Freeze Panes. These are the “while working” commands — you toggle them during review, not in a hurry. They’re on the farther keys because you access them less frequently.
• Alt+9 (Spell Check): The end-of-session command. Run it once before you close the file. Position 9 is easy to remember as “the last thing I do.”
• Alt+0→1 (Macro Security): Two-digit shortcut because you access it infrequently — once per downloaded workbook, maybe a few times per week.

You can rearrange them however you want. The principle is: most-used = lowest number.

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#Pro Tips

#Learn Them in Order

Don’t try to memorize all 10 shortcuts at once. Start with the first three:

• Week 1: Alt+1 (Save), Alt+2 (Save As), Alt+3 (Quick Print)
• Week 2: Add Alt+4 (Print Preview) and Alt+9 (Spell Check)
• Week 3: Add Alt+5 (Email) and Alt+8 (Freeze Panes)
• Week 4: Add Alt+6 (Camera), Alt+7 (Watch Window), and Alt+0→1 (Macro Security)

After four weeks, all 10 are in your hands. No memorization effort — you just use them.

#Import/Export Your QAT Configuration

If you use multiple computers (office desktop, home laptop, client-site laptop), you can export your QAT setup to a file and import it on the other machines:

1. Export: QAT dropdown → More Commands → Import/Export → Export All Customizations. Saves a .exportedUI file.
2. Import: Same path on the other computer → Import Customization File → select the file.

This also backs up your custom ribbon tabs if you’ve created any. The file is small (a few KB) — email it to yourself or save it to the firm’s shared drive.

#Combine QAT with Macros

The QAT isn’t just for built-in Excel commands. Every macro you add to your Personal Macro Workbook appears in the “Macros” category when customizing the QAT. Add your most-used macros to the QAT and they get Alt+number shortcuts too.

Recommended macros to add to QAT:

• Unhide All Sheets — one-click after opening any inherited workbook
• Filter Remover — clear mystery filters before sending to client
• Timestamped Backup — if you don’t use the macro’s standalone shortcut

How: QAT dropdown → More Commands → Choose commands from: Macros → select the macro → Add. The button label will be the macro’s full name (PERSONAL.XLSB!UnhideAllSheets). You can rename it: select the macro in the right panel → Modify → type a short display name (“Unhide All”).

#The QAT Works in All Office Apps

This setup works in Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook too. Your Alt+1 through Alt+9 habits transfer. In Word: Alt+1 for Save, Alt+3 for Quick Print, Alt+9 for Spell Check — exactly the same positions. If you’re writing engagement letters in Word and building workpapers in Excel, the QAT consistency means one set of shortcuts for two apps.

#When to Use the QAT vs. a Macro

Some operations are better as QAT buttons. Some are better as macros.

Use the QAT when:

• Excel already has the command (Save, Print, Spell Check)
• You just want faster access to an existing feature
• The operation is one click that you repeat frequently

Use a macro when:

• No built-in command exists (Unhide All Sheets, Strip External Links)
• The operation requires multiple steps (scan every sheet, build a report)
• You want to share the solution with your team (export the .bas file)

The QAT and macros complement each other — the QAT gives you fast access to Excel’s built-in tools. Macros give you tools Excel doesn’t have.

#When Alt+Numbers Are Obstructed

Laptops and compact keyboards sometimes put the number row behind a Fn modifier, or use a numpad that requires NumLock to be on. If Alt+1 doesn’t trigger your first QAT command:

• On most laptops: The number row above QWERTY works without Fn. Alt+1 should work directly.
• If it doesn’t: Check that you’re using the number row, not the numpad. Alt+numpad keys trigger different behavior (ASCII character entry, not QAT shortcuts).
• Alternative — click the icon: The QAT icons are larger and more accessible below the ribbon. Even if you click them instead of using Alt+1, you’re still saving time over navigating the ribbon tabs.

#Adapt It