Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Keyboard Shortcut for Comments.
Larry often adds comments to cells in his worksheets. He wonders if there is a keyboard shortcut for adding those comments.
Normally you would insert a comment by selecting the cell you want, choosing the Insert menu, and then clicking the Comment option. If you prefer to not take your hands off the keyboard, however, Excel does provide two different ways you can insert comments.
The first method is actually a keyboard equivalent for invoking the Comment option on the Insert menu. All you need to do is press Alt, I, M. The Alt key is used to activate the menus, then the following two keystrokes select the Insert tab and the Comment command, in turn. (You don't need to hold down the Alt key as you press the two keys after it.)
The third method to insert a comment is to simply press Shift+F2. This shortcut produces the exact same result as the previous one—it opens a comment box in the current cell. (If one already exists in the cell, then it is opened; if one does not exist, one is added and opened.)
You should note that the Shift+F2 shortcut works just fine in Excel 2003, but it is unclear whether it works in earlier versions of Excel, such as Excel 97. If it doesn't, just remember that the Alt, I, M approach will work in your case.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (12316) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Keyboard Shortcut for Comments.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: 
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