How to Use Comments and Notes in Excel

Microsoft Excel is widely known for its powerful calculation, analysis, and data visualization capabilities. However, one often overlooked feature that significantly improves collaboration and clarity is the ability to add comments and notes to cells. These tools allow users to explain data, provide context, ask questions, or leave instructions without altering the actual content of a worksheet.

Over the years, Excel has evolved its annotation features. What were once simply called “comments” are now divided into Comments (threaded comments) and Notes (legacy comments). Understanding the difference between these two, and knowing when and how to use each, can dramatically improve communication, reduce errors, and make spreadsheets easier to maintain.

This article provides a comprehensive guide to using comments and notes in Excel, covering their differences, creation, formatting, management, best practices, and real-world use cases.

Understanding Comments vs Notes in Excel

Before diving into how to use them, it’s important to understand the distinction between Comments and Notes, as they serve different purposes.

What Are Comments (Threaded Comments)?

Comments, sometimes referred to as modern or threaded comments, are designed for collaboration. They allow multiple users to participate in discussions directly within a cell, similar to comments in Google Sheets or Microsoft Word.

Key characteristics of comments:

• Support reply threads
• Show author names
• Include timestamps
• Ideal for shared workbooks and team environments
• Integrated with Microsoft 365 collaboration features

What Are Notes (Legacy Comments)?

Notes are the original form of comments in Excel and are now labeled as “Notes.” They are intended for simple annotations or reminders rather than conversations.

Key characteristics of notes:

• Single message per cell
• No replies or threading
• Typically used for explanations or documentation
• Can be resized and formatted
• Often used in templates or reports

Understanding this difference helps you choose the right tool for your specific needs.

When to Use Comments and When to Use Notes

Use Comments When

• Collaborating with others
• Reviewing spreadsheets
• Asking or answering questions
• Tracking feedback
• Working in shared or cloud-based files

Use Notes When

• Adding explanations or clarifications
• Documenting formulas or assumptions
• Creating training or instructional spreadsheets
• Adding reminders for yourself
• Preserving compatibility with older Excel workflows

Choosing the right annotation method improves both clarity and usability.

How to Add a Comment in Excel

Adding a comment is simple and intuitive.

Steps to Add a Comment

1. Select the cell where you want to add a comment

2. Right-click the cell

3. Choose New Comment

   • Alternatively, go to the Review tab and click New Comment

4. Type your message

5. Press Post or click outside the comment box

Once added, the cell will display a small purple indicator in the corner, signaling that a comment is present.

How to Reply to Comments

One of the major advantages of comments is the ability to have discussions.

To Reply to a Comment

1. Click on the cell containing the comment
2. Open the comment pane
3. Type your reply in the reply box
4. Click Post

Each reply is added to the thread with the author’s name and timestamp, making it easy to follow conversations.

How to Edit or Delete a Comment

Editing a Comment

1. Click the comment
2. Select the three-dot menu
3. Choose Edit
4. Make changes and save

Deleting a Comment

1. Right-click the cell

2. Choose Delete Comment

   • Or use the Review tab

Note that deleting a comment removes the entire thread.

How to Add a Note in Excel

Adding a note follows a slightly different process.

Steps to Add a Note

1. Select the cell

2. Right-click

3. Choose New Note

   • Or go to Review → Notes → New Note

4. Type your text

5. Click outside the note area

The cell will display a red triangle in the top-right corner, indicating a note is present.

Viewing Notes in Excel

Notes do not appear automatically like comments.

Ways to View Notes

• Hover over the cell with your mouse
• Right-click and choose Show/Hide Note
• Use Review → Notes → Show All Notes

This flexibility makes notes useful for background information that does not interrupt workflow.

Editing and Deleting Notes

Editing a Note

1. Right-click the cell
2. Choose Edit Note
3. Make your changes

Deleting a Note

1. Right-click the cell
2. Choose Delete Note

Unlike comments, notes do not support multiple authors or replies.

Formatting Notes for Better Readability

One advantage of notes is their formatting flexibility.

You can:

• Change font size and type
• Adjust background color
• Resize the note box
• Move the note location

To Format a Note

1. Right-click the note border
2. Select Format Comment
3. Customize appearance as needed

This is particularly useful when creating training spreadsheets or explanatory templates.

Navigating Between Comments and Notes

Excel provides tools to manage annotations efficiently.

Using the Review Tab

• Next Comment / Previous Comment to navigate comments
• Show Comments to open the comment pane
• Notes menu to manage notes

These tools are essential when working with large spreadsheets containing many annotations.

Converting Notes to Comments (and Vice Versa)

Excel allows conversion between notes and comments, which can be helpful when upgrading older files.

Convert Notes to Comments

1. Go to Review
2. Click Notes
3. Choose Convert to Comments

This allows you to modernize spreadsheets for collaborative use.

Printing Comments and Notes

Sometimes annotations need to be included in printed reports.

Printing Options

1. Go to Page Layout

2. Open Page Setup

3. Under the Sheet tab, choose:

   • Comments and Notes as displayed on sheet
   • Comments and Notes at end of sheet

This is useful for audits, documentation, or training materials.

Best Practices for Using Comments and Notes

To get the most value from comments and notes, follow these best practices:

Keep Messages Clear and Concise

Avoid long paragraphs. Focus on clarity and relevance.

Be Consistent

Use comments for collaboration and notes for documentation, not interchangeably.

Avoid Redundancy

Do not repeat information already visible in the worksheet.

Use Professional Language

Especially in shared files, maintain a respectful and professional tone.

Clean Up Before Finalizing

Remove unnecessary comments before sharing final reports.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overusing comments, cluttering the spreadsheet
• Mixing notes and comments inconsistently
• Leaving unresolved comment threads
• Using notes for critical instructions that users might miss
• Forgetting that comments may not print by default

Being mindful of these pitfalls improves spreadsheet quality.

Real-World Use Cases for Comments and Notes

Financial Reporting

• Notes explain assumptions behind calculations
• Comments allow reviewers to ask questions

Project Management

• Comments track updates and decisions
• Notes document task definitions

Training and Education

• Notes guide learners through formulas
• Comments allow instructors to provide feedback

Data Validation and Review

• Comments flag issues or anomalies
• Notes explain acceptable data ranges

Comments and Notes in Collaborative Environments

When using Excel with OneDrive or SharePoint, comments become especially powerful. Team members can communicate in real time, tag colleagues, and maintain a clear audit trail of discussions.

This reduces reliance on emails and external documentation, keeping everything contextually connected to the data.

Conclusion

Comments and notes are essential yet often underutilized tools in Excel. While they may seem minor compared to formulas or charts, they play a crucial role in communication, documentation, and collaboration.

By understanding the difference between comments and notes, knowing how to use each effectively, and applying best practices, you can create spreadsheets that are not only functional but also clear, professional, and easy to maintain.

Whether you are working alone or as part of a team, mastering comments and notes will significantly enhance how your Excel work is understood and shared.