r/microsoftoffice

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to share a formula setup that completely changes how you track sequences, especially if you’re tired of messy old-school helper columns.

We all know UNIQUE is great for telling you what is distinct in a dataset, but it doesn’t tell you when something showed up for the first time chronologically. If you have a long list of transactions, logs, or customer check-ins and you want to flag the exact moment a value debuts - row by row, in order - you need a running unique index.

A lot of examples online tell you to use a basic SCAN and COUNTIF combo with a custom range. Except there is a huge catch: Excel doesn't actually accept that raw variable as a valid range index inside COUNTIF, and if your range has blank rows at the bottom, the counter gets totally confused and starts indexing the empty spaces.

Here is the clean, bulletproof version that handles expanding ranges and ignores blank rows perfectly:

=LET(
    rng, A2:A100,
    SCAN(0, SEQUENCE(ROWS(rng)), LAMBDA(acc, idx,
        LET(
            current_val, INDEX(rng, idx),
            sub_range, TAKE(rng, idx),
            IF(current_val="", "", IF(COUNTIF(sub_range, current_val)=1, acc+1, acc))
        )
    ))
)

Instead of feeding the raw text data directly into SCAN, this setup feeds it a row index using SEQUENCE and ROWS. Inside the LAMBDA, TAKE creates a dynamic, expanding slice of your data that grows row by row, looking from the very top down to where the formula is currently working. COUNTIF checks that specific slice. If it’s the first time the value pops up, the counter ticks up. If it’s a duplicate, it holds flat.

The real lifesaver here is the blank check at the end. If your data stops at row 50 but your range goes to 100, it leaves the remaining rows completely blank instead of filling them with ghost numbers.

This comes in handy for a ton of real-world scenarios. In a CRM system, you can use it to pinpoint the exact transaction row where a customer ID converted for the first time. If you do log analysis, it lets you flag the exact timestamp a specific error code made its first appearance. It is also great for inventory management when you need to mark the precise row a new SKU debuted in a seasonal order list.

The best part is that it lives in a single cell, it is fully dynamic, and the index updates automatically as you add rows. Just a heads-up: since it uses COUNTIF on an expanding range inside SCAN, it can get heavy if you throw 50k rows at it, but for standard datasets it works like a charm.

SCAN has been around since 2022 but it feels like barely anyone touches it. Definitely worth adding to your toolkit if you want to level up your spreadsheet game.

Note; content tested and verified on Excel 365.

Hey everyone, stumbled across Microsoft Office 2024 Home on Woot today for $114.99 and I’m genuinely on the fence about pulling the trigger. Wanted to get some opinions from people who’ve actually dealt with this kind of thing before.

A few things I’m wondering about:

First, is $114.99 actually a good price for Office 2024 Home? Microsoft sells it directly for around $149.99 so it’s about $35 cheaper, which sounds nice, but I’ve seen sketchy sites sell it for $20-$40 and obviously those are too good to be true. This feels like it’s in a more reasonable range but I honestly can’t tell if it’s a genuine deal or just marketed to look like one.

Second and this is the part I really want to understand, is Woot selling legitimate retail keys here or is this another grey market situation? I know Woot is owned by Amazon so it’s not some random shady website, but I’ve heard that even established platforms sometimes source Microsoft keys from volume licensing channels that weren’t meant for individual consumers. Those keys usually activate fine at first but can potentially get deactivated down the road by Microsoft, which is obviously not something you want to discover a year after buying.

The listing does say the key redeems through setup.office.com/redeem and gets bound to your Microsoft account, which from what I’ve read sounds like how legitimate retail keys work. Grey market volume keys apparently can’t do that, they activate Office but don’t attach to your personal account. So that part at least seems reassuring.

Also worth noting this is Office 2024 Home specifically, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote, not Home & Business, so no Outlook. Fine for my needs but just flagging it for anyone else looking at the same listing.

Anyone here bought Microsoft Office from Woot before? Did the key come through cleanly, redeem without issues, and stay activated long term? And does that $114.99 price point seem right to you, or should I be looking elsewhere?

Appreciate any insight, just want to make sure I’m not paying for something that stops working six months from now.

I've been using Libre Office for awhile now, but I've decided to try and buy an older version of Microsift Office instead. First, which version do you suggest I go for? And second, can I just buy Office alone, or do I have to get everything else, too? Thanks in advance!

I need to use Microsoft Word and occasionally Excel and PowerPoint for work. What is the best way and version to buy for my 2020 Macbook. I need a version that does not require signing in at all and works without internet connection. Thanks

Hi all, Student here.

Tried installing a random microsoft office download from a sketchy site because my old laptop couldn’t handle newer Office versions well... Bad idea.

Now I’m trying to rebuild a cleaner setup with:

trusted downloads

free alternatives

lightweight apps

Would really appreciate recommendations from people using older laptops. Thanx in advance

I needed a fast way to edit and merge PDFs without installing anything, so I started building XoraPDF.

Current features:

merge PDFs
edit text
compress files
browser-based

Still improving it and would genuinely appreciate feedback on what feels missing or annoying in current PDF tools.

Hi all,

I'm a teacher who has spent the past year making all of his resources on publisher just to discover its being discontinued. Beyond devastated as making booklets on word or powerpoint is very annoying given they're not designed to do that.

I need to be able to convert them to something that will be usable but still editable. So pdf doesn't work and word really fucks up the formatting making it unusable.

Any suggestions?

I just got an email from Microsoft, and it says that I will no longer be able to create, edit, or print Microsoft Office documents using the Office 2019 software for which I purchased a license two years ago.

I believe that the relevant clause is item #5 in the license terms, which states:

>you may be required to periodically reconnect to the Internet while using the software to confirm the license associated with the licensed device; and if you do not reconnect, the software may operate with reduced functionality. 

My computer is running the latest version of MacOS. I reconnect to the internet using secure protocols every day. I am in compliance with these terms.

The email states that because Microsoft has stopped using their existing software to contact my computer via the Internet, that I am going to be subjected to this "reduced functionality."

A reasonable person would read this license, and would NOT infer that it requires the user to be able to connect to any particular Microsoft server. If Microsoft has chosen to make their server incompatible with the Internet as it exists in May of 2026, that is their choice, not mine. Is there anyone out there who is already protesting this violation? What are my options?

Oh great, at least I'll be able to view my files. Just won't be able to edit or create new files, you know, the entire god-damned point of owning Office.

> You can still open and read all your files, but editing and saving will not be available on this device. Your files are safe.

They say that like not hacking my computer and deleting my files is some big concession on their part.

About 6 months ago, my Microsoft account was hacked, and the password and recovery email were changed. I attempted to utilize the online support to no avail and eventually had to jump through many hoops to be able to contact a human being. After giving him all the information, he said he would secure the account and then work to transfer the account back to another email. It has now been 5 months since that call, and still, I have not received a single update. I've sent out multiple emails asking questions to absolutely zero response. I have also now been getting emails saying that their has been purchases made on my Microsoft account. I need to be able to access someone who actually can help me out with my issue.

Has anyone dealt with this Outlook/Outlook.com authentication issue before?

Since Sunday night, my Outlook email has completely stopped working. I cannot send or receive emails, and I cannot access Outlook from anywhere. This is happening across multiple devices and browsers, including desktop webmail, the Outlook mobile app, and the Outlook desktop app.

To clarify, I CAN log into my Microsoft account itself. My Microsoft account still recognizes me, I can receive verification/security codes, and my Microsoft 365 subscription shows properly on my phone. The problem is specifically Outlook/email access.

After I enter my login credentials, Outlook either loops back to the sign-in screen or eventually shows a server error. One of the detailed errors showed:

ServerError: 401
Unexpected end of JSON input
BootResult: fail

It looks like authentication succeeds initially, but then the Outlook/mailbox session fails afterward.

I have already tried everything I can think of: password reset, clearing cache/cookies, private/incognito browsing, multiple browsers, multiple devices, different internet connections, reinstalling Outlook, removing and re-adding the account, and even had a tech remotely access my computer. Nothing fixed it.

The frustrating part is support. Outlook Mobile Support told me this appears to be an Outlook.com/account-side authentication or backend issue, not a mobile app problem, because it happens across all devices and browsers. But Microsoft support keeps telling me I need to contact Outlook support. I keep getting bounced around endlessly.

One agent gave me a link to a “form” and said it would reset my authentication, but it was literally just a password reset form, which I have already done multiple times.

Has anyone had this exact issue with Outlook.com where the Microsoft account works, verification codes work, but Outlook webmail fails after login with ServerError 401 / BootResult fail? If so, how did you get it escalated to the right team?

Anybody knows where i can get the 5,1GB installer for Office 2024 Professional Plus (Lifetime version?) without haivng to eternally wait for the official app to download?

Spain's Spanish (ES-ES) installer too. The ODT one was downloaded, extracted, but when i run Setup it does nothing. Windows Update has been enabled too

Thanks in advance

My school login no longer works and I can’t edit Word documents on my old Mac now. I don’t know which kind of product to buy and how to use. Looking at Costco website it says needs latest versions of MacOS, whereas my Mac is suggesting that I can download MacOS12.

I just need to be able access and edit word documents on my old Mac. Which product would be the easiest/cheapest way?

Thanks in advance!

I got this message on my Mac when trying to open any MS Office app, but when I searched for it to see if it was legitimate, I didn't see anyone else posting it, so I wanted to see if this is OK to click. Anyone else get this message? Should I be worried and not click it?

The message says "Starting July 13, some devices may lose the ability to edit and save in Microsoft 365 apps. Check your device now to find out if you are affected and what to do next."

https://preview.redd.it/3rq4xdx8zl0h1.png?width=1048&format=png&auto=webp&s=35057a26f5fc7b4ba815be94cad9dd17a754770d

I had to replace the motherboard on my computer today. After doing that my installation of Office Home and Business 2024 (keycard) popped up a message that I needed to activate or login. I logged in and ran Outlook and noticed it looked completely different than it did before swapping the motherboard. I run Office Home and Business 2024 LTSC at work and my keycard version looked identical. Not anymore.

This is what Outlook looked like before:

https://preview.redd.it/scmjcmq4zm0h1.png?width=1918&format=png&auto=webp&s=ea7d34477a3766c01ea8e76a84feb153bc7314fd

This is what Outlook looks like now:

https://preview.redd.it/3gyk8a06zm0h1.png?width=1914&format=png&auto=webp&s=7ff60b23789f65c7af64dacadb5c87dc25709b11

The search box is also totally different.

Has anyone run into anything like this? When I logged out of my Microsoft account the default colors changed on Outlook and Word. I'm not sure I was ever logged in before. Thanks in advance.