Stop Using Helper Columns in Excel (Do This Instead)

For years, helper columns have been the go-to solution in Excel.

Need to clean text? Add a helper.

Match keywords? Another helper.

Determine a category? One more column.

Before you know it, a simple spreadsheet turns into a maze.

Modern Excel gives us a better option.

The problem with helper columns

Helper columns aren’t wrong, but they come with trade-offs:

• They clutter your worksheet

• They make spreadsheets harder to maintain

• They increase the chance of errors

• They often exist only to support one final formula

  
  

Most of the time, they’re a workaround—not a requirement.

A modern Excel approach

With functions like LET, SEARCH, and XMATCH, Excel formulas can now:

• Store intermediate values

• Reuse logic without repetition

• Read more like code

• Live entirely in a single cell

That means fewer columns and cleaner logic—without sacrificing clarity.

One formula, clear logic

In the video below, I walk through a real example where multiple helper columns are replaced with one structured formula. Each step is still there—it’s just contained, readable, and easier to maintain.

If you’ve ever looked at a spreadsheet and thought “why does this need so many columns?”, this approach will click immediately.

EXERCISE FILE:

ExpenseCategories-01.xlsx

Download XLSX • 11KB