INTRODUCTION TO MICROSOFT EXCEL Mike Splane © 2006

Identifying the Parts of the Excel Worksheet

• The Workbook Environment is similar to a tic-tac-toe grid, only much bigger.
• Close the Task Pain if it opens when you open Excel.
• Turn on the Standard and Formatting toolbars from the View menu, Toolbars submenu.
• Use the Tools menu, Customize submenu, Options tab to Show toolbars on two rows. Select all options except large icons, and then click Close. You’ll see this:

Note the “Currency” icon is mislabeled. It is actually “Accounting“ style.

Moving Around the Worksheet

• Cells have names, consisting of a letter and a number. Select a cell with the mouse and you will see a letter highlighted at the top and a number highlighted on the left.
• The name of the selected cell also appear in the Name Box, above the letter A.
• Tab moves you to the right, Enter moves you down, Shift + Tab moves you to the left.
• Other ways to move around: the Arrow Keys, Home, End, Page Up, Page Down
• Use the Control key with the arrow keys to extend their effect.
• Typing a cell name in the Name Box moves the cursor into that cell.
• Control + Page Up or Control + Page Down shifts between worksheets.
• Double clicking on a cell wall moves you to the edge of a row or column of data.

Entering Characters, Dates, and Numeric Data:

• Select a cell. Enter text or numbers by typing.
• Or, enter data in the formula bar that is centered directly above the worksheet.
• Enter dates as xx/xx or xx-xx. Enter the year if it differs from the current one.
• Ways to Edit Cell Contents
1. Select the cell and then click in the formula bar to edit its contents.
2. Or, select the cell and type in a new entry.
3. Or, select the cell; then press F2 to edit directly in the cell.
• Click and Drag to Move Data
• To Undo / Redo use icons or use shortcut keys: Control + Z and Control + Y

Copying formulas:

There are several ways to copy and paste. Use the mouse to highlight the cells that you want to copy. Do not highlight the formula bar area! That will delete the cell contents!

· Press Control and C. Highlight the area you want to copy the formula into. Press Control and V.

· Click on the Copy icon. Highlight the area you want to copy the formula into. Click on the Paste icon.

· Click on the Copy icon. Highlight the area you want to copy the formula into. Press the Enter key.

· From the Edit menu, select Copy.  Highlight the area you want to copy the formula into. From the Edit menu select Paste.

· Move the cursor around until you get a small black cross in the lower right hand corner of the highlighted area.  Click and drag (down or across) to highlight the area you want the formula copied into. Release the mouse. 

Making Formatting Changes

• Formatting from the Toolbar
1. The five Standard Text options (Font, Size, Bold, Italics Underline)
2. Aligning Text and Labels – Icons (Left, Center, Right, Indent, Decrease Indent)
3. Merge/Unmerge Cells Icon (Toggle Switch)
4. Adding Cell Borders and Shading – Icons
5. Use icons for Percents, Accounting, or Comma Styles to format numbers
6. Use the decimal icons to change the number of decimal places displayed
• The Format Dialog Box is used to format Cells or Ranges
1. Select a cell or range of cells. A range is a group of cells forming a rectangle.
2. To access the dialog box: Right click, Double Click, Press CTRL + 1, or use the Format Menu, Cells Submenu.
3. Change the numbering style from the Numbers tab.
4. Change how letters are displayed within a cell using the Alignment tab.
5. Change Font Style, Size, and Color from the Font tab.
6. Add backgrounds with the Borders and Patterns tabs.
• Format Rows and Columns
1. From the Format Menu, you can delete, insert, change the width, hide, and unhide Rows and Columns.
2. You can also use the mouse for some tasks.
3. To change row heights and column widths, click and drag between the row or column indicators.
4. To fit a column width to the width of its contents, double click between column or row indicators.
• Shortcuts

1. The AutoFill Handle quickly copies text and formulas:

a. Position the cursor in the lower right hand corner of a range.

b. A small + appears. Drag in any direction.

c. Use AutoFill to Enter a Series of Dates, Months or Days.

d. Use AutoFill to extend a series of numbers.

e. Use AutoFill to copy formulas.

2. To format large areas: Select letters to format columns, numbers to format rows, or the blank cell above the numbers column to format all.

3. To copy formatting, select a cell with the desired format. Click the Paintbrush icon Use the mouse to select the cells, row numbers, or column letters where you want the desired format to be applied.

AutoSum

• The AUTO-SUM Icon (Sigma) gives the sum of a selected column, row, or range.
• For example, the cell containing the formula = SUM(C3:G9) displays the sum of all of the numbers in a rectangle with corners at C3 and G9.
• To use AUTO-SUM, first position the cursor in a cell where you want a total. Then click on the icon. Use the mouse to alter the shape of the range of numbers you want included in your total.
• Or, highlight a column of data (include a blank cell at the bottom). Click on the icon.
• Or, highlight a row of data (include a blank cell at the right). Click on the icon.
• Or, highlight a range, including a column of blank cells to the right and a row of blank cells below the range. Click on the icon to quickly total all the rows and columns.
• Or, position the cursor in a cell where you want a total. Click on the icon. Hold down Control while selecting cells from different areas.

Validation:

• The validation feature is found on the Data menu. You can use all the tabs, any combination of tabs, or a single tab.
• The Settings tab is used to restrict the entry of data to specific types of data.
• The Input Message tab tells users what type of data to enter.
• The Error Alert tab is used to help users when they have made a mistake.
• Validation rules are applied to individual cells.

Working with Multiple Worksheets:

• Click on a worksheet tab to move into a different worksheet
• By right - clicking on a worksheet tab, you can
1. Insert and Delete Worksheets,
2. Move and Copy Worksheets,
3. Rename a Worksheet,
4. Select Multiple Worksheets to work on simultaneously,
5. Add colors to the tabs.