Excel

The Excel Workbook
An Excel file is called a workbook.   Each workbook contains 3 worksheets (but you can add more).  The worksheets are named on a bottom tab (Sheet 1, Sheet 2, Sheet 3) however, you can rename these.  To move through the worksheets, click the tabs.  Each worksheet consist of rows (identified with a number) and columns (identified with letters) which intersect at a cell.  Every cell has an address that consists of the column and row (A1, B3, and so on).   When a cell is selected it appears to have an outline.

Column headings are the letters across the top of the worksheet.
Row headings are the numbers down the side of the worksheet.
Menu line contains text, which allows you to select commands.
Standard and Formatting toolbars contain buttons and drop-down lists that provide quick access to common commands.
(For more toolbars click View…Toolbars and check those desired.  To move toolbars, click and drag the toolbar handle at the far left of the toolbar.)
Formula bar  Whenever information is entered into a cell, it appears in the Formula bar.

Moving
Scroll bars and directional arrow keys allow you to move vertically or horizontally inside a worksheet.
PgUp and PgDn keys allow you to move up or down one screen.
Home key moved you to the leftmost cell in a row.
Ctrl+Home moves to the upper-left corner of a worksheet.

Viewing
Use the Zoom feature on the Standard toolbar to change the view from 25% to200%.   You can also zoom a specific section of a worksheet by highlighting it and using the Zoom tool (choose selection).

Freezing Column and Row Headings
It is often helpful to freeze you headings so your can view them as they are related to the data.
1. Click a cell below the desired row.
2. On the menu line click Window…Freeze Panes.  Click Unfreeze Panes to unlock the headings.

To view 2 workbooks at once you can split the screen by opening both, clicking Window in the menu line and selecting split.  You can also toggle between several workbooks by clicking Window in the menu line and checking the workbook file.

Hiding
Hiding data prevents it from being viewed, printed, or changed.  You can hide workbooks, worksheets, or rows or columns using the following directions:
Workbooks Using the Menu line, click Window…Hide
Worksheet  Click the worksheet tab to select it and using the Menu line, click Format…Sheet…Hide
Rows or Columns Click the row or column heading to select it and using the Menu line, click Format…Row or Column…Hide.
To redisplay select Unhide.

Help
1.  Office Assistant  Click the ? on the Standard Toolbar to activate the Office Assistant.  You may type in your question and select Search.  Double-click the answer that best describes what you’re trying to do or select See More.  Click Options to print.
2.  Contents and Index  Help Topics are arranged as an index.  Click Help…Contents and Index.  You may search through the Index by typing the first few letters of what you’re looking for, use the Contents to look for the topic, or use Find (you’ll have to build the Find Index the first time you use it).
3. Online help if available if you are connected to the Internet by clicking Window in the Menu line, and selecting Microsoft on the Web.

Entering Data
Text is always left-aligned in a cell.  Click inside the cell, enter the text, and press enter. Notice the data appears in the Formual Bar.  To widen a column for data double-click the right border of the column heading.
Auto Fill allows you to enter a series of data.  Type in the first data of the series and click the corner black cross.  Drag it across the columns or rows you wish to place the series.
Add Comments by right clicking the cell and selecting insert comments.  To change comments click edit comments or delete comments.
When Entering Numbers it may be necessary to format the cell to have the number appear as you desire.  To do so, right-click the cell and select Format Cells.  Click the Number tab and select the number category you desire.  If you enter a number and it appears in the cell as all pound sign (#######) it means the cell isn’t large enough for the data.  Double-click the right border of the column to resize it.

When enter is pressed after data has been inserted into a cell, the active cell will be the next cell below.  This can be changed by Selecting Tools in the menu…Options…Edit tab…change the selection under Move Selection After Enter.

AutoComplete allows you to enter the same data without retyping it.  When you begin typing data you have previously entered in the spreadsheet, it will automatically appear in the cell.  Press enter and the data will be inserted.

Entries may be edited by selecting the cell and pressing F2 or by selecting the cell and clicking inside the formula bar.  Excel also contains a spell checker, which can be found on the Standard toolbar.

Undoing or Redoing an action can by accomplished by clicking the undo or redo tool button on the Standard Toolbar.  You can see a list of actions and select the one you wish to undo or redo.  This tool is not available once the file is saved.

Copying Data moves it to a temporary storage area called the clipboard until more data is copied or cut.  Click the cell and use the copy button on the Standard toolbar to make a copy of the data.  Select the cell in the area you would like to place the copy and click the paste button on the Standard toolbar.

Cutting Data removes it to a temporary storage area called the clipboard until more data is copied or cut.

Deleting Data is accomplished by selecting the cell(s) which contain the undesired data and pressing delete on the keyboard.

Finding and Replacing Data allows you to locate certain information and replace it with new information.  Click Edit on the menu line and select replace.  In the Find What box type the data you are searching for and in the Replace With type the replacement text.

By dragging the fill handle (+) of a cell, you can copy that cell to other cells in the same row or column. If the cell contains a number, date, or time period that Microsoft Excel can extend in a series, the values are incremented instead of copied. For example, if the cell contains "January," you can quickly fill in other cells in a row or column with "February," "March," and so on.

Creating a New Workbook
1. On the menu click File.
2. Select New.  To create a blank workbook click General tab.  To use a workbook from the teimplates choose Spreadsheet Solutions tab.
You can also create an instant new workbook by clicking the new button on the standard toolbar (looks like a sheet of paper with a folded corner).

Saving and Naming a Workbook
1. On the menu click File.
2. Select Save As…
3. Select the drive, folder in the Save in frame.
4. In the File Name frame type the name for your workbook.  Excel creates a 3 letter extension of .xls at the end of your file name.

Opening an Existing Workbook
1. On the menu click File.
2. Select Open and locate the drive/folder in which you saved the file.
You can also open a file using the open button on the standard toolbar which is an open folder icon.  If your file is a recent one you can also locate it by looking at the bottom of the menu line or find it by clicking the Start button and selecting it from Documents.

Moving Among Open Workbooks
To switch back and forth between open workbooks, click Window on the menu line and the click the name of the workbook to which you want to switch.

Inserting Worksheets
To insert a worksheet within a workbook click Insert…and select Worksheet.

Inserting and Deleting Columns and Rows
To insert a column or row click Insert…Column or Row.  To insert numerous columns or rows, click the column headers (A,then hold shift and click B,C, etc.) for the number of columns you wish to add.  Then click Insert, Columns.  To insert numerous rows, click the row headers (1, then hold shift and click 2, 3, and so on) for the number of rows you wish to add.  Click Insert, Rows. You can also delete columns and rows by selecting the column or row you desire, right-clicking the mouse and selecting delete.

Deleting Worksheets
Select the worksheet you want to delete.  Click Edit…Delete Sheet.  Then click OK.

Moving and Copying a Worksheet
Select the workheets you want to copy and click Edit…Copy.  To paste in a new workbook open the workbook and click Edit…Paste.  To move a worksheet within a workbook click its name tab and drag it to the new position.

Renaming a Worksheet
To change the worksheet's name, double-click the tab that shows Worksheet 1 (or whatever number the sheet contains) and type its new name.

Printing
Click File…Page Setup to select the following:
Page
Orientation (select Portrait or Landscape), Scaling (Reduces or Enlarges your worksheet), Paper Size (8 1/2 X 11 inches is the default setting), Print Quality (The higher the number, the better the print), First Page Number (the default is the set the starting page as number 1)
Margins
Top, Bottom, Left, Right (adjust margin settings)
Header, Footer (to set up the header/footer, click View Headers and Footers)
Custom Headers and Footers can also be set up to show the time, date, etc.
Sheet
Print Area Enter the range of cells you want to print to print only a portion of the worksheet.
Print Titles Prints a row or column of entries that you want repeated as titles on every page.
Print select gridlines or have color preadsheets printed in black-and-white.
Page Order indicates how data should be printed.
 

A Range is a defined area inside a worksheet.  You can define a range by highlighting the desired cells.  To print a specific area of a worksheet you must define the range.
1. Highlight the area.
2. Select File…Print Area.
3. Select Set Print Area.
4. Then select Print from the Standard Toolbar.

Formulas perform calculations on the data your enter.  You can perform addition(+), subtraction(-), multiplication(*), and division(/).  Every formula must start with an equal sign.  To find the average of 3 numbers in cells A1, B1, C1, you would type this formula

Sums
You can view the sum of a range of cells by selecting the cells and looking at the status bar. By right-clicking the status bar you can change the option to show the average, minimum number or maximum number.    You can also highlight the cells (plus one additional cell) you wish to add and click the autosum tool on the standard toolbar  The range will be shown in the cell.  Press enter to see the sum.

The standard toolbar also contains ascending and descending buttons to change the view of text or numbers.

Copying Formulas allows you to adjust the formula to the data in the cell.  To copy the formula:
1. Click the cell that contains the formula you wish to copy.
2. Click Edit…copy. Then click the cell you want to copy the formula to and click paste.  If you only want to copy the formula and not the data select paste special.
3. To copy a formula to a neighboring range of cells use the fill handle (see page 3).+

Formatting
Text and data can be formatted much the same as in MS Word.  Using the formatting toolbar the size, style, and color can be changed.  By highlighting a cell and clicking a button on the formatting toolbar you can convert the number to currency, percentage, or increase or decrease the decimal.

Merge Cells
If you would like to merge several cells into one, highlight the desired cells, drag across them,
and click the Merge and Center button on the formatting toolbar.

Formatting Cells
1. Type data into cell and right-click the cell.
2. Select Format Cells…
3. Select the tab that describes the type of formatting desired:
Number changes the way the number will appear inside the cell.
Alignment changes the way the data is aligned or oriented inside the cell.
Font changes the way the font appears inside the cell.
Border determines the type of border around the cell.
Patterns determine if the cell will be filled with a specific color.
To format more than one cell highlight the desired area and follow the directions above.

Creating Charts
1. Highlight area to be displayed in chart.
2. Select the Chart Wizard in the Standard Toolbar.
3. Select the type of Chart desired.
4. Click Next.
5. Select data range series in columns or rows.
6. Click Next.
7. Click and type the chart title.
8. Type the type of information that will be displayed on the bottom of the chart in the X axis.
9. Type the type of information that will be displayed on the side of the chart in the Y or Z axis.
10. Click Next.
11. Select chart to be displayed as