Ms-Excel
Overview: A spreadsheet is like an accountant's ledger. As with a ledger, it consists of a grid of rows and columns that enables you to organize data into a manageable form. Excel is a spreadsheet program that allows you to organize data, complete calculations, make decisions, graph data, and develop professional-looking reports.
There are three major parts of Excel or any other spreadsheet program:
· Worksheets. Allow you to enter, calculate, manipulate and analyze data.
· Charts. Pictorially represent data in two-dimensional and three-dimensional charts.
· Databases. Help manage data. For instance, once the data is entered, the software program can then sort the data, search for specific data, and select data that meets a criteria. An advantage to using a spreadsheet program is that data can be recomputed instantly. For instance, if you change a student's score for a particular test, the spreadsheet program will automatically recalculate the total score to reflect the newly entered data. This cannot be done with a paper ledger unless you have an eraser or whiteout available near you
Screen Layout : Before one can use the Microsoft Excel program, certain screen features need to be addressed. Although many of the elements are the same as other Microsoft Office products, a few are very unique to spreadsheets (or Excel). The graphic below offers these unique, and
Common features include the Title bar, Menu bar, Standard Toolbar, and Format Toolbar. However, the unique features are the Sheet Tabs, Chart Toolbar, and Formula Bar. These unique features are explained below.
· Sheet Tabs - In Microsoft Excel, a workbook is the file in which you work and store your data and can contain many worksheets. Various kinds of related information can be organized in a single file through worksheets. The names of the sheets appear on tabs at the bottom of the workbook window.
· To toggle between sheets, just click the sheet tabs.
· Chart Toolbar - In Microsoft Excel, creating charts and graphs are common. Thus, there is a special toolbar designated toward the creating and editing of Excel charts and graphs. Most often, when you work on a chart or graph, the toolbar will appear. If it does not, go to View, then to Toolbars, and select Chart.
· Formula Bar - As data is entered into the cells, it appears in the formula bar at the top of the screen. It displays the content of the active call which can be edited later. The formula bar can display text, numbers, formulas, and functions. Certain features of the formula bar is given below.
Row and Column Headings
A spreadsheet is divided into rows and columns that are assigned to a heading. Rows are given numeric values that can range from 1 to 16,000. Columns, on the other hand, are assigned alphabetic headings from column A to Z, then continue from AA to AZ and then from BA to BZ and so on.
Cell Referencing
The cell is the intersection between a row and a column. Each cell is also identified by a cell reference such A1, B1, C1, and so on. The letter identifies the column and the number identifies the row.So, when someone tells you to look at the data in Cell B5, you first look at Column B and then scan down to Row 5. This will become Cell B5. In the example below, Cell B5 contains Walker's grade on Test 1 (which is a 90).
Working with the Data: Selecting a Cell
Before entering data into a cell, you must first select it by using one of the various methods:
MICROSYSS
· Click your mouse within the cell.
· Use the Arrow keys to move around the spreadsheet (up/down, left/right).
· Use the Tab key to move to the next cell within the same row.
· Use the Enter key to move the next cell down within the same column
Entering and Editing Data
When you see a heavy border around the cell, the cell is active and ready to take in the data.
To enter data into cells, just type in your data. Soon as you enter the text, a number, a formula or function, you will see the results in the Formula Bar.
if you want to give your worksheet a title, just click in a cell and type your title. For column headings, click in the appropriate cell and type in your heading. The same applies to rows. Look at the graphic below to see how headings and titles may look like in a spreadsheet.
To edit data within a cell, one can use one of two methods. First, a user could click within the cell and edit data that way. Second, a user could click within the formula bar to edit data. Either way, the data selected will be changed depending upon what you do.
When you see a heavy border around the cell, the cell is active and ready to take in the data.To enter data into cells, just type in your data. Soon as you enter the text, a number, a formula or function, you will see the results in the Formula Bar.
If you want to give your worksheet a title, just click in a cell and type your title. For column headings, click in the appropriate cell and type in your heading. The same applies to rows. Look at the graphic below to see how headings and titles may look like in a spreadsheet.. To clear data from multiple cells, move your mouse over the first cell within the group. A fat plus sign should be seen. Now, click and drag that fat plus sign over the selected cells until they are highlighted (grayed out). Then, use one of the methods mentioned above (easiest way is to press the Delete key).
Moving the Data: Moving data within a worksheet can be tricky at first if there is a lot of information on the worksheet. If data is minimal, it is easier to move about within the worksheet. Data such as text, numbers, formulas and functions, and charts can be moved from one location to another. The nice thing about Excel is that a formula or function will recalculate with the new set of cells after the move.
Managing Excel Worksheets:1) Opening and Closing Spreadsheets
This section will discuss certain procedures for starting and closing the Excel progra
m.
There are two ways to open the program:
· Double-click on the Excel icon located on the desktop.
· Click on the Start button and then go to Programs. Locate Microsoft Excel and click on that to start the program.
Once the program initiates, you will see a screen like the one below:
There are two ways to close the existing workbook.
· Go to File in the menu bar and select Close (or Exit if you want to exit Excel completely).
· Click on the Close button for that particular window (be careful not click on the Excel exit button).
Formulas and Functions:
Functions: A formula may also include a function, or predefined computational task, such as the AVERAGE or SUM function. Functions are useful when you want to perform calculations without having to type the formula (e.g., =(B3+C3+2D3)/4) in the formula bar.
Example:
Start with an equal sign. =
Followed by the name of the function. =SUM
A left parenthesis. =SUM(
Values to be used by the function. =SUM(B3:D3
A closing right parenthesis. =SUM(B3:D3)
Formatting Toolbar: There are many things that one can do to improve the appearance and presentation of spreadsheets. Changing the format of numeric data, adding shading and borders, and merging cells are just a few of the editing methods one can use to improve the appearance of spreadsheets. The formatting toolbar contains many features that can be used to edit the appearance of spreadsheets. These are explained below:
Font Typeface - Change the typeface of the font in a selected cell(s). To change font typeface for multiple cells, select the cells and then change the typeface.
Font Size - Change the size of the font in a selected cell(s). To change font size for multiple cells, select the cells and then change the typeface. To change font size for multiple cells, select the cells and then change the size.
Font Style - Change the font to bold, italicize, or underline. To change font typeface for multiple cells, select the cells and then change the typeface.
Alignment - Change the alignment of certain cells to either left, right or centered aligned. Select the cell(s) and click one of the buttons.
Merge Cells - Merge several cells into one cell. Select the cells desired and then click on the Merge Cell button.
Number Format - Change the appearance of data into currency ($), percent (%), or comma (.00) style. Select the desired cells and click on one of the buttons.
Decimal Places - Increase or decrease the number of decimal places. Select the cell or cells and click on one of the buttons.
Borders - Add borders to a selected cell(s). Click on a cell or highlight several cells and click the border button. If you want variation in the borders' appearance, click the down arrow to bring a dropdown menu and click on your preferred style.
Fill Color - Add a fill color to a cell(s). Select the cell or cells and click on the Fill Color button. If you want another color, click on the down arrow next to the button to open another menu of colors.
Font Color - Change color of the font in an existing cell(s). Select the cell(s) and click on the Font Color button. If the color is not what you wanted, click on the down arrow.
Changing Numeric Data: Numeric (and textual) data can vary in form. One can change numeric data into a decimal, percentage, fraction, or currency form. There are others and one has much flexibility in the way numeric data is formatted.A new dialog window will appear with several tabs. Make sure that the Number tab is showing (if it is not, click on
Placing Borders around Cells: Cells in spreadsheets can have borders around them to help make the data appear more organized. In addition, the use of borders can also help accentuate certain data that you want readers to notice first.Using the Format Toolbar is one method for adding borders around cells. However, there is another method that allows users to have more control in the way data appears.
To add borders around cells containing data, go to Format in the
toolbar and click on Cells. A new dialog window will appear with several tabs. Make sure that the Border tab is showing (if it is not, click on it).
Merge Cells: Sometimes mergining multiple cells into one is necessary (especially for titles and labels) in worksheets. Merging multiple cells is not that difficult and there are two ways that this can be accomplished.
To merge cells using the format toolbar, follow the given steps:
· Once this button is clicked, the multiple cells that were selected turns into one elongated cell with center alignment. You are now ready to type in the data.
To merge cells using the toolbar option, follow the given steps:
· Select the cells to be merged by clicking on the first cell and dragging the mouse across to the other cells.
· After letting the mouse button loose, go to Format on the toolbar. Click on the Cells option.
· A Format Cells window will appear with several tabs. Choose the Alignment tab by clicking on it and click on the square near the Merge Cells options toward the bottom. In the Horizontal alignment section, select the format you want (e.g., Left, Right, Center, Fill, Center )
· Across selection.
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