Meridian Career Institute

Presents

A Learning Resource Center Seminar

Microsoft Excel

Click on Start, then Microsoft Office Excel.

If Excel does not appear, click on All Programs, then Microsoft Office, then Microsoft Office Excel 2003.

Close the Getting Started Window.

Lets examine the different areas of the Excel worksheet

Column headings Each box is called a cell. Row headings

Formula Bar (information in the active cell) Name box (active cell)

Worksheet (a sheet of cells)

Workbook (the full Excel file with all Worksheets).

Navigation buttons (for switching between worksheets).

Information can only be entered into active cells. Click the cell you wish to add information to and begin typing.

Press the Enter key to advance to the next cell down.

Press the Tab key to go to the next cell on the right.

If a number is too large to fit in a cell, it may appear as several pound signs or as scientific notation.

To enlarge the cell so that all of the data appears, simply double-click on the right side of the cell, or place the cursor on the right side of the cell and drag it to the right.

The height of a row may be adjusted by placing the cursor over the top or bottom of the rows heading and dragging to the desired height.

Click on Insert, then Worksheet to add another worksheet.

New worksheet added.

To rename a worksheet, right-click on the tab, and select Rename.

Cells must be highlighted, or selected, for Excel to perform a task. Simply click on a cell, then drag the mouse over all the cells you wish to select.

If the cells you need to select are NOT next to each other, hold down the Ctrl key as you select each one.

Click on a columns heading to select the entire column.

To select multiple columns, click and drag across the columns you wish to select.

To select columns that are not next to each other, hold down the Ctrl button and select the columns.

Click on a rows heading to select the entire row.

To select multiple rows, click and drag across the rows you wish to select.

To select multiple rows that are not next to each other, hold down the Ctrl key and select the rows.

To insert a NEW column, highlight the column that you wish to place the new column in front of, then click Insert, then Columns.

Please note that all the information in the columns to the right of the new column have new headings.

To insert a NEW row, highlight the row that you wish to place the new row in front of, then click Insert, then Rows.

Please note that all the information in the rows below the new row has shifted down a row.

To delete a column, select it, then click on Edit, then Delete.

To delete a row, select it, then click on Edit, then Delete.

Cut, Copy, and Paste

Data can be moved around or copied by using Cut, Copy, and Paste.

Select the data to be moved and click on Cut.

Place the cursor in the cell or cells you want the data to be placed in and click on Paste.

The data is deleted from the original location and is pasted in the new location.

Using Copy and Paste does not delete the data from the original location.

Select the data to be copied and click on Copy.

Put the cursor where you want the data to be copied and click Paste.

Using Autofill

The Fill Handle is the square in the lower right corner.

Using AutoFill can save work by copying data or repeating patterns.

Type the word Sunday in a cell.

Click on the Fill Handle in the first cell and drag it. The Autofill feature fills in the months of the year.

Type almonds and apples in two different cells.

If Autofill cant find a pattern, then the original data will be copied.

Type the numbers 5 and 10 in two different cells.

Drag the Autofill Handle across. Please note Autofill requires at least two numbers to detect a pattern.

Formatting

Data formatting is done in a similar manner to Microsoft Word.

Click on the Font Color icon to change the color.

Excel automatically lines up text (letters) on the left side of a cell, and numbers on the right side of a cell.

Left alignment

Center alignment

Right alignment

Change the alignment by clicking on one of these.

To align data vertically, select cells and click on Format, then Cells.

Click on the Alignment tab, and select the text alignment you need, then click OK.

The text is now centered vertically.

Excel can enlarge a cell to fit a lot of data. Under Text control, click on Wrap text.

The cell has enlarged enough to fit the data entered.

Excel can also shrink data to fit a cell. Under Text control, click on Shrink to fit.

The data fits into one cell.

Data can be rotated click on Format, then Cells.

Data may be rotated under Orientation.

The data is rotated at a 45 degree angle.

Cells can be merged to form one large cell - this is very helpful to create a title for the worksheet.

You can undo the cell merge by clicking on the Merge and Center button again.

You may change the horizontal alignment of data by clicking on the indent buttons.

Select the cell in which you wish to increase the indent, and click the Increase Indent button. Remember, text is automatically aligned to the left, and numbers to the right.

These buttons format numbers.

The Currency Style button adds a dollar sign and commas.

The Percent Style button adds a percent sign.

The Comma Style button adds commas to numbers greater than one thousand.

Every click of the Increase Decimal button displays an additional decimal space.

Every click of the Decrease Decimal button deletes a decimal space.

To add a border around your cells, select the cells, then click on the Borders button and choose a border style.

You can manually draw borders by clicking Draw Borders. The cursor will turn into a pencil.

Click on the Line Color icon to select different colors.

Click on the Fill Color icon to select different colors.

Click on the Font Color button to change the color of your data.

Pre-made formats are available in Excel. Click on Format, then AutoFormat.

Scroll down to view all the formats. Choose the one you want.

Click on Print Preview before printing the worksheet. Dotted lines will appear on the worksheet after using Print Preview. The lines indicate the page breaks.

Adjusting spreadsheets

Click on File, then Page Setup.

You may change the Orientation, adjust the size of the spreadsheet, change the margins, add a header/footer, and more.

Various print options are located on the Print menu. Go to File, then Print.

You may print a selection, the entire workbook, or the active sheet.

You may choose to print all pages or specify one or more.

Basic Formulas

Formulas always begin with an equal (=) sign. Type =5+5 into a cell. Press enter to move to the cell below.

The answer appears after you exit the cell.

If you go back to the original cell, you will see the formula in the Formula Bar.

Symbols
To add, use + To subtract, use To multiply, use * To divide, use /

Excel calculates in the following order:

Parentheses Multiplication and Division Addition and Subtraction

Formulas can be created based on values in other cells. The formula, =A1+A2 adds the values in A1 and A2.

AutoSum

AutoSum quickly adds the numbers in cells. Simply highlight the numbers to be added, then click on the AutoSum icon. The answer will appear in the next cell.

Click the small arrow next to the AutoSum icon to see other functions available.

Error Messages
#DIV/0 (Dividing by 0) #NAME? (Formula name or cell reference is not recognized) #REF! (Cell does not exist) #VALUE! (A cell with text can NOT work with formula) ####### (Appears when column is too narrow to display results)

Circular Reference Error

The Circular Reference error appears when a formula or function refers to its own cell.

For additional help with Excel, including formulas and functions, be sure to access the Help menu.