Develop and Use complex Spread sheets Information Sheet

HARAMBEE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

Accounts and budget services

(TVET 3rd 3rd)
Develop and Use Complex Spreadsheets

April, 2019
Quality Education is our motto!!

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 Develop and Use complex Spread sheets Information Sheet

Introduction
Complex Document Overview
Complex documents in a legal environment are plentiful, and generally these documents are to
be filed or sent to clients on a time sensitive basis. That's why knowing the ins and outs of the
tools that Word has to offer in the quick creation of Tables of Contents, Tables of Authorities,
Indices, cross-references (and more) is essential in the timely completion of these documents.

1. Prepare to produce word processed documents

1.1. Use safe work practices to ensure ergonomic, work organization, energy and resource
conservation requirements are addressed
Workspace, furniture and equipment are adjusted to suit the ergonomic requirements of the user
Chair
 Chair height should be set so that feet are flat on the floor (where a footrest has not been
provided) and thighs are horizontal.
 The backrest should provide firm lower back support so adjustment up or down, and/or
backwards or forwards may need to be made until comfortable.
 Armrests should not interfere with performance of general tasks.
Desk
 The height of the desk or chair should be adjusted so that the surface of the desk is at elbow
height (when sitting).
 There should be plenty of room for legs below the desk surface
 Personal and stationery items should be arranged for easy access, to minimize twisting and
bending.
Computer
 The monitor should be positioned after adjustments have been made to the desk or chair. It is
recommended that the top of the screen be level with the eyes and be positioned about 50cm
away from the body when seated.
 The keyboard should be placed on the desk, as close to the user as possible. Allow room for it
to be moved away when not in use. The angle of the keyboard can be adjusted by altering the
supports underneath.

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 The mouse should be positioned next to the keyboard on the preferred side. Wrist should be
straight whilst using the mouse with the desk supporting the wrist and not the arm.
Telephone
 The telephone should be easily accessible, yet not in the way of the work area.
 The user should be able to talk on the phone without standing or having to stretch to reach it.
A headset is a convenient alternative for constant phone users.
Document holder
 The document holder should be placed close to the screen to minimize the movement required
to turn from one to the other.
 Depending upon personal preference, it may be preferable to swap the screen position with the
document holder, if tending to look at the document more often.
Work Organization
Work organization meets organizational and occupational health and safety requirements for
computer operation
Work area
 Work area should be kept uncluttered. Desks should only have on them what is really needed.
 Trays should be used for sorting documents, and any documents that are finished with or will
not be needed for some time, should be filed away.
Rest periods
 It is important to have frequent breaks away from the workstation. The recommended interval
is ten minutes for each hour worked in front of a computer.
 If unable to take this time
Ergonomic requirements may include:
out, work tasks should be
• avoiding radiation from computer screens
varied. For example, phone
• chair height, seat and back adjustment
calls could be made, filing or
• document holder
other work related tasks
• footrest
could be done for a few
• keyboard and mouse position
minutes.
• lighting
• noise minimization
• posture
• screen position
• workstation height and layout
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• equipment that is reasonably adjusted to meet personal
needs, in appropriate circumstances
 Develop and Use complex Spread sheets Information Sheet

Exercise breaks
 Exercises should be done at regular intervals.
 Exercises for office workers can include head rolls, shoulder rolls, wrist stretch, back arching,
foot rotation and even eye exercises.
Conservation Techniques
Energy and resource conservation techniques are used to minimize wastage in accordance with
organizational and statutory requirements
Paper wastage
 Proofread and edit documents on screen before printing
 Don't print more pages than needed, use the "print range" function of software to only print
those pages which have been edited
 Print on both sides of your paper where possible
 Use scrap paper from printed documents no longer needed. Write on the back for informal
notes or memos
 Use the duplex facility of the photocopier.
Recycling

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 Paper should be saved for recycling where possible - if the information is confidential, it can
be shredded before disposal into a recycling container
 Use recycled paper products wherever possible
 Reuse office products such as folders, envelopes and packaging materials.
Energy and power use
 Use the "power save" feature of your printer, if available
 Switch off lights and equipment when not required

Work organization requirements may include:

• exercise breaks
• mix of repetitive and other activities
• rest periods

Planning your Writing

The essence of good business writing is good planning. Every time you write you need to
make sure you understand the purpose of your writing. Ask yourself what you want to achieve.
Points that you need to be clear about:
 who you are writing to (your reader/s)
 why you are writing (your purpose)
 what you need to say (your message)

Defining Your Readers

Your readers can be classified as either internal or external customers of your organization. Your
internal customers might be subordinates, colleagues, senior executives or members of the board
of directors. Your external customers could be clients, prospective clients, shareholders,
competitors, government departments, professional organizations or the general public.
By identifying the category of reader, you can then consider:
 their relationship with you – are they a prospective client? Subordinate? Government agency?

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 their previous experience and knowledge of the topic - how much do they already know?
 their level of understanding – are there any language or other communication barriers?
 the number of readers – one person, a small group or a mass audience?
This knowledge is essential as it impacts on the way you write your message. The content of
your message must be appropriate to your readers to ensure its effectiveness in meeting their
needs.
1.3.Identify organizational requirements for text-based business documents to ensure
consistency of style and image
Organizational requirements may include:
 company color scheme
 company logo
 consistent corporate image
 content restrictions
 established guidelines and procedures for document production
 house styles
 observing copyright legislation
 organization name, time, date, document title, filename, etc. in header/footer
 templates
1.4. Evaluate complex technical functions of the software for their usefulness in fulfilling the
requirements of the task
Complex technical functions may include:
 alignment
 data transfer
 display features
 embedding
 exporting
 fields
 form fields
 formulae
 importing

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 index
 linking
 macros
 merge criteria
 page and section breaks
 sort criteria
 style sheets
 table of contents
 templates
2. Design complex documents
2.1Design document structure and layout to suit purpose, audience and information
requirements of the task
The design of a text must cater for the content: if there are three levels of heading, the design
must cater for them; if there are likely to be illustrations and captions, they must be catered for;
and so on.

Remember you are producing paper documents, so be sure to test out your design work on paper,
rather than just looking at it on your computer screen, where its appearance will be very
different.

Structure and layout may include:

• boxes
• color
• columns
• drawing
• graphics
• headings
• letter and memo conventions
• page layout
The appearance of documents will alter considerably with changes in resolution. For example,
type and rules have sharper definition at higher resolution, and the contrast between bold and
plain text is more distinct.

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So if your document is to be typeset, rather than laser-printed, ask your typesetters to produce a
sample page, so you can see how it looks at high resolution.
Remember, too, that your readers will be using documents they can hold, with pages they can
flick through, rather than the flat pages you produce, or look at on screen. So make up sample
documents that match the look and feel of final copies. These should help you check things such
as whether there is a wide enough back margin for binding, whether page numbers and running
heads will be clearly visible, and so on.
2.2. Design document to enhance readability and appearance, and to meet organizational and task
requirements for style and layout
Written communication is a constant in all organizations, regardless of the type of organization.
Workplace documents can be produced in many formats from short memos, letters, facsimiles
and emails to more complex documents such as detailed letters, business, financial and technical
reports, instruction/procedure manuals, leaflets and brochures, PowerPoint® presentations and
Web pages.
2.3. Use complex software functions to enable efficient manipulation of information and other
material, and ensure consistency of design and layout
Consistency of design and layout may include:
 annotated/explained references
 borders
 bullet/number lists
 captions
 consistency with other business documents
 footnotes/endnotes
 indentations
 page numbers
 spacing
 typeface styles and point size
3. Add complex tables and other data
 3.1.Insert a standard table into document, changing cells to meet information
requirements

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To make managing and analyzing a group of related data easier, you can turn a range of cells
into an Excel table (previously known as an Excel). A table typically contains related data in a
series of worksheet rows and columns that have been formatted as a table. By using the table
features, you can then manage the data in the table rows and columns independently from the
data in other rows and columns on the worksheet.

Managing data in a table

You can use one table to manage your data, but if you want to manage several groups of data,
you can insert more than one table in the same worksheet. Table features that you can use to
manage table data
• Sorting and filtering Filter drop-down lists are automatically added in the header row of a
table. You can sort tables in ascending or descending order or by color, or you can create a
custom sort order. You can filter tables to show only the data that meets the criteria that you
specify, or you can filter by color.
• Formatting table data You can quickly format table data by applying a predefined or custom
table style. You can also choose Table Styles options to display a table with or without a header
or a totals row, to apply row or column banding to make a table easier to read, or to distinguish
between the first or last columns and other columns in the table.
• Inserting and deleting table rows and columns You can use one of several ways to add rows
and columns to a table. You can quickly add a blank row at the end of the table, include adjacent

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worksheet rows or worksheet columns in the table, or insert table rows and table columns
anywhere that you want. You can delete rows and columns as needed. You can also quickly
remove rows that contain duplicate data from a table.
• Using a calculated column To use a single formula that adjusts for each row in a table, you
can create a calculated column. A calculated column automatically expands to include additional
rows so that the formula is immediately extended to those rows.
• Displaying and calculating table data totals You can quickly total the data in a table by
displaying a totals row at the end of the table and then using the functions that are provided in
drop-down lists for each totals row cell.
Creating Excel Tables
When you create a table in an Excel worksheet , you can manage and analyze the data in that
table independently of data outside the table. For example, you can filter table columns, add a
row for totals, apply table formatting, and publish a table to a server that is running SharePoint
Services 3.0.

If you do not want to work with your data in a table, you can convert the table to a regular range
while keeping any table style formatting that you applied. When you no longer need a table, you
can delete it.
Excel tables should not be confused with the data tables (data table: A range of cells that shows
the results of substituting different values in one or more formulas. There are two types of data

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tables: one-input tables and two-input tables.) that are part of a suite of what-if analysis
commands.
Create a table
You can use one of two ways to create a table. You can either insert a table in the default table
style or you can format your data as a table in a style that you choose.
Insert a table
1. On a worksheet, select the range of cells that you want to include in the table. The cells can be
empty or can contain data.
2. On the Insert tab, in the Tables group, click Table.

Keyboard shortcut: You can also press CTRL+L or CTRL+T.

If the selected range contains data that you want to display as table headers, select the My table
has headers check box. Table headers display default names if you do not select the My table
has headers check box. You can change the default names by typing the text that you want.

3.2.Format rows and columns as required

Formatting of other data may include:
 color
 cropping
 layout
 position in relation to other text
 size

Format data as a table

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On the worksheet, select a range of empty cells or cells that contain the data that you want to
quickly format as a table. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, click Format as Table. When
you use Format as Table, Excel automatically inserts a table. Under Light, Medium, or Dark,
click the table style that you want to use.

Convert a table to a range of data

1. Click anywhere in the table. This displays the Table Tools, adding the Design tab.
2. On the Design tab, in the Tools group, click Convert to Range.
4.2 preview, adjust and print documents
Print and preview documents
Can’t find the Print Preview button? Microsoft Office programs combine Print and Preview in
the same window—click File>Print to find both. On the right, you’ll see your document.
To see each page, click the arrow at the bottom of the preview, and if the text is too small to
read, use the zoom slider to adjust it.

Choose the number of copies you want and click the Print button.
A spreadsheet is a computer program using columns and rows. It allows easy entry of text and
figures, and can be applied to simple budgeting, or complex accounting and financial planning.
“Spreadsheet” is a word used to describe the program, but is also used to describe a sheet with
columns and rows. Excel uses the word ‘worksheet’ to describe a single sheet and the word
‘workbook’ to describe a number of sheets together which form a ‘book’.

Organize personal work environment in accordance with ergonomic requirements

Ergonomic requirements may include:

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 avoiding radiation from computer screens

 chair height, seat and back adjustment
 document holder
 footrest
 keyboard and mouse position
 lighting
 noise minimisation
 posture
 screen position
 workstation height and layout

Analyze task and determine specifications for spreadsheets

Identify organizational and task requirements in relation to data entry, storage, output,
reporting and presentation requirements

Apply work organization strategies and energy and resource conservation

techniques to plan work activities

Work organisation strategies may include:

 exercise breaks
 mix of repetitive and other activities
 rest periods

Energy and resource conservation techniques may include:

 double-sided paper use

 recycling used and shredded paper
 re-using paper for rough drafts (observing confidentiality requirements)
 using power-save options for equipment

Utilize spreadsheet design software functions and formula to meet identified

requirements

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Link spreadsheets in accordance with software procedures

Format cells and use data attributes assigned with relative and/or absolute cell
references, in accordance with the task specifications
Test formula to confirm output meets task requirements

Automate and standardize spreadsheet operation

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Spreadsheet design may include:

 analysis
 appropriateness
 avoidance of blank rows and columns
 embedding cell references in formula
 formula
 formatting and reformatting
 functions
 headers and footers
 headings
 headings and labels
 identification and parameters

Formula may include:

 addition
 average
 comparison
 division
 exponentiation
 multiplication
 percentage
 subtraction
combinations of above

 Use spreadsheets
Prepare a spreadsheet for printing
1. Click on the home tab, then on the office button, and select print then print preview.
Click on pages setup. A dialogue box displays with four tabs, page, margins, header/
footer and sheet. We will work with each of these to prepare the spreadsheet for printing.

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2. Page: select portrait unless the spreadsheet is too wide for the page. Landscape will turn
the page on its side to allow for more width.
Margins: leave the margin settings, but click on vertically and horizontally to center the
spreadsheet on the page.
Header/ footer: click on custom header or custom footer to create headers and footers.
The icons in the header of footer box insert codes for dates, folder names, file names,.Sheet
names, time, etc.
Codes allow the information to be automatically changed if the date, file name etc change when
printing the spreadsheet.
Click your cursor in the left, center or right sections, then select the icon you require.
Sheet: click on gridlines to add vertical and horizontal ruler lines to the spreadsheet for easier
reading of data.
Click on ok to set these options and return to print preview
3. Click on zoom to see the full page view.
4. Note that next page and previous age are greyed- out if your spreadsheet fits on one page.
5. Click on print to print the spreadsheet, or
6. Click on close print preview to return to your worksheet save your spreadsheet file
Page break preview
If the spreadsheet has flowed to more than one page, we can remove any unwanted page breaks.
1. Click on the view ribbon tab
2. Select page break preview
3. The spreadsheet will display blue lines where page breaks occur, and a small dialogue
box. Click on ‘do not show this dialog again’, then ok
4. Click and drag the blue lines to the bottom or right of the spreadsheet to remove the page
breaks.
5. Click on normal to return to normally view of the spreadsheet
Copy a spreadsheet to another sheet
1. Copy and paste sheet 1 to sheet 2 as follows:
Look at where sheet 1 is selected at the bottom of the screen.
2. Click on the select all button located above the number 1 and to the left of the letter A the
whole sheet becomes selected.

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3. Select the home tab, then click on the copy icon in the clipboard on the ribbon.
4. Click on sheet 2 in cell A1 then click on paste in the clipboard
Note: to copy, you can also use the shortcut keys ctrl+C
To paste, you can also use the shortcut keys ctrl+v
Turn on formulas
Formulas are turned on by using the combination of the control key and the tilde/ accent key, ie
press and hold the control key, then quickly tap the tilde/ accent key.
The tilde/ accent key is found directly above the tab key. Use a quick tap for the tilde key
because if you hold it down the formulas will very quickly turn on and off producing a flickering
effect. Use the same combination to turn the formulas off.
Turn formulas on in sheet2, you may find that your headings lose their alignment and that the
main heading may be cut off.
Do not worry about that or try to change it. The only thing that is important is that the formulas
are clearly visible.
Functions may include:
 basic financial functions (if available)
 date functions
 logical functions (lookup, if, choose, true, false, conditions)
 mathematical functions (square root, integer, absolute value, round)
 simple nested functions
 statistical functions (standard deviation, count, maximum, minimum)
3. Represent numerical data in graphic form

Graphs may include:

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 bar
 line
 pie
 scatter
 stack
 3D
Creating graphs may include:
 data range
 keys and legends
 labels and titles
 naming
 sizing (if possible)
 using graph menu
 X and Y axis
Prepare worksheet for printing
Because the columns are so much wider now, you need to change the page orientation to
landscape. Prepare the formula worksheet (sheet 2) for printing as you did before but, make only
one change- change orientation to landscape.
Note: if you see he has ### appear in a column, it means that the column is not wide enough to
hold the data. Widen the column until the data shows clearly. Place your cursor on the line
between the C &D or other letters above the columns and double click to autofit.

Handy hint:
By placing your cursor on various locations of the spreadsheet window or ribbons and clicking
the Right mouse button, you can access menus which display useful options, depending where
your mouse is clicked. For example, right mouse clicking on a row number will display options
to cut, copy, paste, insert rows, delete row, etc.
Activity: place your cursor on various areas of the spreadsheet window, such as the tabs, ribbons,
column letters, row numbers and individual cells, then right – mouse click to view the options.
To undo any of the changes, tap ctrlz (undo), or click on undo on the quick access toolbar

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 Exercise2- office supply company

Office supply company need a spreadsheet to keep track of prices, markups and retail values of
their stationery list.

A B C D
1 Office supply company
2 Price list
3 Cost price Markup Selling price
4 Item 17.50
5 USB drivers 1 GB 29.00
6 USB drivers 2 GB 7.50
7 Plastic pockets A4(box 100) 1.20
8 Pens- whiteboard 1.50
9 Pens-Felt tip, fine 5.30
1 Folders A4 various colours 2.50
0
1 Folders A4 lever arch 0.50
1
1 Exercise book- 128 pages 0.50
2
1 MP3 storage 2 GB 29.50
3
1 Archive boxed –large 7.50
4
Note: consult your summary notes if you are not sure of a task.
1. Open a new spreadsheet file and key in the data as above. Hint: click on the office button
to get started.

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2. TEXT WRAP to put the double line headings into one cell
1. Use text wrap method 1 for the cost price column heading:
1. Type cost in cell B4
2. Press Alt+ Enter
3. Type price, press enter
2. Use text wrap method 2 for the selling price column heading
1. Click in the, key in selling price
2. Click on home tab, then click on the wrap text button (Alignment group)
3. To unwrap, click on the wrap text button again
Calculate the mark up for each of the items. (mark up is the amount that is added by the
proprietor to the cost price. This amount represents his/her profit)
4. The mark up formula is =25% * cost price. Use the click cell method:
1. Click on the first cell under the heading (C5), key in =25%*
2. Click cell B5
3. Click on the blue enter tick
3. Calculate the selling price
1. The selling price formula= cost price+ markup
1. Key in the =sign and use the click cell method to put in the cell references for the remainder of
the formula.
4. Fill down both the markup and the selling price at the same time, ie.
1. Select the two cells contain the formulas, put your cursor on the selling price fill handle and
dill down to the 14th row.
1. Save your spreadsheet as stationery
2. What is the formula in cell C5? D5?-----------------------------------

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DESIGNING A SPREADSHEET
Good worksheet design depends on;
 Careful consideration of the task to be performed by the worksheet
 Effective pre-planning
 Adherence to basic principles of worksheet design.
The basic principles demand that your worksheet should;
 Reliably provide the solution to the problem
 Use a layout and style that both clarify and enhance the information to be conveyed
 To able to be understood by end users
 Be easily updated
 Be able to be edited by others (if necessary)
 Be protected from unauthorised changes (if necessary)
 Be time and cost efficient
 Be memory efficient

The following will help you plan memory-efficient worksheets;

 When you enter data, try to do it in a way that uses more columns than rows (memory
usage is based on the number of rows so it will use less memory if you keep the rows to a
minimum.
 Do not leave blank rows in a worksheet to separate information. Alter the row height
instead. Titles can be made just as effective by increasing the row height.
 When formatting cells with borders or shading, format only the minimum number of
cells.

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Planning a Spreadsheet
 What should the main heading be?
 Are subheadings needed? What should they be?
 Are there any fixed values (constants) that are needed in formulas? You need to
remember that any formulas that reference fixed values should do so using absolute cell
references. These are best positioned in an area just under the headings but before the
main body of the spreadsheet.
 What are the names of the items about which you are entering data? The answer to this
question will determine;
 How many rows you will need
 The labels that will be needed for those rows.
Appropriate Appearance
Having developed a clear design and used sound formula construction techniques, the
appearance of your spreadsheet can definitely aid in its usability and readability. Your
spreadsheet can be enhanced with numeric, font, color and border formats.
Some guidelines are important to remember.
 What is the purpose of the spreadsheet? This will set the reason for any formatting.
 Are there any appearance standards or requirements set by the client or workplace? Some
organizations may insist that spreadsheets are prepared following a particular style. These style
requirements may be defined in a Corporate Style Guide.
 Will the formatting actually enhance the readability of the spreadsheet?
 Just because the data is money doesn’t mean all the figures need to be in $ with two decimal
places.
Information that would be organized into rows and columns can be managed easily using a
spreadsheet program.

Open Excel.
The Ribbon can be minimized to provide more room in the Excel window. Let’s minimize the
Ribbon and display it again. It may be minimized in your window by default.
 Right-click on the menu to display the short-cut menu as shown in Figure 2.1.
The menu is shown in Figure 2.2.

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Figure 2.1 Excel menu short-cut menu.

Click the menu item Minimize the Ribbon. If the Ribbon was visible before,
it is now hidden. If the Ribbon was hidden, it is now visible.
Ensure the Ribbon is visible, as shown in Figure 5.2. If it is hidden, use the
above method to reveal it.
The Excel window contains a grid, toolbars, and sheet tabs as shown in Figure 5.2.
Figure 2.2 The Excel window.

The available worksheet area is quite large. The rectangular areas are called cells. There are
1,048,576 rows and 16,384 columns of cells available in each sheet. We will use only part of one
sheet. Let’s scroll to get a sense of the size of the work area.
Click the left, right, up, and down scroll arrows on the right edge of the window as shown in
Figure 2.2.
As you click the down scroll arrow you will notice the row numbers increasing. As you click the
right scroll arrow, you will notice the column letters scrolling. After the alphabet has expired, the
“counting” begins again AA, AB, AC, until the last column, XFD.
Press and hold the Ctrl key while you tap the Home key to return to cell A1.
Moving around the Worksheet
Move the mouse pointer to cell D5.
 Click the left mouse button.
Notice that the cell is now outlined in bold. Only one cell will be outlined in bold. This indicates
the active cell. You have activated cell D5 by clicking it.
The sheet tabs at the bottom of the window indicate different worksheets of the Excel workbook.
Each of these sheets also contains 1,048,576 rows and 16,384 columns of cells. To activate a
different sheet, click the appropriate tab.

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 Click the tab labeled Sheet2.

Now you have activated the Sheet2 worksheet.
Click the Sheet1 tab to activate Sheet1 again.
Now, let’s begin entering data. There are essentially three types of data: labels, values, and
formulas. A label is text such as a title, the name of a month, or a street address. A value is a
number and a formula is some kind of calculation.
Data Entry
Activate cell A1.
Type: Hello!
While you type this label, several things are happening on the screen. You may notice that the
label seems to appear in two places simultaneously. It appears in cell A1 and it also appears on
the formula bar. Some symbols have also appeared on the formula bar as shown in Figure 2.3.

Figure 2.3 Excel formula bar.

Click the Cancel button on the Formula Bar as shown in Figure 2.3.
Notice that the input “Hello!” has disappeared. You can cancel any input before it has been
entered by clicking the Cancel button.
Type: Hello!
Click the Enter button on the Formula Bar as shown in Figure 2.3.
This button enters the data in the cell. Notice that the buttons on the Formula bar have
disappeared. Similarly, you could have simply pressed the Enter key. The Insert Function
button is used to select a formula; we will examine this later.
Let’s assume the cell entry is incorrect and we wish to erase it from the cell.
Make sure that A1 is the active cell. If not, click cell A1 to activate it.
Press the Delete key on the keyboard. Notice that the cell entry has been erased. There are other
methods of deleting cell contents, but pressing the Delete key is quick and intuitive.
We can also make changes to the contents of a cell after it has been entered.
Activate cell A1 if it is not already active.
Type: Welcome to spreadsheet computing!
Press the Enter key on the keyboard.
The text should be entered into the cell as shown in Figure 2.4.

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Figure 2.4 Excel text entered.

You should notice a few things. First, since this label is longer than the width of the column, it
scrolls onto adjacent blank cells. Column widths can be enlarged to accommodate data so cells
B1, C1, and D1 could still contain data later and column A could be enlarged. Second, after
pressing the Enter key, the active cell is now A2. After data is entered, the new active cell will
usually be the cell below the entry.
Entering a Formula

The power of the spreadsheet application is the ability to perform calculations using formulas.
Let’s create a formula that adds the contents of cells A2 and A3.
Activate cell A4 if it is not already active.
Type: =A2+A3
Notice that the formula appears in the cell and in the Formula Bar as shown in Figure 5.5. Also,
the cells are color coded corresponding to the formula in cell A4.
Figure 2.5 Excel entering a formula.

Press the Enter key or click the Enter button on the Formula Bar.
Activate cell A4.
Notice that the formula appears in the Formula Bar, but the result of the formula appears in cell
A5, as shown in Figure 2.6.

Figure 2.6 Excel formula results.

The power of a formula is in the cell references. Because the cell references are used in the
formula, Excel updates the results when contents of these cells change.

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Activate cell A3.

Type: 1,000
Press the Enter key or click the Enter button on the Formula Bar.
Notice that the results in cell A4 have now changed to reflect the new data. Excel formulas
always begin with an equals = sign. In our example, =A2+A3, the plus sign is called an
operator. Excel formulas can contain the following operators:
Operator Description
^ (Caret symbol) Exponentiation
* (Asterisk symbol) Multiplication
/ (Slash symbol) Division
+ (Plus sign) Addition
– (Dash or minus sign) Subtraction
When we create a more complicated formula, we can use these operators and we can also use the
parentheses ( ). Excel will follow the order of operations for mathematics when calculating
formulas.
Let’s start by entering some of the data into specific cells, as shown in Figure 2.7.
Delete the contents of cells A1, A2, A3, and A4. You can select each cell and press the Delete
key to delete the contents.
Enter the data shown in Figure 2.7. Don’t be concerned if some of the data appears to be “cut
off” when you enter information in adjacent cells. We’ll deal with column widths later. When
you have completed entering all of the data, your spreadsheet should look something like that
shown in Figure 2.8.

Figure 2.7 Excel sample data showing all cell content

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Figure 2.8 Excel sample data displays normal; some of the cell data appears cut off.
Let’s take the opportunity now to save the file.
Click the Save button and save the file as Sample.xlsx.
Save the file periodically as you work through this exercise.
Activate cell A1 by using the Ctrl-Home combination.
Changing the Column Width
Some of the titles in column A have been cut off because of information in cells in column B.
This is not a problem since we can adjust the width of any column. Let’s adjust the width of
column A. The longest label in this column is “Net Surplus/Deficit.” We’ll adjust the width until
the entire label is visible.
Move the mouse pointer to the right border of the column A heading (the line between column A
and B above cell A1) as shown in Figure 2.9. Notice that the pointer changes to a vertical line
between a left and right arrow.

Figure 2.9 Excel sizing a column.

Drag the border to the right until the longest label is visible.

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Similarly, a column width can be decreased by dragging the line to the left. Using this method,
any column width can be changed.
Moving Cell Contents
Cell contents can be easily copied or moved to other cells. Let’s do some practicing!
Activate cell B4. Let’s move the income figure to cell C4.
Move the pointer to the bottom edge of the active cell (any edge except the bottom right corner
will do the trick).
You should see the pointer change from a cross icon to a large arrow with a move tool icon as
shown in Figure 5.10. Earlier versions of Excel will show a large arrow without the smaller
move tool icon.

Figure 2.10 Excel mouse pointer for moving a cell.

Drag the pointer to cell C4 until you see a “shadow” appear on cell C4.
Release the left mouse button. It’s that easy! The income figure has been moved to cell C4. In
earlier versions of Excel, you may see an outline for the cell instead of a shadow.
Using this method, you can move the contents of any cell to any other cell in the worksheet. An
alternate method is to activate the cell to be moved and use a cut and paste method. Let’s use a
different method to move the income figure back to cell B4.
Activate cell C4.
Click the Cut button on the Ribbon as shown in Figure 5.2.
Click cell B4.
Click the Paste button on the Ribbon as shown in Figure 5.2.
Copying Cell Contents
We can copy information from one cell to another as easily as we can move information from
one cell to another. Let’s copy the income figure in cell B4 to cells C4, D4, and E4.
Activate cell B4.
Notice that the active cell is highlighted in bold and contains a box at the bottom right corner of
the cell. This is called the fill handle.
Move the mouse pointer to the fill handle. The pointer should change to a thin cross as shown in
Figure 2.11.

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Figure 2.11 Excel mouse pointer on the fill handle of an active cell.
Drag the pointer to cell E4 and release the left mouse button.
Notice the dotted outline on the cells as you drag the mouse pointer, as shown in Figure 5.12.

Figure 2.12 Excel mouse pointer dragging the fill handle.

You should notice that cells C4, D4, and E4 have been filled with the income figure! We can
also use the copy and paste method to copy cell contents.
Activate cell B7.
Click the Copy button on the Ribbon as shown in Figure 2.12.
Notice that there is a flashing marquee around cell B7.
Position the mouse pointer in the middle of cell C7 and drag it to cell E7 to select these cells.
Release the left mouse button, as shown in Figure 2.13.

Figure 2.13 Excel cells selected.

Click the Paste button on the Ribbon to paste a copy of the value from cell B7 into the selected
cells.
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Copy the Car (gas) figure in cell B8 to cells C8, D8, and E8 using any method you prefer.
Copy the Car (loan) figure in cell B10 to cells C10, D10, and E10 using any method you prefer.
Copy the Food/household figure in cell B12 to cells C12, D12, and E12 using any method you
prefer.
Your document should look something like that shown in Figure 2.14.

Figure 2.14 Excel cells containing budget figures.

Using the Undo and Redo Features

Now is a great time to introduce the Undo feature. This command will undo the effect of the
most recent command.
Click the Undo button on the upper left corner of the Excel window.
Excel cannot undo all commands but it’s ideal for commands such as editing, cut, copy, insert,
delete, formatting and others. You can click the drop-down arrow on the Undo button to see the
most recent tasks that can be “undone.” Excel will allow you to click the Undo button repeatedly
to progressively undo the most recent tasks, or you can choose from the list of tasks to undo a
group of tasks. You will not be able to choose a single task in the middle of the list. When you
select a task in the middle of the list, Excel will undo all of the tasks above the task selected.
Notice that the copied cells have been deleted.
Once the Undo feature has been used, the Redo feature can be used to “redo” the most recently
undone task.
Click the Redo button at the upper left corner of the Excel window.
Notice that the copied cells have reappeared.
Entering Formulas

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Most of the figures have been entered and it’s time to enter the formulas. Let’s start with the
Total Expenses formula. We could enter a formula such as =B7+B8+B9+B10+B11+B12+B13,
but this is long and cumbersome. When there is a group of cells to be included in a calculation
that adds all of the data, we can use the SUM function. This will allow us to specify a group of
cells by dragging to select the cells or typing a specific range.
Activate cell B15.
Type: =SUM(
Do not type any spaces in this formula. Be sure to type the left parenthesis because it is part of
the function.
Select the group of cells from B7 to B13 by dragging through them. Notice that there is a
marquee around the block of cells as shown in Figure 2.15.

Figure 2.15 Excel Sum function.

Press the Enter key to complete the formula.
Activate cell B15 to see the formula in the formula bar.
Notice that Excel has placed a right parenthesis at the end of the function to end it. The formula
should be =SUM(B7:B13). The end cells are specified, separated by a colon (:) to define the
range of cells. The result of the formula appears in cell B15 but the actual formula appears on the
formula bar.
Copy the formula in cell B15 to the range C15:E15. You can use the dragging method or the
copy and paste method.
Activate each cell (C15, D15, E15) and look at the formula in the formula bar. The formula in
cell C15 is =SUM(C7:C13).
Excel has changed the range in each cell accordingly. This is exactly the effect that we need at
this point, so don’t hesitate to copy formulas.
Now let’s enter the formula for the Net Surplus/Deficit using a pointing method. We will
subtract the Total Expenses figure from the Income figure.

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Activate cell B17.

Type: =
Click cell B4.
Notice the marquee around cell B4.
Type: -
Click cell B15.
Notice the marquee around cell B15, as shown in Figure 5.16.

Figure 2.16 Excel entering a formula using the pointing method.

Press the Enter key to complete the formula.
The formula could have been manually entered as =B4-B15, however the cells can also be
selected with the mouse as we have done.
Copy the formula in cell B17 to the range C17:E17 using any method you prefer.
Let’s create the Year-To-Date formulas.
Activate cell F4.
Type: =SUM(
Select the range B4:E4 by dragging through this range to select those cells as shown in Figure
2.17.

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Figure 2.17 Excel sum function across a row.

Press the Enter key to enter the formula in the cell.
Copy this formula to the appropriate places in column F. You can use the
Edit, Copy command in this case since the cells are not all adjacent. You can also use the drag
and drop technique, and delete contents of the cells that contain “0.” Figures 2.18 and 2.19 show
the budget document as it is displayed and with the formulas.

Figure 2.18 Excel budget document with all values.

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Figure 2.19 Excel budget document formulas.

Viewing Formulas
You can view the formulas as shown in Figure 5.19. Press and hold the Ctrl key while you tap
the ~ key.
The ~ key is at the upper-left position on your keyboard. Notice that the display reveals all of the
formulas, as shown in Figure 5.19. To return to the display view we will use the same key
combination.
Press and hold the Ctrl key while you tap the ~ key. Notice that the view has returned to the
display view.
Inserting and Deleting Rows and Columns
Excel allows us to insert rows and columns of cells into the worksheet and adjusts the formulas
accordingly. Let’s insert a row between the month headings and the income figures.
Activate cell B4. This is the position of the new blank row and activating any cell in the row will
work.
Click the drop-down arrow beside or below the Insert button on the Ribbon as shown in Figure
2.20. This reveals the Insert menu.
Click the menu choice Insert Sheet Rows to add a row at the active cell position.

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Figure 2.20 Excel Insert Rows and Columns.

Let’s insert a column, and then delete it.
Activate any cell in column F.
Click the drop-down arrow beside the Insert button on the Ribbon as shown in Figure 2.20.
Click the menu choice Insert Sheet Columns to add a column at the active cell position.
Notice that a blank column has been inserted at the active cell position and any cell references
have been adjusted.
Now that we’ve inserted a column, perhaps we decide that it really isn’t necessary and now we
want to delete it.
Activate any cell in column F.
Click the drop-down arrow beside or below the Delete button on the Ribbon.
Click the menu item Delete Sheet Columns to delete the column.
Printing a Worksheet
You can print an Excel worksheet using the Office button and Print menu command as you
would with any other application program. Worksheets can quickly become wide and long and
will print on multiple pages, or can be fit to a single page. When the document is fit to a single
page, the font size is reduced until the data fits on one page.
Click the Office button and click the Print menu item.
Click the Print option as shown in Figure 2.21.
The Print dialog box should appear as shown in Figure 2.21.

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Figure 2.21 Excel Print dialog box.

Notice that the Active sheet(s) option is selected. As the workbook can have several sheets, there
is an option to select only the active sheet, or the entire workbook.
If you have a printer available, click the OK button to print the worksheet. If you do not have a
printer available, click the Cancel button to cancel the print.
Changing Alignment in a Cell
To this point, we have been entering data, formulas, and adjusting the worksheet cells. Let’s look
at some formatting options to enhance the document.
By default, all of the labels are left-aligned within the cell and all of the values are right-aligned.
Let’s adjust the month labels so that they are centered in the cell.
Select the cells containing the months by positioning the mouse pointer in the middle of cell B3
and dragging through to cell E3.
Click the Center button on the Ribbon as shown in Figure 2.22.

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Figure 2.22 Excel Ribbon buttons.

Wrapping Text in a Cell
If the content of a cell is too long, we may prefer to wrap the text within the cell, rather than
increase the column width. First, make sure that the title “Year-to-Date” is extending beyond
column F and into column G. If column F is wide enough for the title, decrease the column width
a bit.
Activate cell F3.
Click the Wrap Text button on the Ribbon as shown in Figure 2.22.
Notice that the Year-To-Date title is now wrapped within the cell. No new row has been added
and the row height has been adjusted to accommodate the label.
Merge and Center
We can center a label across a group of columns easily.
Activate cell A1. This cell contains the label “Budget for Jane Doe.” It’s important that the label
to be centered is entered in the leftmost cell of the range.
Select the range A1:F1 by dragging through the range.
Click the Merge & Center button on the Ribbon as shown in Figure 2.22.
Notice that the title has been centered across columns A through F. The cells A1:F1 have been
merged. When you activate any of these cells the entire selection is activated, as shown in
Figure 2.23.

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Figure 2.23 Excel Merge and Center title.

Formatting Values
The values in the worksheet do not contain decimals or dollar signs. We can use formatting
options to include these.
Select the range B5:F5 by dragging through the range.
Click the drop-down arrow beside the Accounting Number Format button on the Ribbon as
shown in Figure 2.24.
Click the menu item $English (U.S.).
Now look at the numbers in the worksheet. If numbers have disappeared and have been replaced
with #, this indicates that the number of characters has exceeded the column width. If that
occurs, it’s necessary to increase the width of the columns. If there is more than one column
affected, it may be easiest to increase the widths as a group.
Let’s format some more values.

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