MICROSOFT OFFICE

EXCEL

A
TEACHER DANIEL ONLINE
COMPUTER LITERACY PROJECT
Introduction
Excel is a spreadsheet program that can help you create worksheets
and invoices and do simple and sophisticated number crunching; it
is designed to help you calculate the results of formulas and help you
organize and analyze numerical data.

In this publication, Teacher Daniel takes you through all the basic
computer operations while using the Microsoft Office Excel.

You’ll learn how to start and exit Excel. You will become familiar with
the Excel operations. You’ll also learn how to create new workbooks
and open existing workbook files.

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Starting Excel

To start Excel from the Windows desktop, follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button, and the Start menu appears.

2. Point at All Programs in Windows and the Programs menu
appears.
3. Select the Microsoft Office program group and then Microsoft
Office Excel 2003 to start the program.

When you work in Excel, you use workbook files to hold your
numerical data, formulas, and other objects, such as Excel charts.
Each Excel workbook can consist of several sheets; each sheet is
called a worksheet.

You enter your numbers and formulas on one of the workbook's

worksheets. Each worksheet consists of 256 columns. The columns
begin with column A and proceed through the alphabet. The 27th
column is AA, followed by AB, AC, and this convention for naming
subsequent columns continues through the entire alphabet until you
end up with the last column (column 256), which is designated IV.

Each worksheet also consists of 65,536 rows. The intersection of a

column and a row on the worksheet is called a cell. Each cell has an
address that consists of the column and row that intersect to make
the cell. For example, the very first cell on a worksheet is in column
A and row 1, so the cell's address is A1.

The Excel window shown here includes many of the various elements
available in other Office applications, such as Word or PowerPoint.
These elements include a menu bar (from which you select
commands), a status bar (which displays the status of the current
activity), and toolbars (which contain buttons and drop-down lists
that provide quick access to various commands and features).

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 Element Description
Formula bar When you enter information into a cell, it appears in
the Formula bar. You can use the Formula bar to edit
the data later. The cell's location also appears in the
Formula bar.
Column The letters across the top of the worksheet, which
headings identify the columns in the worksheet.
Row The numbers down the side of the worksheet, which
headings identify the rows in the worksheet.
Cell selector The dark outline that indicates the active cell. (It
highlights the cell you are currently working in.)
Worksheet These tabs help you move from worksheet to worksheet
tabs within the workbook.

To create a new workbook, follow these steps:

1. Open the File menu and select New. The New Workbook
task pane appears on the right side of the Excel window (if you
did not close it as outlined earlier, it should already be open).
2. The New Workbook task pane enables you to create new
blank workbooks or create workbooks based on an existing
workbook or a template.
3. To create a blank workbook, click the Blank Workbook icon.
A new blank workbook opens in the Excel window.
The first time you save a workbook; you must name it and specify a
location where it should be saved.

Follow these steps to save your workbook:

1. Open the File menu and select Save, or click the Save
button on the Standard toolbar. The Save As dialog box
appears.
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 2. Type the name you want to give the workbook in the File
Name text box. You can use up to 218 characters, including any
combination of letters, numbers, and spaces.
3. Normally, Excel saves your workbooks in the My Documents
folder. To save the file to a different folder or drive (such as a
network drive), select a new location using the Save In list.
4. Click Save to save your workbook and close the Save As
dialog box.
To save changes that you make to a workbook that you have
previously saved, just click the Save button on the Standard toolbar.
You can also press the shortcut key combination of Ctrl+S to save
changes to your workbook.

Opening an Existing Workbook

If you have a workbook you've previously saved that you would like
to work on, you must open the file first, before you can make any
changes. Follow these steps to open an existing workbook:
1. Open the File menu and select Open, or click the Open
button on the Standard toolbar. The Open dialog box appears.
2. If the file is not located in the current folder, open the Look
In drop-down list box and select the correct drive and folder.
3. Select the file you want to open in the files and folders list.
4. To see a preview of the workbook before you open it, click
the Views button and select Preview. Excel displays the contents
of the workbook in a window to the right of the dialog box.
5. Click Open to open the currently selected workbook.

Closing Workbooks
When you have finished with a particular workbook and want to
continue working in Excel, you can easily close the current
workbook. Click the Close (X) button in the upper-right corner of the
workbook. (There are two Close buttons; the one on top closes Excel,
and the one below it closes the current workbook window.)
You can also close the current workbook by selecting File, Close. If
you have changed the workbook since the last time you saved it, you
will be prompted to save any changes.

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Exiting Excel
When you have finished working with Excel, you need to exit the
application. This closes all workbooks that are currently open. To exit
Excel, select the File menu and select Exit. Or you can click the Close
(X) button at the upper-right corner of the Excel window.
If you have changed any of the workbooks that you were working
with, you are prompted to save changes to these workbook files before
exiting Excel.

Entering Text into the Worksheet

Text is any combination of letters, numbers, and spaces. By default,
text is automatically left-aligned in a cell, whereas numerical data is
right-aligned.

To enter text into a cell, follow these steps:

1. Use your mouse or the keyboard arrows to select the cell in
which you want to enter text.
2. Type the text. As you type, your text appears in the cell and
in the Formula bar.
3. Press Enter. Your text appears in the cell, left-aligned. The cell
selector moves down one cell. You can also press Tab or an arrow
key to enter the text and move to the next cell to the right (or in
the direction of the arrow).
Adding Comments to Cells
These comments allow you to associate information with a cell—
information that does not appear (by default) with the worksheet
when sent to the printer.
Comments are similar to placing a Post-it note on a cell, reminding
you that an outstanding issue is related to that cell. For example, if
you need to check the value that you've placed in a particular cell to
make sure that it's accurate, you can place a comment in the cell .
Cells containing comments are marked with a red triangle in the
upper-right corner of the cell. To view a comment, place the mouse
pointer on the comment triangle.

To insert a comment into a cell, follow these steps:

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 1. Click the cell in which you want to place the comment.
2. Select Insert, Comment. A comment box appears next to the
cell.
3. Type your information into the comment box.
4. Click anywhere else in the worksheet to close the comment
box.
You can also easily remove comments from cells. Select the cell, and
then select Edit and point at Clear. On the cascading menu, select
Comments to remove the comment.

Entering Numbers
Data that serves as the values in your workbooks can include the
numeric characters 0–9.
To enter a value, follow these steps:
1. Click in the cell where you want to enter the value.
2. Type the value. To enter a negative number, precede it with
a minus sign or surround it with parentheses.
3. Press Enter or the Tab key; the value appears in the cell
right-aligned.

Copying Data to Other Cells

Another way to enter labels or values onto a sheet is to use the Fill
feature. You can copy (fill) an entry into surrounding cells. For
example, suppose you have a list of salespeople on a worksheet, and
they will each get a $100 bonus. You can enter the 100 once and
then use the Fill feature to insert multiple copies of 100 into nearby
cells.

To use the Fill feature for copying, follow these steps:

1. Click the fill handle of the cell (the small block in the lower-
right corner of the cell) that holds the data that you want to copy
.
2. Drag the fill handle down or to the right to copy the data to
adjacent cells. A data tag appears to let you know exactly what
data is being copied into the cells.

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 3. Release the mouse button. The data is "filled" into the selected
cells.

When you release the mouse, a shortcut box for Fill options appears
at the end of the cells that you filled. Copy Cells is the default option
for the Fill feature, so you can ignore the shortcut box for the
moment. It does come into play when you enter a series in the next
section.

Entering a Series of Numbers, Dates, and Other Data

Entering a value series (such as January, February, and March or 1,
2, 3, 4, and so on) is accomplished using the Fill feature discussed
in the preceding section. When you use the Fill feature, Excel looks
at the cell holding the data and tries to determine whether you want
to just copy that information into the adjacent cells or use it as the
starting point for a particular series of data. For example, with
Monday entered in the first cell of the series, Excel automatically
inserts Tuesday, Wednesday, and so on into the adjacent cells when
you use the Fill feature.
Sometimes Excel isn't quite sure whether you want to copy the data
when you use Fill or create a series. This is where the Fill options
shortcut box comes in. It enables you to select how the Fill feature
should treat the data that you have "filled" into the adjacent cells.
When you create a series using Fill, the series progresses by one
increment. For example, a series starting with 1 would proceed to 2,
3, 4, and so on. If you want to create a series that uses some
increment other than 1, you must create a custom series.
Entering a Custom Series
If you want to create a series such as 10, 20, 30, where the series
uses a custom increment between the values, you need to create a
custom series. Excel provides two ways to create a custom series.

To create a custom series using Fill, follow these steps:

1. Enter the first value in the series into a cell.
2. Enter the second value in the series into the next cell. For
example, you might enter 10 into the first cell and then 20 into
the second cell. This lets Excel know that the increment for the
series is 10.
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 3. Select both cells by clicking the first cell and dragging over the
second cell.
4. Drag the fill handle of the second cell to the other cells that
will be part of the series. Excel analyzes the two cells, sees the
incremental pattern, and re-creates it in subsequent cells.

You can also create a custom series using the Series dialog box. This
enables you to specify the increment or step value for the series and
even specify a stop value for the series.
1. Enter the first value in the series into a cell.
2. Select the cells that you want included in the series.
3. Select the Edit menu, point at Fill, and then select Series. The
Series dialog box opens.
4. Enter the Step Value for the series. You can also enter a Stop
Value for the series if you did not select the cells used for the
series in step 2. For example, if you want to add a series to a
column of cells and have clicked in the first cell that will receive
a value, using a Stop Value (such as 100 for a series that will go
from 1 to 100) will "stop" entering values in the cells when it
reaches 100—the Stop Value.
5. Click OK to create the series.

Understanding Excel Formulas

One way to add calculations to an Excel workbook is to create your
own formulas. Formulas are typically used to perform calculations
such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Notice that the formula begins with the equal sign (=). This lets Excel
know that the information that you are placing in the cell is meant
to do a calculation.

Formula Operators
As previously mentioned, you can create formulas that add, subtract,
and multiply cells in the worksheet.

Opera Performs Sample Result

tor Formul
a

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 ^ Exponenti =A1^3 Enters the result of raising the value in
ation cell A1 to the third power
+ Addition =A1+A2 Enters the total of the values in cells A1
and A2
– Subtractio =A1–A2 Subtracts the value in cell A2 from the
n value in cell A1
* Multiplica =A2*A3 Multiplies the value in cell A2 by cell A3
tion
/ Division =A1/B1 Divides the value in cell A1 by the value
in cell B1

Order of Operations
The order of operations, or operator precedence, simply means that
some operations take precedence over other operations in a formula.
For example, in the formula =C2+D2*E2, the multiplication of D2
times E2 takes precedence, so D2 is multiplied by E2 and then the
value in cell C2 is added to the result.
You can force the precedence of an operation by using parentheses.
For example, if you want C2 and D2 added before they are multiplied
by E2, the formula would have to be written =(C2+D2)*E2.
The natural order of math operators follows:
1. Exponent (^) and calculations within parentheses
2. Multiplication (*) and division (/)
3. Addition (+) and subtraction (–)
In the case of operations such as multiplication and division, which
operate at the same level in the natural order, a formula containing
the multiplication operator followed by the division operator will
execute these operators in the order they appear in the formula from
left to right. If you don't take this order into consideration, you could
run into problems when entering your formulas. For example, if you
want to determine the average of the values in cells A1, B1, and C1,
and you enter =A1+B1+C1/3, you'll get the wrong answer. The value
in C1 will be divided by 3, and that result will be added to A1+B1. To
determine the total of A1 through C1 first, you must enclose that
group of values in parentheses: =(A1+B1+C1)/3.

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Entering Formulas
You can enter formulas in one of two ways: by typing the entire
formula, including the cell addresses, or by typing the formula
operators and selecting the cell references. Take a look at both ways.
To type a formula, perform the following steps:
1. Select the cell where you will place the formula.
2. Type an equal sign (=) into the cell to begin the formula.
3. Enter the appropriate cell references and operators for the
formula. The formula also appears in the Formula bar as you
type it. The cells that you specify in the formula are highlighted
with a colored border.
4. Press Enter when you have finished the formula, and Excel
calculates the result.
To enter a formula by selecting cell addresses, follow these steps:
1. Click in the cell where you will place the formula.
2. Type the equal sign (=) to begin the formula.
3. Click the cell whose address you want to appear first in the
formula. You can also click a cell in a different worksheet or
workbook. The cell address appears in the cell and in the
Formula bar.
4. Type a mathematical operator after the value to indicate the
next operation you want to perform. The operator appears in the
cell and in the Formula bar.
5. Continue clicking cells and typing operators until the
formula is complete.
6. Press Enter to accept the formula and have Excel place its
results into the cell.

Displaying Formulas
Normally, Excel does not display the formula in a cell. Instead, it
displays the result of the calculation. You can view the formula by
selecting the cell and looking in the Formula bar. However, if you're
trying to review all the formulas in a large worksheet, it would be
easier if you could see them all at once (and even print them).
If you want to view formulas in a worksheet, follow these steps:
1. Open the Tools menu and choose Options.
2. Click the View tab.
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 3. In the Window options area of the View tab (near the bottom
of the tab), click to select the Formulas check box.
4. Click OK.

Editing Formulas
Editing a formula is the same as editing any entry in Excel. The
following steps show how you do it:
1. Select the cell that contains the formula you want to edit.
2. Click in the Formula bar to place the insertion point in the
formula, or press F2 to enter Edit mode (the insertion point is
placed at the end of the entry in that cell).
3. Press the left-arrow key or the right-arrow key to move the
insertion point within the formula. Then, use the Backspace key
to delete characters to the left, or use the Delete key to delete
characters to the right. Type any additional characters.
4. When you finish editing the data, click the Enter button on
the Formula bar or press Enter to accept your changes.
Performing Calculations with Functions
In this lesson, you learn how to perform calculations with functions
and how to use the Insert Function feature to quickly insert functions
into your worksheets.
What Are Functions?
Functions are ready-made formulas that perform a series of
operations on a specified range of values. For example, to determine
the sum of a series of numbers in cells A1 through H1, you can enter
the function =SUM(A1:H1). Excel functions can do all kinds of
calculations for all kinds of purposes, including financial and
statistical calculations.
Every function consists of the following three elements:
The = sign, which indicates that what follows is a function
(formula).
The function name, such as SUM, that indicates which
operation will be performed.
A list of cell addresses, such as (A1:H1), which are to be
acted upon by the function. Some functions can include more
than one set of cell addresses, which are separated by commas
(such as A1,B1,H1).

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You can enter functions into the worksheet by typing the function
and cell references (as you did with your own formulas), or you can
use the Insert Function feature, which walks you through the process
of creating a function in a worksheet (you will work with the Insert
Function feature in a moment).
Function Example Description
AVERAG =AVERAGE(B4 Calculates the mean or average of a group
E :B9) of cell values.
COUNT =COUNT(A3:A Counts the number of cells that hold
7) values in the selected range or group of
cells. This can also be used to tell you how
many cells are in a particular column,
which tells you how many rows are in
your spreadsheet.
IF =IF(A3>=1000, Allows you to place a conditional function
"BONUS","NO in a cell. In this example, if A3 is greater
BONUS") than or equal to 1000, the true value,
BONUS, is used. If A3 is less than 1000,
the false value, NO BONUS, is placed in
the cell.
MAX =MAX(B4:B10) Returns the maximum value in a range of
cells.
MIN =MIN(B4:B10) Returns the minimum value in a range of
cells.
SUM =SUM(A1:A10) Calculates the total in a range of cells.
Specify Text with Quotation Marks When you are entering text into a
function, the text must be enclosed within quotation marks. For
example, in the function =IF(A5>2000,"BONUS","NO BONUS"), if the
condition is met (the cell value is greater than 2000), the word
BONUS will be returned by the function. If the condition is not met,
the phrase NO BONUS will be returned in the cell by the function.

Using AutoSum
Adding a group of cells is probably one of the most often-used
calculations in an Excel worksheet. Because of this fact, Excel makes
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it very easy for you to place the SUM function into a cell. Excel
provides the AutoSum button on the Standard toolbar. AutoSum
looks at a column or row of cell values and tries to select the cells
that should be included in the SUM function.
To use AutoSum, follow these steps:
1. Select the cell where you want to place the SUM function.
Typically, you will choose a cell that is at the bottom of a column
of values or at the end of a row of data. This makes it easy for
AutoSum to figure out the range of cells that it should include
in the SUM function.
2. Click the AutoSum button on the Standard toolbar.
AutoSum inserts =SUM and the cell addresses that it thinks
should be included in the function.
3. If the range of cell addresses that AutoSum selected is
incorrect, use the mouse to drag and select the appropriate
group of cells.
4. Press the Enter key. AutoSum calculates the total for the
selected range of cells.
Freezing Column and Row Labels
When you work with very large worksheets, it can be very annoying
as you scroll to the right or down through the worksheet when you
can no longer see your row headings or column headings,
respectively. For example, you might be entering customer data
where the customer's name is in the first column of the worksheet,
and when you scroll to the extreme right to enter data, you can no
longer see the customer names.
You can freeze your column and row labels so that you can view them
no matter how far you scroll down or to the right in your worksheet.
To freeze row or column headings (or both), follow these steps:
1. Click the cell to the right of the row labels and/or below
any column labels you want to freeze. This highlights the cell.
2. Select the Window menu, and then select Freeze Panes.
You might want to experiment on a large worksheet. Freeze the
column and row headings, and then use the keyboard or the mouse
to move around in the worksheet. As you do, the row and/or column
headings remain locked in their positions. This enables you to view
data in other parts of the worksheet without losing track of what that
data represents.

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When you have finished working with the frozen column and row
headings, you can easily unfreeze them. Select the Window menu
again and select Unfreeze Panes.

Locking Cells in a Worksheet

In some situations, you might create a worksheet or worksheets and
someone else will enter the data. In these situations, you might want
to lock cells that contain formulas and functions so that the person
doing the data entry does not accidentally overwrite or delete the
worksheet formulas or functions. Locking cells in a worksheet is a
two-step process. You must first select and lock the cells. Then, you
must turn on protection on the entire worksheet for the "lock" to go
into effect.
Follow these steps to lock cells on a worksheet:
1. Select the cells in the worksheet that you want to lock.
These are typically the cells that contain formulas or functions.
2. Select Format and then Cells. The Format Cells dialog box
appears. Click the Protection tab on the dialog box .
3. Be sure the Locked check box is selected on the Protection
tab. Then click OK.
4. Now you must protect the entire worksheet to have the lock
feature protect the cells that you selected.
Select the Tools menu, point at Protections, and then select
Protect Sheet. The Protect Sheet dialog box appears.
5. Enter a password if you want to require a password for
"unprotecting" the worksheet. Then click OK.

The cells that you locked in steps 1, 2, and 3 will no longer accept
data entry. Every time someone tries to enter data into one of those
cells, Excel displays a message stating that data will not be accepted.
The cells are now protected, and you can pass the workbook on to
the person who handles the data entry.
Editing Worksheets
In this lesson, you learn how to change data and how to undo those
changes if necessary. You also learn how to search for data and
replace it with other data, how to spell check your work, and how to
copy, move, and delete data.

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Correcting Data
You've taken a look at entering text, values, formulas, and functions.
There will definitely be occasions when you need to edit information
in a cell. One way to change an entry in a cell is to replace it by
selecting the cell and then entering new data. Just press Enter after
entering the information. If you just want to modify the existing cell
content, you can also edit data within a cell.
To edit information in a cell, follow these steps:
1. Select the cell in which you want to edit data.
2. To begin editing, click in the Formula bar to place the
insertion point into the cell entry. To edit within the cell itself,
press F2 or double-click the cell. This puts you in Edit mode;
the word Edit appears in the status bar.
3. Press the right- or left-arrow key to move the insertion point
within the entry. Press the Backspace key to delete characters
to the left of the insertion point; press the Delete key to delete
characters to the right. Then, type any characters you want to
add.
4. Press the Enter key when you have finished making your
changes.
5. If you change your mind and you no longer want to edit your
entry, click the Cancel button on the Formula bar or press Esc.

Undoing an Action
Although editing a worksheet is supposed to improve it, you might
find that you've done something to a cell or range of cells that you
had not intended. This is where the Undo feature comes in.
You can undo just about any action while working in Excel, including
any changes you make to a cell's data. To undo a change, click the
Undo button on the Standard toolbar (or select Edit, Undo).

Moving Data
Moving data is similar to copying except that the data is removed
from its original place and placed into the new location.
To move data, follow these steps:
1. Select the cells you want to move.
2. Click the Cut button.

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 3. Select the first cell in the area where you want to place the
data. To move the data to another worksheet, change to that
worksheet.
4. Click Paste.

Deleting Data
To delete the data in a cell or range of cells, select them and press
Delete. Excel also offers some additional options for deleting cells and
their contents:
With the Edit, Clear command, you can delete only the
formatting of a cell (or an attached comment) without deleting
its contents. The formatting of a cell includes the cell's color,
border style, numeric format, font size, and so on. You'll learn
more about this option in a moment.
With the Edit, Delete command, you can remove cells and
then shift surrounding cells over to take their place ("Inserting
and Removing Cells, Rows, and Columns").

To use the Clear command to remove the formatting of a cell or a

note, follow these steps:
1. Select the cells you want to clear.
2. Open the Edit menu and point at Clear. The Clear submenu
appears.
3. Select the desired Clear option: All (which clears the cells of
all contents, formatting, and notes), Formats, Contents, or
Comments.
Changing How Numbers and Text Look
In this lesson, you learn how to customize the appearance of
numbers in your worksheet and how to customize your text
formatting to achieve the look you want.

Formatting Text and Numbers

When you work in Excel, you work with two types of formatting: value
formatting and font formatting. In value formatting, you assign a
particular number style to a cell (or cells) that holds numeric data.
You can assign a currency style, a percent style, or one of several
other numeric styles to values.

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Another formatting option available to you in Excel relates to different
font attributes. For example, you can add bold or italic to the
contents of a cell or cells. You can also change the font used for a
range of cells or increase the font size.
Next, you take a look at numeric formatting, and then you look at
how different font attributes are controlled in Excel.

Numeric Formatting Options

The numeric values that you place in your Excel cells are more than
just numbers; they often represent dollar amounts, a date, or a
percentage. If the various numeric style buttons on the Formatting
toolbar (discussed in the previous section) do not offer the exact
format you want for your numbers, don't worry. Excel's Format Cells
dialog box offers a wide range of number formats and even allows you
to create custom formats.
To use the Format Cells dialog box to assign numeric formatting to
cells in a worksheet, follow these steps:
1. Select the cell or range that contains the values you want
to format.
2. Select the Format menu and select Cells. The Format Cells
dialog box appears.
3. Click the Number tab. The different categories of numeric
formats are displayed in a Category list.
4. In the Category list, select the numeric format category you
want to use. The sample box displays the default format for that
category.
5. Click OK to assign the numeric format to the selected cells.
As you can see from the Number tab on the Format Cells dialog box,
Excel offers several numeric formatting styles.
You can also open the Format Cell dialog box using a shortcut menu.
Select the cell or cells that you want to assign a numeric format to,
and then right-click those cells. On the shortcut menu that appears,
select Format Cells. Then, select the Number tab to select your
numeric format.

How You Can Make Text Look Different

When you type text into a cell, Excel automatically formats it in the
Arial font with a text size of 10 points. The 12-point font size is
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considered typical for business documents (the higher the point size,
the bigger the text is; there are approximately 72 points in an inch).
You can select from several fonts (such as Baskerville, Modern, or
Rockwell) and change the size of any font characters in a cell. You
can also apply special font attributes, such as bold, italic, and
underline.

Accessing Different Font Attributes

If you would like to access a greater number of font format options
for a cell or range of cells, you can use the Font tab of the Format
Cells dialog box. It provides access to different fonts, font styles, font
sizes, font colors, and other text attributes, such as strikethrough
and superscript/subscript.

To format cells using the Font tab of the Format Cells dialog box,
follow these steps:
1. Select the cell or range that contains the text you want to
format.
2. Select the Format menu and select Cells, or press Ctrl+1.
(You can also right-click the selected cells and choose Format
Cells from the shortcut menu.)
3. Click the Font tab. The Font tab provides drop-down lists
and check boxes for selecting the various font attributes.
4. Select the options you want.
5. Click OK to close the dialog box and return to your
worksheet.

Aligning Text in Cells

When you enter data into a cell, that data is aligned automatically.
Text is aligned on the left, and numbers are aligned on the right
(values resulting from a formula or function are also right-aligned).
Both text and numbers are initially set at the bottom of the cells.
However, you can change both the vertical and the horizontal
alignment of data in your cells.
Follow these steps to change the alignment:
1. Select the cell or range you want to align.
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 2. Select the Format menu and then select Cells. The Format
Cells dialog box appears.
3. Click the Alignment tab
4. Choose from the following options to set the alignment:
o Horizontal— Lets you specify a left/right alignment in
the cells. (The Center Across selection centers a title or
other text within a range of cells, which is discussed in a
moment.)
o Vertical— Lets you specify how you want the text
aligned in relation to the top and bottom of the cells.
o Orientation— Lets you flip the text sideways or print
it from top to bottom instead of left to right.
o Wrap Text— Tells Excel to wrap long lines of text
within a cell without changing the width of the cell.
(Normally, Excel displays all text in a cell on one line.)
o Shrink to Fit— Shrinks the text to fit within the cell's
current width. If the cell's width is adjusted, the text
increases or decreases in size accordingly.
o Merge Cells— Combines several cells into a single cell.
All data is overlaid, except for the cell in the upper-left
corner of the selected cells.
5. Click OK when you have finished making your selections.

Adding Cell Borders and Shading.

In this lesson, you learn how to add borders and shading to your
worksheets.
Adding Borders to Cells
As you work with your worksheet onscreen, you'll notice that each
cell is identified by gridlines that surround the cell. By default, these
gridlines do not print; even if you choose to print them, they don't
look very good on the printed page. To create well-defined lines on
the printout (and onscreen, for that matter), you can add borders to
selected cells or entire cell ranges. A border can appear on all four
sides of a cell or only on selected sides; it's up to you.
To add borders to a cell or range, perform the following steps:
1. Select the cell(s) around which you want a border to appear.

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 2. Open the Format menu and choose Cells. The Format Cells
dialog box appears.
3. Click the Border tab to see the Border options.
4. Select the desired position, style (thickness), and color for
the border. The position of the border is selected using the
buttons along the left of the Border box. You can also click
inside the Border box itself to place the border.
5. Click OK or press Enter.
When you're adding borders to a worksheet, hiding the gridlines
onscreen gives you a preview of how the borders will look when
printed. To hide gridlines, select the Tools menu, select Options (this
opens the Options dialog box), and then select the View tab. Remove
the check mark from the Gridlines check box, and then click OK to
return to the worksheet. Selecting this option has no effect on
whether the gridlines actually print, only on whether they are
displayed onscreen.

Adding Shading to Cells

Another way to offset certain cells in a worksheet is to add shading
to those cells. You can always use the Print Preview command
("Printing Your Workbook") to view your results in black and white
before you print.

1. Select the cell(s) you want to shade.

2. Open the Format menu and choose Cells.
3. Click the Patterns tab. Excel displays the shading options
4. Click the Pattern drop-down arrow to see a grid that
contains colors and patterns.
5. Select the shading color and pattern you want to use. The
Color options let you choose a color for the overall shading. The
Pattern options let you select a black or colored pattern that is
placed on top of the cell-shading color you selected. A preview
of the results appears in the Sample box.
6. When you have finished making your selections, click OK.

Using AutoFormat
If you don't want to take the time to test different border types and
shading styles, you can let Excel help you with the task of adding
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some emphasis and interest to the cells of your worksheet. You can
take advantage of AutoFormat, which provides various predesigned
table formats that you can apply to a worksheet.
To use predesigned formats, perform the following steps:
1. Select the cell(s) that contain the data you want to format.
This could be the entire worksheet.
2. Select the Format menu, and then select AutoFormat. The
AutoFormat dialog box appears.
3. Scroll through the list to view the various AutoFormat styles
provided. When you find a format that you want to use, click it
to select it.
4. To prevent AutoFormat from overwriting certain existing
formatting (such as numbers, alignment, or fonts), click the
Options button and deselect the appropriate check boxes.
5. Click OK and your worksheet is formatted.

Applying Conditional Formatting

Another useful formatting feature that Excel provides is conditional
formatting. Conditional formatting formats only cells that meet a
certain condition.
To apply conditional formatting, follow these steps:
1. Select the cells to which you want to apply the conditional
formatting.
2. Select the Format menu and select Conditional Formatting.
The Conditional Formatting dialog box appears.
3. Be sure that Cell Value Is selected in the Condition 1 drop-
down box on the left of the dialog box.
4. In the next drop-down box to the right, you select the
condition. The default is Between. Other conditions include
Equal To, Greater Than, Less Than, and other possibilities. Use
the drop-down box to select the appropriate condition.
5. After selecting the condition, you must specify a cell or cells
in the worksheet that Excel can use as a reference for the
conditional formatting. For example, if you select Less Than as
the condition, you must specify a cell in the worksheet that
contains a value that can be used for comparison with the cells
that you are applying the conditional formatting to. Click the
Shrink button on the Conditional Formatting dialog box. You

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 are returned to the worksheet. Select the reference cell for the
condition.
6. Click the Expand button on the Conditional Formatting
dialog box to expand the dialog box.
7. Now you can set the formatting that will be applied to cells
that meet your condition. Click the Format button in the
Conditional Formatting dialog box and select the formatting
options for your condition in the Format Cells dialog box. Then
click OK.
8. After setting the conditions to be met for conditional
formatting (you can click Add to set more than one condition),
click OK.
You are returned to the worksheet. Cells that meet the condition you
set up for conditional formatting will be formatted with the options
you specified.

Inserting Rows and Columns

As you edit and enhance your worksheets, you might need to add
rows or columns within the worksheet. Inserting entire rows and
columns into your worksheet is very straightforward. Follow these
steps:
1. To insert a single row or column, select a cell to the right of
where you want to insert a column or below where you want to
insert a row.
To insert multiple columns or rows, select the number of
columns or rows you want to insert. To insert columns, drag
over the column letters at the top of the worksheet. To insert
rows, drag over the row numbers. For example, select three
column letters or row numbers to insert three rows or columns.
2. Select the Insert menu, and then select Rows or Columns.
Excel inserts rows above your selection and columns to the left
of your selection. The inserted rows or columns contain the
same formatting as the cells (or rows and columns) you selected
in step 1.
As you can see, when you insert rows or columns, the Insert Options
shortcut icon appears to the right of the inserted columns or below
inserted rows. Use the Insert Options menu to specify the column or
row from which the new column or row should copy its formatting.

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For example, in the case of inserted columns, you can choose to copy
the formatting from the column to the right or left of the inserted
column or columns, or you can choose to clear the formatting in the
inserted columns.

Removing Rows and Columns

When you delete a row in your worksheet, the rows below the deleted
row move up to fill the space. When you delete a column, the columns
to the right shift left.
Follow these steps to delete a row or column:
1. Click the row number or column letter of the row or column
you want to delete. You can select more than one row or column
by dragging over the row numbers or column letters.
2. Select the Edit menu and then select Delete. Excel deletes
the rows or columns and renumbers the remaining rows and
columns sequentially. All cell references in formulas and
functions are updated appropriately.
Adjusting Column Width and Row Height with a Mouse
It doesn't take very long when you are working in Excel to realize that
the default column width of 8.43 characters doesn't accommodate
long text entries or values that have been formatted as currency or
other numeric formats. You can adjust the width of a column quickly
using the mouse.
You can also adjust row heights, if you want, using the mouse.
However, your row heights will adjust to any font size changes that
you make to data held in a particular row. Row heights also adjust if
you wrap text entries within them, "Changing How Numbers and Text
Look," for more about wrapping text). You will probably find that you
need to adjust column widths in your worksheets far more often than
row heights.
What Is ########? When you format a value in a cell with numeric
formatting and Excel cannot display the result in the cell because of
the column width, Excel displays ######## in the cell. This lets you
know that you need to adjust the column width so that it can
accommodate the entry and its formatting.
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To adjust a column width with the mouse, place the mouse pointer
on the right border of the column. A sizing tool appears. Drag the
column border to the desired width. You can also adjust the column
width to automatically accommodate the widest entry within a
column; just double-click the sizing tool. This is called AutoFit, and
the column adjusts according to the widest entry.
If you want to adjust several columns at once, select the columns.
Place the mouse on any of the column borders and drag to increase
or decrease the width. Each selected column is adjusted to the width
you select.
Changing row heights is similar to adjusting column widths. Place
the mouse on the lower border of a row and drag the sizing tool to
increase or decrease the row height. To change the height of multiple
rows, select the rows and then drag the border of any of the selected
rows to the desired height.
Inserting Worksheets
When you create a new workbook, it contains three worksheets. You
can easily add additional worksheets to a workbook.
Follow these steps to add a worksheet to a workbook:
1. Select the worksheet that you want to be to the right of the
inserted worksheet. For example, if you select the August sheet,
the new sheet will be inserted to the left of August.
2. Select the Insert menu.
3. Select Worksheet. Excel inserts the new worksheet to the
right of the previously selected worksheet.
Changing Worksheet Tab Names
By default, all worksheets are named SheetX, where X is a number
starting with the number 1. So that you'll have a better idea of the
information each sheet contains, you should change the names that
appear on the tabs. Here's how to do it:
1. Double-click the tab of the worksheet you want to rename.
The current name is highlighted.
2. Type a new name for the worksheet and press Enter. Excel
replaces the default name with the name you type.
Headers and Footers

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Excel enables you to add headers and footers to your worksheets that
will appear at the top and bottom of every page of the printout
(respectively). The information can include any text, as well as page
numbers, the current date and time, the workbook filename, and the
worksheet tab name.
You can choose the headers and footers that Excel suggests, or you
can include any text plus special commands to control the
appearance of the header or footer. For example, you can apply bold,
italic, or underline to the header or footer text. You can also left-align,
center, or right-align your text in a header or footer.
To add headers and footers, follow these steps:
1. Select the File menu and then select Page Setup. The Page
Setup dialog box appears. Click the Header/Footer tab on the
dialog box
2. To select a header, click the Header drop-down arrow. Excel
displays a list of suggested header information. Scroll through
the list and click a header you want. The sample header appears
at the top of the Header/Footer tab.
3. To select a footer, click the Footer drop-down arrow. Excel
displays a list of suggested footer information. Scroll through
the list and click a footer you want. The sample footer appears
at the bottom of the Header/Footer tab.
4. Click OK to close the Page Setup dialog box and return to
your worksheet, or click the Print button to display the Print
dialog box and click OK to print your worksheet.

Creating Charts, Understanding Charting Terminology

Charts enable you to create a graphical representation of data in a
worksheet. You can use charts to make data more understandable to
people who view your printed worksheets. Before you start creating
charts, you should familiarize yourself with the following
terminology:
Data Series— The bars, pie wedges, lines, or other elements
that represent plotted values in a chart. For example, a chart
might show a set of similar bars that reflects a series of values
for the same item. The bars in the same data series would all
have the same pattern. If you have more than one pattern of
bars, each pattern would represent a separate data series. For

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 example, charting the sales for Territory 1 versus Territory 2
would require two data series—one for each territory. Often,
data series correspond to rows of data in your worksheet
(although they can correspond to columns of data if that is how
you have arranged the information in your worksheet).
Categories— Categories reflect the number of elements in a
series. You might have two data series that compare the sales
of two territories and four categories that compare these sales
over four quarters. Some charts have only one category, and
others have several. Categories normally correspond to the
columns in your worksheet, with the category labels coming
from the column headings.
Axis— One side of a chart. A two-dimensional chart has an
x-axis (horizontal) and a y-axis (vertical). The x-axis contains
the data series and categories in the chart. If you have more
than one category, the x-axis often contains labels that define
what each category represents. The y-axis reflects the values of
the bars, lines, or plot points. In a three-dimensional chart, the
z-axis represents the vertical plane, and the x-axis (distance)
and y-axis (width) represent the two sides on the floor of the
chart.
Legend— Defines the separate series of a chart. For example,
the legend for a pie chart shows what each piece of the pie
represents.
Gridlines— Typically, gridlines appear along the y-axis of the
chart. The y-axis is where your values are displayed, although
they can emanate from the x-axis as well (the x-axis is where
label information normally appears on the chart). Gridlines help
you determine a point's exact value.

Working with Different Chart Types

With Excel, you can create many types of charts. Some common chart
types. The chart type you choose depends on the kind of data you're
trying to chart and on how you want to present that data. The
following are the major chart types and their purposes:
Pie— Use this chart type to show the relationship among
parts of a whole.

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 Bar— Use this chart type to compare values at a given point
in time.
Column— Similar to the bar chart; use this chart type to
emphasize the difference between items.
Line— Use this chart type to emphasize trends and the
change of values over time.
Scatter— Similar to a line chart; use this chart type to
emphasize the difference between two sets of values.
Area— Similar to the line chart; use this chart type to
emphasize the amount of change in values over time.
Most of these basic chart types also come in three-dimensional
varieties. In addition to looking more professional than the standard
flat charts, 3D charts can often help your audience distinguish
between different sets of data.

Creating a Chart
You can place your new chart on the same worksheet that contains
the chart data (an embedded chart) or on a separate worksheet (a
chart sheet).
To use the Chart Wizard, follow these steps:
1. Select the data you want to chart. If you typed column or
row labels (such as Qtr 1, Qtr 2, and so on) that you want
included in the chart, be sure you select those, too.
2. Click the Chart Wizard button on the Standard toolbar.
3. The Chart Wizard - Step 1 of 4 dialog box appears. Select a
Chart Type and a Chart Sub-Type (a variation on the selected
chart type). Click Next.
4. Next, Excel asks whether the selected range is correct. You
can correct the range by typing a new range or by clicking the
Shrink button (located at the right end of the Data Range text
box) and selecting the range you want to use.
5. By default, Excel assumes that your different data series are
stored in rows. You can change this to columns if necessary by
clicking the Series in Columns option. When you're ready for
the next step, click Next.
6. Click the various tabs to change options for your chart. For
example, you can delete the legend by clicking the Legend tab
and deselecting Show Legend. You can add a chart title on the

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 Titles tab. Add data labels (labels that display the actual value
being represented by each bar, line, and so on) by clicking the
Data Labels tab. When you finish making changes, click Next.
7. Finally, Excel asks whether you want to embed the chart (as
an object) in the current worksheet (or any other existing
worksheet in the workbook) or if you want to create a new
worksheet for it. Make your selection and click the Finish
button. Your completed chart appears.

The charts you create are part of the current workbook. To save a
chart, simply save the workbook that contains the chart.

Moving and Resizing a Chart

To move an embedded chart, click anywhere in the chart area and
drag it to the new location. To change the size of a chart, select the
chart and then drag one of its handles (the black squares that border
the chart). Drag a corner handle to change the height and width, or
drag a side handle to change only one dimension. (Note that you can't
really resize a chart that is on a sheet by itself.)

Teacher Daniel Assistance

If you face any challenge while using Microsoft Office Excel or any
other computer program, just CALL/TEXT/WHATSAPP Teacher
Daniel on 0725103013

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