Excel: Getting Started (Part I)

Getting Started with Excel (Part I)

• Part I chapters provide essential background on using Excel and its features, offering new tricks and techniques.
• The content is beneficial for both new and experienced users.

Introducing Excel (Chapter 1)

• Excel is the world's most widely used spreadsheet software as part of the Microsoft Office suite.
• Excel is versatile and useful for both numerical calculations and nonnumeric applications.
• Excel is used for crunching numbers, creating charts, organizing lists, manipulating text, accessing other data, creating graphical dashboards, diagrams, and automating complex tasks.
• An Excel file is called a workbook and uses an .xlsx file extension by default.

Workbooks and Worksheets

• Tabs in a workbook are called worksheets.
• Each workbook has one or more worksheets, containing individual cells.
• Each cell contains a number, formula, or text while charts, images, and diagrams sit on an invisible drawing layer.
• Workbooks can store chart sheets that show display a single chart and is accessible by clicking a tab.
• Worksheets have rows numbered 1 through 1,048,576 and columns labeled A through XFD.
• Each cell has a unique address made up of its column letter and row number; for example, the upper-left cell is A1 and the lower right is XFD1048576.
• The 'active cell' accepts keyboard input with a darker border, shows its address in the Name box, and, depending on the navigation, may change when navigating.

Navigating Worksheets (Chapter 1)

• Navigational keys can be used to move around an Excel worksheet, with arrow keys moving the active cell one row/column at a time.
• PgUp and PgDn move the active cell up or down one full window.
• Scroll Lock allows scrolling through the worksheet without changing the selected cell, helpful for viewing without losing your place.
• The Num Lock controls the function of the numeric keypad.
• Ctrl+Backspace scrolls the screen so that the active cell is visible.
• Ctrl+Home moves the active cell to A1, and Ctrl+End moves it to the bottom-rightmost cell in the worksheet's used range.
• The mouse can change the active cell, and scrollbars move the window in any direction.

Excel Ribbon

• The Ribbon is the main tool for interacting with Excel.
• Tabs above icons include Home, Insert, and others; clicking a tab displays a different Ribbon.
• The Ribbon can be hidden or visible when pressing Ctrl+F1.
• The title bar has a control named Ribbon Display Options, offering Auto-Hide, Show Tabs, or Show Tabs and Commands.
• The Home tab has Clipboard, font, style, editing commands, and more.
• The Insert tab inserts tables, diagrams, charts, symbols, etc, and the Page Layout tab affects overall worksheet appearance, including print settings.
• The Formulas tab inserts a formula, names a cell or range, controls Excel calculations, and accesses formula auditing.
• The Data tab contains data validation and sorting commands.
• The Review tab checks spelling, translates, adds comments, and protects sheets.
• The View tab controls various aspects of how a sheet is viewed and certain commands are available in the status bar.
• The Developer tab (not visible by default) contains commands useful for programmers, with the Help tab giving access to help, suggestions, and the Microsoft community,.
• The Add-Ins tab is visible only if an older workbook/add-in customized the menu or toolbars.
• The File button opens Backstage view for document actions. Tab commands adapt depending on Excel window width.

Types of Commands on the Ribbon

• Hovering the mouse pointer over a Ribbon command yields a ScreenTip with the command's name and description. Several command styles exist on the Ribbon.
• Simple buttons: Click the button. Some perform the action immediately.
• Toggle buttons: Determine current state using two different colors.
• Simple drop-downs: Commands with a small down arrow are a drop-down menu.
• Split buttons: Combine a one-click button with a drop-down.
• Check boxes: Turn something on or off.
• Spin buttons: Excel's Ribbon only has one spin button control which is the Scale to Fit group of the Page Layout tab.
• Some Ribbon groups have dialog box launchers in the bottom-right. Pressing Alt key displays letters for quick keyboard commands.

Customization Features (Chapter 1)

• Quick Access Toolbar typically shows on the left side of the title bar; it can be customized with frequently used commands.
• Excel has a Search box in the title bar for finding commands.
• Excel features shortcut menus accessed by right-clicking within Excel.
• The Mini toolbar appears above the shortcut menu including tools from the Home tab.
• The Undo command reverses actions; the Redo reissues undone commands, while the Arrow next to the Undo button displays reversible actions.

Dialog Boxes

• Dialog boxes collect additional information.
• Two types of dialog boxes: modal and modeless.
• Modal dialog box (typical) requires dismissal before continuing in the worksheet.
• Modeless dialog box (stay-on-top) allows continued work and does not have an OK button.
• Dialog navigation made with a mouse or keyboard.
• All dialog box controls have associated text and an underlined letter (hot key) with Tab cycling through choices.
• Tabbed dialog boxes use notebook-like tabs for different panels.

Task Panes

• Task panes appear automatically due to several commands, similar to dialog boxes, but remain visible.
• They feature command list icons with items that can be expanded.
• Task panes are docked by default to the Excel window side but can be moved by dragging.

Creating an Excel Workbook

• Follow these steps to create a simple monthly sales projection table and chart:
  • Select the required starting cell with arrow keys to type “Month", and press enter in the cell. Set cell B1 and enter “Projected Sales”, and press enter.
• Select cell A2, type “Jan"(January) so that Excel can use AutoFill to enter the other months.
• Make certain cell A2 is selected and with the fill handle small square drag with the mouse to automatically fill in “the month names".
• Projected sales numbers must be added and follow January’s Sales Projection in column B.
• As an example select B2 and enter the appropriate sales projection. A dollar sign and comma enhance ability to see the outcome.
• To formulate projected sales for Feburary go to box B3 and type ‘=B2*103.5%’. On pressing the keyboard you are then able to automatically calculate this formula for the entire column.
• The appearance can be enhanced by formatting the numbers, selecting numbers, accessing the ribbon and choosing Home. Finally click the decrease decimal.
• The process of converting the range to ‘official table’ is snap. Excel will then add a row towards the bottom automatically calculates this data. Different parameters.
• It displays how to make the chart displays the projected sales on a month by month view. By selecting any icon.

Entering and Editing Worksheet Data (Chapter 2)

• Entering data into worksheet cells is simple. While there are differences in how Excel stores and displays the different data types, for the most part it just works.

Entering Numbers

• Numberic values includes entering the right cell typing and then pressing the keyboard on one of the navigational keys.

Formula Bar

• Decimal points and currency symbols along and commas with minus/plus numbers can be used. It then considers the data to be a negative number.

Entering Text

• Easy value simply activates the keyboards. The cell can contain as many the 32000 as the text stores.
• Excel can show the entire display.
• If editing a text that is long within a formula the bar height can be achieved using the Alt+Shift+U key.

Entering Enter Mode

• "Ready" should be displayed which is found in Excells status bar ready on the worksheet data number and text should then be displayed.

Excell status Bar

• Can be displayed in the formual bar after entermode which commits the numbers to the keyboard.

Entering Dates and Times

• Entering text as well and dates excel treats dates as special values and they all be formatted as a number of codes.

Date values

• A system of serial numbers is done by excel. From January 1900 which has the serial number 1 and every day after this has a serial value after this date.

Modifying Cell Contents

• A single of value of a cell can be added with these changes. The text can be replaced.
• Any modifications has. You can remove contents of more than one cell so you can press multiple buttons that you are able to make the changes.

Cell Formats

• There are control of what exactly are deleted. Home is best to clear all the data within a click of the home button. Formats can be edited when it comes to editing cells.
• Changing the data of cells and selecting them and then applying the format to create a new cell.
• You can edit within all cell formatings and pressing F2 to then edit cell contents. Double clicking all cell contents.

Excel input settings

• Default allows you to move keyboard allows you to shift and enter information on all different cells and make many simple data entry tricks. It cycles through various selected ranges.

Entering multiple data cells

• Excel cells let you enter various shortcuts. Select all commands/data/excel at once with the keyboard.

Modes (entering data)

• You can swap between all modes by pressing F2.

Automating cells

• A fixed number of points. Then excell as a decimal number at the point and all settings will effect the settings.

AutoFile series

• Excel autofile feature makes entering the multiple values. With the excel data excell guesses the pattern

Autocomplete

• This excel makes same text across every column so it spells and correct consistanly. Has autoCorrect and various methods to save lots of mouse usages and can be distracting.

Forcing new text within a cell

• Then you can display multiple breaks pressing Alt+Enter to start a new line is used. A unique manual line break is then displayed giving precise control and makes the test clear..

Autocorrect for Shortware Entry

• There will be features to allow shortcut data entries using Autocorrect. There is various methods to enter custom entires. The best is to make excel words better and make it all have a clean work style. Then can set up a memory to replace data text a type of memory.

Number Formatting (Chapter 2)

• Applying number formatting changes the appearance of values contained in cells while Excel's formatting allows improvement and fast to read cells or work sheets. The appearance can be enhanced by formatting numbers, selecting numbers, accessing the ribbon and choosing Home.

Number style

• The best way to format. Number formatting and it affect values and that is not the cell. There will be ways of displaying a percent values. Can enter and change cells while setting the cells correctly.

Types of commands

• The home is to number from excell’s ribbon. Number format can be displayed 11 formats. Such as adding dollar amounts, percent and comma style decimal places etc.
• Then are multiple buttons such as applying short cut formulas. Number formatting can be edited using tab and home.
• There are cases of the number formats where the worksheets appear with a number. If you can see the values after this by editing and making calculations. Also can follow these actions and make various number adjustments.
• Number tabs and the foramt number are one of the most helpful excel tabs that will provide ways to format different types of texts the follow list provides number formatting functions. The last key functions can show the type of formats of keys.

Performing Basic Worksheet Operations

• This chapter gives basic information when it comes to understanding excell and providing better tools.
• For Excel each file is a work book. Each workbook will also house what excel calls worksheets. One can organize these to benefit from more worksheets and help organize all aspects of work. Also, you are able to change sheet around. You are able to also change windows.
• Each folder. Has various icons. Ranging such as minimize, maximize, access and ribbon function and access. It is possible to maximize and use the function for your own benefit.
• There are other different options. Such the restore function. To increase information you can use the auto hid ribbon too view in Excell.

Managing Workbook Windows

• Window functions provides excellent tools to edit , resuze , close various functions

How to navigate.

• You can move the title. To reize clikc various corners , to move the corners then you have all corners. This lets you all have what is desired. This function provides more flexibility during operations

Functions .

• One can display what they have been assigned too. Can be arranged and viewd. All of these various tabs to help with work.
• It helps create better time to do work. Tab functions and change different work tools. Make excel easier and better for productivity
• By clicking a lot with the functions and can help provide options for multiple viewing it is very to create tools to view and create excel files. Such as selecting functions too make the works easier to navigate different functions are created when pressing CTRL+SHIFT it lets more flexible view.
• You can create excel windows are that are very helpful. One excel functions is that a worksheet can be added.