PART ONE 1. LAYOUT. A file in Excel is called a Workbook. Each Workbook is made up of Worksheets (usually three but more can be added).

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2 PART ONE 1. LAYOUT A file in Excel is called a Workbook. Each Workbook is made up of Worksheets (usually three but more can be added). The work area is where the data and formulae are entered. The active worksheet tab is white and the other worksheets are grey. To display other worksheets just click on the worksheet tab. The navigation buttons can also take you to the other worksheets. Name Box Active Cell Formula Bar Close File Navigation Buttons Worksheet Tabs Scroll bars The spreadsheet is a collection of cells in rows (numbers) and columns (letters). There is always an Active Cell. A cell must be active before data can be entered. The Active Cell is obvious from its thick border. The Name Box appears in the Formula Bar. Whatever is entered in a cell will also appear in the formula bar when that cell is active. The arrows on the keyboard can also be used for navigation.

3 2. ENTERING DATA It is very important to plan your spreadsheet before entering data. To enter data, simply click the active cell and start typing. Press Enter to confirm the data. Alternatively you can enter and edit text in the formula bar. Always remember to SAVE your workbook at the very start by giving it an appropriate name. As you enter data, occasionally click the Save button to save your changes just in case there is a power interruption. Don t forget the UNDO button if you make a mistake, or you can select a cell and click DELETE. Sample data ABC Sales Ltd Staff Expenses Name Title Mileage Phone Entertainment Total Martin Rep Julie Manager James Ass Man Christine Rep Column widths and row heights can be adjusted by moving the cursor to the adjoining line, at the top or at the side, until it changes shape. Hold the mouse down and then adjust accordingly. Cells can be merged using the Merge and Center button on the toolbar. Remember to select the cells first.

4 3. FORMATTING Data can be formatted in several ways. a) if the data in the active cell has been confirmed, then select the active cell and use the standard buttons on the toolbar b) select the data in the formula bar and use the standard buttons c) select the active cell, and then click Format, Cells on the menu bar. From here you can change many things by using the various tabs. Note under the Alignment tab, the Wrap text option is very useful for fitting several lines of text in one cell.

5 Under Format you can also choose options for whole rows and columns. Alternatively you can select individual rows and columns by moving the cursor, say, to the top of a column until it changes to a downwards-pointing arrow. Click and the whole column will be selected. You can then use the formatting buttons on the toolbar as you desire. Rows and columns can be deleted by selecting them first. To add a row, a new row is always inserted above the row with the active cell. To add a column, a new column is always inserted to the left of the column that the active cell is in. AutoFormat is extremely useful for presenting your data in an attractive style.

6 Remember to select your data first!! Then choose your style and click OK. Here s the result.

7 4. EXCEL FORMULAS Excel formulas always start with an equals (=) sign and can include the following operators: Operator Purpose Example + Addition =B3+B10 - Subtraction =C4-C5 * Multiply =A1*C7 / Division =J8/J9 % Percentage =B5*15% or =B5*0.15 Operations are performed in the following order: 1. Brackets 2. Multiplication 3. Division 4. Addition 5. Subtraction This means that in an equation any multiplication is done before division, addition and subtraction. You may be used to performing calculations by going from left to right be aware that Excel does not follow that procedure. For instance: * 2 = 13 Multiplication is performed first (5 + 4) * 2 = 18 If you want the addition to be performed first, you must put brackets around that calculation. Brackets are always performed first. In nearly all cases formulas use the name of the cell instead of the numbers in the cell. This allows the formula s result to change when the cell values change. Examples are: =(B4+C4)*D4 =(B4+B5)*0.1 =D4+D5/D6 AutoSum (Σ) is the best way to quickly add a row or column of figures. The button can be found on the toolbar.

8 5. AUTOFILL The AutoFill tool can save you a great deal of time if you have to type a series of data or numbers. Excel attempts to interpret what you are trying to do but you have to give the program a clue first by typing data in more than one cell. You then select the cells and use the AutoFill tool which appears as a small, black square in the bottom-right corner of the active cell. The cursor must change to a cross-hair (looks like a plus sign) before AutoFill activates. 6. BORDERS The Borders tools is very useful for applying borders to cells or areas of your spreadsheet. Alternatively you can adjust the borders by going to Format, Cells and clicking on the Border tab. Don t forget to select a cell or area first.

9 7. PRINTING Clicking File, Print gives you various options, including Print Preview. 8. HELP Don t forget to use Help. All the answers are there and you can learn a great deal, especially if Help links to the online service.

10 PART TWO 1. MORE ON FUNCTIONS We have already seen the use of the AUTOSUM (Σ) button. Next to the button is a down-arrow which gives us access to more functions, namely: AVERAGE COUNT MAX MIN =AVERAGE(RANGE) =COUNT(RANGE) =MAX(RANGE) =MIN(RANGE) Remember that a range of cells is indicated by using a colon. For instance, in the worksheet above, the range of the cells with values would be B3:B5. 2. SELECTING RANGES FOR QUICK REFERENCE To select a contiguous range: a) Click on the first cell that you want to select b) Hold down the Shift key c) Click on the last cell you want to select or: a) Click and hold down the left mouse button on the first cell you want to select b) Drag the mouse in the direction of the cells you wish to select c) Release the mouse button To select the active area: a) Click on the first cell that contains data b) Hold down the Shift key and the Ctrl key c) Press the End key To select a non-contiguous range: a) Click on the first cell that you want to select b) Hold down the Ctrl key c) Click on each cell that you want to select

11 To select cells using the go-to box: a) Click the first cell that you want to select b) Press the F5 function key c) Type the cell address on the reference line d) Hold down the Shift key and press Enter To select the worksheet: a) Click on the grey square just above the number for Row 1 or b) Hold down the Ctrl key and press the A key 3. ABSOLUTE VALUES One of the most common reasons for using absolute references is when you have a specific value you want to refer to in a formula. For example, let s say you are building a GST calculator and you need to refer to a GST rate. To ensure you are always referring to the right cell that has the GST rate value you may set an absolute value. If at any time the GST rate changes, then all you have to do is change the value in the cell and all calculations related to that cell adjust automatically. In this example, the GST rate is 10%. To set an absolute value for cell reference B3, we use the $ sign in our calculation. Hence the formula as indicated in the formula bar. If the GST rate is changed to 15%, then all values in column D will change automatically.

12 4. THE CHART WIZARD Using Excel, you can represent numbers in a chart. You can choose from a variety of chart types, and, as you change your data, your chart will automatically update. The best way to create a chart is to use Excel's Chart Wizard to take you through the process stepby-step. Creating a column chart To create a chart, we must first create a spreadsheet with some data. After you have created the spreadsheet, you are ready to create your chart. 1. Highlight cells B5 to E8. You must highlight all the cells containing the data you want in your chart. You should also include the data labels. 2. Click on the Chart Wizard button on the toolbar. (You could also choose Insert > Chart from the menu.) 3. Click Column to select the type of chart you want to create. Note all the other types of chart available as well as the Custom Types tab.

13 4. In the Chart sub-type box, choose the Clustered Column icon to select the chart sub-type. 5. Click Next. 6. To place the product names on the x-axis, select the Columns radio button. 7. Click Next. 8. Type Computer Sales in the Chart title field. Computer Sales will appear as the title of your chart. 9. Type Products in the Category (X) axis field. Products will appear as your x- axis title. 10. Type Units in the Value (Y) axis field. Units will appear as your y-axis title. 11. Choose the Data Labels tab. 12. Select Value in the Label Contains frame to display the data labels as values. 13. Choose the Data Table tab. 14. Select Show data table. The data table will appear below your chart. 15. Click Next. 16. Choose As object in: Sheet1 to make your chart an embedded object and part of the worksheet. 17. Click Finish. 18. Your chart will appear on the spreadsheet.

14 Changing the size and position of a chart When you select a chart, handles appear on the right and left sides, the top and bottom, and the corners of the chart. You can drag the handles on the top and bottom of the chart to increase or decrease the height of the chart. You can drag the handles on the left and right sides of the chart to increase or decrease the width of the chart. You can drag the handles on the corners of the chart to increase or decrease the size of the chart proportionally. You can change the position of a chart by clicking on the chart and dragging. 1. Use the handles to adjust the size of your chart. 2. Click the chart (in the white area) and drag to position the chart under the data. Modify your chart You can modify your chart by using the Chart toolbar. If the Chart toolbar is not already available, choose View > Toolbars > Chart from the menu. To change the data area font size: Chart Toolbar 1. Click the down arrow on the Chart toolbar. A drop-down menu opens. 2. Choose Data Table from the drop-down menu.

15 3. Click the Format Data Table icon. Choose the Font tab. 4. In the Size box, type Click OK. Your font size is now 8. To change the angle of the data labels: 1. Click the down arrow on the Chart toolbar. A drop-down menu opens. 2. Choose "Jan" Data Labels from the drop-down menu. 3. Click the Angle Counterclockwise icon. The Jan Data Labels are angled counter-clockwise. 4. Repeat this process for Feb and Mar. To change the font size of the Month data labels: 1. Click the down arrow on the Chart toolbar. A drop-down menu opens. 2. Choose "Jan" Data Labels from the drop-down menu. 3. Click the Format Data Labels icon. Choose the Font tab. 4. In the Size box, type Click OK. Your font size is now Repeat this process for Feb and Mar. You can also make changes by double-clicking on the item you want to change, or by right-clicking and choosing an option.

16 To change the chart scale: 1. Double-click on the scale. The Format Axis dialog box opens. 2. Choose the Scale tab. 3. Type 5 in the Major unit field. 4. Click OK. Your chart is now scaled in units of 5.

17 5. EMBEDDING AND LINKING CHARTS One useful aspect of using a suite of products such as Microsoft Office is that the applications are designed to talk to each other. For example, you can add an Excel chart to a Word document. When you use data from one application in another, you need to make decisions about how the data is inserted. The choice you make will affect whether the data can be updated and edited in the future, and how portable your document can be. You have three options for placing an Excel chart into a Word document: you can embed it, link it or include it as a picture. Embedding a chart If you embed a chart, the chart is divorced from the original workbook, so if the original data changes, the chart won t be updated. You can edit an embedded chart by doubleclicking it. If you do make any changes, this has no effect on the original worksheet chart or data. First, select the chart in the worksheet and then click Edit, Copy. Open your Word document and use the Paste option Edit > Paste special > Paste > Microsoft Office Excel Chart Object. Click OK.

18 Linking a chart The benefit of linking a chart is that, if the original data and chart change, the version in Word will change too. However, links are easily broken, for instance if you send the Word document to another person without the chart. In other words, both files must be stored on the same computer for the link to be effective. To link and Excel chart to a Word document, select and copy the chart in Excel. In Word, click where you want the chart to appear and choose Edit > Paste special > Paste link > Microsoft Office Excel Chart Object. Inserting the chart as a picture Simply select and copy the chart in your worksheet, then open Word and click Edit, Paste. From the Paste options, it can be seen that the default is to insert the chart as a picture. In this case you will not be able to edit the chart. Use this option only if the data is settled and the chart isn t likely to change.

19 6. PRINTING If you only need one copy of the current worksheet just click on the Print button in the standard toolbar. To print multiple copies, only parts of a sheet or the whole file then use the Print option in the File menu (click on File, Print in the menu bar). The Print window will appear. Choose printer Print specific pages Print just selection, current worksheet or whole file Set number of copies to be printed Print Preview Don t forget to click OK when you have made your selections.

20 If you click File, Page Setup, then this will give you many more options prior to printing. For instance you can change from Portrait to Landscape or you can adjust the margins of the page by clicking on the Margins tab. If you only need to squeeze a bit more to get the data all on one page then you can try the Scaling option. Scaling to fit will resize the data, usually shrinking it, to make it fit on the number of pages that you want. Use the Fit to option for best results.