Excel 101 DJ Wetzel Director of Financial Aid Greenville Technical College
Introduction Spreadsheets are made up of : Columns identified with alphabetic headings Rows - identified with numeric headings. Their intersections are called cells - (Cell references: B4, A20)
Entering Text, Numbers and Dates Text data Combination of letters, numbers, and symbols Often referred to as a text string Number data Numerical value to be used in a mathematical calculation Date and time data Commonly recognized formats for date and time values
Entering Text New data appears in both the active cell and the formula bar Truncation AutoComplete feature To enter multiple lines of text within a cell Create a line break with Alt + Enter
Entering Text
Entering Numbers
Working with Columns and Rows To make data easier to read: Modify size of columns and rows in a worksheet To modify size of columns or rows: Drag border to resize Double-click border to autofit Format the Cells group to specify
Working with Columns and Rows Inserting a column or row Existing columns or rows shift to accommodate
Working with Columns and Rows Deleting and clearing a row or column Deleting removes both the data and the cells Clearing removes the data, leaving blank cells where data had been
Level 1: Working with Formulas Formula An expression that returns a value Written using operators that combine different values, resulting in a single displayed value
Working with Formulas Entering a formula Click cell where you want formula results to appear Type = and an expression that calculates a value using cell references and arithmetic operators Cell references allow you to change values used in the calculation without having to modify the formula itself Press Enter or Tab to complete the formula
Working with Formulas Viewing a formula Select cell and review expression displayed in the formula bar Each cell reference is color coded in the formula and corresponding cell in the worksheet
Introducing Functions Function Named operation that returns a value Simplifies a formula, reducing a long formula into a compact statement; for example, to add values in the range A1:A10: Enter the long formula: =A1+A2+A3+A4+A5+A6+A7+A8+A9+A10 - or - Use the SUM function to accomplish the same thing: =SUM(A1:A10)
Entering a Function
Using AutoSum Fast, convenient way to enter commonly used functions Includes buttons to quickly insert/generate: Sum of values in column or row (SUM) Average value in column or row (AVERAGE) Total count of numeric values in column or row (COUNT) Minimum value in column or row (MIN) Maximum value in column or row (MAX)
Using AutoSum
Level 2: Using the Correct Syntax for Functions = identifies this as a function and not mistaken as a text label Name of function If name is incorrect, #NAME? is displayed =FUNCTION(Arguments) Arguments Many functions are flexible: allowed to have one or more value or cell references Some functions do not have any arguments, but still need () Commas separate each argument If incorrect number of arguments, error message is displayed Can nest up to 64 layers of functions
Inserting Functions Insert Function tool Displays all functions available Grouped by most recently used, or by category To insert a function: Click at left of Formula bar, or Type = and first few characters of function name On Home tab, in Editing group, click drop-down arrow for AutoSum and click More Functions On Formulas tab, in Function Library group, click Insert Function
Inserting Functions Function Arguments dialog box Helps you enter all of the correct values as function arguments Each argument is listed, required ones are in bold Help info displayed for current argument text box Preview of data at right Results are instantly calculated and displayed if enough arguments entered
VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP Functions Search for a lookup value in the first column of a two-dimensional array: Two-dimensional (array) format: =LOOKUP(lookup value, range array) Lookup value value to be found Range array range of cells to be searched and data to be returned =VLOOKUP(lookup value,table array,column index number,range lookup) Lookup value value to be found Table array range of cells to be searched and data to be returned Column index column containing value to be returned Range lookup 0 or false for exact match, 1 or true for approximate Range lookup value is optional, but important Example: if range lookup is true, then a student with mark of 65% will receive correct grade of C If range lookup is false, the correct grade will not be found
Pivot Tables Summarizes or cross-tabulates large amounts of data using fields Performs summary function on intersections of row and column fields Frequently used to analyze large volumes of data Strength of pivot tables based on same values that show up many times in many data records: By pairing these repeating values in different combinations, you will find underlying trends that were not obvious or isolate unique values. Key is making the data values as row or column headers in different ways
Creating a Pivot Table PivotTable Field List task pane Controls structure of pivot table Decide what column data to use as column labels, row labels, PivotTable values, or report filter
Format PivotTable Data Familiar Format Cells dialog box to format numeric and date data Shading, borders, and cell alignment are not available
Customizing Pivot Tables PivotTables allow you to rotate and filter data in different ways Filter options Grouping options Sum options
The Data Slicer Hard to tell what active filter criteria are Data slicers help you see which filter conditions are currently active Simply click on buttons to quickly change filters
Working with Worksheets Inserting a worksheet Name of new worksheet is based on number and names of other sheets in the workbook Deleting a worksheet Renaming a worksheet 31 characters maximum, including blank spaces Width of sheet tab adjusts to length of name
Printing a Workbook Print tab provides options for choosing what to print and how to print Printout includes only the data in the worksheet Other elements (e.g., row/column headings, gridlines) will not print by default Good practice: Review print preview before printing to ensure that printout looks exactly as you intended and avoid unnecessary reprinting
Printing a Workbook
Viewing and Printing Worksheets Scaling the printout of a worksheet forces contents to fit on a single page