Microsoft Excel is an electronic spreadsheet that runs on a
personal computer. You can use it to organize your data into rows and columns.
You can also use it to perform mathematical calculations quickly. This tutorial
teaches Microsoft Excel basics. Although knowledge of how to navigate in a
Windows environment is helpful, this tutorial was created for the computer
novice. This lesson will introduce you to the Excel window. You use the window
to interact with Excel.
Lesson
1: Entering Text and Numbers
The Microsoft Excel Window
This tutorial teaches Microsoft
Excel basics. Although knowledge of how to navigate in a Windows environment is
helpful, this tutorial was created for the computer novice. To begin, open
Microsoft Excel. Then, if necessary, click the in the upper
right corner of the task pane to close the task pane.
The screen shown here will appear.
The
Title Bar
This lesson will familiarize you
with the Microsoft Excel screen. You will start with the Title bar, which is
located at the very top of the screen. On the Title bar, Microsoft Excel
displays the name of the workbook you are currently using. At the top of your
screen, you should see "Microsoft Excel - Book1" or a similar name.
The
Menu Bar
The Menu bar is directly below the
Title bar. The menu begins with the word File and continues with Edit, View,
Insert, Format, Tools, Data, Window, and Help. You use a menu to give
instructions to the software. Point with your mouse to a menu option and click
the left mouse button. A drop-down menu opens. You can now use the left and
right arrow keys on your keyboard to move left and right across the Menu bar.
You can use the up and down arrow keys to move up and down the drop-down menu.
To choose an option, highlight the item on the drop-down menu and press Enter.
An ellipse after a menu item signifies additional options; if you choose that
option, a dialog box opens.
Do the following exercise, which
demonstrates using the Microsoft Excel menu bar.
- Point to the word File, which is located on the
Menu bar.
- Click your left mouse button.
- Press the right arrow key until Help is highlighted.
- Press the left arrow key until Format is highlighted.
- Press the down arrow key until Style is highlighted.
Press the up arrow key until Cells is highlighted.
- Press Enter to choose the Cells menu option.
- Point to Cancel and click the left mouse button to
close the dialog box.
When using Microsoft Excel, you can
set an option to tell Microsoft Excel to always show full menus or to show only
the most frequently and recently used options. All the lessons in this tutorial
assume you have your menus set to Always Show Full Menus. To set your menu to
display full menus:
- Point to the word Tools, which is located on the menu
bar.
- Click your left mouse button.
- Press the down arrow until customize is highlighted.
- Press Enter.
- Choose the Options Tab by clicking on it.
- If Always Show Full Menus does not have a check mark in
it, click in the Always Show Full Menus box.
- Click Close to close the dialog box.
Toolbars
The Standard Toolbar
The
Formatting Toolbar
Toolbars provide shortcuts to menu
commands. Toolbars are generally located just below the Menu bar. Before
proceeding with this lesson, make sure the toolbars you will use -- Standard
and Formatting -- are available. Follow the steps outlined here:
- Point to View, which is located on the Menu bar.
- Click the left mouse button.
- Press the down arrow key until Toolbars is highlighted.
- Press the right arrow key.
- Both Standard and Formatting should have a check mark
next to them. If both have a check mark next to them, press Esc two times
to close the menu. If either does not have a check mark, press the down
arrow key until Customize is highlighted.
- Press Enter. The Customize dialog box opens.
- Choose the Toolbars tab.
- Point to the box or boxes next to the unchecked word or
words, Standard and/or Formatting, and click the left mouse button. A
check mark should appear. Note: You turn the check mark on and off
by clicking the left mouse button.
- Point to Close and click the left mouse button to close
the dialog box.
Worksheets
Microsoft Excel consists of
worksheets. Each worksheet contains columns and rows. The columns are lettered
A to IV; the rows are numbered 1 to 65536. The combination of a column
coordinate and a row coordinate make up a cell address. For example, the cell
located in the upper left corner of the worksheet is cell A1, meaning column A,
row 1. Cell E10 is located under column E on row 10. You enter your data into
the cells on the worksheet.
The
Formula Bar
Formula Bar
If the Formula bar is turned on, the
cell address displays in the Name box on the left side of the Formula bar. Cell
entries display on the right side of the Formula bar. Before proceeding, make
sure the Formula bar is turned on.
- Point to View, which is located on the Menu bar.
- Click the left mouse button. A drop-down menu opens. On
the drop-down menu, if Formula Bar has a check mark next to it, the
Formula bar is turned on. Press the Esc key to close the drop-down menu.
- If Formula Bar does not have a check mark next to it,
press the down arrow key until Formula Bar is highlighted; then press
Enter. The Formula bar should now appear below the toolbars.
- Note that the current cell address displays on the left
side of the Formula bar.
The
Status Bar
Status Bar
If the Status bar is turned on, it
appears at the very bottom of the screen. Before proceeding, make sure the
Status bar is turned on.
- Point to View, which is located on the Menu bar.
- Click the left mouse button. A drop-down menu opens.
- On the drop-down menu, if Status Bar has a check mark
next to it, it is turned on. Press the Esc key to close the drop-down
menu.
- If Status Bar does not have a check mark next to it,
press the down arrow key until Status Bar is highlighted; then press
Enter. The Status bar should now appear at the bottom of the screen.
Notice the word "Ready" on
the Status bar at the lower left side of the screen. The word "Ready"
tells you that Excel is in the Ready mode and awaiting your next command. Other
indicators appear on the Status bar in the lower right corner of the screen.
Here are some examples:
The Num Lock key is a toggle key.
Pressing it turns the numeric keypad on and off. You can use the numeric keypad
to enter numbers as if you were using a calculator. The letters "NUM"
on the Status bar in the lower right corner of the screen indicate that the
numeric keypad is on.
- Press the Num Lock key several times and note how the
indicator located on the Status bar changes.
The Caps Lock key is also a toggle
key. Pressing it turns the caps function on and off. When the caps function is
on, your entry appears in capital letters.
- Press the Cap Lock key several times and note how the
indicator located on the Status bar changes.
Other functions that appear on the
Status bar are Scroll Lock and End. Scroll Lock and End are also toggle keys.
Pressing the key toggles the function between on and off. Scroll Lock causes
the movement keys to move the window without moving the cell pointer. End lets
you jump around the screen. We will discuss both of these later in more detail.
Make sure the Scroll Lock and End
indicators are off and complete the following exercises.
The
Down Arrow Key
You can use the down arrow key to
move downward one cell at a time.
- Press the down arrow key several times.
- Note that the cursor moves downward one cell at a time.
The
Up Arrow Key
You can use the Up Arrow key to move
upward one cell at a time.
- Press the up arrow key several times.
- Note that the cursor moves upward one cell at a time.
The
Tab Key
You can use the Tab key to move
across the page to the right, one cell at a time.
- Move to cell A1.
- Press the Tab key several times.
- Note that the cursor moves to the right one cell at a
time.
The
Shift+Tab Keys
You can hold down the Shift key and
then press the Tab key to move to the left, one cell at a time.
- Hold down the Shift-key and then press Tab.
- Note that the cursor moves to the left one cell at a
time.
The
Right and Left Arrow Keys
You can use the right and left arrow
keys to move right or left one cell at a time.
- Press the right arrow key several times.
- Note that the cursor moves to the right.
- Press the left arrow key several times.
- Note that the cursor moves to the left.
Page
Up and Page Down
The Page Up and Page Down keys move
the cursor up and down one page at a time.
- Press the Page Down key.
- Note that the cursor moves down one page.
- Press the Page Up key.
- Note that the cursor moves up one page.
The
End Key
The Status Bar
The End key, used in conjunction
with the arrow keys, causes the cursor to move to the far end of the
spreadsheet in the direction of the arrow.
- Press the End key.
- Note that "END" appears on the Status bar in
the lower right corner of the screen.
- Press the right arrow key.
- Note that the cursor moves to the farthest right area
of the screen.
- Press the END key again.
- Press the down arrow key. Note that the cursor moves to
the bottom of the screen.
- Press the End key again.
- Press the left arrow key. Note that the cursor moves to
the farthest left area of the screen.
- Press the End key again.
- Press the up arrow key. Note that the cursor moves to
the top of the screen.
Note: If you have entered data into the worksheet, the End key
moves you to the end of the data area.
The
Home Key
The Home key, used in conjunction
with the End key, moves you to cell A1 -- or to the beginning of the data area
if you have entered data.
- Move the cursor to column J.
- Stay in column J and move the cursor to row 20.
- Press the End key.
- Press Home.
- You should now be in cell A1.
Moving Quickly Around the Worksheet
The following are shortcuts for
moving quickly from one cell to a cell in a different part of the worksheet.
Go
to -- F5
The F5 function key is the "Go
To" key. If you press the F5 key while in the Ready mode, you are prompted
for the cell to which you wish to go. Enter the cell address, and the cursor
jumps to that cell.
- Press F5. The Go To dialog box opens.
- Type J3.
- Press Enter. The cursor should move to cell J3.
Go
to -- Ctrl-G
You can also use Ctrl-G to go to a
specific cell.
- Hold down the Ctrl key while you press "g"
(Ctrl-g). The Go To dialog box opens.
- Type C4.
- Press Enter. You should now be in cell C4.
Name
Box
You can also use the Name box to go
to a specific cell.
- Type B10 in the Name box
- Press Enter. Excel moves to cell D10.
If you wish to perform a function on
a group of cells, you must first select those cells by highlighting them. To
highlight cells A1 to E1:
- Place the cursor in cell A1.
- Press the F8 key. This anchors the cursor.
- Note that "EXT" appears on the Status bar in
the lower right corner of the screen. You are in the Extend mode.
- Click in cell E7. Cells A1 to E7 should now be
highlighted.
- Press Esc and click anywhere on the worksheet to clear
the highlighting.
Alternative Method: Selecting Cells by Dragging
You can also highlight an area by
holding down the left mouse button and dragging the mouse over the area. In
addition, you can select noncontiguous areas of the worksheet by doing the
following:
- Place the cursor in cell A1.
- Hold down the Ctrl key. Do not release it until you are
told. Holding down the Ctrl key enables you to select noncontiguous areas
of the worksheet.
- Press the left mouse button.
- While holding down the left mouse button, use the mouse
to move from cell A1 to E7.
- Continue to hold down the Ctrl key, but release the
left mouse button.
- Using the mouse, place the cursor in cell G8.
- Press the left mouse button.
- While holding down the left mouse button, move to cell
I17. Release the left mouse button.
- Release the Ctrl key. Cells A1 to E7 and cells G8 to
I17 are highlighted.
- Press Esc and click anywhere on the worksheet to remove
the highlighting.
In this lesson, you are going to
learn how to enter data into your worksheet. First, you place the cursor in the
cell in which you would like to enter data. Then you type the data and press
Enter.
- Place the cursor in cell A1.
- Type John Jordan.
- The Backspace key erases one character at a time. Erase
"Jordan" by pressing the backspace key until Jordan is erased.
- Press Enter. The name "John" should appear in
cell A1.
After you enter data into a cell,
you can edit it by pressing F2 while you are in the cell you wish to edit.
- Move the cursor to cell A1.
- Press F2.
- Change "John" to "Jones."
- Use the backspace key to delete the "n" and
the "h."
- Type nes.
- Press Enter.
Alternate
Method: Editing a Cell by Using the Formula Bar
You can also edit the cell by using
the Formula bar. You can change "Jones" to "Joker" as
follows:
- Move the cursor to cell A1.
- Click in the formula area of the Formula bar.
- Use the backspace key to erase the "s,"
"e," and "n."
- Type ker.
- Press Enter.
Alternate
Method: Editing a Cell by Double-Clicking in the Cell
You can change "Joker" to
"Johnson" as follows:
- Move the cursor to cell A1.
- Double-click in cell A1.
- Press the End key. Your cursor is now at the end of
your text.
- Use the backspace to erase "r,"
"e," and "k."
- Type hnson.
- Press Enter.
Typing in a cell while you are in
the Ready mode replaces the old cell entry with the new information you type.
- Move the cursor to cell A1.
- Type Cathy.
- Press Enter. The name "Cathy" should replace
"Johnson."
When you enter text that is too long
to fit in a cell into a cell, it overlaps the next cell. If you do not want it
to overlap the next cell you can wrap the text.
- Move to cell A2.
- Type Text too long to fit.
- Press Enter.
- Return to cell A2.
- Choose Format > Cells from the menu.
- Choose the Alignment tab.
- Click Wrap Text.
- Click OK. The text wraps.
To delete an entry in a cell or a
group of cells, you place the cursor in the cell or highlight the group of
cells and press Delete.
- Place the cursor in cell A2.
- Press the Delete key.
Entering Numbers as Labels or Values
In Microsoft Excel, you can enter
numbers as labels or as values. Labels are alphabetic, alphanumeric, or numeric
text on which you do not perform mathematical calculations. Values are numeric
text on which you perform mathematical calculations. If you have a numeric
entry, such as an employee number, on which you do not perform mathematical
calculations, enter it as a label by typing a single quotation mark first.
Enter a number:
- Move the cursor to cell B1.
- Type 100.
- Press Enter.
The number 100 appears in cell B1 as
a numeric value. You can perform mathematical calculations using this cell
entry. Note that by default the number is right-aligned.
Enter a value:
- Move the cursor to cell C1.
- Type '100.
- Press Enter.
The number 100 appears in cell C1 as
a label. Note that by default the cell entry is left-aligned and a green
triangle appears in the upper left corner of the cell.
When you make an entry that
Microsoft Excel believes you may want to change, a smart tag appears. Smart
tags give you the opportunity to make changes easily. Cells with smart tag in
them appear with a green triangle in the upper left corner. When you place your
cursor in the cell, the Trace Error icon appears. Click the Trace Error icon
and options appear. When you made your entry in cell C1 in the previous
section, a smart tag should have appeared.
- Move to cell C1.
- Click the Trace Error icon. An options list appears.
You can convert the label to a number, obtain help, ignore the error etc.
This is the end of Lesson1. To save
your file:
- Choose File > Save from the menu.
- Go to the directory in which you want to save your
file.
- Type lesson1 in the File Name field.
- Click Save.
Close Microsoft Excel.
Choose File
> Close from the menu.
Lesson 2: Formatting
Text and Performing Mathematical Calculations
In this lesson, you are going to learn how to format text and perform basic
mathematical calculations. To start, open a blank Microsoft Excel workbook.
Choosing a Default Font
Microsoft Excel enables you to choose a default font. The default font is
the style of typeface that Excel will use unless you specify a different style.
For the exercises in this lesson, you want your font to be set to Arial,
Regular, and Size 10. To set your font to Arial, Regular, and Size 10:
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu.
- Choose
the Font tab.
- In the
Font box, choose Arial.
- In the
Font Style box, choose Regular.
- In the
Size box, choose 10.
- If there
is no check mark in the Normal Font box, click to place a check mark
there. Your selections are now the default.
- Click
OK.
Adjusting the Standard Column
Width
When you open Microsoft Excel, the width of each cell is set to a default
width. This width is called the standard column width. You need to change the
standard column width to complete your exercises. To make the change, follow
these steps:
- Choose Format
> Column > Standard Width from the menu. The Standard
Width dialog box opens.
- Type 25
in the Standard Column Width field. Click OK. The width of every cell on
the worksheet should now be set to 25.
- Move to
cell A1.
- Type Cathy.
- Press
Enter.
Cell Alignment
The name "Cathy" is aligned with the left side of the cell. You
can change the cell alignment.
Centering by Using the Menu
To center the name Cathy, follow these steps:
- Move the
cursor to cell A1.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog box opens.
- Choose
the Alignment tab.
- Click to
open the drop-down box associated with the Horizontal field. After the
drop-down box is opened, click Center.
- Click OK
to close the dialog box. The name "Cathy" is centered.
Right-Aligning by Using the Menu
To right-align the name "Cathy," follow these steps:
- Move the
cursor to cell A1.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog box opens.
- Choose
the Alignment tab.
- Click to
open the drop-down box associated with the Horizontal field. After the
drop-down box opens, click Right (Indent).
- Click OK
to close the dialog box. The name "Cathy" is right-aligned.
Left-Aligning by Using the Menu
To left-align the name "Cathy," follow these steps:
- Move the
cursor to cell A1.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog box opens.
- Choose
the Alignment tab.
- Click to
open the drop-down box associated with the Horizontal field. After the
drop-down box opens, click Left (Indent).
- Click OK
to close the dialog box. The name "Cathy" is left-aligned.
Alternate Method: Alignment by Using the Formatting Toolbar
Using the Formatting toolbar, you can quickly perform tasks. You can use the
Formatting toolbar to change alignment.
Centering by Using the Toolbar
To center the name "Cathy," follow these steps:
- Move the
cursor to cell A1.
- Click
the Center icon, which is located on the Formatting toolbar.
The red circle designates the Align Center icon.
Right-Aligning by Using the Toolbar
You can right-align the name "Cathy" by following these steps:
- Move
the cursor to cell A1.
- Click
the Align Right icon, which is located on the Formatting toolbar.
The red circle designates the Align Right icon.
Left-Aligning by Using the Toolbar
You can left-align the name "Cathy" by following these steps:
- Move the
cursor to cell A1.
- Click
the Align Left icon, which is located on the Formatting toolbar.
The red circle designates the Align Left icon.
Adding Bold, Underline, and Italic
You can bold, underline, or italicize text in Microsoft Excel. You can also
combine these features -- in other words, you can bold, underline,
and
italicize a single piece of text.
In the exercises that follow, you will learn three different methods for
bolding, italicizing, or underlining text in Microsoft Excel. You will learn to
bold, italicize, and underline by using the menu, the icons, and the shortcut
keys.
Adding Bold by Using the Menu
- Type Bold
in cell A2.
- Click
the check mark located on the Formula bar. Clicking on the check mark is
similar to pressing Enter.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog box opens.
- Choose
the Font tab.
- Click
Bold in the Font Style box.
- Click
OK. The word "Bold" should now be bolded.
Adding Italic by Using the Menu
- Type Italic
in cell B2.
- Click
the check mark located on the Formula bar. Clicking on the check mark is
similar to pressing Enter.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog box opens.
- Click
Italic in the Font style box.
- Click
OK. The word "Italic" is italicized.
Adding Underline by Using the Menu
Microsoft Excel provides several types on underlines. The exercise that
follows illustrates some of them.
Single Underline
- Type Underline
in cell C2.
- Click
the check mark located on the Formula bar. Clicking on the check mark is
similar to pressing Enter.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog box opens.
- Click to
open the drop-down menu associated with the Underline box.
- Click
Single.
- Click
OK. The cell entry now has a single underline.
Double Underline
- Type Underline
in cell D2.
- Click the
check mark located on the Formula bar.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog box opens.
- Click to
open the drop-down menu associated with the Underline field.
- Click
Double.
- Click OK.
The cell entry now has a double underline.
Single Accounting
- Type Underline
in cell E2.
- Click
the check mark located on the Formula bar.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog box will open.
- Click
to open the drop-down menu associated with the Underline field.
- Click
Single Accounting.
- Click
OK. The cell entry now has a single accounting underline.
Double Accounting
- Type Underline
in cell F2.
- Click
the check mark located on the Formula bar.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog box will open.
- Click
to open the drop-down menu associated with the Underline field.
- Click
Double Accounting.
- Click
OK. The cell entry now has a double accounting underline.
Adding Bold, Underline, and Italic by Using the Menu
- Move
the cursor to cell G3.
- Type All
three.
- Click
the check mark located on the Formula bar.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog box opens.
- Choose
the Font tab.
- Click
Bold Italic in the Font Style box.
- Click
to open the drop-down menu associated with the Underline field. Then click
Single.
- Click
OK. The words "All three" are now bolded, italicized, and
underlined.
Removing Bolding and Italics by Using the Menu
- Highlight
cells A2 to B2. Place your cursor in cell B2. Press the F8 key. Press the
right arrow key once.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog box opens.
- Click
Regular in the Font style box.
- Click
OK. Cell A2 is no longer be bolded. Cell B2 is no longer italized.
Removing an Underline by Using the Menu
- Move to
cell C2.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog box opens.
- Click
to open the drop-down menu associated with the Underline field. Then click
None.
- Click
OK. The underdelined is removed.
Alternate Method: Adding Bold by Using the Icon
- Type Bold
in cell A3.
- Click the
check mark located on the Formula bar.
- Click
the Bold icon, which is on the Formatting toolbar.
- Click
again on the Bold icon if you wish to remove the bolding.
Alternate Method: Adding Italic by Using the Icon
- Type Italic
in cell B3.
- Click
the check mark located on the Formula bar.
- Click
the Italic icon, which is on the Formatting toolbar.
- Click
again on the Italic icon if you wish to remove the italics.
Alternate Method: Adding Underline by Using the Icon
- Type Underline
in cell C3.
- Click
the check mark located on the Formula bar.
- Click
the Underline icon, which is on the Formatting toolbar.
- Click
again on the Underline icon if you wish to remove the underline.
Alternate Method: Adding Bold, Underline, and Italic by Using Icons
- Type All
Three in cell D3.
- Click
the check mark located on the Formula bar.
- Click
the Bold icon.
- Click
the Italic icon.
- Click
the Underline icon.
Alternate Method: Adding Bold by Using Shortcut Keys
- Type Bold
in cell A4.
- Click
the check mark located on the Formula bar.
- Hold down
the Ctrl key while pressing "b" (Ctrl-b).
- Press
Ctrl-b again if you wish to remove the bolding.
Alternate Method: Adding Italic by Using Shortcut Keys
- Type Italic
in cell B4.
- Click
the check mark located on the Formula bar.
- Hold
down the Ctrl key while pressing "i" (Ctrl-i).
- Press
Ctrl-i again if you wish to remove the italic formatting.
Alternate Method: Adding Underline by Using Shortcut Keys
- Type Underline
in cell C4.
- Click the
check mark located on the Formula bar.
- Hold down
the Ctrl key while pressing "u" (Ctrl-u).
- Press
Ctrl-u again, if you wish to remove the underline.
Alternate Method: Adding Bold, Underline, and Italic by Using Shortcut Keys
- Type All
three in cell D4.
- Click
the check mark located on the Formula bar.
- Hold
down the Ctrl key while pressing "b" (Ctrl-b).
- Hold
down the Ctrl key while pressing "i" (Ctrl-i).
- Hold
down the Ctrl key while pressing "u" (Ctrl-u).
Changing the Font, Font Size, and Font Color
You can change the Font, Font Size, and Font Color of the data you enter.
Changing the Font
- Type Times
New Roman in cell A5.
- Click
the check mark located on the Formula bar.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog box opens.
- Choose
the Font tab. All of the Fonts listed in the Font box are available to
you.
- Find and
click Times New Roman in the Font box.
- Click
OK. The font changes from Arial to Times New Roman.
Changing the Font Size
- Place
the cursor in cell A5.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog box opens.
- Choose
the Font tab.
- Click 16
in the Size box.
- Click
OK. The font size changes to 16.
Changing the Font Color
- Place the
cursor in cell A5.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog box opens.
- Choose
the Font tab.
- Click to
open the drop-down menu associated with the color field.
- Click
Blue.
- Click
OK. The font color changes to blue.
Alternate Method: Changing the Font Color by Using the Icon
- Place
the cursor in cell A5.
- Click
the down arrow next to the Font Color icon.
- Click
on Red. Your font color changes to red.
Working with Long Text
Whenever you type text that is too long to fit into a cell, Microsoft Excel
attempts to display all the text. It left-aligns the text regardless of the
alignment that has been assigned to it, and it borrows space from the blank
cells to the right. However, a long text entry will never write over cells that
already contain entries -- instead, the cells that contain entries cuts off the
long text. Do the following exercise to see how this works.
- Move the
cursor to cell A6.
- Type Now
is the time for all good men to go to the aid of their army.
- Press
Enter. Everything that does not fit into cell A6 spills over into the
adjacent cell.
- Move the
cursor to cell B6.
- Type TEST.
- Press
Enter. The entry in cell A6 is cut off.
- Move the
cursor to cell A6.
- Look at
the Formula bar. The text is still in the cell.
Changing a Single Column Width
Earlier you increased the column width of every column on the worksheet. You
can also increase individual column widths. If you increase the column width,
you will be able to see the long text.
- Make
sure the cursor is anywhere under column A.
- Choose
Format > Column > Width from the menu. The column width
dialog box opens.
- Type 55
in the Column Width field.
- Click
OK.
Column A is set to a width of 55. You should now be able to see all of the
text.
Alternate Method: Changing a Single Column Width by Dragging
You can also change the column width with the cursor.
- Place
the cursor on the line between the B and C column headings. The cursor
should look like the one displayed here, with two arrows.
- Move
your mouse to the right while holding down the left mouse button. The
width indicator appears on the screen.
- Release
the left mouse button when the width indicator shows approximately 40.
Moving to a New Worksheet
In Microsoft Excel, each workbook is made up of several worksheets. Before
moving to the next topic, move to a new worksheet.
- Click
Sheet2 in the lower left corner of the screen.
Setting the Enter Key Direction
In Microsoft Excel, you can specify which direction the cursor moves when
you press the Enter key. You can have the cursor move up, down, left, right, or
not at all. You will now make sure the cursor is set to move down when you
press the Enter key.
- Choose Tools
> Options from the menu. The Options dialog box opens.
- Choose
the Edit tab.
- Make
sure there is a check mark in the "Move Selection after Enter"
box.
- If Down
is not selected, click to open the Direction drop-down box. Click Down.
- Click
OK.
Making Numeric Entries
In Microsoft Excel, you can enter numbers and mathematical formulas into
cells. When a number is entered into a cell, you can perform mathematical
calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. When
entering a mathematical formula, precede the formula with an equal sign. Use
the following to indicate the type of calculation you wish to perform:
+ Addition
- Subtraction
* Multiplication
/ Division
^ Exponential
Performing Mathematical
Calculations
The following exercises demonstrate how to perform mathematical calculations.
Addition
- Move your
cursor to cell A1.
- Type 1.
- Press
Enter.
- Type 1
in cell A2.
- Press
Enter.
- Type =A1+A2
in cell A3.
- Press
Enter. Cell A1 has been added to cell A2, and the result is shown in cell
A3.
Place the cursor in cell A3 and look at the Formula bar.
Subtraction
- Press
F5. The Go To dialog box opens.
- Type B1
in the Reference field.
- Press
Enter. The cursor should move to cell B1.
- Type 5
in cell B1.
- Press
Enter.
- Type 3
in cell B2.
- Press
Enter.
- Type =+B1-
B2 in cell B3.
- Press
Enter. Cell B1 has been subtracted from B2, and the result is shown in
cell B3.
Place the cursor in cell B3 and look at the Formula bar.
Multiplication
- Hold
down the Ctrl key while you press "g" (Ctrl-g). The Go To dialog
box opens.
- Type C1
in the Reference field.
- Press
Enter. You should now be in cell C1.
- Type 2
in cell C1.
- Press
Enter.
- Type 3
in cell C2.
- Press
Enter.
- Type =C1*C2
in cell C3.
- Press
Enter. Cell C1 is multiplied by cell C2 and the result is displayed in
cell C3.
Place the cursor in cell C3 and look at the Formula bar.
Division
- Press
F5.
- Type D1
in the Reference field.
- Press
Enter. You should now be in cell D1.
- Type 6
in cell D1.
- Press
Enter.
- Type 3
in cell D2.
- Press
Enter.
- Type =D1/D2
in cell D3.
- Press
Enter. Cell D1 is divided by cell D2 and the result is displayed in cell
D3.
Place the cursor in cell D3 and look at the Formula bar.
The AutoSum Icon
The AutoSum icon on the Standard toolbar automatically adds a column of
numbers. The following illustrates the SUM function:
- Go to
cell F1.
- Type 3.
Press Enter.
- Type 3.
Press Enter.
- Type 3.
Press Enter.
- Click
the AutoSum button, which is located on the Standard toolbar.
- F1 to F3
should now be highlighted.
- Press
Enter. Cells F1 through F3 are added.
Automatic Calculation
If you have automatic calculation turned on, Microsoft Excel recalculates
the worksheet as you change cell entries. You can check to make sure automatic
calculation is turned on.
Setting Automatic Calculation
- Choose Tools
> Options from the menu.
- Choose
the Calculation tab.
- Select
Automatic if it is not already selected.
- Click
OK.
Trying Automatic Calculation
Make the changes outlined below and note how Microsoft Excel automatically
recalculates.
- Move to
cell A1.
- Type 2.
Press the Enter key. The results shown in cell A3 have changed. The number
in cell A1 has been added to the number in cell A2 and the results display
in cell A3.
- Move to
cell B1.
- Type 6.
- Press
the Enter key. The results shown in cell B3 have changed. The number
in cell B1 has been subtracted from the number in cell B2 and the results
display in cell B3.
- Move to
cell C1.
- Type 4.
Press the Enter key. The results shown in cell C3 have changed. The number
in cell C1 has been multiplied by the number in cell C2 and the results
display in cell C3.
- Move to
cell D1.
- Type 12.
Press the Enter key. The results shown in cell D3 have changed. The
number in cell D1 has been divided by the number in cell D2 and the
results display in cell D3.
Formatting Numbers
You can format the numbers you enter into Microsoft Excel. You can add
commas to separate thousands, specify the number of decimal places, place a
dollar sign in front of the number, or display the number as a percent in
addition to several other options.
Before formatting
After formatting
- Move the
cursor to cell A5.
- Type 1234567.
- Press Enter.
- Move the
cursor back to cell A5.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog box will open.
- Choose
the Number tab.
- Click
Number in the Category box.
- Type 2
in the Decimal Places box.
- Place a
check mark in the Use 1000 Separator box.
- Click
OK. The number should now display with two decimal places. The thousands
should now be separated by commas.
Adding a Dollar Sign to a Numeric Entry
- Move the
cursor to cell A5.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog box opens.
- Choose
the Number tab.
- Click
Currency in the Category box.
- Make
sure there is a "$" in the Symbol box.
- Click
OK. The number displays with a dollar sign.
Alternate Method: Formatting Numbers by Using the Toolbar
- Move the
cursor to cell A6.
- Type 1234567.
- Press
Enter.
- Move the
cursor back to cell A6.
- Click
twice on the Increase Decimal icon to change the number format to two
decimal places. Clicking on the Decrease Decimal icon decreases the
decimal places.
- Click
once on the Comma Style icon to add commas to the number.
- To
change the number to a currency format, click Currency Style format.
- Move the
cursor to cell A7.
- Type .35
(note the decimal point).
- Press
Enter.
- Move
the cursor back to cell A7.
- Click
the Percent Style icon to turn .35 to a percent.
More Advanced Mathematical
Calculations
When you perform mathematical calculations in Microsoft Excel, be careful of
precedence. Calculations are performed from left to right, with multiplication
and division performed before addition and subtraction.
- Move to
a new worksheet by clicking on Sheet3 in the lower left corner of the
screen.
- Go to
cell A1.
- Type =3+3+12/2*4.
- Press
Enter.
Note: Microsoft Excel divided 12 by 2, multiplied the answer by 4,
added 3, and then added another 3. The answer, 30, displays in cell A1.
To change the order of calculation, use parentheses. Microsoft Excel
calculates the information in parentheses first.
- Double-click
in cell A1.
- Edit the
cell to read =(3+3+12)/2*4.
- Press
Enter.
Note: Microsoft Excel added 3 plus 3 plus 12, divided the answer by
2, and multiplied the result by 4. The answer, 36, displays in cell A1.
Cell Addressing
Microsoft Excel records cell addresses in formulas in three different ways,
called
absolute,
relative, and
mixed. The way a formula is
recorded is important when you copy it.
With relative cell addressing, when you copy a formula from one area of the
worksheet to another, Microsoft Excel records the position of the cell relative
to the cell that originally contained the formula. The following exercises demonstrate:
- Go to
cell A7.
- Type 1.
Press Enter.
- Type 1.
Press Enter.
- Type 1.
Press Enter.
- Go to
cell B7.
- Type 2.
Press Enter.
- Type 2.
Press Enter.
- Type 2.
Press Enter.
- Go to
cell A10.
In addition to typing a formula, as you did in Lesson 1, you can also enter
formulas by using Point mode. When you are in Point mode, you can enter a
formula either by clicking on a cell with your mouse or by using the arrow
keys.
- You
should be in cell A10.
- Type =.
- Use the
up arrow key to move to cell A7.
- Type +.
- Use the
up arrow key to move to cell A8.
- Type +.
- Use the
up arrow key to move to cell A9.
- Press
Enter.
- Look at
the Formula bar while in cell A10. Note that the formula you entered is
recorded in cell A10.
Copying by Using the Menu
You can copy entries from one cell to another cell. To copy the formula you
just entered, follow these steps:
- You
should be in cell A10.
- Choose Edit
> Copy from the menu. Moving dotted lines appear around cell
A10, indicating the cells to be copied.
- Press
the Right Arrow key once to move to cell B10.
- Choose Edit
> Paste from the menu. The formula in cell A10 is copied to
cell B10.
- Press
Esc to exit the Copy mode.
Compare the formula in cell A10 with the formula in cell B10 (while in the
respective cell, look at the Formula bar). The formulas are the same except
that the formula in cell A10 sums the entries in column A and the formula in
cell B10 sums the entries in column B. The formula was copied in a
relative
fashion.
Before proceeding with the next exercise, you must copy the information in
cells A7 to B9 to cells C7 to D9. This time you will copy by using the
Formatting toolbar.
Copying by Using the Formatting Toolbar
- Highlight
cells A7 to B9. Place the cursor in cell A7. Press F8. Press the down
arrow key twice. Press the right arrow key once. A7 to B9 should be
highlighted.
- Click
the Copy icon
, which is located on the Formatting toolbar.
- Use the
arrow key to move the cursor to cell C7.
- Click
the Paste icon ,
which is located on the Formatting toolbar.
- Press
Esc to exit Copy mode.
Absolute Cell Addressing
An
absolute cell address refers to the same cell, no matter where you
copy the formula. You make a cell address an absolute cell address by placing a
dollar sign in front of both the row and column identifiers. You can do this
automatically by using the F4 key. To illustrate:
- Move the
cursor to cell C10.
- Type =.
- Use the
up arrow key to move to cell C7.
- Press
F4. Dollar signs should appear before the C and before the 7.
- Type +.
- Use the
up arrow key to move to cell C8.
- Press
F4.
- Type +.
- Use the
up arrow key to move to cell C9.
- Press
F4.
- Press
Enter. The formula is recorded in cell C10.
Copying by Using the Keyboard Shortcut
Now copy the formula from C10 to D10. This time, you will copy by using the
keyboard shortcut.
- Your
cursor should be in cell C10.
- Hold
down the Ctrl key while you press "c" (Ctrl-c). This copies the
contents of cell C10.
- Press
the right arrow once.
- Hold
down the Ctrl key while you press "v" (Ctrl-v). This pastes the
contents of cell C10 in cell D10.
- Press
Esc to exit the Copy mode.
Compare the formula in cell C10 with the formula in cell D10. They are the
same. The formula was copied in an
absolute fashion. Both formulas sum
column C.
Mixed Cell Addressing
You use mixed cell addressing to reference a cell that is part absolute and
part relative. You can use the F4 key.
- Move the
cursor to cell E1.
- Type =.
- Press
the up arrow key once.
- Press
F4.
- Press F4
again. Note that the column is relative and the row is absolute.
- Press F4
again. Note that the column is absolute and the row is relative.
- Press
Esc.
Deleting Columns
You can delete columns from your spreadsheet. To delete columns C and D:
- Click
on column C and drag to column D.
- Choose Edit
> Delete from the menu. Column D is deleted.
- Click
anywhere on the spreadsheet to remove your selection.
Deleting Rows
You can delete rows from your spreadsheet. To delete rows 1 through 4:
- Click
the row 1 and drag to row 4.
- Choose Edit
> Delete from the menu. Rows 1 through 4 are deleted.
- Click
anywhere on the spreadsheet to remove your selection.
Inserting Columns
There will be times when you will need to insert a column or columns into
your spreadsheet. To insert a column:
- Click
on A to select column A.
- Choose Insert
> Columns from the menu. A column is inserted to the right of
column A.
- Click
anywhere on the spreadsheet to remove your selection.
Inserting Rows
You can also insert rows into your spreadsheet:
- Click
on 2 to select row 2.
- Choose
Insert > Rows from the menu. A row is inserted above row
2.
- Click
anywhere on the spreadsheet to remove your selection.
Creating Borders
You can use borders to make entries on your spreadsheet stand out.
Accountants usually place a single underline above a final number and a double
underline below. The following illustrates:
- Go to
cell B7.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu.
- Choose
the Border tab.
- In the
Style box, click on the single underline.
- Click
the top of the Border box.
- In the
Style box, click on the double underline.
- Click
the bottom of the Border box.
- Click
OK. Cell B7 now has a border.
Alternate Method: Creating Borders by Using the Icon
- Go to
cell C7. Click the down arrow beside the Borders icon.
- Select
the Top and Double Bottom Border. Cell C7 now has borders.
Merge and Center
You will sometimes want to center a piece of text over several columns. The
following example shows you how.
- Go to
cell B1.
- Type Sample
Spreadsheet.
- Click
the check mark on the Formula bar.
- Select
columns B1 to D1.
- Click
the Merge and Center icon on
the formatting toolbar. Cells B1, C1, and D1 are merged and centered.
Adding Background Color
You can add background color to a cell or group of cells:
- Go to
cell B1.
- Choose Format
> Cells from the menu.
- Choose
the Patterns tab.
- Choose
Sky Blue.
- Click
OK. The background of cell B1 is now Sky Blue.
Alternate Method: Adding Background Color by Using the Icon
- Select
cells B7 to D7.
- Click
the down-arrow next to the Fill Color icon .
- Select
Pale Blue. The background of cells B7 to D7 is now Pale Blue.
Using Auto Format
You can format your data manually or you can use one of Microsoft Excel's
many AutoFormats.
- Select
cells B1 to D7.
- Choose Format
> Auto Format from the menu. Several formats are
listed from which you can choose.
- Choose
the Accounting 2 format.
- Click
OK. Your data is formatted in the Accounting 2 style.
Saving Your File
To save your file:
- Choose
File>Save from the menu.
- Go to
the directory in which you want to save your file.
- Type lesson2
in the File Name field.
- Click
Save.
Closing Microsoft Excel
This is the end of Lesson 2. Close Microsoft Excel.
- Choose
File > Exit from the menu.
Lesson 3: Numbers and Mathematical Calculations
Microsoft Excel has many functions that you can use.
Functions allow you to quickly and easily find an average, the highest number,
the lowest number, a count of the number of items in a list, and make many
other useful calculations.
Reference Operators
Reference operators refer to a cell or a group of
cells. There are two types of reference operators, range and union.
A range reference refers to all the cells between
and including the reference. A range reference consists of two cell addresses
separated by a colon. The reference A1:A3 includes cells A1, A2, and A3. The
reference A1:C3 includes A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, and C3.
A union reference includes two or more references. A
union reference consists of two or more cell addresses separated by a comma.
The reference A7,B8,C9 refers to cells A7, B8, and C9.
Functions
Microsoft Excel has a set of prewritten formulas
called functions. Functions differ from regular formulas in that you
supply the value but not the operators, such as +, -, *, or /. For example, you
can use the SUM function to add. When using a function, remember the following:
Use an
equal sign to begin a formula.
Specify
the function name.
Enclose
arguments within parentheses.
Use a
comma to separate arguments.
Here is an example of a function:
=SUM(2,13,A1,B27)
In this function:
The equal sign begins the function.
SUM is the name of the function.
2, 13, A1, and B27 are the arguments.
Parentheses enclose the arguments.
A comma separates the arguments.
The SUM function adds the arguments together. In the
exercises that follow, we will look at various functions.
Typing a
Function
- Open Microsoft Excel.
- Type 12 in cell B1.
- Press Enter.
- Type 27 in cell B2.
- Press Enter.
- Type 24 in cell B3.
- Press Enter.
- Type =SUM(B1:B3) in cell A4.
- Press Enter. Microsoft Excel sums cells B1 to B3.
Alternate Method: Entering a Function by Using the
Menu
- Type 150 in cell C1.
- Press Enter.
- Type 85 in cell C2.
- Press Enter.
- Type 65 in cell C3.
- Press Enter. Your cursor should be in cell C4.
- Choose Insert > Function from the menu.
- Choose Math & Trig in the Or Select A Category box.
- Click Sum in the Select A Function box.
- Click OK. The Functions Arguments dialog box opens.
- Type C1:C3 in the Number1 field, if it does not
automatically appear.
- Click OK. Microsoft Excel sums cells C1 to C3.
- Move to cell A4.
- Type the word Sum.
- Press Enter.
As you learned in Lesson 2, you can also calculate a
sum by using the Sum icon.
Calculating
an Average
You can use the AVERAGE function to calculate the
average of a series of numbers.
- Move your cursor to cell A6.
- Type Average. Press the right arrow key to move
to cell B6.
- Type =AVERAGE(B1:B3).
- Press Enter. The average of cells B1 to B3, which is 21,
will appear.
Calculating an Average by Using the Sum Icon
In Microsoft Excel XP, you can use the Sum icon to
calculate an average.
- Move your cursor to cell C6.
- Click the drop-down arrow next to the Sum icon.
- Click Average.
- Highlight C1 to C3.
- Press Enter. The average of cells C1 to C3, which is
100, appears.
Calculating
Min
You can use the MIN function to find the lowest
number in a series of numbers.
- Move your cursor to cell A7.
- Type Min.
- Press the right arrow key to move to cell B7.
- Type = MIN(B1:B3).
- Press Enter. The lowest number in the series, which is
12 appears.
Calculating
Max
You can use the MAX function to find the highest
number in a series of numbers.
- Move your cursor to cell A8.
- Type Max.
- Press the right arrow key to move to cell B8.
- Type = MAX(B1:B3).
- Press Enter. The highest number in the series, which is
27, appears.
Note:
You can also use the drop-down menu next to the Sum icon to calculate minimums
and maximums.
Calculating
Count
You can use the count function to count the number
of items in a series.
- Move your cursor to cell A9.
- Type Count
- Press the right arrow key to move to cell B9.
- Click the down arrow next to the Sum icon.
- Click Count.
- Highlight B1 to B3.
- Press Enter. The number of items in the series, which is
3 appears.
Filling Cells
Automatically
You can use Microsoft Excel to fill cells
automatically with a series. For example, you can have Excel automatically fill
in times, the days of the week or months of the year, years, and other types of
series. Days of the week and months of the year fill in a similar fashion. The
following demonstrates filling the days of the week:
- Move to Sheet2.
- Move to cell A1.
- Type Sun.
- Move to cell B1.
- Type Sunday.
- Highlight cells A1 to B1.
- Bold cells A1 to B1.
- Find the small black square in the lower right corner of
the highlighted area. This is called the Fill Handle.
- Grab the Fill Handle and drag with your mouse to fill
cell A1 to B24. Note how the days of the week fill the cells in a series.
Also, note that the Auto Fill Options icon appears.
- Click the Auto Fill Options icon.
- Choose the Copy Cells radio button. The entry in cells
A1 and B1 are copied to all the cells highlighted.
- Click the Auto Fill Options icon again.
- Choose the Fill Series radio button. The cells fill as a
series from Sunday to Saturday again.
- Click the Auto Fill Options icon again.
- Choose the Fill Without Formatting radio button. The
cells fill as a series from Sunday to Saturday, but the entries are not
bolded.
- Click the Auto Fill Options icon again.
- Choose the Fill Weekdays radio button. The cells fill as
a series from Monday to Friday.
Some of the entries in column B are too long to fit
in the column. You can quickly adjust the column width to fit the longest
entry.
- Move your cursor over the line that separates column B
and C. The Width Indicator appears.
- Double-click. The Column adjusts to fit the longest
entry.
The following demonstrates filling time:
- Type 1:00 into cell C1.
- Grab the Fill Handle and drag with your mouse to
highlight cells A1 to A24. Note that each cell fills using military time.
- Press Esc and then click anywhere on the worksheet to
remove the highlighting.
To change the format of the time:
- Select cells C1 to C24.
- Choose Format > Cells from the menu.
- Choose the Number tab.
- In the Category box, choose Time.
- In the Type box, choose 1:30 PM.
- Click OK. The time is no longer in military time.
You can also fill numbers.
Type a 1 in cell D1.
- Grab the Fill Handle and drag with your mouse to
highlight cells D1 to D24. The number 1 fills each cell.
- Click the Auto Fill Options icon.
- Choose the Fill Series radio button. The cells fill as a
series starting with 1, 2, 3.
Here is another interesting fill feature.
- Go to cell E1.
- Type Lesson 1.
- Grab the Fill Handle and drag with your mouse to
highlight cells E1 to E24.
- The cells fill in as a series: Lesson 1, Lesson 2,
Lesson 3, and so on.
Printing
The simplest way to print is to click the Print icon
located on the Standard toolbar. Dotted lines will appear on your screen after
you click the print icon. The dotted lines indicate the right, left, top, and
bottom edges of your printed pages.
Print
Preview
There are many print options. You can select print
options options in Page Setup or in Print Preview. In Print Preview, you can
see the results of your selections onscreen. You can use print options to:
- Determine whether to print landscape or portrait. If you
print portrait on an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper, the length across the top
of your page will be 8 1/2 inches. If you print landscape on an 8 1/2
by 11 sheet of paper, the length across the top of your page will be 11
inches.
- Scale your document. If your data is small in comparison
to the page, you may want to scale upward so the data fills the entire
page. If your data is too large to fit on the page, you may want to scale
downward.
- Specify how many pages wide and how many pages long you
want your printed document to be.
- Select the paper size and print quality.
- Set the first page number.
If you choose the Margins tab, you can:
- Set the size of your margins including your header and
footer margins.
- Center your spreadsheet horizontally and/or vertically
on the page.
If you choose the Header/Footer tab, you can select
headers and footers. A header is text that appears at the top of every page. A
footer is text that appears at the bottom of every page. You can use headers
and footers to insert page numbers, dates, and other information.
To choose a header:
- Choose the Header/Footer tab.
- Click the down arrow next to the Header field to open
the drop-down box for the header field.
- Choose a Header from the list.
To choose a footer:
- Choose the Header/Footer tab.
- Click the down arrow next to the Footer field to open
the drop-down box for the Footer field.
- Choose a Footer from the list.
Click the Custom Header or Custom Footer button to
customize your headers and footers.
Use the Left Section to place your options on the
left side of the page, the Center Section to place your options in the center
of the page, and the Right Section to place your options 9on the right side of
the page.
The Sheet tab has options that allow you to choose
which rows and columns will repeat at the left and the top of the page. It also
has options that allows you to determine whether gridlines and/or row column
headings print
To preview and print your spreadsheet:
- Choose File > Preview from the menu.
- Click Setup.
- Choose the Page tab.
- Choose Portrait.
- In the Adjust To field, type 110% to set the size
to 110%,.
- Choose the Margin tab.
- Check the Horizontally box in the Center On Page frame
to center your spreadsheet horizontally.
- Click OK.
- Click Print. The Print dialog box opens.
- Click OK to print the file.
Saving Your File
To save your file:
- Choose File>Save from the menu.
- Go to the directory in which you want to save your file.
- Type lesson3 in the File Name field.
- Click Save.
Closing Microsoft Excel
This is the end of Lesson 3. Close Microsoft Excel.
- Choose File > Exit from the menu.
Lesson 4: Creating Charts
Using Microsoft 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. You can use Microsoft Excel's Chart
Wizard to take you through the process step-by-step.
Creating a
Column Chart
To create the column chart shown above, start by
creating the spreadsheet below exactly as shown.
After you have created the spreadsheet, you are
ready to create your chart.
- Highlight cells A3 to D6. You must highlight all the
cells containing the data you want in your chart. You should also include
the data labels.
- Choose Insert > Chart from
the menu.
- Click Column to select the type of chart you want to
create.
- In the Chart Sub-type box, choose the Clustered Column
icon to select the chart sub-type.
- Click Next.
- To place the product names on the x-axis, select the
Columns radio button.
- Click Next.
- Type Toy Sales in the Chart Title field. Toy Sales will
appear as the title of your chart.
- Type Products in the Category (X) Axis field. Products
will appear as your x-axis title.
- Type Units Sold in the Value (Y) Axis field. Units Sold
will appear as your y-axis title.
- Choose the Data Labels tab.
- Select Value in the Labels Contain Frame to display the
data labels as values.
- Choose the Data Table tab.
- Select Show Data Table. The data table will appear below
your chart.
- Click Next.
- Choose As Object In Sheet1 to make your chart an
embedded object and part of the worksheet.
- Click Finish
- Your chart will appear on the spreadsheet.
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
- Use the handles to adjust the size of your chart.
- Click the chart 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.
Chart Toolbar
To change the data area font size:
- Click the down arrow on the Chart toolbar. A drop-down
menu opens.
- Choose Data Table from the drop-down menu.
- Click the Options icon . Choose the Font tab.
- In the Size box, type 8.
- Click OK. Your font size is now 8.
To change the angle of the data labels:
- Click the down arrow on the Chart toolbar. A drop-down
menu opens.
- Choose "Region 1" Data Labels from the
drop-down menu.
- Click the Angle Counter Clockwise icon . The Region 1 Data Labels are angled counter-clockwise.
- Repeat this process for Regions 2 and 3.
To change the font size of the Region data labels:
- Click the down arrow on the Chart toolbar. A drop-down
menu opens.
- Choose "Region 1" Data Labels from the
drop-down menu.
- Click the Options icon. Choose the Font tab.
- In the Size box, type 6.
- Click OK. Your font size is now 6.
- Repeat this process for Region 2 and 3.
You can also make changes by double-clicking on the
item you want to change.
To change the chart scale:
- Double-click on the scale. The Format Axis dialog box
opens.
- Choose the Scale tab.
- Type 400 in the Major Unit field.
- Click OK. Your chart is now scaled in units of 400.
Saving Your File
To save your file:
- Choose File>Save from the menu.
- Go to the directory in which you want to save your file.
- Type lesson4 in the File Name field.
- Click Save.
Closing Microsoft Excel
This is the end of Lesson 4. Close Microsoft Excel.
- Choose File > Exit from the menu.
Thank you