Excel 2010

Worksheet Basics

Introduction
Every Excel workbook contains at least one or more worksheets. If you are
working with a large amount of related data, you can use worksheets to help
organize your data and make it easier to work with.
In this lesson, you will learn how to name and add color to worksheet tabs,
and how to add, delete, copy, and move worksheets. Additionally, you will
learn how to group and ungroup worksheets, and freeze columns and rows
in worksheets so that they remain visible even when you are scrolling.

Introduction to Worksheets
When you open an Excel workbook, there are three worksheets
by default. The default names on the worksheet tabs are Sheet1,
Sheet2 and Sheet3. To organize your workbook and make it
easier to navigate, you can rename and even color-code the
worksheet tabs. Additionally, you can insert, delete, move, and copy
worksheets.
Watch the video to learn about worksheets.
To Rename Worksheets:
1. Right-click the worksheet tab you want to rename. The worksheet menu appears.
2. Select Rename.
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Page 2
Watch the video (3:01). Need help?
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Selecting the Rename command
3. The text is now highlighted by a black box. Type the name of your worksheet.

Renaming the worksheet
4. Click anywhere outside of the tab. The worksheet is renamed.

Renamed worksheet
To Insert New Worksheets:
Click on the Insert Worksheet icon. A new worksheet will appear.

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Inserting a new worksheet
You can change the setting for the default number of worksheets that appear in Excel workbooks. To access this
setting, go into Backstage view and click on Options.
To Delete Worksheets:
Worksheets can be deleted from a workbook, including those that contain data.
1. Select the worksheets you want to delete.
2. Right-click one of the selected worksheets. The worksheet menu appears.
3. Select Delete. The selected worksheets will be deleted from your workbook.

Deleting a worksheet
To Copy a Worksheet:
1. Right-click the worksheet you want to copy. The worksheet menu appears.
2. Select Move or Copy.
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Selecting the Move or Copy command
3. The Move or Copy dialog box appears. Check the Create a copy box.

Checking the Create a copy box
4. Click OK. Your worksheet is copied. It will have the same title as your original worksheet, but the title will
include a version number, such as "January (2)".

Copied worksheet
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To Move a Worksheet:
1. Click on the worksheet you want to move. The mouse will change to show a small worksheet icon .

2. Drag the worksheet icon until a small black arrow appears where you want the worksheet to be moved.

Moving a worksheet
3. Release your mouse and the worksheet will be moved.

Moved worksheet
To Color-Code Worksheet Tabs:
You can color worksheet tabs to help organize your worksheets and make your workbook easier to navigate.
1. Right-click the worksheet tab you want to color. The worksheet menu appears.
2. Select Tab Color. The color menu appears.
3. Select the color you want to change your tab.
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Changing the worksheet tab color
4. The tab color will change in the workbook. If your tab still appears white, that is because the worksheet is still
selected. Select any other worksheet tab to see the color change.

Worksheet tab color changed

Grouping and Ungrouping Worksheets
You can work with each worksheet in a workbook individually, or you
can work with multiple worksheets at the same time. Worksheets
can be combined together into a group. Any changes made to one
worksheet in a group will be made to every worksheet in the group.
Watch the video to learn about grouping and ungrouping
worksheets.
To Group Worksheets:
1. Select the first worksheet you want in the group.
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Watch the video (1:37). Need help?
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Selecting the first worksheet to group
2. Press and hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard.
3. Select the next worksheet you want in the group. Continue to select worksheets until all of the worksheets
you want to group are selected.

Selecting additional worksheets to group
4. Release the Ctrl key. The worksheets are now grouped. The worksheet tabs appear white for the grouped
worksheets.

While worksheets are grouped, you can navigate to any worksheet in the group and make changes that will
appear on every worksheet in the group. If you click on a worksheet tab that is not in the group, however, all
of your worksheets will become ungrouped. You will have to regroup them.
To Ungroup All Worksheets:
1. Right-click one of the worksheets. The worksheet menu appears.
2. Select Ungroup. The worksheets will be ungrouped.

Freezing Worksheet Panes
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The ability to freeze specific rows or columns in your worksheet can
be a very useful feature in Excel. It is called freezing panes. When
you freeze panes, you select rows or columns that will remain visible
all the time, even as you are scrolling. This is particularly helpful
when working with large spreadsheets.
Watch the video to learn about freezing worksheet panes.
To Freeze Rows:
1. Select the row below the rows that you want frozen. For
example, if you want rows 1 & 2 to always appear at the top of the worksheet even as you scroll, then select
row 3.

Selecting row 3
2. Click the View tab.
3. Click the Freeze Panes command. A drop-down menu appears.
4. Select Freeze Panes.

Selecting the Freeze Panes command from the View tab
5. A black line appears below the rows that are frozen in place. Scroll down in the worksheet to see the rows
below the frozen rows.
Watch the video (1:50). Need help?
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Rows 1 and 2 are frozen
To Freeze Columns:
1. Select the column to the right of the columns you want frozen. For example, if you want columns A & B to
always appear to the left of the worksheet even as you scroll, then select column C.

Selecting column C
2. Click the View tab.
3. Click the Freeze Panes command. A drop-down menu appears.
4. Select Freeze Panes.
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Selecting the Freeze Panes command from the View tab
5. A black line appears to the right of the frozen area. Scroll across the worksheet to see the columns to the
right of the frozen columns.

Columns A and B are frozen
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To Unfreeze Panes:
1. Click the View tab.
2. Click the Freeze Panes command. A drop-down menu appears.
3. Select Unfreeze Panes. The panes will be unfrozen and the black line will disappear.

Selecting the Unfreeze Panes command from the View tab

Challenge!

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1. Open an existing Excel 2010 workbook. If you want, you can use this example.
2. Insert a new worksheet.
3. Change the name of a worksheet.
4. Delete a worksheet.
5. Move a worksheet.
6. Copy a worksheet.
7. Try grouping and ungrouping worksheets.
8. Try freezing and unfreezing columns and rows.
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