py

lesson TWO

L E S S O N T W O L E S S O N T W O L E S S O N T W O L E S S O N T W O

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222222222222222222
Manipulating Data in a Worksheet

One of the benefits of using spreadsheet software such as Excel is the ability to perform data calculations and other manipulations efficiently and accurately. You can
not only enter and format data easily in Excel, but also move and copy data and
functions from one location or sheet to another just as easily.

Entering Values

Entering Formulas

Using Functions

Using the Insert

Function Feature

Copying and Pasting

Formulas

Using What-If
Analysis

Previewing and
Printing a Worksheet

ion

Cutting, Copying, and

Pasting Labels

Businesses often use spreadsheet software to make projections about future values
and conditions based on existing data. In Excel you can use assumed values, or
assumptions, to perform calculations under different conditions, using the same data
and worksheet to view varying output results. This technique is called What-If
Analysis, which takes full advantage of Excel's versatility.
Lesson Goal:

Fill out a worksheet with values, and then use Excel's Cut, Copy, and Paste features
to change the placement of the labels and values in the worksheet. Use Excel's formulas and functions tools to perform calculations on your data. Change the output
of the worksheet by performing a What-If Analysis. Finally, print a copy of the
worksheet.

Ev

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at

skills

Excel provides functions and formulas that can quickly automate all of your calculations. Using Excel's tools, you can choose built-in functions or create custom operations. You also can instruct Excel which data to use for the calculations, and Excel
will perform the operations and update results immediately. The Insert Function feature enables you to enter complicated formulas that Excel already knows. Once you
have entered a formula or a function, you can even paste it to a new location.

LESSON TWO

EX 2.2

Cutting, Copying, and

Pasting Labels

py

skill 1

Manipulating Data in a Worksheet

how to

Enter sales and expense values in an income statement worksheet.

tip

3. Right-click cell E6 to display a shortcut menu, click Cut, right-click cell A8 to open
another shortcut menu, and then click Paste. The contents of cell E6 will move to cell A8.

ion

1. Open the data file exhowto2-1.xls and save it as QIS-Cutting.xls.

2. Click cell C6, click Edit, and click Cut. An animated (i.e., moving) border will appear
around cell C6, indicating that you now can remove its contents (Figure 2-1). Click cell
A7, click Edit, and click Paste. The contents of cell C6 will move to cell A7.

4. Click cell B10 and type the text Q1, which stands for Quarter 1 of what will be an income
statement for four quarters of a year. Click the Enter button
between the Name box
and Formula bar to confirm the entry (Figure 2-2). The insertion point will disappear.
5. With cell B10 still selected, click Edit, and then click Copy. (As with the Cut command,
the Copy command will produce a moving border around the selected cell.) Click cell
C10, hold down the left mouse button, and drag over cell D10 into cell E10 to select all
three cells (Figure 2-3). Press [Enter]. The contents of cell B10 now appear in the three
additional cells, and the moving border around cell B10 disappears.

at

In MS Office, rightclicking a screen element, like a toolbar or

document section, often
opens a shortcut menu
that provides commands
specifically related to
the selected element.

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overview

If you must move data in your worksheet from one location to another, Excel has several cut,
copy, and paste commands and features you can use. The Office Clipboard, a feature of all
Microsoft Office 2003 applications, enables you to store up to 24 items (text, data, graphics,
or other objects) and paste them into any other Office program or location. Cutting or copying
any content places it on the Office Clipboard. If you copy a 25th item, the Clipboard deletes
the first one. The Clipboard is cleared of any content, however, when you exit all Office programs or if you click Clear All on the Office Clipboard task pane. Clicking the Paste command inserts at the insertion point the last item that you sent to the Clipboard. You also can
move cell contents by dragging cells to a new location.

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6. Click cell C10. Click in the Formula bar right after the numeral 1, press [Backspace],
press [2], and press [Tab] to move to cell D10. Click in the Formula bar right after the
numeral 1, press [Backspace], press [3], and press [Tab] to move to cell E10. Click in the
Formula bar right after the numeral 1, press [Backspace], press [4], and then click cell
B12. Cells B10 to E10 now read Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4, respectively, to represent the four
financial quarters of the calendar year.

7. Save the changes you have made to the worksheet and close the file.

extra

Ev

To move the contents of a selected cell or cell group to a different area of the worksheet, you also
can click the left mouse button on the border of the selection (not the fill handle in the lower right
corner) to display the mouse pointer with a four-way arrow ( ). Drag the border of the selected area
to the new location. As you drag, a lighter gray border matching the size of the area being dragged will move with the
mouse pointer. When the lighter gray border rests over the desired location, release the mouse button. The cell contents
will then appear in the destination cell with the darker border around it.
To copy the contents of a cell or cell group rather than just move them, hold down [Ctrl] while clicking the left mouse
button, drag the cell border, and then release it at the new location. When you copy cell contents, a mouse pointer and
small cross ( ) will tell you that you are copying rather than moving the contents.

I n t e r @ c t i v e L e a r n i n g

S e r i e s

EX 2.3

py

Steps 5 and 6 show you how to copy cell contents and then expand a numbered sequence with the Formula bar. However,
you can extend a numbered sequence more efficiently by using Excel's AutoFill feature. To use AutoFill, click the lowerright corneror fill handleof the first cell in your sequence. While holding down the mouse button, drag the fill handle
to the right or down, depending on the desired direction, and release the mouse pointer when you reach the last cell in the
row or column to which you want to copy the source cell's contents. (For a detailed explanation of using AutoFill, see
Lesson 3, Skill 8, "Filling a Cell Range with Labels").

Figure 2-1 Copying a cell

Co

Besides using the Paste command to insert the most recently cut or copied text, you also can access and paste previously
cut or copied items by using the Clipboard. To do this, click the destination cell, click Edit, click Office Clipboard to display the Clipboard task pane, and then click the item on the task pane that you want to paste. To paste all items at once,
display the Clipboard and then click the Paste All button at the top left of the task pane.

ion

Animated border (marching

ants) indicates you have set
the cells data to the
Clipboard

Figure 2-2 Enter button

at

[Enter] button appears

when you enter text or
data in cell but have
not yet confirmed it

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Figure 2-3 Selected destination cells

Solid border indicates

cells to be filled

Fill handle moves to

right as you drag

Practice

To practice cutting, copying, and pasting labels, follow the instructions on the Practice2-1 Sheet
tab of the practice file exprac2.xls. Save changes as myexprac2-1.xls and close the file. Make
sure you have read the Extra section of this Skill before starting the Practice exercise. Also,
please see the note on Smart Tags toward the bottom of the Practice2-1 worksheet.

skill 2

Manipulating Data in a Worksheet

Entering Values

py

LESSON TWO

EX 2.4

how to

Enter Sales and Expenses values in a worksheet.

tip

extra

3. Click cell B15 to activate it. Type 20000 as the first quarter's rent expense and click the
Enter button
on the Formula bar . Using the Edit command, copy this value to cell
C15 (Figure 2-4). Click in cell D15, and type an increased rent expense of 21000. Click
the Enter button
again. Right-click in the cell and, using the shortcut menu, copy and
paste this value to cell E15 (Figure 2-5).
4. Click cell B16 to activate it. Enter the following four values into the Salaries row, pressing [Tab] after entering each value except the last: 95000, 97500, 105000, and 108500.
5. Click cell B17 to activate it. Enter the following four values into the Miscellaneous row,
pressing [Tab] after entering each value including the last: 13500, 14500, 16500, and
19000. (Note: Data that you enter in a cell is confirmed automatically if you click and
select another cell or if you use the [Tab] key to move to another cell.)

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When typing numbers in

Step 3, use only digits
and not letters. For
example, for the number
zero, be sure to type a 0
rather than the letter O.
(Notice that the number
is thinner than the capital letter.) To ensure
that you type the number 0, not the letter O,
use the numeric keypad
at the right end of your
keyboard.

2. Click cell B12 to activate it. Type 168500 and then press [Tab]. The first quarter sales figure now appears in the cell, and the cell pointer moves to the right to cell C12. Enter the
rest of the Sales values in the same row, pressing [Tab] after each: 179000, 190000, and
210000.

ion

Excel treats values differently; therefore, do

not add commas after
the thousands place in
Step 2. Lesson 3 will
discuss methods for
numerical values.

1. Open data file exhowto2-2.xls and save it as QIS-Entering.xls.

at

tip

Co

overview

Values are numbers, dates, or times that can be used in calculations. Recording and manipulating such data is the main purpose for using spreadsheet software such as Excel. Excel treats
values differently from text, such as automatically right-aligning dates and figures. However,
the process of entering and confirming data values is the same as for labels and text.

6. Verify that your values match those in Figure 2-6. Re-enter any numbers that do not
match the figure, save the changes you have made to the worksheet, and then close the file.

Ev

When you entered values in this Skill, they aligned to the right when confirmed, not to the left like
the text labels. Excel aligns values to the right by default and recognizes an entry as a value when it
is a number or is preceded by +, -, =, @, #, or $. Excel recognizes ordinals (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) and
other combinations of numbers and letters as labels rather than values.
Sometimes you may want to use a number, such as a year, as a label. In such cases, you must type an apostrophe (')
before the number so that Excel will recognize that number as a label and will disregard it when performing calculations.
The apostrophe will not appear in the cell, but will appear in the Formula bar above the worksheet window when you
select the appropriate cell.

I n t e r @ c t i v e L e a r n i n g

S e r i e s

EX 2.5

Figure 2-4 Edit command

Figure 2-5 Shortcut menu

Shortcut menus
often display
commands
found on toolbar menus

ion

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Icons in gray
area correspond
with buttons on
toolbars

py

Editing commands
appear on left,
with matching
Shortcut key combination on right

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Figure 2-6 Worksheets appearance after entering values

Sales and Expenses values

are entered into worksheet; numerals are
aligned right by default

Practice

To practice entering values, follow the instructions on the Practice2-2 Sheet tab of practice file
exprac2.xls. Save changes as myexprac2-2.xls and close the file.

LESSON TWO

EX 2.6

Entering Formulas

py

skill 3

Manipulating Data in a Worksheet

how to

Calculate the Total Expenses and Gross Profit for each quarter of the income statement.

tip

3. Click the Enter button

on the Formula bar. The calculated result 128500 will appear
in cell B18 as the total of the three cells referenced in the formula. The formula itself will
appear in the Formula bar.

ion

1. Open data file exhowto2-3.xls and save it as QIS-Formulas.xls.

2. Click cell B18 to activate it. Enter the formula =B15+B16+B17 to add the three types of
expenses (you can type a lowercase b). As you type the cell references, they will appear in
color and will match colored rectangles that will appear around their corresponding cells
(Figure 2-7).

at

4. Click cell C18, and enter the formula =C15+C16+C17 to add the three types of expenses
in column C. In cells D18 and E18, repeat Steps 2 and 3, substituting the letters D and E
respectively in each of the three cell references, and pressing [Tab] after each formula.
5. Click cell B20, enter the formula =B12-B18, and press [Tab]. Excel will subtract the first
quarter's Total Expenses from the first quarter's Sales to arrive at the result 40000 for the
first quarter's Gross Profit.

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Part of the label Total

Expenses in cell A18
may be hidden as you
type the formula in cell
B18. Formatting
columns and cells to
handle this problem is
explained in Lesson 3.

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overview

Formulas are mathematical equations that perform calculations such as averages, sums, or
products on worksheet data. To distinguish the formula from text or data, an Excel formula
always starts with an equal sign (=). Most Excel formulas contain cell references, mathematical operators (the symbols dictating the kind of calculation to perform), and other numerical
values. For example, in the formula =B5+2, the combination B5 is a cell reference, the plus
sign (+) is an operator, and the number 2 is a value. Using formulas to perform calculations
such as averages and totals is far more efficient than performing such calculations by hand. In
addition, as long as your formulas are correct and appropriate to the values you are using, any
change you make to your data will automatically produce correct results.

6. Repeat Step 4 to enter similar formulas into cells C20, D20, and E20. However, substitute
the letters C, D, and E respectively where you used the letter B for the two cell references.
Press [Tab] after each formula.
7. Verify that your worksheet matches Figure 2-8. If necessary, correct any incorrect formulas to ensure the same calculated results. If you are sure that all of your formulas are correct, double-check the values that you are referencing.
8. Save the changes you have made to the worksheet and close the file.

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extra

As this Skill demonstrates, Excel formulas use cell addresses and arithmetic operators such as the
plus sign (+) for addition and the hyphen (-) for subtraction. However, most computer keyboards
don't contain traditional, handwritten multiplication and division symbols. Therefore, Excel and most
other software use the asterisk (*) for multiplication and the forward slash (/) for division. The caret mark (^) expresses exponentiation (raising a number to another power). If you select two or more cells containing values, their sum will
appear in the Status bar below the horizontal scroll bar. If you right-click the sum in the status bar, a shortcut menu will
display so you can select other forms of calculation.

I n t e r @ c t i v e L e a r n i n g

S e r i e s

EX 2.7

Figure 2-7 Entering a formula

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Formula from selected cell displays in

Formula bar

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Color of referenced cell

matches color of cell
address in formula

Formula does not display in Formula bar

when cell pointer sits
over empty cell

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ion

Figure 2-8 Calculating Total Expenses and Gross Profit

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Calculated results
appear in cells containing formulas

Practice

To practice entering formulas, follow the instructions on the Practice2-3 Sheet tab of the practice file exprac2.xls. Save changes as myexprac2-3.xls and close the file.

skill 4

Manipulating Data in a Worksheet

Using Functions

py

LESSON TWO

EX 2.8

how to

Use the SUM function instead of typing in a formula to calculate Total Expenses.

tip

3. Press the AutoSum button

again to confirm Excel's calculation and to apply the formula to the active cell. The value 128500, matching the value that appeared before using
AutoSum, appears in the cell, verifying that the AutoSum function has included the proper
cells in the total.

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overview

Although you can type a formula into the Formula bar each time that you want to perform a
calculation, you also can use Excel's built-in formulas. Using these predefined formulas,
called functions, can reduce both time and errors in creating your calculations. Excel has
hundreds of built-in formulas that cover the most common types of calculations you might use
in a worksheet, such as AVERAGE, SUM, RATE, as well as more advanced database and
financial functions.

1. Open data file exhowto2-4.xls and save it as QIS-Functions.xls.

4. Click cell F10 to activate it and type a new label, Yearly Total. Click cell F12 and then
click the AutoSum button
. A moving border appears around the cells directly to the
left of cell F12. In F12 itself, the SUM function appears, followed by the correct cell
range, B12:E12. The formula also appears in the Formula bar, and a ScreenTip appears,
displaying a generic example of the formula (Figure 2-10).

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Instead of clicking the

AutoSum button again,
you can press [Enter]
or [Tab].

at

ion

2. Click cell B18 to activate it. Click the AutoSum button

(not on the down-arrow to its
right). The AutoSum function automatically enters the formula to add the values of the cells
directly above the active cell. The SUM formula =SUM (B15:B17) appears in cell B18 and
the Formula bar. The cells being added (called the function argument) are surrounded by
a moving border. Below the active cell a ScreenTip appears, showing the syntax (or structure) of the formula, including the form of the argument (Figure 2-9). The argument contains the notation B15:B17, or a cell range. The cell range constitutes all cells between and
including B15 and B17. (More information on cell ranges appears in Lesson 3.)

5. Click AutoSum
again to confirm Excel's calculation and to apply the formula. The
value 747500 will appear in the cell (Figure 2-11).
6. Save the changes you have made to the worksheet and close the file.

extra

Ev

In this Skill you used the AutoSum button to enter the SUM function in one step to create the formula =B15+B16+B17. However, most Excel functions require additional information to be inserted
manually after the function name. This information may be references to the cells you want to perform the function on or other data that the function needs to calculate a result, and is called the argument. Arguments
are enclosed, or "nested," in parentheses within the function. The function acts upon the argument, as the SUM function
acted upon the range of cells enclosed in the parentheses that followed the function. For example, sometimes the cells
you want to reference in an AutoSum do not appear directly above the active cell. In such cases, click the cell where you
want the calculated result to appear, click the AutoSum button, click and drag through the cells desired for the argument,
and then press [Enter] or [Tab].

I n t e r @ c t i v e L e a r n i n g

S e r i e s

EX 2.9

Figure 2-9 Using AutoSum to add cells in a column

py

Moving border
indicates argument
of formula

AutoSum formula with

cell references nested
inside parentheses

Co

ScreenTip displays syntax,

or structure, and arguments of selected function

Figure 2-10 Using AutoSum to add cells in a row

ion

ScreenTip

AutoSum formula

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Figure 2-11 Worksheets appearance after using AutoSum twice

Click AutoSum button once to display
formula; click again
to apply formula

SUM formula displays

in Formula bar

Type new label

in cell F10

Yearly Total of Sales in

cell F12 results from
using AutoSum function

Practice

To practice entering functions, follow the instructions on the Practice2-4 Sheet tab of practice
file exprac2.xls. Save changes as myexprac2-4.xls and close the file.

LESSON TWO

EX 2.10

Using the Insert Function

Feature

py

skill 5

Manipulating Data in a Worksheet

how to

Use the Insert Function command and the Insert Function dialog box to calculate the average
Total Expenses for the year.

Co

overview

You can use Excel's functions by typing them directly into the Formula bar or using the Insert
Function command. This command enables you to insert built-in formulas into your worksheet, saving you the trouble of remembering mathematical expressions and the time it takes
to type them. In addition, Excel 2003 has a sophisticated Insert Function dialog box that provides even more help than earlier versions of the dialog box, and that can help you find just
the right function for a desired calculation.

ion

1. Open data file exhowto2-5.xls and save it as QIS-Insert Function.xls. Click cell A22,
enter the abbreviation Avg. Exp. (Average Expenses). Press [Tab] to move to cell B22.
2. With cell B22 selected, click Insert on the Menu bar, and then click Function to open the
Insert Function dialog box. (The Search for a function text box is highlighted by default.)
Type the description Calculate average of quarterly expenses and click the Go button
. In the Or select a category list box, the word Recommended will appear. In
the Select a function list box, a list of functions will appear that Excel estimates will satisfy your calculation needs.

at

3. In the Select a function list box, click the AVERAGE function. The function name, the
form of the related argument, and a description of what the function does will appear in
the gray area directly below the list box (Figure 2-12).
4. Click
. The Insert Function dialog box will close, and the Function Arguments
dialog box will open with the cell range B20:B21 appearing by default in the Number1
text box. However, this is not the cell range you want to average. If necessary, drag the
dialog box out of the way so it does not block your view of row 18.

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5. With the Number1 text box still highlighted, click cell B18, drag into cell E18, and
release the mouse button. As you drag, a moving border will appear around the selected
cells, and the Function Arguments dialog box will collapse to a smaller size. When you
release the mouse button, the dialog box will re-expand, and the formula =AVERAGE
(B18:E18) will appear in cell B22 and in the Formula bar (Figure 2-13).
6. Click
to apply the formula and to close the dialog box. The calculated result
137875 will display in cell B22, representing the quarterly average of Total Expenses
(Figure 2-14). Save the changes you have made to the worksheet and close the file.

extra

Ev

When you open the Insert Function dialog box, the default setting for the Or select a category list
box is Most Recently Used. The Select a function list box lists the functions you have used most
often in the recent past. If you have not used the Insert Function command before, the Most Recently
Used category will contain a default list of commonly used functions. Each of the most recently used functions that listed
will also appear under one of the other general categories listed in the Or select a category list box. To find functions
other than most recent ones, click the desired general category in the Or select a category list box. A list of the specific
functions that belong to that general category will appear in the Select a function list box. Scroll up and down in the list
box to find and select the desired function. Notice that the Number1 option in the Function Arguments dialog box is
bold. This format indicates that you must enter data into that text box in order for the function to work. Plain text in the
dialog box indicates that entering cell ranges there is optional.

I n t e r @ c t i v e L e a r n i n g

S e r i e s

EX 2.11

Figure 2-12 Insert Function dialog box

py

Type brief description of

desired calculation; then
click [Go] to display list of
functions that might perform
that calculation

Select function category from

drop-down list of related
functions; select All category if desired function does not
appear in specific category

Co

Click specific function to display

function name, form of related
argument, and brief description
of what function does

Figure 2-13 Selecting an argument for a function

at

Formula appears in
active sell with function
and selected range

ion

Cell range of selected

argument

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Figure 2-14 Inserted AVERAGE function

Calculated result of
inserted function

Practice

To practice inserting functions, follow the instructions on the Practice2-5 Sheet tab of the practice file exprac2.xls. Save changes as myexprac2-5.xls and close the file.

LESSON TWO

EX 2.12

Copying and Pasting

Formulas

py

skill 6

Manipulating Data in a Worksheet

how to

Copy the SUM function from cell F12 into cells F13 through F20 to calculate Yearly Totals
for Expenses and Gross Profit. Delete unneeded formulas in cells referring to empty cells to
the left.

Co

overview

In Excel, you can copy and paste formulas into other cells almost as easily as moving labels
and values. When you move a function, you must consider how the function's argument uses
cell references. Excel considers the cell referred to in an argument as a relative cell reference.
A relative cell reference (such as A1, B5, H16) is based on the relative position of the cell to
the cell containing the formula. When you change the position of the formula cell, the cell
address that is referenced as the function's argument changes too. With relative cell references, in other words, formulas in new locations automatically adjust to reference new cells.

ion

1. Open data file exhowto2-6.xls and save it as QIS-Copying.xls.

2. Click cell F12 to activate it. Although the Yearly Total for Sales appears in the cell, the
SUM function appears in the Formula bar with the argument B12:E12 inside parentheses.
3. Click the Copy button
to copy the formula to the Office Clipboard. An animated border will appear around cell F12.

at

4. Click cell F15 to activate it. Click the Paste button

, not the down-arrow to its right, to
paste the copied function into cell F15. The result 82000 will appear in cell F15. Notice
that Excel has changed the argument in the Formula bar from B12:E12 to B15:E15,
which is the cell range relative to the copied function's new position in the worksheet
(Figure 2-15). With this new argument the function will be applied to the row in which it
appears rather than the one it was copied from.

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5. A Paste Options Smart Tag appears at the lower right of cell F15. Move the mouse pointer over the Smart Tag, and click the down-pointing arrow to display a shortcut menu with
the default option Keep Source Formatting (Figure 2-16). Since this is the desired
option, click the Smart Tag to close the menu.

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6. Move the mouse pointer over the lower-right corner of cell F15 (the cell's fill handle). The
pointer will change to a black cross ( ). Holding down the mouse button, drag into cell
F20 to copy the function from cell F15 into the newly selected cells as well. A gray border
will appear around the cell range as you drag, and an Auto Fill Options Smart Tag will
appear at the lower right of cell F20. Release the mouse button at the lower-right corner of
cell F20 (Figure 2-17).

I n t e r @ c t i v e L e a r n i n g

S e r i e s

EX 2.13

Figure 2-15 Copying and pasting a function

py

Click Copy to send

formula to Office
Clipboard

Co

Click Paste to paste

formula to cell F15

New argument in
Formula bar relates
to new position of
SUM function

ion

Paste Options
Smart Tag

Figure 2-16 Paste Options Smart Tag

Click option button

to select desired
formatting option

at

Click down
arrow to display
shortcut menu

Default option
when Smart Tag
opens

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Figure 2-17 Using the fill handle to copy a function

Calculated results
appear as formulas
are AutoFilled into
additional cells

Drag down fill handle

to fill formulas into
additional cells

Auto Fill Options

Smart Tag

LESSON TWO

EX 2.14

py

how to

Copying and Pasting

Formulas (contd)

7. Move the mouse pointer over the Smart Tag at the lower right of cell F20. Click the downpointing arrow to display a shortcut menu with the default option Copy Cells (Figure 2-18).
Since this is the desired option, leave the Tag as is.

Co

skill 6

Manipulating Data in a Worksheet

8. Cell F19 contains a zero because the function copied into that cell adds up the empty cells
directly to the left of the cell. Since you do not need a function in cell F19, click in that
cell and press [Delete]. Click cell F22.
9. Verify that the cell values in your worksheet match those in Figure 2-19. If any cells do
not match, double-check the formulas in the mismatched cells and correct them. If you are
absolutely sure that all your formulas are correct, double-check the values of the cells that
are referenced by the newly pasted formulas.

ion

10. Save the changes you have made to the worksheet and close the file.

extra

As the Overview section of this Skill mentions, a relative cell reference is based on the relative
position of the cell with the formula and the cell referred to in the formula. Relative cell references
appear quite often in formulas. Relative cell references contrast with absolute cell references, which
are identified by the dollar signs that precede their column letters and row numbers (such as $A$1, $B$5, $H$16, and
so on).

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at

In a formula, an absolute cell reference always refers to a cell in a specific, unchanging location. Therefore, if a formula
cell changes, the absolute cell reference in that formula will keep the same address. With absolute cell references, in
other words, formulas in new locations do not adjust to reference new cells. While this Skill used the flexibility of relative cell references, the next Skill will take demonstrate using absolute cell references.

I n t e r @ c t i v e L e a r n i n g

S e r i e s

py

EX 2.15

Figure 2-18 Auto Fill Options Smart Tag

Click arrow to display

shortcut men

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Default selection has dot;

other fill options are blank

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ion

Figure 2-19 Worksheets appearance after deleting unneeded function

Cell F19 is blank

after you delete
unneeded formula

Practice

To practice copying and pasting formulas, follow the instructions on the Practice2-6 Sheet tab of
practice file exprac2.xls. Save changes as myexprac2-6.xls and close the file.

LESSON TWO

EX 2.16

Using What-If Analysis

py

skill 7

Manipulating Data in a Worksheet

how to

Determine how sales would grow and how gross profits would be affected, assuming a sales
growth assumption of 10% per quarter.

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overview

Excel's use of functions and arguments and its ability to update results immediately when you
add new data facilitates changing input data to see how that data affects other results. This
altering of conditions and assumptions is called What-If Analysis and is one of Excel's most
useful and timesaving features in both personal and business worksheets. For example, you
may want to purchase a new car but must determine how large a down payment you need to
reduce monthly payments to a specific amount. A properly designed worksheet could calculate such a figure. Likewise, an income statement like Best Tech's could use What-If Analysis
to estimate sales growth and how such growth would affect gross profits.

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1. Open data file exhowto2-7.xls and save it as QIS-Analysis.xls.

2. Select cells C12, D12, and E12that is, the sales figures for the second, third, and fourth
quarters of the year. Press [Delete] to remove the values from the selected cells. The values in cells C12:E12 now are considered to be zero. Notice that the values in cells F12
and C20:F20 change. This change results from the fact that Excel automatically recalculates formulas when values in their referenced cells have been changed.

tip

4. Click cell C12 to activate it. Here, you must create a formula to multiply the first quarter's
sales by 110%, which will show the result in the second quarter of a 10% increase over
the first quarter's sales figure. Enter the formula =B12*(1+$C$8) into the active cell
(Figure 2-21). The dollar signs preceding the column letter C and the row number 8 tell
Excel not to change the cell address, even if you move the formula to a new location. This
unchanging cell address is an absolute cell reference.

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Be sure to place a dollar

sign before both the column letter and the row
number when creating
absolute references. If
you place a $ before
only the letter or number, you will create an
unchanging reference
for only that part of the
cell address.

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3. Click cell C8 to activate it. Enter .1 (10% expressed as a decimal) into the active cell.
This is the cell that will be referenced in the formula that calculates projected earnings.
Press [Enter]. Notice that Excel inserts a zero before the .1 in cell C8 as a placeholder
(Figure 2-20).

5. Press [Enter]. The result of the calculation, 185350, appears in place of the formula in cell
C12. Cells F12 and C20 change to reflect Excel's recalculation of their formulas, which
include cell C12 in their arguments.

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6. Click cell C12 again, and move the mouse pointer over the cell's fill handle. While holding
down the mouse button, drag into cell E12 to copy the formula in cell C12 to the two
additional cells. As you drag, a gray border appears around cells C12:E12 and shading
appears in cells D12 and E12 to indicate that you have used the fill handle to copy the formula in C12 into the shaded cells.
7. Notice that the Auto Fill Options Smart Tag appears to the lower right of cell E12. Since
the default option in the Smart Tag is the desired one, click cell F13 and press [Delete] to
hide the Smart Tag.

I n t e r @ c t i v e L e a r n i n g

S e r i e s

EX 2.17

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Figure 2-20 Cell values deleted and sales growth assumption added

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Formula to calculate
projected earnings
will reference this cell

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Clearing cells C12:E12

changes values in
cells F12 and C20:F20

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Figure 2-21 Growth assumption formula using absolute cell reference

Cell B12 is relative cell

address, while cell C8
is absolute cell address

LESSON TWO

EX 2.18

Using What-If Analysis

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skill 7

Manipulating Data in a Worksheet

(contd)

8. Click cell D12. The cell's reference to cell B12 has changed to C12, but the reference to
cell C8 remains the same (Figure 2-22). If you had not included the dollar signs before
the column letter and row number, the copied formula would have replaced the cell reference C8 with D8, an empty cell, and the result in D12 would have been wrong. Click cell
A1 (Figure 2-23).

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how to

9. Save the changes you have made to the worksheet and close the file.

extra

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Formulas can contain many operations. An operation is a single mathematical step in solving an
equation, such as multiplying two numbers, adding a sequence of numbers, or calculating an exponent (raising a number to another power). When working with formulas that have multiple operations, Excel performs the calculations in the order displayed in Table 2-1. For example, in the formula =6+3*4, Excel
would multiply 3 by 4 to get 12, and then add 6 to get 18. If you want to change the order of calculations, you must add
parentheses around the part of the formula that you want to calculate first. For example, in the formula =(6+3)*4, Excel
would add 6 and 3 to get 9, then multiply 9 by 4 to get 36. In a more complicated formula, like =(B5+10)/SUM(C5:E5),
Excel first computes the calculation in the parentheses, adding the value in cell B5 and the quantity of 10. The result is
then divided by the total of the values in the cell range C5:E5. Because Excel allows you to use many operators, and
worksheets can have many cells, you must know how to reference cells and construct formulas properly. Also, you
should double-check the accuracy of your formulas before saving them in a final worksheet, especially before giving
them to others to work with.

Operator

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Table 2-1 Order of operations

Description

Negation, as in 10
Percentage

Exponentiation

* and /

Multiplication and division, from left to right

+ and

Addition and subtraction, from left to right

&

Concatenation (connection of two strings of text)

=, <, >, <=, >=, and <>

Comparisons

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I n t e r @ c t i v e L e a r n i n g

S e r i e s

EX 2.19

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Figure 2-22 Formula containing relative and absolute cell references

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When you copy formula, relative

cell reference changes, but
absolute cell reference does not

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Figure 2-23 Sales growth assumptions added to Quarters 2 through 4

Quarters 2, 3, and 4 increase

Sales projection by 10% over
each previous quarter

Cells F12 and C20:F20

reflect changes made
in cells C12:E12

Practice

To practice performing a What-If Analysis, follow the instructions on the Practice2-7 Sheet tab
of practice file exprac2.xls. Save changes as myexprac2-7.xls and close the file.

LESSON TWO

EX 2.20

Previewing and Printing

a Worksheet

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skill 8

Manipulating Data in a Worksheet

how to

Display a worksheet in Print Preview mode and then print it.

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overview

Worksheets are often distributed as paper copies for others to refer to or review, and for filing.
Although workplaces are becoming more and more digitized, many people still prefer to
review paper documents than view them on a screen. Excel enables you to view a worksheet
as it will appear on a printed page before it is printed so you can spot errors or items you
would like to change before going through the printing process.

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1. Open data file exhowto2-8.xls and save it as QIS-Previewing.xls. Replace the author's
name in cell A5 with your own name.
2. Make sure that your computer is properly connected to a working printer and that the
printer is turned on and loaded with paper. If necessary, ask your instructor for help.
3. Click the Print Preview button
on the Standard toolbar. The worksheet will display in
Print Preview mode, and the mouse pointer will appear as a magnifying glass (Figure 2-24).
4. Click near the top of the preview page. The worksheet will be magnified so you can examine it more closely, and the pointer will change to an arrow. By default, worksheet gridlines are non-printing items, so they will not appear in the preview.

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5. On the Print Preview toolbar, click the Print button

. The view will revert to regular mode and the Print dialog box will open (Figure 2-25). (If you need not conduct a
print preview or adjust the settings in the Print dialog box, you can print the active worksheet by clicking the Print button
on the Standard toolbar.)

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6. Click
. The Print dialog box will close, a box will appear notifying you of the
print job's progress, and the document will be sent to the printer.
7. Verify that the printer has printed your document. If it has not, do not reprint. Instead,
check the connection between your computer and the printer, the condition of the printer
itself, and so on. Reprint the document only after you have found the printing problem.
Again, if needed, ask your instructor for help.

8. Close your worksheet without saving any changes to the file.

extra

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Printing options can be adjusted by selecting the Page Setup command on the File menu. The Page
Setup dialog box contains four tabbed sheets (Figure 2-26): Page, Margins, Header/Footer, and
Sheet. The Page tab controls the way the printed selection appears on a page, such as its vertical
(Portrait) or horizontal (Landscape) orientation, or by how large or small you can scale it on one or more pages. The
Margins tab controls how much space exists between a worksheet's print area and the edges of a page. The
Header/Footer tab controls what, if any, information displays at the top and/or bottom of each page of a printout, such
as page numbers, titles, file names, author's name, and so on. The Sheet tab controls which data on the worksheet is
printed and other formatting choices, such as whether gridlines are printed, and if column headings are repeated on
new pages.

I n t e r @ c t i v e L e a r n i n g

S e r i e s

EX 2.21

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Figure 2-24 Previewing a worksheet

Click [Close]
button to return
to Normal view

Click here to
open Print
dialog box

Specifies that all of current

worksheet will print

Figure 2-25 Print dialog box

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Click All to print all pages

of a document, or enter
page numbers to print a
partial range of pages

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Click magnifier
icon to zoom in
on document

Name of selected
printer

Opens printer-specific dialog box

to adjust settings for paper, graphics, and other printer features

Click arrows or enter number to

specify number of printed pages

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Figure 2-26 Page Setup dialog box

Select Portrait (vertical) or

Landscape (horizontal) orientation of printed page

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Adjust size of image relative

to its original size, or ensure
that whole worksheet fits on
specified number of pages

Click to open printer-specific

dialog box for changing
printer properties

Practice

To practice previewing and printing a worksheet, follow the instructions on the Practice2-8
Sheet tab of practice file exprac2.xls. Save changes as myexprac2-8.xls and close the file.

Manipulating Data in a Worksheet

shortcuts
Button/Mouse

Menu

Keyboard

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Function

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LESSON TWO

EX 2.22

Cut data to the Clipboard

Click Edit, click Cut

[Ctrl]+[X]

Copy data to the Clipboard

Click Edit, click Copy

[Ctrl]+[C]

Paste data from the Clipboard

Click Edit, click Paste

[Ctrl]+[V]

Insert Function

Click Insert, click Function

[Ctrl]+[X]

Print Preview

Click File, click Print Preview

[Delete]

AutoSum

Click File, click Print

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Print (from Standard toolbar)

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Print (from Print Preview)

[Ctrl]+[P]

I n t e r @ c t i v e L e a r n i n g

S e r i e s

EX 2.23

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quiz

A. Identify Key Features

Name the items indicated by callouts in Figure 2-27.

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Figure 2-27 Manipulating data in a worksheet

1.
2.
3.
4.

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5.

6.
7.

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8.

B. Select the Best Answer

9. Small square in lower-right corner of an active cell

a. Values
b. Asterisk

11. Type this symbol to represent multiplication in a formula

c.

12. Enables you to see a worksheet as it will appear on a sheet of paper

d. Fill handle

13. Enables you to switch page orientation or adjust margins

e. Dollar sign ($)

14. Offers AVERAGE as one of its choices

f.

15. Aligned to the right by default in Excel

g. Print Preview Mode

16. Type this symbol to indicate absolute cell references

h. Page Setup dialog box

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10. Temporary storage space for cut or copied data

Office Clipboard

Insert Function dialog box

LESSON TWO

EX 2.24

Manipulating Data in a Worksheet

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quiz (continued)
C. Complete the Statement

22. To copy cell contents to a new location, drag

and drop the cell pointer while pressing:

a.

Gray border

a.

b.

Check mark

b.

c.

Plus sign

c.

d.

ScreenTip

d.

a.

Formula

b.

Function

c.

Label

d.

Value

[Ctrl]

[Enter]

[Shift]
[Tab]

23. An animated border indicates that the cell contents:

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18. Typing an apostrophe before a number instructs

Excel to recognize it as a:

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17. When you use the fill handle, cells to be filled

are marked by a:

a.

Are the result of a function or formula

b.

Have been permanently deleted

c.

Have been sent to the Office Clipboard

d.

Have been pasted

24. Information enclosed in parentheses in a formula

is called the:

a.

Pasting an item

a.

Argument

b.

Cutting a new item

b.

Cell reference

c.

Copying a new item

c.

Definition

d.

Turning off the computer

d.

Quantifier

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19. None of the following actions will erase the

Clipboard except:

25. Which of the following could be a correct order

of operations in a formula?

a.

Absolute

a. Negation, Comparison, Multiplication, Addition

b.

AutoSums

c.

Relative

b. Negation, Percentage, Exponentiation,

Multiplication

d.

Redundant

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20. By default, Excel considers formula cell references to be:

21. Changing conditions in one area of a worksheet

to see how they affect calculations in another
area is called:
a.

Absolute analysis

b.

Assumption analysis

c.

What's-What Analysis

d.

What-If Analysis

c. Comparison, Exponentiation, Addition,

Multiplication
d. Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
26. The Print Preview toolbar has all of the following
except:
a.

A Zoom button

b.

A Print button

c.

A Setup button

d.

A Page Orientation button

I n t e r @ c t i v e L e a r n i n g

S e r i e s

EX 2.25

Build Your Skills

a. Open exskills2.xls and save it as ClassSked.xls.

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1. Open a worksheet, cut and paste cell labels, and enter cell values:

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interactivity
b. Cut and paste cells B2:B7 into cells A2:A7. Then cut and paste cells C3:C4 into cells B3:B4.
c. Delete the contents of cell A7.

d. Enter a number of hours, to the nearest half hour, for each activity in the cells matching the weekdays on which
you do them. Do not fill in the totals.
e. Resave the worksheet with the changes you have made.

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2. Use AutoSum, the Insert Function, and the Fill Handle:

a. Using AutoSum, calculate the total number of hours for Monday that you engage in all activities. Be sure you
have accounted for all your time on Monday so that the total adds up to 24 hours.
b. Using the fill handle, copy the AutoSum function for Monday into cells C17:F17.
c. In cell G8, type the word Average. In cell G9 use the Insert Function command to calculate average hours spent
per day on classes.
d. Using the fill handle, copy the AVERAGE formula into cells G10:G16.

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e. Enter your name in cell A19, and enter the assignment date of this Skill in A20.
f. Resave the worksheet with the changes you have made.

3. Preview and print the worksheet:

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a. Switch to Print Preview mode.

b. Click the magnifying glass icon in the middle of the worksheet to enlarge the text size for easier viewing.
c. Click the magnifying glass icon again to zoom back to the original view.
d. Using the Print button on the Print Preview toolbar, print the worksheet.
e. Click the Close button on the Print Preview toolbar to return to Normal view.

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f. Resave the worksheet with the changes you have made and close the file.

LESSON TWO

EX 2.26

Manipulating Data in a Worksheet

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interactivity (continued)
Problem Solving Exercises

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1. Open the file exproblem2-1.xls and save it as Revised HR Funds.xls. This worksheet will help you track a $16,000
annual human resources expense account to improve hiring rates. Cut and paste the documentation area into column A.
Enter dollar amounts into the existing worksheet, staying under $4,000 per quarter. Add a Totals label at the bottom of
the existing labels in column A. Use the new label to demonstrate that your monetary allotments do not exceed $4,000
per quarter. Use a formula to calculate the Quarter 1 Total. Use AutoFill to copy the formula into the remaining quarters. Use a function to calculate the Annual Total for Advertising. Use AutoFill to copy the formula into the remaining
categories and the new Totals row. Enter your name and a due date in the proper documentation cells, resave, preview,
and print the worksheet. Close the file.

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2. Open the file exproblem2-2.xls, which is a blank schedule for keeping track of employee work hours. Save the file as
Employee Schedule.xls. Using fictional names and hours for five to ten employees, complete the weekly employee
schedule. Add a label to record the Total Weekly Hours for each employee. Add a label to record the Daily Totals for
each employee and for all employees combined. Using the formula and function commands explained in this lesson,
calculate the totals for the weekly hours and the daily hours. In the documentation area add your name and a due date to
the appropriate cells. Resave, preview, print, and close the file.

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3. Using the skills you have learned so far, create a new worksheet that will allow you to track your individual monthly
expenses for the months of September through May. Save the file as Monthly Expenses.xls. In the top area of the
worksheet, create a documentation area like the ones you have seen in the Lessons and end-of-chapter activities. In the
bottom area of the worksheet, enter category labels such as Rent, Phone, Books/Supplies, Food, Recreation, and so on.
Calculate your total expenses for each month, as well as your average monthly expenses over the nine months. Also
include an assumption value of five percent (5%) to account for going over your allotted budget. Then conduct a WhatIf Analysis to recalculate your total and average expenses based on a five percent increase in one or two categories.
Enter your name and an assignment due date in the proper cells of the documentation area. Resave, preview, print, and
close the file.

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4. Create the worksheet below; save it as Population.xls. Add a Totals row below the existing labels in column A. Use
AutoSum to calculate the first decade of the Totals row, and use AutoFill to copy the formula to the appropriate cells.
Insert a What-If percentage between 4% and 7% in cell B7, using it to recalculate each area's population growth for
each decade based on 1980 data. Add a name and due date in the proper cells. Resave, preview, print, and close the file.

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Figure 2-28 Population.xls