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1 IntroductionToExcel

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Microsoft Excel 2010

Level 1
INFOCUS COURSEWARE

Designed to fast-track you through the process of learning

about computers and information technology, the In Focus
range is a unique and innovative concept in learning.
A quick reference summary of key procedures is provided at
the bottom of each page together with handy tips and
additional information.
Each title in the In Focus series can be used as:
• a classroom workbook for instructor-led teaching and
training;
• a self-study guide for self-paced learning;
• a tutorial guide for distance education programs;
• a resource collection of just-in-time support and
information for help desk users and support staff;
• a handy, desk-side reference for computer users.

This publication has been created using ER Profiler™

document management and publishing software developed
by Watsonia Publishing.

MICROSOFT EXCEL 2010

LEVEL 1
Product: INF1015
ISBN: 978-1-921721-49-6

(c) 2010 Watsonia Publishing

MICROSOFT EXCEL 2010
LEVEL 1
........................................

ISBN 978-1-921721-49-6

Copyright  2010 Melbourne

by Watsonia Software Pty Ltd (ABN 64 060 335 748)
Published by Watsonia Publishing

47 Greenaway Street
Bulleen Vic Australia 3105
Telephone: (61 3) 9851 4000
Facsimile: (61 3) 9851 4001
Web site: www.watsoniapublishing.com

Product Code INF1015

Published: July 2010, Revised August 2010
........................................

Production Acknowledgments
This course is the result of team collaboration.
However, several individuals need to be singled out
for acknowledgement including Karen Brouwer
(principal author), Marie Krupa (proofing), and Ron
Krupa (course assembly).

Trademark Acknowledgments
All terms mentioned in this manual that are known to be trademarks
or service marks have been appropriately acknowledged or
capitalised. Watsonia Software cannot attest to the accuracy of this
information. Use of a term in this manual should not be regarded as
affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.

Screen Shots © 1983-2010 Microsoft. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to provide accurate and complete
information. However, Watsonia Software assumes no responsibility
for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising
from the use of information in this document. Data and case study
examples are intended to be fictional. Any resemblance to real
persons or companies is coincidental.

Copyright Notice
This publication is protected in accordance with the provisions of the
Copyright Act. Apart from permissions expressed in the Copyright
Act pertaining to copying for study, review, or research, no part of
this publication may be reproduced in any form, or stored in a
database or retrieval system, or transmitted or distributed in any
form by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording,
or otherwise without written permission from Watsonia Software Pty
Ltd.
Microsoft Excel 2010 - Level 1

READ ME FIRST
In case you're not familiar with the terminology, This section contains some important information to
Read Me First is quite often the name given to a help you use this book so we thought we'd start
computer file that contains important information with a Read Me First section.
for people to know prior to using an application.

Who this course is for... This course is designed for users new to Microsoft Excel 2010 and
spreadsheeting.

What skills and knowledge This course aims to give the new spreadsheet user a thorough grounding
you will acquire... in the basics of spreadsheeting and using Microsoft Excel 2010.
Particular emphasis is placed on the importance of accuracy, good
formula building techniques, and sound formatting and design principles.

What you'll need to know This course assumes little or no knowledge of spreadsheets or Microsoft
before beginning this Excel 2010. However, it would be beneficial to have a general
course... understanding of personal computers and the Windows operating system
environment.

The objectives of this guide… At the completion of this course you should be able to:
• navigate your way around Microsoft Excel 2010
• create a new workbook 1
• open and navigate within workbooks and worksheets
• understand and work with ranges in a worksheet
• understand, create and work with formulas and functions used to
perform calculations
• copy and paste data in4 Excel
• understand and use formula cell referencing to create more complex
formulas
• use font formatting techniques to greatly enhance the look of a
worksheet
• align the contents of cells in a number of ways
• format rows and columns in a worksheet
• understand and use the number formatting features in Excel
• print your workbook data
• create effective charts in Microsoft Excel

What you get in a Chapter... Each of the chapters is comprised of a summary page listing the topics
covered in that chapter. The chapter then consists of single-page topic
sheets pertaining to the theme of the chapter.

What you'll need to have Many of the topics in Microsoft Excel 2010 Level 1 require you to open
before commencing this an existing file with data in it. These files can be downloaded free of
course... charge from our web site at www.watsoniapublishing.com. Simply follow
the student files link on the home page. You will need the product code
for this course which is INF1015.

As you work through this It is strongly recommended that you close all open files, if any, prior to
guide… commencing each new chapter in this learning guide. Each chapter,
where relevant, has its own set of course files and any from a previous
chapter are no longer required.

Where to from here... Have a look at the next page which explains how a topic page works,
ensure that you have access to the exercise files (see above), and you're
ready to make a start.

WORKING WITH TOPIC SHEETS

The majority of this book comprises single-page additional reference (optional) material at the
topic sheets. There are two types of topic sheets: bottom. Task sheets contain a Try This Yourself
task and reference. The layout of both is similar step-by-step exercise panel in the detail area as
– an overview at the top, detail in the centre and shown below.

5 6

 Topic name

 General topic overview provides an introduction to the topic

Try This Yourself (Task-based topic sheets) is a detailed step-by-step practice

 exercise for you to work through. In Reference topic sheets this is usually replaced
by a box with reference information.
In Task topic sheets screen shots and graphics provide a visual clue as to what
 will happen when you work through the Try This Yourself practice exercise. In
Reference topic sheets the screen shots and graphics are used to visually
represent information and concepts.
The For Your Reference (optional) element provides a quick summary of the steps
 required to perform a task. These usually only appear in Task-based topic sheets.
The Handy To Know (optional) element provides additional information such as
 alternate ways of accomplishing a task or further information providing handy tips.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1: Getting To Know Microsoft Excel 1

Starting Microsoft Excel .................................................................................. 2
The Excel 2010 Screen .................................................................................. 3
How Microsoft Excel 2010 Works ................................................................... 4
Using The Ribbon ........................................................................................... 5
Using Ribbon Key Tips ................................................................................... 6
Minimising The Ribbon ................................................................................... 7
Understanding The Backstage View .............................................................. 8
Accessing The Backstage View ..................................................................... 9
Using Short Cut Menus ................................................................................ 10
Understanding Dialog Boxes ........................................................................ 11
Launching Dialog Boxes ............................................................................... 12
Understanding The Quick Access Toolbar ................................................... 13
Adding Commands To The QAT .................................................................. 14
Understanding The Status Bar ..................................................................... 15
Exiting Safely From Excel............................................................................. 16

Chapter 2: Creating A New Workbook 17

Understanding Workbooks ........................................................................... 18
Creating A New Workbook ........................................................................... 19
Typing Text ................................................................................................... 20
Typing Numbers ........................................................................................... 21
Typing Dates................................................................................................. 22
Typing Formulas ........................................................................................... 23
Saving A New Workbook .............................................................................. 24
Easy Formulas .............................................................................................. 25
Checking The Spelling.................................................................................. 26
Making Basic Changes ................................................................................. 27
Printing A Worksheet .................................................................................... 28
Safely Closing A Workbook .......................................................................... 29

Chapter 3: Working With Workbooks 31

Opening An Existing Workbook .................................................................... 32
Navigating A Workbook ................................................................................ 33
Navigating Using The Keyboard ................................................................... 34
Using Go To.................................................................................................. 35
Understanding Data Editing.......................................................................... 36
Overwriting Cell Contents ............................................................................. 37
Editing Longer Cells ..................................................................................... 38
Clearing Cells ............................................................................................... 39

Chapter 4: Selecting Ranges 41

Understanding Cells And Ranges ................................................................ 42
Selecting Contiguous Ranges ...................................................................... 43
Selecting Non-Contiguous Ranges .............................................................. 44
Using Special Selection Techniques ............................................................ 45
Selecting Larger Ranges .............................................................................. 46
Selecting Rows ............................................................................................. 47
Selecting Columns ........................................................................................ 48

CONTENTS

Chapter 5: Formulas And Functions 49

Understanding Formulas .............................................................................. 50
Creating Formulas That Add ........................................................................ 51
Creating Formulas That Subtract ................................................................. 52
Formulas That Multiply And Divide ............................................................... 53
Understanding Functions.............................................................................. 54
Using The SUM Function To Add ................................................................. 55
Summing Non-Contiguous Ranges .............................................................. 56
Calculating An Average ................................................................................ 57
Finding A Maximum Value............................................................................ 58
Finding A Minimum Value............................................................................. 59
More Complex Formulas .............................................................................. 60
What If Formulas .......................................................................................... 61

Chapter 6: Copying Data 63

Understanding Copying In Excel .................................................................. 64
Using Fill For Quick Copying ........................................................................ 65
Copying From One Cell To Another ............................................................. 66
Copying From One Cell To A Range ............................................................ 67
Copying From One Range To Another ......................................................... 68
Copying Relative Formulas .......................................................................... 69
Copying To A Non-Contiguous Range ......................................................... 70

Chapter 7: Formula Referencing 71

Absolute Versus Relative Referencing ......................................................... 72
Relative Formulas ......................................................................................... 73
Problems With Relative Formulas ................................................................ 74
Creating Absolute References...................................................................... 75
Creating Mixed References .......................................................................... 76

Chapter 8: Font Formatting 77

Understanding Font Formatting .................................................................... 78
Working With Live Preview ........................................................................... 79
Changing Fonts ............................................................................................ 80
Changing Font Size ...................................................................................... 81
Growing And Shrinking Fonts ....................................................................... 82
Making Cells Bold ......................................................................................... 83
Italicising Text ............................................................................................... 84
Underlining Text............................................................................................ 85
Changing Font Colours................................................................................. 86
Changing Background Colours..................................................................... 87
Using The Format Painter ............................................................................ 88

Chapter 9: Cell Alignment 89

Understanding Cell Alignment ...................................................................... 90
Aligning Right................................................................................................ 91
Aligning To The Centre................................................................................. 92
Aligning Left .................................................................................................. 93
Rotating Text ................................................................................................ 94
Indenting Cells .............................................................................................. 95

CONTENTS

Chapter 10: Row And Column Formatting 97

Approximating Column Widths ..................................................................... 98
Setting Precise Columns Widths .................................................................. 99
Setting The Default Column Width ............................................................. 100
Approximating Row Height ......................................................................... 101
Setting Precise Row Heights ...................................................................... 102
Hiding Rows And Columns ......................................................................... 103
Unhiding Rows And Columns ..................................................................... 104

Chapter 11: Number Formatting 105

Understanding Number Formatting ............................................................ 106
Applying General Formatting ...................................................................... 107
Formatting As Currency.............................................................................. 108
Formatting Percentages ............................................................................. 109
Formatting As Fractions ............................................................................. 110
Formatting As Dates ................................................................................... 111
Using The Thousands Separator................................................................ 112

Chapter 12: Printing 113

Understanding Printing ............................................................................... 114
Previewing Before You Print....................................................................... 115
Selecting A Printer ...................................................................................... 116
Printing A Range ........................................................................................ 117
Printing An Entire Workbook ...................................................................... 118
Specifying The Number Of Copies ............................................................. 119
The Print Options ........................................................................................ 120

Chapter 13: Creating Charts 121

Understanding The Charting Process ........................................................ 122
Choosing The Chart Type .......................................................................... 123
Creating A New Chart................................................................................. 124
Working With An Embedded Chart ............................................................ 125
Resizing A Chart ......................................................................................... 126
Dragging A Chart ........................................................................................ 127
Printing An Embedded Chart ...................................................................... 128
Creating A Chart Sheet .............................................................................. 129
Changing The Chart Type .......................................................................... 130
Changing The Chart Layout ....................................................................... 131
Changing The Chart Style .......................................................................... 132
Printing A Chart Sheet ................................................................................ 133
Embedding A Chart Into A Worksheet ....................................................... 134

Concluding Remarks 135

CONTENTS

Notes:

CHAPTER 1 GETTING TO KNOW MICROSOFT EXCEL

INFOCUS

LV1_E801

Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet application that is usually part of

a suite of Microsoft applications, known as Microsoft Office.
You can use Excel for all sorts of tasks involving numbers such as
budgeting, sales analysis, forecasting, charting and graphing and
much more. Excel is a tool used to perform calculations with
numbers so virtually any task that requires calculation and number
crunching can be setup and performed in Excel.
Before you leap into creating anything, it is worth taking some time
to become familiar with the Excel environment and its features.

In this session you will:

 learn how to start Microsoft Excel 2010

 gain an understanding of the Microsoft Excel 2010 screen
 gain an understanding of how Microsoft Excel 2010 works
 learn how to use the Ribbon
 learn how to use the keytip badges on the Ribbon
 learn how to minimise the Ribbon
 gain an understanding of Backstage View in Microsoft
Excel
 learn how to access the Backstage View
 learn how to use shortcut menus
 gain an understanding of how dialog boxes work
 learn how to launch a dialog box
 gain an understanding of the Quick Access Toolbar
 learn how to add commands to the Quick Access Toolbar
 gain an understanding of the status bar
 learn how to exit correctly and safely from Microsoft Excel
2010.

STARTING MICROSOFT EXCEL

To create a new spreadsheet, or edit an existing largely determined by Windows. For example, it
one, the first thing that you need to do is to start can be started from the Windows Start menu, from
Microsoft Excel. As a standard software a shortcut, or even by opening a workbook
application, how Microsoft Excel is started is (project) that was created previously in Excel.

Try This Yourself:

Before you begin, ensure that
your computer is switched on
and that the Windows desktop is
displayed on your screen…

Click on the Windows

 Start button (it’s a round
button with a Windows
logo on it) at the bottom
left-hand corner of the
screen to display the
menu
Click on All Programs
 2

Click on Microsoft Office

 1
Click on Microsoft Excel
 2010
After a few moments of
huffing and puffing Excel
will start with a blank
“workbook” on the screen 3
– the workbook appears
like an electronic sheet of 4
paper ruled into columns
and rows.

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To start Microsoft Excel: • If you have accessed Microsoft Excel several
1. Click on the Windows Start button times it should appear in the first part of the
Start menu – this means you won’t need to
2. Click on All Programs
continue to the All Programs menu.
3. Click on Microsoft Office
4. Click on Microsoft Excel 2010

THE EXCEL 2010 SCREEN

The Microsoft Excel 2010 screen is made up of how they work you won’t have to relearn them
several key elements. Some of these, such as when you use other applications. The unique
the Ribbon and the Backstage, are common to aspect of Excel is the worksheet where you enter
other Office 2010 applications so once you know and work with your data.

3
5

6 7

The Ribbon is the tabbed band that appears across the top of the window. It is the command control
 centre of Excel 2010. You use the tabs on the Ribbon to access commands which have been
categorised into groups. Commands can be buttons or sometimes include galleries of formatting
options that you can select from.

The File tab is used to access the Backstage view which contains file management functions such as
 saving, opening, closing, printing, sharing, etc. Excel Options are also available so that you can set your
working preferences and options for Excel 2010.

The Worksheet is like an electronic piece of paper ruled into columns and rows. The worksheet is where
 you type numbers, letters, and formulas to perform calculations. Notice that columns are headed using
letters of the alphabet (A, B, C, etc) while rows are designated using numbers down the left side.

The Active Cell is where text, numbers, and formulas will appear when you start typing.

The Mouse Pointer is used, amongst other things, to select a cell and make it active. It may appear as a
 large cross, as in this example, as an I-bar, or any number of other forms, depending upon its function at
that position on the screen.

The Status Bar appears across the bottom of the window and displays useful information about what is
 happening in the worksheet. At present it shows Ready which means that Excel is ready to be used for
your project.

The View buttons and the Zoom Slider are used to change the view or to increase/decrease the zoom
 ratio for your worksheet.

The Scroll bar indicates your current position in the worksheet and lets you move to other positions in
 the worksheet by clicking or dragging. The arrows can also be used to move through the worksheet.

HOW MICROSOFT EXCEL 2010 WORKS

For a novice user the Microsoft Excel 2010 data within the worksheet can be manipulated and
screen can seem intimidating. You’ll soon see changed using commands on the Ribbon. The
that it is made up of only three key areas. The worksheet is part of a larger entity known as a
data you type is placed on a worksheet. The workbook which is controlled on the Backstage.

1 The Worksheet
A worksheet appears as a number of
rows and columns which form squares
known as cells. Everything you type in
Excel is entered into these cells. In the
simple business plan shown here there
are numbers and words entered into a
worksheet. Formulas are also entered
that automatically perform calculations.
The worksheet is part of a larger entity
known as a workbook – workbooks can
be filed away for future use or for
sharing and can also be printed.

2 The Ribbon
When you need to do something with the data on a worksheet, such as format it, colour it, analyse it,
move it, copy it, and much more, you’ll find all of the relevant commands on the Ribbon. The Ribbon
has commands organised thematically using a series of tabs across the top.

3 Backstage
When you want to do something with
the data in your worksheet, such as
save it so that you can access it
again later, print it, share it with a
colleague, send it to your boss,
protect it from prying eyes, or
whatever, you will need to access
the Microsoft Office Backstage
area of Microsoft Excel. The
Backstage is accessed using the
File tab on the Ribbon. Rather than
offering you commands on a Ribbon,
Backstage occupies the entire
screen and has a series of options
down the left side. Here the Print
option is active, and that is why you
can see a preview of the worksheet
and a series of print-related options
on the right side of the Backstage.

USING THE RIBBON

The Ribbon is the command centre for Microsoft name to display the command groups. Commands
Excel. It provides a series of commands are activated by clicking on a button, tool or gallery
organised into groups and placed on relevant option. Everything you could possibly want to do in
tabs. Tabs are activated by clicking on their Excel will be found somewhere on this Ribbon.

2
Try This Yourself:
Before trying this ensure that Microsoft
Excel 2010 has started…

Examine the groups on the

 Home tab
3

These are the most commonly

used commands, including copy
and paste, font and number
formatting, styles and editing...
Click on the Insert tab
 The commands on this tab are
used to create tables,
illustrations, charts, headers and
footers, text objects and
symbols...
Click on Shapes in the
 Illustrations group to display
the Shapes gallery
A huge range of shapes will
appear which can be inserted
into the worksheet…
Click on some of the other tabs
 across the top of the Ribbon
(Page Layout, Formulas, etc)
and examine the commands on 5
them Dialog boxes like this one
provide settings or options for
Some of these open “dialog you to choose from. For
boxes”... example in this one you can
zoom the screen by varying
On the View tab, click on Zoom
 in the Zoom group to display the
Zoom dialog box
percentages. We won’t
actually do anything at this
point. You’ll get plenty of
opportunity for using dialog
Click on [Cancel] then click on
 the Home tab
boxes at a later stage…

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To use the Ribbon: • Additional tabs known as Contextual tabs
1. Click on a tab to display the commands appear in specific circumstances. For
example, if you insert a picture, the Picture
2. Click on a button to activate a command,
Tools: Format tab will appear. This provides
display a gallery, or display a dialog box
quick access to all of the tools you may need
to modify and work with the picture.

USING RIBBON KEY TIPS

The Ribbon is normally accessed with a mouse. known as key tip badges, appear on the Ribbon.
However you can also use the keyboard to Pressing a key on the keyboard will activate the
access Ribbon commands. When you press the corresponding command on the Ribbon just as if
key on the keyboard alphabetical labels, you’d clicked the command with the mouse.

1
Try This Yourself:
Before trying this ensure that
Microsoft Excel 2010 has started…

 Press to display the key

tip badges for the tabs 2
Press to display the Page
 Layout tab and to see the key
tip badges for these
commands
Press to display the
 Margins options
3

Here you could use the or

keys to move through the
options, or to see Custom
Margins…

 Press twice to return to

the Tab level of key tips
Press to access the
 Formulas tab
Press five times and
 notice that Logical is selected
Press to see a list of
 Logical functions, then press
several times to move
down the menu
6

 Press
operation
to abort the

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To use KeyTip Badges to access commands: • You can still use the shortcut keys for menu
1. Press to display the KeyTip Badges commands that were available in previous
versions of Office. For example, +
2. Press the letter key of the command or tab
applies bold to selected text.
that you want to select

MINIMISING THE RIBBON

The Ribbon at the top of the screen, valuable as Ribbon as a once-off operation, or have it remain
it is, does tend to occupy a reasonable amount of constantly minimised and display full commands
space. You can minimise the Ribbon so that only only briefly while a tab has been clicked.
the tabs appear visible. You can minimise the

Try This Yourself: 1

Before trying this ensure that

Microsoft Excel 2010 has started…

Click on the Insert tab to

 display the Insert commands
2
Double-click on the Insert tab
 to minimise the ribbon
While the tabs stay visible, the
rest of the commands are
hidden...
Click on the Page Layout tab
 to temporarily redisplay the
ribbon, this time with the Page
3

Layout commands
Click anywhere in the
 worksheet
The ribbon will hide again – it
Look closely here and you’ll see that the Ribbon
only becomes visible when you is actually sitting over the worksheet –you can’t
need it... see rows 1 and 2 because they are being
Double-click on the Insert tab obscured by the Ribbon.
 to redisplay the Ribbon
permanently again
Click anywhere in the 5
 worksheet
This time the ribbon has been
redisplayed permanently and
doesn’t disappear when you
aren’t using it...

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To hide/display the Ribbon: • There are special buttons at the right of the
1. Double-click on the active tab to hide the Ribbon that also control minimising and
Ribbon maximising of the Ribbon. When a
2. Click on a tab to see the Ribbon temporarily Ribbon is in its minimised state a pin button
3. Double-click on a tab to redisplay the appears which will make the Ribbon
Ribbon permanently large and permanent again.

UNDERSTANDING THE BACKSTAGE VIEW

The Ribbon allows you work on the content in a allows you to do something with the content you
worksheet – you can add more content, colour it, create. You can save it for reuse later, print it on
chart it, analyse it, copy it, and much more. The paper, send it via email, and more using the
Backstage, which is accessed using the File tab, options found in Backstage view.

The Backstage Screen

The File tab on the Ribbon is not
a normal tab – as you can tell by
the fact that it is coloured. Clicking
on the File tab launches a mini-
program within Microsoft Excel
known as Backstage View.
Backstage, as it’s known for
short, occupies the entire screen
although the tabs from the
Ribbon still remain visible at the
top.
At the left of the Backstage is a
navigation pane which is made up
of Quick commands, smallish
buttons which will perform an
operation immediately, and
largish tabs which display more
options and information to the
right of the screen.
The whole underlying purpose of
the Backstage is to allow you to
protect your data, to share it with
others, and to provide you with
valuable information both about
your data and the status of
Microsoft Excel.

Quick Commands Backstage Tabs

The Quick commands provide immediate The Backstage tabs provide more options for
access to an operation. working with a workbook
Saves the current workbook Provides status information about
the current workbook, and allows
Allows you to save the current you to manage versions and
workbook under a different permissions
name or location Provides a list of recently saved
Opens a previously saved workbooks
workbook Allows you to create a new
Closes the current workbook workbook and provides access to
a huge gallery of templates
Provides access to Allows you to print the current
supplementary programs workbook and also previews it
Provides access to options Allows you to share your
that allow you to control how workbook with other people
Excel looks and works
Provides access to Microsoft’s
Allows you to close and exit help network and also provides
from Microsoft Excel licensing information about your
software

ACCESSING THE BACKSTAGE VIEW

The Backstage View provides options for the Ribbon but can also appear when specific
working on workbooks and key information about commands and options in the Ribbon have been
the status of Microsoft Excel 2010. It is usually selected.
accessed by clicking on the File tab to the left of

3
Try This Yourself:
Before trying this exercise
ensure that Microsoft Excel
2010 has started…

Click on the File tab on

 the Ribbon to display the
Backstage view and click
on the Info tab
Spend a few moments
 studying the properties,
dates, and related people
information at the right
Click on the Print tab (at
 the left) to see the printing
options
If the worksheet has data
in it a preview of how the 4
printing will look will
appear. If this is a new
worksheet no preview will
appear…
Click on the Help tab (on
 the left) to see the help
options and also product
licensing and information
Click on the Home tab of
 the Ribbon to close
Backstage view and
return to the worksheet

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To access the Backstage view: • You can also close the Backstage view by
1. Click on the File tab on the Ribbon pressing the key on the keyboard.
2. Click on the desired tab or quick command
at the left

USING SHORT CUT MENUS

In addition to the Ribbon, Excel also features where you click. Shortcut menus provide an
shortcut menus that appear when you right-click alternative, usually a quick one, to trolling through
in an area on the screen or on an object. The the Ribbon to find a specific operation or
content of the menu varies depending upon command.

Try This Yourself: 1

Before trying this exercise ensure

that Microsoft Excel 2010 has
started…

Click in cell B4 (column B, row

 4) in the worksheet and then
click with the right mouse
button to display a shortcut or
contextual menu
Because you have clicked in a
worksheet cell the menu
includes a number of options
specific to what can be done in
and with the cell...
Click anywhere else on the
 worksheet with the left mouse
button to close the shortcut
menu
Move the mouse pointer over
 any of the tabs on the ribbon 4
Right-click on a tab to display
 a shortcut menu
Notice how it differs from the
previous menu and displays
toolbar and ribbon options
instead of text. Excel has
made an educated guess
about what you want to do
based on what you have
clicked on...
Click anywhere in the
 worksheet with the left mouse
button to close the shortcut
menu

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To display a shortcut menu: • Once a shortcut menu appears, the options
1. Point to the object or area of the screen on in it are selected by clicking on them with the
which you want to perform an operation left mouse button, or pressing the letter
underlined in the menu option.
2. Right-click to display the shortcut menu

UNDERSTANDING DIALOG BOXES

Dialog boxes contain a series of controls that are right corner of a Ribbon group, or when you click
used to adjust settings for a particular aspect of a on a command that displays a dialog box. Dialog
worksheet or cell. They appear either when you boxes are often used for adjusting some of the
click on a dialog box launcher at the bottom more advanced aspects of a worksheet or cell.

Typical Dialog Box Controls

Dialog boxes have various tools to help you perform tasks. These tools are known as controls and
some typical ones are shown below.

Text boxes are used to enter text such as a name,

title, cell address, or reference. The buttons to the
right here indicate that these boxes require a cell
address.

Check boxes turn settings either on or off. When on

they display a tick and therefore these controls are
also known as tick boxes.

Option buttons provide a series of mutually

exclusive options. Option buttons appear as round
circles. The option that is currently active appears
with a black dot.

Tabs are used to provide more settings on the one

dialog box.

Drop arrows provide a list of options for the text box

when the arrow is clicked. The list “drops down” from
the arrow.

Preview boxes provide a preview of what the

selected settings will look like.

Command buttons provide a means of saving the

changed settings [OK], or closing the dialog box
without accepting any changes made [Cancel].

LAUNCHING DIALOG BOXES

Dialog boxes can be launched either as the result dots (an ellipse) ... after a menu option indicates
of clicking on a dialog box launcher or a that the menu option, when selected, will display a
command button, or by selecting a command dialog box. Dialog boxes are generally used for
from a menu. In a menu, the presence of three advanced features or detailed settings.

Try This Yourself:

Before trying this exercise ensure
that Microsoft Excel 2010 has
started…

Point to the dialog box

 launcher in the Font
group on the Home tab to
display a tooltip which explains
what will happen
Click on the dialog box
 launcher to display the
Format Cells dialog box
1

This dialog box has a selection 2

of controls to make formatting
cells easier...
Click on the Border tab
 This displays additional
controls that you can use to
adjust the borders around the
active cell or range of cells...
Click on [Cancel] to close the
 dialog box without doing
anything
Some commands on the
Ribbon automatically launch a
dialog box…
Click on the Page Layout tab,
 then click on Print Titles in the
Page Setup group to display
the Page Setup dialog box
Click on [Cancel]


For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To launch a dialog box: • In some situations the dialog box launcher
1. Click on a dialog box launcher, relevant actually displays a task pane. For example,
command button or menu option if you click on the dialog box launcher in the
Clipboard group on the Home tab, the
Office Clipboard task pane appears.

UNDERSTANDING THE QUICK ACCESS TOOLBAR

The Quick Access Toolbar, also known as the you use frequently, such as Save, and includes by
QAT, is a small toolbar that appears at the top default the Undo and Redo buttons. You can add
left-hand corner of the Excel window. It is more tools to the Quick Access Toolbar to make
designed to provide access to the command tools finding favourite commands easier.

The Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar is positioned at the top left corner of the Microsoft Excel 2010 screen. In
its default state, it includes the Save tool, the Undo tool and the Redo tool.

Customising the Quick Access Toolbar

Appearing immediately to the right of the Quick Access Toolbar, the Customise Quick Access
Toolbar tool displays a list of commonly used commands that you can add to the toolbar. You can
select the items that you want to add. The ticks that appear to the left of the menu options show you
that an option is already displayed.

ADDING COMMANDS TO THE QAT

The Quick Access Toolbar is a handy location clicking it and choosing the Add to Quick Access
to place commands from the Ribbon that you Toolbar option from the short cut menu that
use most frequently. Adding commands from the appears.
Ribbon involves locating the command, right-

Try This Yourself: 1

Before trying this exercise ensure that

Microsoft Excel 2010 has started…

Point to the first button on the

 Quick Access Toolbar to see the
name of the tool and its shortcut 2
In this case, it is Save...

 Right-click on Format Painter

which appears in the Clipboard
group on the Home tab to display
a shortcut menu
Select Add to Quick Access
 Toolbar to add the Format
Painter tool to the QAT
Click on the Customise Quick
 Access Toolbar tool to display 3
the menu
Click on Open to add the Open
 command to the Quick Access
Toolbar
It is just as easy to remove tools
you don’t want from the QAT...
Right click on the Format Painter 5
 tool and click on Remove
from Quick Access Toolbar
Repeat step 6 and remove the 7
 Open tool from the QAT

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To customise the Quick Access Toolbar: • You can move the QAT under the ribbon by
1. Right-click on the command you want to add clicking on the Customise Quick Access
and select Add to Quick Access Toolbar Toolbar tool and selecting Show Below
Or the Ribbon. This puts the tools that you use
most frequently closer to your document
1. Click on the Customise Quick Access
making it quicker to access them.
Toolbar tool and click on a command

UNDERSTANDING THE STATUS BAR

The Status Bar is the bar across the bottom of worksheet, and allows you to zoom in and out of
the Excel window. It is a very useful aid that tells the worksheet. It also includes tools that can
you the current status of Excel, performs quick change the worksheet view. You can customise the
calculations on the selected range in the status bar to change the information shown.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Status Indicator The Status Indicator indicates the current status of Excel and the
 worksheet. The most common indicator you’ll see here is Ready indicating
that Excel is ready and waiting for you to do something.

Average This tells you the average value in the cells currently selected in the
 worksheet – providing the cells contain numeric data. Selected cells are
the ones that have the active cell indicator around them and are commonly
referred to as a range of cells. Obviously for a calculation to be performed
there will need to be numbers in the active range of cells.

Count This tells you how many non-empty cells are in the cells currently selected
 in the worksheet.
This tells you the sum total of the cells currently selected in the worksheet
Sum
 – providing the cells contain numeric data.
The Worksheet View tools allow you to change the view of the worksheet.
View Tools
 You can select from Normal, Page Layout, and Page Break Preview.
This button displays the current zoom percentage. If you click on the
Zoom Level
 button, the Zoom dialog box will appear so that you can select a specific
zoom percentage.

Zoom Slider The Zoom Slider indicates the current zoom level, where the centre mark
 indicates 100%. You can either drag the marker to the left or right, or
click on a specific point of the slider to set a zoom percentage. You can
also click on the buttons at either end of the slider to zoom in or zoom
out .

Resize Icon The Resize icon is visible in the Excel window if the screen is not
 maximised. It allows you to change the size of the window by dragging in
or out.

What appears on the status bar can vary greatly. Don’t be alarmed if the
one on your screen doesn’t exactly match the status bar example shown
above. For your status bar to match the one above you will need to enter
numbers into a range of cells and switch certain status bar indicators on
and others off. The one above is shown as a representative example of
what can appear on a status bar.

EXITING SAFELY FROM EXCEL

When you are finished working with Excel you’ll exiting. You’ll learn all about saving a little later on.
find there are several ways to exit from it. If you If you don’t wish to retain any changes you’ve
have made changes to the worksheet Excel will made you can decline Excel’s offer to save your
ask if you wish to save these changes before work.

1
Try This Yourself:
Before trying this exercise ensure
that Microsoft Excel 2010 has
started…

Click in cell A1 (the top left

 cell), type your name and
press 2 You’ll receive a message either like this…
Doing this has made a change
to your workbook which should
be picked up when you
attempt to exit…
Click on the File tab and click
 on the Exit quick command at
the right of the screen
You will now be prompted to Or like this…
save your workbook if you
wish to retain your data. The
message you receive will be
one of the ones shown – don’t
worry about the difference
between them for now (you’ll
learn more about them later).
We have no reason for
keeping a workbook with our
name in it so we won’t bother
saving…
Click on [Don’t Save] to exit
 from Excel

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To safely exit from Microsoft Excel 2010: • Whenever you are in doubt about whether to
1. Click on the File tab and click on the Exit save or not you should err on the side of
quick command caution and save the workbook. You can
delete unwanted workbooks at a later date,
2. If you want to keep your changes click on
but you can seldom retrieve data that has not
[Save] then specify a workbook name and
been saved!
location, otherwise click on [Don’t Save]

CHAPTER 2 CREATING A NEW WORKBOOK

INFOCUS

LV1_E802

The data you enter and use in Microsoft Excel will be stored in a file
that is referred to as a workbook. It is into a workbook that you type
data such as text, numbers, and even dates. You can then create
formulas that perform calculations using this data. So, knowing how
to create a new workbook of your own is a basic and essential skill
to have in Excel.

In this session you will:

 gain an understanding of workbooks and their elements

 learn how to create a new blank workbook based on the
default template
 learn how to type text into a worksheet
 learn how to enter numbers into a worksheet
 learn how to type dates and perform simple calculations
with them
 learn how to type a simple formula into a worksheet
 learn how to save a new workbook file
 learn how to enter formulas more quickly and easily
 learn how to check spelling in a worksheet
 learn how to make and save changes in a workbook
 learn how print a worksheet
 learn how to safely close a workbook.

UNDERSTANDING WORKBOOKS
In Microsoft Excel the data you enter, whether it (or sheets) that have been ruled into columns and
consists of numbers, text, or formulas, is stored rows. Before using Excel it is helpful to know what
in a file known as a workbook. Workbooks are the various parts and elements that make up a
just like super-huge electronic books with pages workbook are.

2
4

5 6

A worksheet (or page) in a workbook contains 16,384 columns that are labelled using letters of
 the alphabet. The first column in a worksheet is labelled column A, while the last is labelled XFD.

A worksheet (or page) in a workbook contains 1,048,576 rows that are labelled using numbers
 from 1 to 1,048,576.

Where a column and row intersect we get what is known as a cell. You enter your data into
 these cells. Each cell in a worksheet can hold up to 32,767 characters – although you’d be nuts
to ever push it this far. Cells are referred to by their column and row labels. For example, in the
screen above, the cell we are pointing to is C11 – this reference is known as the cell address
and is most important as it is frequently used in commands and formulas.

When you start typing something you want it to appear somewhere in the worksheet. As a
 consequence when the status bar shows Ready mode, at least one cell in the worksheet will be
highlighted – this is known as the active cell. In the screen above the active cell is cell A1 –
notice that the column label and the row label also appear coloured to indicate the active cell.
You can have more than one active cell – when this occurs you have what is known as a range.

A workbook (as you would expect) is made up of pages known as worksheets. You can have as
 many sheets in a workbook as your computer resources can accommodate. As a default, a new
blank workbook normally has 3 worksheets labelled Sheet1, Sheet2, and Sheet3. Of course
these labels are pretty boring and meaningless and can be changed to something more relevant.

The Insert Worksheet button will insert another worksheet into the current workbook should you
 need it.

CREATING A NEW WORKBOOK

When you want to create a new spreadsheet layout of a workbook. Microsoft actually provides a
project, you will normally first need to create a number of task-specific templates for accounting,
new workbook. All workbooks created in Excel budgeting and the like. However the easiest to use
are based on a template which defines the basic is the Blank Workbook default template.

Try This Yourself:

Before you begin you
should ensure that
Excel has started...

Click on the File tab to

 display the Backstage
View
Select New to display
 the Available
Templates
Here you can see the
installed and online
templates available to
you...
Click on Blank 2
 workbook in Available
Templates
Click on [Create] to
 create a new blank
workbook
Notice that the
workbook is
automatically assigned
a sequentially
numbered name
commencing with the
word “Book”, which is
displayed in the title bar

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To use the Blank workbook template: • You can also use the keyboard shortcut
1. Click on the File tab + to instantly open a new blank
2. Select New workbook based on the Blank workbook
3. Click on Blank workbook in Available template, by-passing the Backstage view.
Templates
4. Click on [Create]

TYPING TEXT
Generally when you start a new spreadsheet you wish to enter the data active. This can be done
project the first task is to enter some headings in a number of ways but the most common is to
into rows and columns. To type anything into a click in the cell first before typing.
worksheet you need to make the cell into which

Try This Yourself:

Before you begin ensure
that you have a blank
workbook open...

Click in cell A3 to make

 this the active cell, type
Garden Settings and
1 2
press
When you press the 3
next cell down
automatically becomes
the active cell. By the
way, even though the text
looks like it is in cells A3
and B3 it really only is in
cell A3 – since there is
nothing in B3 Excel allows
the spill over to be
displayed, giving the 4
illusion it is in 2 cells…
Type Pool Covers and
 press
Repeat the above steps
 and enter the remaining
text in column A as shown
Click in cell B2 to make
 this the active cell, type
AUS and press
5
When you press the
cell to the right then
becomes the active cell…
Enter the remaining text in
 row 2 as shown

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To enter text: • You don’t have to use or to make
1. Click the cell pointer on the desired cell and adjacent cells active. You can simply use the
type the required information mouse and click in the cells if you want or
even press the arrow keys to move up,
2. Press , an arrow key or to confirm
down, left, or right.
the data entry and to move the cell pointer to
another cell

TYPING NUMBERS
The method for entering numbers, letters, and they are known) will align themselves to the right
formulas into a worksheet are exactly the same – hand side of a cell as a default, rather than the left
you simply make a cell active by clicking in it and hand side, as is the case with letters.
then type away. However, numbers (or values as

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise...

Click in cell B3 to make this

 the active cell
Type 17200 and press or
 the down arrow
Notice how the text from the
left cell has now been chopped 2
off. This occurs because B3
has data in it and this takes
precedence over the residual
display from the left cell. The
text in A3 is still all there – only
the display has been chopped
off not the data…
Enter the remaining values into
 the other cells as shown

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To enter values: • If you are unsure exactly what is in a cell,
1. Click the cell pointer on the desired cell and click on the cell to make it active and look in
type the required information the formula bar at the top of the worksheet to
see what is really there. For example, if you
2. Press , an arrow key or to confirm click on A3 in the worksheet above you’ll see
the data entry and to move the cell pointer to the full text, Garden Settings, in the formula
another cell bar.

TYPING DATES
Dates are a special type of data that can be From then on you can use that date to perform
entered into a worksheet cell. When you type a calculations just like you can with numbers.
date into a cell Excel converts that date to a
number – you don’t see this happen, but it does.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise...

Click in cell A10 to make this

 the active cell
Type Sales at: and press
 to move to the adjacent cell
Type 31/8 and press
 Since 31/8 is recognised by 3
Excel as a date it has been
entered and formatted
accordingly. You can change
the formatted appearance of
the date at a later time if you
wish…
Click in cell A11, type
 Reviewed: and press to
jump to B11
Type =B10+7 and press to
 enter a formula in B11 that
references the date you typed
5
in cell B10
The formula here takes the
value in B10 and adds 7 (i.e. 7
days) to the date

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To enter dates: • You can type a date in a variety of ways. If
1. Click the cell pointer on the desired cell and Excel accepts what you type as a date it will
type a date – as deemed valid to Excel appear aligned to the right of a cell just like a
number. If the date is invalid to Excel it will
2. Press , an arrow key or to confirm be left-aligned just like text – so, watch how
the data entry and to move the cell pointer to your dates are entered to ensure that they
another cell are correct!

TYPING FORMULAS
The whole idea behind Excel is to get it to even other formulas already in the worksheet,
perform calculations. In order for it to do this you using the cell addresses of these numbers rather
need to type formulas in the worksheet. Usually than the actual value in them. Formulas must be
these formulas reference existing numbers or typed beginning with an equal sign (=).

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise...

Click in cell B8 to make this

 the active cell
Type =B3+B4+B5+B6+B7 and
 examine what is happening on
the screen 3
Press to enter the formula
 and move to the next cell
Notice that a calculation has
now been performed. We have
entered a formula in B8 that
says “add the values in B3, B4,
B5, B6, and B7 and show them
here”…
Ensure that C8 is the active
 cell, type =SUM(C3:C7) and
press
5

This is an alternative type of

formula known as a “function”.
Again a calculation will appear
in the cell…
Click in cell B8 and notice that
 the formula you typed appears
in the formula bar, while the
result of the calculation 6
appears in the worksheet
Repeat step 5 with cell C8


For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To enter a formula: • By using a cell address in a formula (e.g.
1. Click the cell pointer on the desired cell and B3, B4, etc), each time the actual value in
type the formula commencing with = B3 or B4 changes, the formula will
recalculate. This is the essence of what a
2. Press , an arrow key or to confirm spreadsheet is all about.
the data entry and to move the cell pointer to
another cell

SAVING A NEW WORKBOOK

Few things are more frustrating in the world of work regularly. Saving your work moves the
computers than doing an hour of work and then information from the computer’s short-term memory
losing it all because the computer crashes. This (known as RAM), to its long-term memory (the hard
is one reason why it is important to save your disk drive) so that you can access it again later.

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise...

Click on the File tab and select

 Save (or Save As) to display
the Save As dialog box – if it
has not appeared as shown
click on Browse Folders
Excel will propose the default
book name as the new file
name...
Type Garden Department
 Sales in File name
Now we need to choose the
filing location… 3

 Click on to the left of

Documents to display a list of
folders, then click on Local
Disk (C:) 4

 Click on to the right of Local

Disk (C:) to see the available
sub folders and click on
Course Files for Excel 2010
Click on [Save] to save the
 document
Notice that the new name now
appears in the title bar at the
top of the screen

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To save a new document: • In the exercise above we have named the
1. Click on the File tab and select Save workbook Garden Department Sales and
filed it in C:\Course Files for Excel 2010.
2. Locate the storage folder in the Navigation
Each time you start Excel it will most likely
pane
assume you want to file your workbooks in a
3. Type a File name and click on [Save] folder called Documents which is associated
with the user name you use on the computer.

EASY FORMULAS
Excel provides a number of ways to enter rows in a worksheet using an operation known as
formulas into worksheets and some of these are Filling. In addition, there are commands on the
real time savers. Once a formula has been Ribbon that will automatically type a formula into
entered, it can be copied across other columns or the worksheet for you.

2
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open

you MUST open the file

File

Garden Department
Sales.xlsx...

Click in cell C8 to make this

 the active cell
Move the mouse pointer to the
 small square at the bottom
right of C8 until the mouse
3

pointer changes to a thin cross

Hold down the left mouse
 button and drag the small
square across to cell E8 – this
will fill all of the intervening
cells with a similar formula to
the one in C8
Click in cell F3 to make this the
 active cell

 Click on AutoSum in the

Editing group to get Excel to
type a formula for you
Press to complete the
 formula
Click in cell F3, then repeat
 steps 2 & 3 to fill down to cell
F8 with a similar formula 5
Click on the File tab and select
 Save to save the additions that
have been made

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To easily enter formulas into a worksheet: • The small square at the bottom right of the
1. Drag the small square (fill handle) of an active cell is known as the fill handle
existing formula to adjacent cells because it is used to fill adjacent cells.
OR • Notice that a formula adjusts relative to its
current position when it is dragged to
1. Click on AutoSum in the Editing group adjacent cells – this is known as relative
to get Excel to type a formula for you copying.

CHECKING THE SPELLING

One of the most important tools you can use in When the spell checker is run it highlights
Excel is the spell checking facility – after all, instances of misspelt words and often makes a
wouldn’t you have egg on your face if you gave suggestion that you can choose to either accept or
your boss a worksheet with spelling mistakes! reject.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or open

File

the file Garden Department

Sales.xlsx...

Click in cell E2, type Euroope

 and press just so we have
an obvious error in the
worksheet 2
Click on the Review tab in the
 Ribbon, then click on Spelling
in the Proofing group
Excel will now ask if you wish
to start from the beginning of
the worksheet…
3
Click on [Yes]
 The checker will commence,
stopping at the first word that
causes it grief – which
hopefully will be Euroope…
Click on [Change] to accept
 the suggestion from the
checker
Unless there are any other
errors the checker will now
have finished…
Click on [OK] to acknowledge
 the message and close the
checker 4
Click on the File tab and select
 Save to save the additions that
have been made

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To spell check a worksheet: • Don’t stake your future career on a computer
1. Click on the Review tab in the Ribbon, then spell checker – they are often tainted by the
click on Spelling in the Proofing group country in which they were developed and
unless they have been specially configured,
2. Change words as required
may also be culturally biased. Always proof
your workbooks before submitting them to
the boss and/or the board of directors!

MAKING BASIC CHANGES

Changing the contents of a cell is just too easy immediately replaced by the new data you have
in Excel – you simply click on the cell to make it typed. In addition, and this is the really cool part of
active, type the new number, text, or date and Excel, any formulas that reference the cell you’ve
press . The old cell contents will be changed will also be updated.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or

File

open the file Garden

Department Sales.xlsx...

Click in cell B3 to make this

 the active cell, and make a
mental note of the totals in
B8, F3, and F8
Type 25700 and press
 Notice that the totals that
2

you are keeping a mental

note of should have
changed…
Click in cell B10 and make
 a mental note of the date
shown currently in B11
Type 3/11 and press
 Note the revised date now
shown in B11…
Click on the File tab and
 select Save to save the
additions that have been
made

3 4

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To make changes to a cell: • If you want to keep the previous data in a
1. Click on the cell to make it active worksheet, simply enter the new data then
use Save As rather than Save to save the
2. Type the new contents for the cell and press
workbook under a different name.
, , or one of the arrow keys
• If you begin typing in the wrong cell press
to abort the editing and restore the
original content to the cell.

PRINTING A WORKSHEET
Traditionally, printing means producing your over what and how much to print as well as
document on paper, but in today’s Web and enabling you to select the printer to use. You can
online world it might mean printing to the Web or print one or multiple copies of a document, one or
to another file. Excel gives you a lot of control multiple pages and even collate copies.

Try This Yourself:

Continue using the
Same File

previous file with this

exercise, or open the file
Garden Department
Sales.xlsx...

Click on the File tab then

 select Print to display the
Print tab in the
Backstage View
Your window may appear
a little different to the one
shown, but basically you
will be presented with the
printing options in the left
pane and a preview of the
document in the right
pane...
Click on the drop arrow
 for Printer to see a list of
devices
Select a printer from the
 list
1

Click on [Print] to print

 the pages or click on the
Home tab in the ribbon if
you wish to exit the print
options and conserve
paper

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To print a document: • Pressing the keyboard shortcut + will
1. Click on the File tab and select Print also display the Print options in the File tab.
2. Select a printer
3. Set any other options
4. Click on [Print]

SAFELY CLOSING A WORKBOOK

When you have finished working with a workbook files open. Workbooks are automatically closed
in Excel you should close it. Workbooks that are when you exit Excel, but sometimes you may want
left open take up computer resources and your to remain in Excel. You can do this by closing the
computer will work better and faster with fewer current workbook before opening another.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or open

File

the file Garden Department

Sales.xlsx...

Click in cell B3, type 30000

 and press
As soon as you make a
change in Excel it is deemed 2
to be an “unsaved change”
until you save the workbook.
We have done this to see what
will happen when you try and
close a workbook with
unsaved changes in it…
Click on the File tab and select
 Close to close the current
document
3

If you have not saved your

work, a message box appears
providing you with an option to
do so. If you want to keep the
changes you’ve made you’d
select [Save], otherwise you’d
select [Don’t Save]. The
[Cancel] option will cancel
closing and leave the
workbook open...
Click on [Save] to first save,
 then close the workbook
If this was the only workbook
open, then the screen will now
appear without a workbook.

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To close a workbook: • If you save your workbook and then select
1. Click on the File tab and select Close Close, the workbook will be closed without
the prompting message above.
• Excel allows you to have a number of
workbooks open at the same time. When you
close a workbook when others are still open
one of the others will then appear.

NOTES:

CHAPTER 3 WORKING WITH WORKBOOKS

INFOCUS

LV1_E803

Workbooks and their pages (worksheets) can hold an enormous

amount of data. To work effectively with your workbooks you need
firstly to be able to locate them on your computer, and then be able
to locate the data contained within them.
The Open dialog box in Excel provides the appropriate tools for
locating your workbooks, while Excel itself has a number of
features, tools, and commands for locating data in a workbook and
on a worksheet.

In this session you will:

 learn how to open an existing workbook

 learn how to navigate a workbook
 learn how to navigate using the keyboard
 learn how to move the active cell to a specific location
 gain an understanding of how data can be changed in a
worksheet
 learn how to overwrite the contents of a cell
 learn how to edit longer cell entries using edit mode
 learn how to clear a cell.

OPENING AN EXISTING WORKBOOK

There are a number of different ways to open an way to do it is from within Excel itself, using the
existing workbook. For example, you can use Open dialog box. The Open dialog box has tools
the File tab or double-click directly on an icon of that help you to identify file types and location.
the file. However, perhaps the best and simplest

1
Try This Yourself:
Before you begin ensure
that Excel 2010 has
started...

Click on the File tab in the

 Ribbon and select Open
to display the Open dialog
box
The first task is to locate
the folder that contains the
workbook to open…

 Click on to the left of

Documents to display a
list of folders and click on
Local Disk (C:) (or
equivalent)
3
 Click on to the right of
Local Disk (C:) to see the
available subfolders and
click on Course Files for
Excel 2010
A list of workbook files in
this folder will now be
presented in the file list
pane…
Click on E803 Working
 With Workbooks_1.xlsx,
then click on [Open] to
open the workbook

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To open an existing workbook: • You can also use the keyboard shortcut
1. Click on the File tab and select Open + to display the Open dialog box.
2. Locate the required folder in the Folder list • To open a workbook that you have used
3. Click on the required file in the File list recently, click on the File tab and select it
from the Recent documents list
4. Click on [Open]

NAVIGATING A WORKBOOK
A workbook is just like an electronic book – and worksheet but around the workbook itself.
it may contain one or more worksheets Worksheets are identified by their own unique
(electronic pages). Excel provides a number of names which appear in a tab at the bottom of the
techniques for quickly moving about not only a workbook.

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or open

File

the file E803 Working With

Workbooks_1.xlsx...

Press + to ensure
 that A1 is the active cell
Click on the Medium 4
 worksheet tab at the bottom of
the window to display the
Medium worksheet
Click on the Large worksheet
 tab
Move the mouse pointer onto
 the scroll slider at the right of
the worksheet, hold down the
left mouse button and drag
down to scroll the screen up
and see more data below
Move the mouse pointer onto 5
 the scroll slider at the bottom
of the worksheet, hold down
the left mouse button and drag
right to scroll the screen left
and see more data to the right
Press + twice to jump
 back to the Small worksheet
Using the scroll bar allows you to see different parts of the
Press + twice to jump
 to the Large worksheet
worksheet without moving the active cell – this is great when
you want to develop a formula but can’t quite remember
what cell contains the values to use in the formula. You can
Click on the Small worksheet
 tab to return to the Small
worksheet
position the active cell where you want the formula, scroll to
see the other values and then scroll back.

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To navigate a workbook: • Don’t try and remember all of these
• + to move to the next worksheet keystrokes and techniques – you’ll go nuts! A
• + to move to the previous lot of these things will become second nature
once you have been using Excel for a while.
worksheet
• Click on a worksheet tab to see that
worksheet

NAVIGATING USING THE KEYBOARD

A worksheet is just like an electronic piece of navigate to) the cell you want to work with (known
paper. When you work with paper you move your as the active cell) and start typing away. You can
pen to the desired location and start writing. A activate cells in the worksheet using either the
worksheet works the same way – you move to (or mouse or the keyboard.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous file with
Same
File

this exercise, or open the file E803

Working With Workbooks_1.xlsx...

Change the active cell in the

 worksheet by clicking on various cells
The active cell is defined by the bold
square and its address is shown in the
address bar at the top of the screen…
Press + to return to cell A1 in 3
 the worksheet
Press to move down one entire
 screen – press + to return to
cell A1
Press + to move one entire
 screen to the right, then press +
to move one entire screen left
Ensure that A1 is the active cell and
 then press + several times
until you reach row 1048576
This is the last row in the worksheet…
Press + to move 16,384
 columns to the right
This is the last column in the
worksheet…
Press + to return to cell A1.
 Press + to move to the bottom
7 The last data cell in a worksheet is defined as the cell
right cell of the data area in the that is intersected by the furthest column to the right
worksheet containing data and the furthest row down containing
data.

For Your Reference… For Your Reference (cont’d)…

To navigate the worksheet: • + and + to move
• + to move to cell A1 right or left by one screen
• / to move up or down one • + to move to the end of the
screen data
• to move up, down, left, or
right one cell in the worksheet

USING GO TO
Navigating using the keyboard or the mouse can cell to a specific location. The Go To command
be tedious if you need to move across large displays a dialog box which records your Go To
areas of a worksheet. Excel provides a Go To movements – using this dialog box you can easily
command which can be used to move the active move back and forth in a worksheet.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or open

File

the file E803 Working With

Workbooks_1.xlsx...

Click on the Home tab. Click

 on the Find & Select tool
and select Go To from
the command list
The Go To dialog box is
displayed… 3
Type HZ5476 and click on
 [OK] to jump to this specific
cell location
Press + to display the
 Go To dialog box again
Notice now that the originating
address appears in the box
and also in the listing…
Type B4 and click on [OK] to
 jump to this cell location
Now that we have two
addresses we can play ping
pong between the two…
Press + to display the
 Go To dialog box again
Click on [OK] to jump to
 HZ5476
Press + to display the
 Go To dialog box again
Click [OK] to jump back to B4
 5
7

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To move to a specific cell: • The [Special] button in the Go To dialog box
1. Press + to display the Go To dialog takes you to the Go To Special dialog box.
box This can be used to go to specific cells
depending upon their contents rather than
2. Type the address and click on [OK]
their address. For example, you can use it to
select every cell that holds a formula.

UNDERSTANDING DATA EDITING

In computer jargon editing means changing – with something entirely new; you can delete it
when you edit data, you are changing it. There entirely or; you can perform an Excel edit on the
are many ways in Excel that you can change data where you change only a part of it.
your data – you can overwrite it and replace it

1 Overwriting Data
Overwriting is by far the easiest way to change existing data. To overwrite, you simply click on the
cell that you want to change, type the new values, and then press – the data that was there
before is completely replaced by the new data you’ve typed.

2 Editing Data
Each cell in a worksheet can hold up to 32,767 characters. Even though it is unlikely that you’ll ever
use that many characters in a cell, there will be times when you have longer text entries or complex
formulas that would be a pain to have to retype. In these situations you can use Excel’s editing
features.
You can edit a cell either by double-clicking on it, or by pressing on the keyboard. When a cell is
in edit mode the status bar will show Edit in lieu of Ready, and there will be an insertion pointer
placed in the cell allowing you to choose which characters you want to change. Once the changes
have been made you can press to record the changes.

In Edit mode, an insertion point will

appear in the cell and the word
“Edit” will appear in the Status Bar

3 Deleting Data
What you’d expect to be simple can also be the most dangerous! There are three ways you can
delete data from a cell.
Firstly, you can press the key on the keyboard – this will immediately delete the contents of the
active cell or selected range. However, other elements such as formatting remain. Use this when
you only want to delete cell contents and not affect the layout of the worksheet.
Secondly, you can use the Delete Cells command in the Cells group on the Home tab. This will
clear the contents of a cell and also allow you to shift cells up or left – this is sometimes useful when
rearranging the layout of a worksheet. You should use this option in something like a list where you
want the cells below or to the right to be shifted into the position occupied by the deleted cell.
Thirdly, you can use Clear in the Editing group on the Home tab to clear either everything from a
cell, only the data (the same as pressing ), only the formats, or only the commenting. This option
is best used when you wish to restore a cell to its default (use Clear All) or only the formatting (use
Clear Formats).

OVERWRITING CELL CONTENTS

You can easily change the contents of a cell by on the cell that you wish to change and typing the
retyping the contents of that cell. This process is new data. As soon as you press or click
known as overwriting and is the simplest form of elsewhere in the worksheet, the new data will
editing. The overwriting process involves clicking replace the old cell entry.

1
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E804

Editing_1.xlsx...
Click oin cell B7
 This cell currently shows a
value of 70,500 – notice that
this appears in the formula
bar…
Type 71456 and press
 This will place the new value in
the cell, overwriting the old 2
value and updating the
formulas in the table

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To overwrite cell contents: • You can always abort overwriting the
1. Click on the cell contents of a cell as long as you press
2. Type the new data instead of .
3. Press • Overwriting cell contents is particularly useful
when there is a relatively small amount of
data in the cell.

EDITING LONGER CELLS

Excel provides you with several ways of changing pressing on the keyboard, and clicking in the
the contents of a cell without the need for formula bar. All of these techniques place Excel in
retyping the entire entry. Some of the ways of Edit mode. The method that you choose is one of
editing a cell include: double-clicking in the cell, personal preference.

1
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E804

Editing_2.xlsx...

Double-click on A3
 The cell is now in edit mode,
as indicated by the flashing 2
insertion pointer in the cell,
and the Edit message in the
Status bar at the bottom of the
screen…

 Press to move the

insertion pointer to the end of
the text 4
Press to move the
 insertion pointer to the start of
the text

 Hold down and press

to jump to the start of the next
word
Type and Related then press 5

Press to complete the
 editing process

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To edit long cell entries: • As well as the word Edit appearing in the
1. Double-click on the cell to be edited, OR Status bar when you have placed Excel into
press OR click on the Formula bar Edit mode, the Enter and Cancel
icons appear in the Formula bar.
2. Make the changes
3. Press OR click on the Enter tool
on the Formula bar

CLEARING CELLS
You would think that to empty a cell you would either the key or the Clear command, the
delete its contents – not so in Excel. To empty a contents of the cell is cleared away but the
cell you need to clear its contents, rather than surrounding rows and columns remain unaffected
delete it. When you clear a cell in Excel, using unlike the delete operation which shifts cells.

1
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise you
Open
File

MUST open the file E804

Editing_3.xlsx...

Click on cell N5 which contains

 the Total heading 2
In this exercise file, the Total
formulas were changed to
Average formulas and when one
formula was filled down to the
other cells, some cells show an
error message as they contain
no data and are dividing by zero 3
– we need to change the
heading and clear the errors…
Press to clear the word
 Total from the cell
Notice that the cell remains the
active cell…
Type Average and press
 Notice that the formatting has
remained as before…
Click on cell N11 – the first cell
 showing #DIV/0!
Hold down and click on cells
 N13, N14, N17, and N19 to
select the others

 Click on Clear in the

Editing group and select Clear
5

All to clear not only the contents

but also the formatting from
these cells
6

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To clear a cell: • The distinction between clearing a cell and
1. Click on the cell and press deleting it is subtle but important – clearing
a cell empties the cell contents while
OR
deleting a cell actually shifts other cells into
1. Click on the cell its place.
2. Click on Clear in the Editing group

NOTES:

CHAPTER 4 SELECTING RANGES

INFOCUS

LV1_E805

Excel works on a select and then do concept - you select a cell or

range of cells and then you do something with or to the selected
cell(s). For example, if you wish to bold the heading in a worksheet
you must first tell Excel which cell contains the heading. Telling
Excel which cell or cells to work with is referred to as selecting.
Cells are formed at the intersection of a row and a column. A range
is actually a group of cells in the worksheet that forms either a
square or a rectangle. A range is usually many cells but can also be
represented by just a single cell.

In this session you will:

 gain an understanding of the difference between ranges

and cells
 learn how to select contiguous ranges in a worksheet
 learn how to select a non-contiguous range in a
worksheet
 learn how to use Excel's more specialised selection
techniques
 learn how to select larger ranges in a worksheet
 learn how to select rows in a worksheet
 learn how to select columns in a worksheet.

UNDERSTANDING CELLS AND RANGES

When you want to format, chart, sort, or perform with multiple cells known as ranges. Ranges are
virtually any activity on existing data it would be addressed using the cell address for the top left of
tedious to have to perform these operations on the range and the cell address for the bottom right
each and every cell. Excel allows you to work of the range.

1 The Active Cell

When you click on a cell it becomes the
active cell. It is also the selected cell
because it is active. The address of the
active cell is shown in the address bar.

2 A Range
A range is made up of one or more selected
(highlighted) cells. A range is addressed
using the cell address at the top left and the
cell address at the bottom right and is
written with the two separated by a colon
(:). In the example shown, the range would
be written as B7:D10. Note also that in
most circumstances the active cell will also
be somewhere in the range.

3 A Non-Contiguous Range
A range can be made up of non-adjacent
cells and ranges – these types of ranges
are known as non-contiguous ranges. They
are addressed as normal ranges separated
by commas. For example, the range shown
would be written as B7:B10, D7:D10.

4 Range Calculations
One of the nice things with ranges is the
ability to see informal calculations based on
the ranges. Providing that the calculations
have been switched on, they will appear in
the status bar whenever a range in the
worksheet is selected.

SELECTING CONTIGUOUS RANGES

A contiguous range is any group of selected mouse, the keyboard or a combination of the two.
cells that form either a square or a rectangle. A Once selected, you can use the range for data
single cell that is selected is also considered to input, apply formatting, or copy the cells as
be a range. Ranges can be selected using the required.

1
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E805

Ranges_1.xlsx...

Click on cell B7 to select it

 As B7 is the only cell selected
it is the active cell…
Hold down and click on
 cell E10
Even though a range has been 2
selected, the active cell is still
B7 – it is different in colour and
its contents appear in the
formula bar. You can keep the
range selected yet change the
active cell within the range
using the keyboard…
Press several times to
 change the active cell 3
Click on cell B7, hold down the
 mouse button, and drag down
to cell C10 before releasing
the mouse
The previous selection has
disappeared and the range B7
to C10 is now selected…
Press + to deselect
 the selected cells and return
4

the cell pointer to cell A1

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To select ranges with the mouse: • When a range has been selected it can be
1. Click on the left-most cell of the range used as an input range. You can then enter
data into the active cell and move the active
2. Hold down and click in the last cell
cell to either the cell below by pressing ,
OR or the adjacent cell by pressing .
3. Drag the mouse pointer to the bottom right
cell of the range

SELECTING NON-CONTIGUOUS RANGES

Excel allows you to select more than one range non-contiguous ranges is done by selecting the first
at a time. When this is done the selected ranges range in the normal way and then holding down
are known as non-contiguous ranges because while selecting the remaining ranges.
they are not joined together. Selecting

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise, or open

the file E805 Ranges_1.xlsx...

Click on cell A7

Hold down , then click on
 cell A10 to select the range
A7:A10
Hold down and keep it
 pressed down 2
The key is used to select
non-contiguous ranges…
Click on cell C7, hold down the
 left mouse button and drag to
cell C10, then release the left
mouse button
Release
 Two ranges are selected… 5
Hold down and keep it
 pressed down
Click on cell B5, hold down the
 left mouse button and drag to
cell E5, then release the left
mouse button
Release
 Three ranges will now be 8
selected…
Click on cell A4 to deselect all
 ranges

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To select non-contiguous ranges: • Apart from using the mouse to select a cell
1. Select the first range range you can also use the keyboard. Click
in the first cell, hold down and use the
2. Hold down
arrow keys ( , , and ) to extend
3. Select the subsequent ranges by dragging
the selected range.
across the cells

USING SPECIAL SELECTION TECHNIQUES

There are several methods that you can use to use the keyboard in conjunction with ,a
select a range of cells. The method that you combination of and the mouse, or select a
use will depend on personal preference and the
discrete range using + and .
type of range that you want to select. You can

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise, or open

the file E805 Ranges_1.xlsx...

Click on cell A7 to select it


Hold down , press ,
 then press to select the
block of occupied cells
immediately below cell A7
Hold down , press ,
 then press to extend the
selection through all occupied
cells to the right
Hold down and press
 to deselect all cells and return
to A1 3
You can also select a range
around the current active 5
cell…
Click on cell D8 to select it

Hold down and then
 press (this key is located
at the top of the numeric pad)
to select all cells adjacent to
D8 and which contain data
6
Click on cell A1


For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To select a discrete range of cells: • Apart from using the mouse to select a cell
1. Click on any cell within the desired range range you can also use the keyboard. Click
in the first cell, hold down and use the
2. Press + +
arrow keys ( , , and ) to extend
the range.

SELECTING LARGER RANGES

Selecting ranges that go beyond the boundaries problems zeroing in on the precise location. Excel
of the screen presents a special set of problems. provides some useful techniques for selecting
Using the mouse you can inadvertently scroll larger ranges most of which involve pressing the
beyond the desired location and have other appropriate key on the keyboard.

Try This Yourself:

Continue using the previous file
Same
File

with this exercise, or open the

file E805 Ranges_1.xlsx...

Hover over the rectangle at the

 top left corner of the worksheet
where the column and row
headings meet
2
Click on the rectangle to select
 the entire worksheet
8
Click on cell A1 to deselect all
 cells
You can also select the active
area of the worksheet…
Press + + to
 select the active area of the
worksheet
Press + to deselect
 the selection
Now let’s use Go To to select a
large cell range…
9
Click in cell A5 to anchor the
 cell pointer in the top left corner
of the cell range
Press + to display the
 Go To dialog box
Type BA12 in Reference

Hold down and click on
 [OK] to select the cell range
A5:BA12

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To select larger ranges: • It would be presumptuous of us to tell you
• Click on the grey square at the top left which technique, mouse or keyboard to use
corner to select the entire worksheet when selecting cells. Generally you will find
that you will use all techniques in various
• Click on A1 and press + + to circumstances. Use the method that you feel
select the active area most comfortable with.
• Hold down when using Go To

SELECTING ROWS
If you want to make changes to an entire row, the row header to the left of the row. Remember
such as bolding all of the headings in a row or that any changes you make will apply to every cell
changing the font of all the cell entries, you must in the row all the way across to column XFD, so be
first select the row. This is done by clicking on careful.

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise, or open

the file E805 Ranges_1.xlsx...

Press + to make A1
 the active cell
Move the mouse pointer to the
 row header for row 5
Notice that the mouse pointer
changes to a black arrow that 3
points towards the row…
Click once to select the entire
 row
Click on cell B7 and press
 +
This is the key combination for
selecting an entire row… 5
Ensure that row 7 is selected,
 then hold down and click
on the row header for row 10
All rows from 7 to 10 will be
selected…
Click in the header for row 5,
 then hold down the left mouse
button and drag down the row
6
headers to row 10
This is another technique for
selecting rows, but it does
require a steady hand!

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To select an entire row: • When every cell in a row or column is
1. Click on the row header of the row that you selected, the corresponding row or column
want to select header is filled in dark grey. When only
some of the cells are selected, the row or
OR
column header is filled in orange. These
1. Click in any cell in the row and press indicators help you locate the active cell(s)
+ on the worksheet.

SELECTING COLUMNS
If you want to make changes to an entire clicking on the column header directly above the
column, such as bolding all of the headings in a column. Remember that any changes you make
column or changing the font of all the cell entries, will apply to every cell in the column all the way
you must first select the column. This is done by down to row 1,048,576!

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise, or open

the file E805 Ranges_1.xlsx...

Press + to make A1
 the active cell
3

Move the mouse pointer to the

 column header for column B
Notice that the mouse pointer
changes to a black arrow
pointing down the column…
Click once to select the column
 This time the row headers
change to orange to indicate
that at least one cell (but not 4
all) in each row is selected…
Click in D6 and press
 +
The column is selected…
Click on the column header for
 column B to select it
Hold down and click on
 the header for column D
This time, columns B, C, and D
are all selected… 6
Click on the column header for
 column A, then hold down the
left mouse button and drag the
mouse pointer across the
column headers to column E

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To select an entire column: • Make sure that you check your worksheet
1. Click on the column header of the column carefully after you’ve made changes to entire
that you want to select columns. Remember that all of the cells in
that column are affected – even those in
OR
rows below the visible area.
1. Click in any cell in the column and press
+

CHAPTER 5 FORMULAS AND FUNCTIONS

INFOCUS

LV1_E810

The real magic of Excel lies in the use of formulas.

If all Excel could do was allow you to input numbers and words it
would be virtually no different to a word processing package –
without the fancy features for processing words!
Just as Microsoft Word allows you to work with words, Excel allows
you to process numbers. This is done with formulas that are used
to perform calculations.
Formulas can perform simple tasks such as adding up a few cells or
more complex operations. Excel actually contains several hundred
pre-programmed formulas for performing complex operations –
these are known as functions.

In this session you will:

 gain an understanding of how formulas work and are written

in Excel
 learn how to create formulas that add using the pointing
method
 learn how to create formulas that subtract
 learn how to create formulas that multiply and divide
 gain an understanding of what functions are and how they
work
 learn how to use the SUM function to add values
 learn how to sum non-contiguous ranges
 learn how to calculate an average
 learn how to find a maximum value using the MAX function
 learn how to find a minimum value using the MIN function
 learn how to create more complex formulas
 learn how to perform What If testing using the formulas in a
worksheet.

UNDERSTANDING FORMULAS
Formulas can be very simple, very complex, or between numbers, words, and formulas unless you
somewhere in between. Excel, however, must specifically tell it? And one other thing, you’ll also
know when you are entering a formula in a cell, need to understand some basic maths theories
after all, how can it discern the difference before proceeding to more complex formulas.

How Formulas Work 1

In Excel every formula that you create MUST start
with an equal sign ( = ). This is a trigger to Excel.
When Excel sees you start a cell entry with an
equal sign it immediately knows that you are
about to enter a formula that will perform a
calculation.
For instance, if you type 5+6 in a cell, as shown in 2
example 1, Excel will display 5+6 in that cell. It
doesn’t know what else to do with it.
However, if you type =5+6 in a cell, as shown in
example 2, Excel will display 11 in that cell in the
worksheet. In the formula bar at the top of the
worksheet it will actually display =5+6 whenever
that cell is the active cell. 3
So far, so good. But really, what use is there in
typing =5+6 in a cell? If you next need to know
what 6+6 will equal you will need to do some
tricky cell editing to change the formula, or retype
the formula completely.

Formulas in Excel actually work like an illusion – a magician’s trick performed with mirrors! Instead
of typing numbers into a formula, you type the numbers in their own cells, then type the cell
addresses that refer to those numbers in the formula.
In example 3, the value 5 has been typed into B2, the value 6 has been typed into B3, and the
formula =B2+B3 has been typed into B4.
This might seem like a lot more typing than you might otherwise do, but the real gain lies in the
functionality of what is done here. For example, if you need to know what 6 plus 6 equals, you
simply type 6 in B2, and the formula in B4 will instantly update to show you the answer.
This occurs because Excel interprets the formula shown in B4 as this cell should equal whatever is
in B2 plus whatever is in B3. Whenever something new is typed into one of the two referenced
cells this formula is immediately recalculated and provides the latest result.

Rules For Using Formulas

Excel follows the BODMAS rules of arithmetic to determine the order in which calculations in any
given formula are performed. The order is – Brackets Of, then Division, then Multiplication, then
Addition, then Subtraction.
So the equation 3 + 2 x 10 could equal either 50 or 23. Using BODMAS the correct answer is 23: 2
x 10 = 20 + 3 = 23.
Computers do not have the standard arithmetic symbols that we are accustomed to. The keys on
the keyboard that you will use to perform the following basic arithmetic operations are shown
below.
Addition Subtraction
Multiplication Division

CREATING FORMULAS THAT ADD

In Excel you can create formulas by typing avoid typing errors in your formulas. In this exercise
them directly into the cells, or by pointing to the you will use the pointing method to create a
cells. When pointing to a cell, Excel types the cell formula that adds the gross pays for Alpheius
address into the formula for you. This helps to Global Enterprises.

2
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E810

Formulas_1.xlsx...

Click on cell E15 where we

 need to add up all of the gross
pays
Type = to start the formula
 3
Click on cell E8 and type +
 (the plus sign)
The E8 cell reference will be
added to the formula and the
active cell pointer will jump
back down to E15 ready for
the next cell reference – the
formula is actually being typed
as you point to the cells…
4
Repeat step 3 for each cell
 from E9 to E12
Remember to press + after
you click in each cell…
Click on cell E13 (but don’t
 type + because there are no
more cells to add)
Press to complete the
 formula 6

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To create a formula using the pointing method: • The pointing technique is great to use, as
1. Click on the cell to hold the addition you can actually see the formula being built
on the screen for you.
2. Type = then click on each of the desired
cells (typing + after all except for the last)
3. Press

CREATING FORMULAS THAT SUBTRACT

There are many different types of formulas that subtract one value from another. Because it is
can be written in Excel. Virtually any type of usual to include cell references in the formula,
mathematical operation can be performed. As when any values change so to do the formula
well as addition, you can create formulas that results.

3
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous file
Same
File

with this exercise, or open the

file E810 Formulas_2.xlsx...

Click on the Subtraction

 worksheet tab at the bottom of
your screen to make it the
active worksheet
Click in cell G8 where we need 4
 to calculate Angelo Marcuzzo’s
Net Pay
Type = to start the formula, then
 click on the gross pay value in
cell E8
Type - (the minus sign) to
 indicate that you wish to
subtract from this value, then
click on the tax value in cell F8 6
Press to complete the
 formula
We can now fill this formula
down for the other staff…
Click on cell G8, then hover
 over the small black square at
the bottom right of the cell until
the mouse pointer changes to a
thin cross 8
Drag down to cell G15 then
 release the mouse button
Click in cell G14 and press
 to delete the unwanted formula

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To create a subtraction formula: • You can mix various arithmetic signs in a
1. Click on the cell to hold the subtraction formula to create more complex formulas.
For example you can have a complex
2. Type = then click in the first cell
formula that adds specific values and
3. Type - (minus sign) then click on the cell to subtracts others.
subtract
4. Press

FORMULAS THAT MULTIPLY AND DIVIDE

Basic formulas involve the same types of one formula as much and as often as you need.
arithmetical operations within the one calculation However, you should always keep in mind the
– that is, addition, subtraction, multiplication, or basic rules of BODMAS, especially where division
division. You can mix these operations within the is concerned.

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous file
Same
File

with this exercise, or open the

file E810 Formulas_3.xlsx...

In this exercise we’ll calculate

the superannuation payable for
employees, which is 9% of
their gross pay. The logic is:
3
gross x super rate
gross x 9 divided by 100
gross x (9 / 100)
Note that the brackets are for
readability only and won’t affect
the calculation…
Click on the More Complex
 worksheet tab to ensure that it
is the active worksheet, then 5
click in H8 which is where we
will calculate Angelo’s super
Type = to start the formula,
 click in E8 then type *(9/100)
Press to complete the
 formula
We’ll fill down now…
Click in H8 then hover over the 6
 fill handle at the bottom right of
the cell until the cell pointer
changes to a thin cross
Click and drag down to H13

Repeat steps 4 and 5 to fill H15
 from G15

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To create a formula that multiplies or divides: • More complex formulas can be managed
1. For multiplication, separate the variables using brackets. For example, if you want to
with an asterisk (*) multiply two numbers then divide them by the
product of another two numbers, enclose
2. For division, separate the variables with a
both multiplication parts of the equation in
forward slash (/)
brackets separated by a division sign. For
example, (A*B)/(C*D).

UNDERSTANDING FUNCTIONS
Imagine having to create a formula that time consuming to develop. This is the role of
calculated the monthly payments on a loan, or hundreds of arithmetic functions that have been
the average of over 100 cells – these would pre-programmed into Excel for you.
require complex or long formulas that would be

1 Functions Overview
Functions are simply pre-programmed formulas already provided for you in Excel which can perform
calculations covering a wide range of categories including statistics, date and time arithmetic,
financial calculations, lists, engineering and much more.
Just like normal formulas that you create, functions must start with an equal sign. The equal sign is
then followed by the specific name of the function (usually a descriptive name which indicates the
purpose of the function). Most functions also require additional information known as arguments
which are supplied to the function in brackets after the function name. Functions are therefore
written as follows:
=name(arguments)
The arguments are quite often cell or range references that contain values that can be used in the
function. For example, the most common function is the SUM function which, as its name suggests,
is used to sum or add values together. If you wanted to add all of the values in the cells from B10 to
D15 you would write this function as:
=SUM(B10:D15)
As you can see this is much simpler than writing your own referential formula which would look like:
=B10+B11+B12+B13+B14+B15+D10+D11+D12+D13+D14+D15
Imagine writing and proofing a formula where you had to add 200 cells!
2 Typing Functions
If you are familiar with the function that you need you can type it into a cell exactly the same way you
type any other formula. If you are not sure if Excel has a function or you can’t quite remember how it
is written you can use the Insert Function tool on the formula bar to assist you. When you click
on this tool the Insert Function dialog box will be presented to you which lists the most recently
used or common functions and also allows you to search for other functions that you might need.

The Insert Function dialog box will also type the function out for you and then provide you with a
further dialog box to guide you through the process of specifying the arguments that the function
needs to perform its calculation.

USING THE SUM FUNCTION TO ADD

One of the most used functions is the SUM type the function and then use the pointing
function. This function allows you to add the technique to fill in the arguments. Excel then paints
values in a range of cells. The function is written marquees around the cells involved helping you to
as =SUM(range or ranges to add). You can track your progress.

1
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E810

Formulas_4.xlsx...

Click on B9 then type =sum(

 to start the formula
Click on B6 to point to this cell
 as the start, hold down the
key and click on B8
Notice the relative addressing 2
details, 3R x 1C, that appears
in the tool tip…
Type ) and press to
 complete the function
Click on B9, then move the
 mouse pointer to the fill handle
on the lower right corner of the
cell and drag across to E9 to
fill function across the range
Click on the Copy command
 on the Clipboard group on
7

the Home tab

 Click on B14, hold down

and then click on cells B19
and B24

 Release and press

to paste equivalent functions
into the worksheet

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To type a sum function for a contiguous range: • You can also use the Sum command in the
1. Type =sum( Editing group on the Home tab of the
Ribbon to have Excel automatically enter a
2. Select the range of cells
sum function based on a range of cells.
3. Type )
• You can type the name of a function in upper
4. Press or lowercase – it is not case sensitive.

SUMMING NON-CONTIGUOUS RANGES

Many users simply use the SUM function to add from one or more ranges within a worksheet. The
a continuous block of data – known as a range ability to sum non-contiguous ranges of data helps
but you can do more if you know how. With Excel you to increase the level of functionality of your
you can write a SUM function that adds up data worksheet.

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous file
Same
File

with this exercise, or open the

file E810 Formulas_5.xlsx...

Click on B26 and type =sum(

 to start the formula
Click on B9, type , (comma),
 and click in cells B14, B19 and
B24 – typing , (comma) after
3

each cell except the last one

Press to complete the
 function, then click on B26
again
Oops! We didn't add a right
bracket. Excel adds the bracket
for you with functions that use 5
only one set of brackets. You
can also use multiple ranges in
a function...
Click on C26 and type =sum(

 Hold down and use the
mouse to select the following
ranges
C6:C8 C16:C18
C11:C13 C21:C23
Press then click on C26

Move the mouse pointer to the
 fill handle and drag to E26 to
copy the function across

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To type a sum function for a non-contiguous • The big problem with typing a function is that
range: there is more chance of making a typing
1. Type =sum( mistake. Excel actually has some in-built
error checking, called Formula
2. Click on the first cell to sum
AutoCorrect, that can correct up to 15 of the
3. Type , and click in the next cell to sum most common mistakes users make (e.g. the
4. Type ) then press right bracket to finish a function.

CALCULATING AN AVERAGE
The AVERAGE function allows you to average average function can be applied using the
the values in a range of cells. It is written in much Functions Wizard; a part of Excel that steps you
the same way as the SUM function, for example, through the process of creating a function, or you
=AVERAGE(range of cells to average). The can type it in yourself if you are comfortable with it.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous file
Same
File

with this exercise, or open the file

E810 Formulas_6.xlsx...

Click on B29 then click on the

 Insert Function tool to
display the Insert Function
dialog box
Click on AVERAGE in Select a
 function then click on [OK] to
display the Function Arguments
dialog box
Click on the Range Selector tool
 for Number1 to roll up the
wizard, then hold down and
select the following ranges
B6:B8 B16:B18
B11:B13 B21:B23

 Press to complete the

range specifications, then click
on [OK] to complete the process
Let’s use the AutoSum function…

Click on B34, then click on the

 drop arrow for Sum in the
Editing group, on the Home tab
and select Average

 Click on B9, hold down and

click on B14, B19 and B24, then
press to complete the
formula

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To insert an average function: • You can type queries like “How do I work out
1. Click in the cell then click on the Insert the monthly payment for a car loan?” into the
Function tool Search box in the Insert Function dialog
box. Once you have selected a function from
2. Click on AVERAGE in Select a function the Select a function list, the Function
3. Insert the required ranges then click on Arguments dialog box will help you to enter
[OK] the values into the function.

FINDING A MAXIMUM VALUE

When reviewing a long list of numbers it is is written in much the same way as the SUM
sometimes difficult to see which is the largest function: =MAX(range of cells). The function can
value in the list. The MAX function allows you to either be typed into the worksheet or entered using
extract the highest value from a range of cells. It the Function Wizard.

3
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous file
Same
File

with this exercise, or open the file

E810 Formulas_7.xlsx...

Click on B30, then click on the

 Insert Function tool to
display the Insert Function
dialog box
Click on the drop arrow for Or
 select a category and click on
All
4
Scroll down and click on MAX in
 Select a function, then click on
[OK] to display the Function
Arguments dialog box
Click on the Range Selector tool
 for Number1, then hold down
and select the ranges:
B6:B8 B16:B18
B11:B13 B21:B23

 Press to complete the range

specifications, then click on [OK]
to complete the process
Click on B35, then click on the
 drop arrow for the Sum command
in the Editing group, then
select Max

 Click on B9, hold down and

click on B14, B19 and B24, then
7

press to complete the

formula

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To insert a maximum function: • The MAX function is ideal for charting high
1. Click in the cell then click on the Insert points over a seasonal period. For example,
Function tool you may have monthly sales figures and use
a MAX function to display the maximum each
2. Click on MAX in Select a function month. This series can then be charted to
3. Insert the required ranges then click on show the high points in the sales.
[OK]

FINDING A MINIMUM VALUE

The Minimum or MIN function allows you to The function can be applied using the Function
extract the lowest value from a range of values. It Wizard, or by typing the function in detail directly
is written in much the same way as the SUM into the cell.
function or MAX function: =MIN(range of cells).

4
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous file
Same
File

with this exercise, or open the

file E810 Formulas_8.xlsx...

Click on B31 then click on the

 Insert Function tool to
display the Insert Function
dialog box
Click on the drop arrow for
 Or select a category and click
on Statistical
Scroll down and click on MIN in
 Select a function then click on
[OK] to display the Function
Arguments dialog box
Click on the Range Selector
 tool to roll up the wizard,
6
then hold down and select
the following ranges:
B6:B8 B16:B18
B11:B13 B21:B23

Press to complete the

 range specifications, then click
on [OK] to complete the process
Let’s simply type the function
this time…
7
Click on B36 and type
 =MIN(B9,B14,B19,B24)
Press to complete the
 formula

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To insert a minimum function: • You might use a MIN function in real life to
1. Click in the cell then click on the Insert find the lowest value in a large range of
Function tool numbers. For example, in a large inventory it
can be used to work out which product is the
2. Click on MIN in Select a function slowest seller.
3. Insert the required ranges then click on
[OK]

MORE COMPLEX FORMULAS

Out in the real world, you will find that you are rule that reminds you of the order in which Excel
often faced with creating formulas that need to performs its calculations is BODMAS: Brackets Of,
add, subtract, multiply, divide, and so on, all in then Division, then Multiplication, then Addition,
the same formula. Don’t be daunted. The one then Subtraction.

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous file
Same
File

with this exercise, or open the file

E810 Formulas_9.xlsx...

Click on the Multiplication &

 Addition worksheet tab
Let’s create a formula that
determines the average number
of hours worked by each
employee and then calculate how 4
much the weekly payroll would be
if all employees were earning
$22.50 per hour.
So we need to add the total
hours, then divide by the number
of employees (6), then multiply by
the new hourly rate, then multiply
by the number of employees
again. Considering BODMAS, the
order is fine except for the initial
addition, which will have to be
enclosed in brackets…
Click on C15 then click on the
 Sum command in the Editing
group
Click on C14 in the Formula Bar 5
 and change it to C13, then press

Click on C15 again, click

 immediately to the right of C13)
then type /6*22.50*6
Press to complete the
 formula – hey it’s pretty close to
the current gross pay

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To create complex formulas: • The Evaluate Formula command in the
1. Plan your formula Formula Auditing group in the Formula
2. Type your formula keeping in mind that ribbon tab is handy for checking complex
Excel solves all bracketed operations first, formulas. It will display the formula in an
then completes the remaining operations in Evaluate Formula dialog box which allows
the order of division, multiplication, addition you to step through each part of the formula
and finally subtraction. to see how it works.

WHAT IF FORMULAS
When you’ve added formulas to your worksheet that is dependent on it will update instantly. This
you have a calculation model. Every time you allows you to perform what-if testing. For example,
change one of the dependent values that are you can enter what if formulas that answer
used in a formula, that formula, and every one questions like ‘what if inflation goes up by 2%?’.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous file
Same
File

with this exercise, or open the

file E810 Formulas_10.xlsx...

Click on the Summary

 worksheet tab and make a
mental note of the values here
Click on the More Complex tab
 to display the worksheet, then
click in cell C8 which contains
the hours for Angelo Marcuzzo
Type 37 and press

Notice how the formulas update
the values in row 15 as you
change the dependent data…
Click on the hours for the other
 employees and type the new
values as shown
Click on the Summary
 worksheet tab to return to the
Summary worksheet
4

The values will have been 5

automatically recalculated to
reflect the changes

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To use a formula for what-if testing: Excel has three different functions that can be
1. Change the value in the cell that is applied for what-if testing:
referenced by a formula • SUMIF calculates a total amount based on a
2. Evaluate the changed results in the formula single condition.
results cell • COUNTIF counts the number of times a
value appears in a range of cells.
• IF is used for either/or scenarios.

NOTES:

CHAPTER 6 COPYING DATA

INFOCUS

LV1_E806

There will be many occasions when working with workbooks where

you will need to duplicate data such as text, numbers, and even
formulas. This process is commonly known as copy and paste.
However, while the techniques for copying and pasting data are
essentially the same for all computer software products, Excel does
have some quirky aspects that you will need to become comfortable
and familiar with.

In this session you will:

 gain an understanding of how the copying process works in

Excel
 learn how to use the fill technique for quick copying
 learn how to copy from one cell to another
 learn how to copy from one cell to a range
 learn how to copy from many cells to many cells
 learn how to copy relative formulas
 learn how to copy formulas to a non-contiguous range.

UNDERSTANDING COPYING IN EXCEL

Copying allows you to make a duplicate of your number of ways that copying can be approached.
data – to repeat what you have already done. However, before you can begin, there are four
Copying is really easy once you have mastered tricks that you will have to get your head around –
the basics. The problem is that there are a and once there, you too will agree that it’s easy.

Trick 1: The Copying Operation

There are three basic types of
copying operations that you can
perform as shown. You can copy:
• from one cell to another cell
• from one cell to many other cells
• from many cells to many other
cells

Trick 2: Source and Destination

The copying process requires you to work with two distinct parts of the worksheet: the cell or range
that contains the original data (known as the source range), and the cell or range where the data
should be copied to (known as the destination range).

Trick 3: Copying Technique

In Excel you can copy data with:
• the Fill operation which allows you to copy to adjacent cells
• the Office Clipboard
• the Copy and the Paste commands in the Clipboard group on the Home tab of the
Ribbon
• the Copy and Paste commands on a shortcut menu (which is accessed by clicking with the
right mouse button)
• the keyboard alternatives of + for copying and + for pasting
• the drag and drop technique

Trick 4: The Pasting Operation

Excel uses a different paste operation to most other Windows applications.
Once an area of the worksheet has been selected and copied into the clipboard, the data can be
either entered or pasted into another location. Pressing actually enters the data and removes
the source from the clipboard. The various Paste operations place the data in the location, but
retain the source in the clipboard so that it can be copied to other locations.

To Sum It All Up…

With these tricks in mind the copying process generally requires you to:
1. Work out what type of copy you are doing (one to one, one to many, or many to many)
2. Select the cell or range that contains the original data (the source range)
3. Choose the appropriate copying command
4. Select the cell or range that you want to copy the data to (the destination range)
5. Choose the appropriate paste command or operation

USING FILL FOR QUICK COPYING

One of the easiest ways to copy data is to use will fill the cells that you drag through with data. It
the fill technique. At the bottom right of the may simply be a copy of what was in the original
active cell you’ll find a small square known as the cell, or a specially calculated series of values such
fill handle. When you drag the fill handle Excel as the days of the week, numbers, and so on.

2
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file

E806 Copying_1.xlsx...

Click on B4 and type Month


Move the mouse pointer to
 the fill handle in the lower
right corner of the cell until 3
the mouse pointer changes
to a thin black cross
Hold down the left mouse
 button, and drag right until
you reach G4, then release
the mouse button
Excel will copy the text
across to the cells in the
range…
4
Click on B4 and type Month
 1, then click on the fill
handle and drag it to G4
This time Excel has copied
and filled the cells with a
series of different values…
Click on B4 and type Jan,
 then click on the fill handle
and drag it to G4
Excel has filled the cells 5
with another series – this
time the months of the year

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To copy using fill: • The only negative of the Fill operation in
1. Hover over the fill handle until the mouse Excel is that you can only fill to cells that are
pointer becomes a black cross adjacent to the original cell. However, for
most worksheets that are based on tables of
2. Click and drag with the mouse to the
data this is perfect.
adjacent cells

COPYING FROM ONE CELL TO ANOTHER

If you intend to copy to non-adjacent locations into the clipboard using either the Copy tool in the
you must use one of a variety of copying Clipboard group on the Home tab, the keystroke
techniques. The general procedure is to select sequence of + , or a shortcut menu.
the cell that you wish to copy and to then paste it

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise, or open

the file E806 Copying_2.xlsx...

Click on A6 to select the cell


 Click on the Copy tool
the Clipboard group on the
in

Home tab
Notice that A6 now appears 3
with a dotted border (known as
a marquee) around it…
Click on A15 which is the
 location in which the value will
be copied to – the destination
cell
Press to paste a copy of
 the text into the destination
location
Notice that the marquee now
vanishes. This is because the
copy operation has been
finalised by pressing the
4
key

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To copy from one cell to another: • The marquee is actually quite useful in that it
1. Click on the cell to copy then click on the shows you what you are about to copy.
Copy tool (or press + )
2. Click on the destination cell and press
to complete the copying and pasting
operation

COPYING FROM ONE CELL TO A RANGE

Copying data from one cell to more than one or for copying one formula to many other locations
other cell (a range) is the most common of all to quickly calculate the required results.
copying operations. It is often used for copying
one word to many locations, such as a heading,

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise, or open

the file E806 Copying_3.xlsx...

Click on A6 to select the cell


 Click on the Copy tool
the Clipboard group on the
in

Home tab
Notice that A6 now appears
with a dotted border (known as 3
a marquee) around it…
Click on A15 to select it, hold
 down and click on A18 to
select the range A15:A18
Press to paste a copy of
 the text into each cell in the
destination range
Notice that the marquee now
vanishes. This is because the
copy operation has been
finalised by pressing
4

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To copy from one cell to a range: • When you copy from the source cell the
1. Click on the cell to copy then click on the formatting is also copied across as a default.
Copy tool (or press + )
2. Select the destination range and press
to complete the copying and pasting
operation

COPYING FROM ONE RANGE TO ANOTHER

With a one-to-one or one-to-many copy to-many copy you specify more than one source
operation you specify one or more cells as the cell. This source is in a range of cells that has a
destination. The data in the source cell is then shape. You copy this shape to a new location that
copied into the destination cell(s). With a many only needs to be specified with a starting cell.

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise, or open

the file E806 Copying_4.xlsx...

Click on A6, hold down

 and click on A9 to select the
city names in the range A6:A9

 Click on the Copy tool

the Clipboard group on the
in

Home tab 3
Notice that the marquee
appears around the range, to
indicate what is being copied…
Click on A15 which is the
 starting point for the
destination range
Press to paste a copy of
 the text from the four cells of
the source range, to the four
cells commencing from the
anchor cell A15

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To copy many cells to many cells: • The trick to the many-to-many copy
1. Select the range to copy, then click on the operation lies in the way that you specify the
Copy tool (or press + ) destination location. If you were to specify
more than one cell as the destination, then to
2. Click in the first cell of the destination which cell(s) should Excel copy the data? It
range can’t copy the whole block to every cell in the
3. Press destination.

COPYING RELATIVE FORMULAS

You can copy a formula to another cell when it cells and add the values down four cells) rather
references cell addresses because, by default, than the exact cell addresses. Excel then updates
Excel uses relative addressing. This means that the cell references in the destination location
Excel copies the formula shape (e.g. go up five according to the shape of the formula.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise, or open

the file E806 Copying_5.xlsx...

Click on B11, then click on the

 Copy tool in the
Clipboard group
Click on C11 and press
 to paste a copy of the formula
in C11
Click on B11 to see the
 original formula in the formula
bar – it shows =SUM(B6:B10)
2

Click on the Formulas tab in

 the Ribbon, and click on
Trace Precedents in the
Formula Auditing group to
see the cells that this formula
uses
This represents the “shape” of
the formula…
Click on C11 and repeat step 4
 to see its shape
Notice that the shape of this 5
formula is identical to the one
in B11. The copy works here
because the shapes of the
formulas are identical…
Click on Remove Arrows in
 the Formula and Auditing
group

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To copy a formula to an adjacent cell: • The process of copying formulas as shown is
1. Click on the cell formula to copy sometimes known as relative copying – the
formulas are copied and adjusted relative to
2. Click on the Copy tool in the the original shape of the formula.
Clipboard group
3. Click on the destination cell and press

COPYING TO A NON-CONTIGUOUS RANGE

Who said that destination cells had to be side by D10) are said to be non-contiguous and can be
side? Excel allows you to copy to more than one selected using the key.
location in the same operation. A group of cells
that aren’t joined together (such as A7, C23 and

4
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous file
Same
File

with this exercise, or open the

file E806 Copying_6.xlsx...

Click on B11, then click on the

 Copy tool in the Clipboard
group on the Home tab
Click on D11, hold down
 and click on G11

 While holding down , click

on B20 and drag the mouse to
G20 6

Two different ranges will now be

selected…
Press to paste the relative
 formula to these ranges
Click on H6, then click on the
 Copy tool

 Click on H7, hold down and

click on H8, H9, H11, H15, H16,
H17, H18, and H20, then press

Select the range B22:B24 then

 click on the Copy tool
Click on C22, hold down
 and click on H24
Press to complete the
 operation
9

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To copy a formula to a non-contiguous range: • Some formulas require absolute cell
1. Click on the cell formula to copy references. Don’t forget that, by default,
copying and pasting formulas uses relative
2. Click on the Copy tool referencing.
3. While holding down , click on the
destination cells, then press

CHAPTER 7 FORMULA REFERENCING

INFOCUS

LV1_E811

Formulas provide the key to working successfully with Microsoft

Excel. When you create a formula you write it using cell references
rather than actual hard-coded values – this is how spreadsheeting
works.
It is important to fully understand and comprehend this concept to
be able to exploit the full potential of Microsoft Excel. There are
indeed also some potential traps that you can fall into with cell
referencing if you don’t take enough care.

In this session you will:

 gain an understanding of relative and absolute cell

addressing in formulas
 learn how to confidently create relative formulas in a
worksheet
 learn how to identify potential problems with relative
formulas
 learn how to create absolute references in a formula
 learn how to create mixed references.

ABSOLUTE VERSUS RELATIVE REFERENCING

Excel is a calculation tool and as such is geared entered using cell referencing, a shape is created
around the concept of formulas. Formulas are and it is this shape which determines where Excel
entered into a worksheet using cell references goes to pick up values for use in the calculation.
rather than actual values. Each time a formula is

1 Understanding Formula Shapes

When you create a formula you don’t enter numbers into the formula – you enter cell references. This
creates a great time advantage when you need to duplicate that formula in other cells. Formulas are
merely shapes that reference cells in specific locations in the worksheet or workbook. In the example
below, say you have a formula in cell E5 that is written as =D5*C5. To Excel this is interpreted as a
shape that says “from my current position (E5) go left one cell (D5), take the value there and multiply it by
the value two cells left (C5)”. This becomes the formula shape – left one multiply by left two.
When this formula, or shape, is then copied or filled to adjacent cells it is the shape that is copied and
the cell references within those copied formulas change relative to the shape (which doesn’t change).
For example, if you copy =D5*C5 from E5 to E6 the formula in E6 changes to =D6*C6 – but the shape is
still – left one multiply by left two.
This is called relative referencing – because the cell address changes relative to the current location.

2 Absolute Referencing
There will be times however when one or more cell references in a formula are always required to be
located in a specific cell, row, or column. In the example below, sales tax of 10% is located in cell B4
and must always be referenced from B4. The sales tax for the dining table is calculated using the formula
=B8*B4 while the sales tax for the sofa is calculated using the formula =B9*B4. These are different
shapes and if you were to copy the formula from C8 (=B8*B4) to C9 it would copy the shape and the
formula would be =B9*B5 – which is wrong.

When dealing with cells in formulas that must be referenced from the same location, you must fix these
cell references by making them absolute. This is done by placing a $ sign in front of either or both the
row and column co-ordinate of the cell depending on which of these has to remain fixed (e.g. $B$4, $B4,
or B$4). In the example above, both row and column co-ordinates need to be fixed and the formula in C8
should be written as =B8*$B$4 before it can be copied to adjacent cells.

RELATIVE FORMULAS
Most of the formulas that you enter into a to change when the formulas are copied to other
worksheet, unless you are dealing with quite locations. This is particularly true of columnar
complex mathematical modelling, will be relative worksheets where there is a series of columns that
formulas where the cell references will be able all have the same shape and structure.

2
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E811

Absolute_1.xlsx...

Click on B9 to make it the

 active cell

 Click on the Sum command

in the Editing group on the
4
Home tab of the Ribbon to
commence a formula in the cell
Press to complete the
 formula
Click on B9 again, and drag the
 small square handle (the fill
handle) at the bottom right
corner of the cell to E9
This will copy the formula
shape from B9 to E9… 6
Click in cell F6 to make it the
 active cell

 Click on the Sum command

in the Editing group to
commence a formula in this cell
Press to complete the
 formula
Click on F6 again, and drag the 8
 fill handle to F9
This will copy the formula
shape from F6 to F9

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To create a relative formula: • The formulas that we created above copied
1. Click on the cell in which you want the successfully and correctly because the same
formula formula shape is used in each of the cells in
which the formula was copied – this is the
2. Type or enter the formula and ensure that
real benefit of relative formulas.
the formula contains references to other cells

PROBLEMS WITH RELATIVE FORMULAS

Copying formulas can present problems when column – that is, the formula must include an
the shape of the formula varies from cell to cell. absolute cell reference. In this exercise you will
This can occur when one or more values in a see some strange values when you copy a formula
formula must be located in a specific cell, row, or to other cells using the default copying method.

2
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E811

Absolute_2.xlsx...

Click on C11 where we need

 to calculate the product’s
surcharge
Type =B11*B5
 3
Notice the shape of the
formula, as indicated by the
highlighted cells…
Press to complete the
 formula
Okay, now we can copy (or
perhaps fill, as the destination
cells are adjacent) to the other
cells…
Click on C11 again

Move the mouse pointer to the
 fill handle at the lower right
corner of the cell and drag
down to cell C22
Yuk! The results are
meaningless!

Handy to Know…
• So what has gone wrong with the formulas above? The whole problem hinges on the fact that each of
the formulas in column C uses a different shape from the other formulas. For example, the first formula
in C11 is =B11*B5. The shape of this formula is one left, then six up and one left.
• The second formula in C12 has become =B12*B6 because it uses the same shape as the originating
formula in C11. In reality the formula should be =B12*B5. All of the formulas above must reference the
Head Office Surcharge of 12% which is in cell B5 – that is, the cell reference must be absolute.

CREATING ABSOLUTE REFERENCES

There will be times when you need to create a references absolute. A cell reference in a formula
formula which references cells that must remain is made absolute by preceding its row coordinate or
the same even when it is copied around the its column coordinate or both with a $ sign.
worksheet. That is, you will need to make the cell

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise, or open

the file E811 Absolute_3.xlsx...

Click on cell C11 then click on

 the B5 reference of the
formula in the Formula bar at
the top of the screen

 Press the Absolute key

several times and notice how
the reference cycles through 2
various $ sign configurations.
Press the Absolute key
until B5 appears as $B$5
Press to complete the
 editing
Click on C11, move the mouse
 pointer to the fill handle at the
bottom right of the cell, and
drag down to C22 to fill the
formulas down – successfully
this time
4

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To make a cell reference absolute: • To make a row reference absolute, press
1. Press to insert $ before the row and twice to insert $ before the row reference
column references, or type $ before each only. To make a column reference absolute,
To remove absolute references: press three times to insert $ before the
column reference only.
1. Press until all $ are removed, or delete
the $ from the formula

CREATING MIXED REFERENCES

Sometimes problems with formulas are more three price lists. Because we will copy the formula
subtle. This often occurs when the cell reference both across columns and down rows, we will need
only needs part of its coordinates locked in place. to apply only partial absolution to the cell
In this exercise we will use a formula to create references used in the formulas.

2
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E811

Absolute_4.xlsx...

Click on E11 and type

 =D11-(D11*E9) and press

Use the mouse pointer to fill

 down to E22 then across to
G22 – we’ve got problems!
Click on E11 then click on the
 first D11 reference in the
formula in the Formula bar

 Press three times until the

reference appears as $D11 4
Click on the second D11
 reference in the formula bar
and press three times until
the reference appears as $D11
Click on the E9 reference in
 the formula bar, press
twice until the reference
appears as E$9 then press
6

Click on E11 then use the

 mouse pointer to fill down to
E22 and across to G22

Handy to Know…
• In this scenario we created a formula to calculate a discounted product price. As we copy the formula
to the right it picks up the wrong original product price. Then, as we copy the formula down it may,
depending upon which column it is in, pick up the correct product price, but it then doesn't pick up the
correct discount percentage. So, as we copy the formula across we need to ensure that the column
coordinate pointing to the original product price is locked, but that the row is free to change as we
copy down: =$D11-($D11*E9). However, the discount percentage is always in row 9. Therefore the
formula needs to be further modified: =$D11-($D11*E$9).

CHAPTER 8 FONT FORMATTING

INFOCUS

LV1_E812

A worksheet or workbook that is simply screens and screens of

plain text and numbers can be, to say the least, dead boring. You
can greatly improve the readability of your worksheets, emphasising
key data and perhaps downplaying less-than-glamorous data, by
formatting the cells in the worksheet and changing the look, feel,
colour, and size of the fonts.
In computer jargon formatting means changing the appearance of
data without changing the underlying value of it. Excel provides a
rich array of tools for jazzing up your worksheets.

In this session you will:

 gain an understanding of what font formatting is and how

best to use it in your work
 learn how to use Live Preview to preview formatting
 learn how to change fonts in a workbook
 learn how to change the size of fonts in a worksheet
 learn how to increase and decrease the size of fonts
incrementally
 learn how to make cells and ranges bold
 learn how to italicise text
 learn how to underline text in a cell
 learn how to change the colour of fonts in cells
 learn how to change the background, or fill, colour of
cells
 learn how to use the Format Painter tool to copy
formatting.

UNDERSTANDING FONT FORMATTING

Font formatting refers to the process of comprehend, and generally more appealing to look
changing the appearance of the numbers and at than just a series of bland numbers and words.
text in your worksheet. Font formatting can be Font formatting can also be used to draw attention
used to make your data easier to read and to or away from key elements in your worksheet.

Font Formatting
Font is a general computer term and refers to the style, size and even colour of the text and
numbers in your worksheet. There are many different font styles available and they have been given
all sorts of names such as Calibri, Arial, Bodoni, Rockwell, Script, and the like. No matter what you
type into a worksheet it will need to have a font style – the default, if you don’t choose anything else,
in Excel 2007 is Calibri. Font styles are installed on your computer and are available to any
application, including Microsoft Excel, that you should choose to use.
In addition to the style of font you can also change its size, making it bigger or smaller as required,
and generally its colour. Finally, many font styles have attributes such as bolding, italics and
underlining that can also be applied.

The Tools for Formatting Fonts

Font formatting is done using the normal point and shoot methodology of Excel – in other words, you
select the cell or range to change, then make the changes. You can make font formatting changes in
a variety of ways. You can change the fonts by:
• using the commands in the Font group on the Home tab of the Ribbon
• using the options on the Font tab of the Format Cells dialog box
• right-clicking and using the mini-toolbar that appears with the shortcut menu.
It doesn’t much matter which of these tools you use to apply your formatting although you will find
occasion to use a variety of them since not all of the options can be found entirely in one of these
locations.

Simple Rules for Font Formatting

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and so is the visual effect created by your font formatting. You
should by all means use font formatting to change the appearance of your worksheet but you need
to be aware of what type of impact this will have on the reader of your work. There are a few general
rules of formatting that apply to font formatting:
• Just because you’ve learnt how to change font styles, don’t go overboard and have a whole lot
of different font styles in the one worksheet. This simply visually confuses your reader and
draws attention away from your work.
• Use colour and bolding to accentuate your work. For example, if you need to highlight negative
values change them to red.
• Take care with too much colour. Some colours will not print well in black and white. If you are
going to print your data in black and white use colour sparingly and stick with bolding as a way
to accentuate.

WORKING WITH LIVE PREVIEW

Live Preview helps you to apply the right font test drive effects until you find the one you want
formatting effect the first time, every time, by and select it. Live Preview changes the
displaying a preview of the effect before it is appearance of your text as you point to a font
actually applied. It gives you the chance to formatting option in a gallery or list.

1
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open

you MUST open the file

File

E812 Font
Formatting_1.xlsx...

Click on cell B4, hold down

 the key and click on
cell F4 to select the
headings in the worksheet 3
Click on the drop arrow for
 the Font command
in the Font
group on the Home tab, to
display a gallery of available
fonts
Point (but don’t click) to a
 few fonts and notice how the
selected range in the
worksheet changes to
preview that font

 Click on the drop arrow

again to close the list
without selecting an option
at this stage

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To work with Live Preview: • Live Preview works mostly with most
1. Select the text that you want to modify formatting commands that display a list or
gallery of options for you. It is designed to
2. Point to the option on the Ribbon that you
help you choose by showing you what the
want to preview
selected area would look like with a particular
option from the list or gallery.

CHANGING FONTS
The appearance that you choose for your text is Excel 2010, font just refers to the typeface or
referred to as the font or typeface. Font shape of the letters. Typical classic fonts include
traditionally refers to a combination of typeface, Times New Roman, Arial, Century Gothic and
style and size in points (e.g. Arial Bold 12 pt). In Copperplate.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or open

File

the file E812 Font

Formatting_1.xlsx...

Click in cell A1 to make the

 main heading the active cell
Click on the drop arrow for
 Font in the Font
group on the Home tab to 4
display a gallery of available
fonts
Point to Arial Narrow, then Book
 Antiqua, Garamond and Gill
Sans MT
If you don’t have these fonts,
try different ones. As you point
to each font, the preview will
change...
Scroll down to and click on
 Comics Sans MS, or another
font of your choice if you don’t
have this one
This time the font formatting
has changed in the cell and is
no longer just a preview – it
won’t change now unless you
make another font selection

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To apply font formatting: • You can jump directly to a font. For example,
1. Select the text if you want to preview Garamond, click on the
name of the font in the Font command and
2. Click on the drop arrow for Font
press . Excel will jump to the fonts that
3. Point to a font to preview it start with G and Live Preview will display the
4. Click on the font to apply it text temporarily. Keep typing the name until
you reach the font you want.

CHANGING FONT SIZE

One way that text can be emphasized is by be changed for small detailed items, such as
changing the size of the font. For example, if comments or a caption. Main headings in a
your normal text is 11 pt, you may like to make worksheet usually appear in a slightly larger font
the headings 13 pt or larger. Font size may also size than the rest of the data.

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous file
Same

with this exercise, or open the

File

file E812 Font

Formatting_2.xlsx...

Click on A1 to make the main

 heading the active cell
Click on the drop arrow for Font
 Size in the Font group on
the Home tab to display a
gallery of available sizes
Point to various sizes and notice
 how Live Preview shows you
how the heading will look
Click on 16 to change the
 heading to 16 pt 6

You can also change the font

size of parts of a document, and
you can use the Mini toolbar...
Click on cell A2

Click with the right-mouse button
 to display the mini-toolbar and
the shortcut menu
Click on the drop arrow for Font
 Size and click on 14
Click on cell A3 to hide the
 toolbar

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To change font size: • You may have noticed that the text didn’t
1. Select the cell or range that you want to change size when you used the mini toolbar
change until you actually clicked on a different font
size. This is because Live Preview doesn’t
2. Click on the drop arrow for Font Size
work with the mini toolbar.
3. Click on the required font size

GROWING AND SHRINKING FONTS

If you’re not exactly sure what font size you want Size use the font sizes listed under Font Size.
and you just know that you want to make the text Each time you click on either of these tools, the font
larger or smaller, you can grow or shrink the size will increase or decrease by the next sizing in
font. Increase Font Size and Decrease Font the gallery of sizes.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or

File

open the file E812 Font

Formatting_3.xlsx...

Click on cell B4, hold down

 and click on F4 to
select the range B4:F4 2
Click twice on the Increase
 Font Size tool in the
Font group to increase the
size of the headings to 14 pt
The size here increased
from 11 to 14 in accordance
with the steps of sizes in the
font size list (i.e. 9, 10, 11, 3
12, 14, 16, 18…)…
Click four times on the
 Decrease Font Size
tool in the Font group to
decrease the size of the
headings to 9 pt
Click on the Increase Font
 Size tool in the Font
4
group until the headings
increase to 12 pt

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To grow the font: • If you prefer to use the keyboard, you can
1. Select the text and click on Increase Font use the sequence: , , , to
Size until it reaches the required size increase font size and the sequence: ,
, , to shrink font size – what could be
To shrink the font:
easier?!
1. Select the text and click on Decrease Font
Size until it reaches the required size

MAKING CELLS BOLD

One of the most common ways of emphasising intensity of bold data draws the reader’s eye
data is to make it bold. Bold data is darker in directly to it so that they read the most important
appearance because the letters are thicker, but it information first. Like all formatting features, cells
retains the same shape as normal data. The must be selected before they can be made bold.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or open

File

the file E812 Font

Formatting_4.xlsx...

Click on A6, hold down

 and click on A9 to select the
range A6:A9
Click on the Bold tool in 4
 the Font group to make the
cells appear bold
Click on B9, hold down
 and click on F9 to select the
range B9:F9
Click on the selected range
 with the right mouse button to
display the mini toolbar and
the shortcut menu
Click on the Bold tool to
 bold the selected cells
Notice that the shortcut menu
disappears but the mini toolbar
remains as a ghostly
apparition as you hover about
the selected range…
Click on A1 to deselect the
 previous range
6

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To make data bold: • Bold text is created by replacing the original
1. Select the cell or range letters with a darker, thicker version of them.
Many typefaces, such as Times New Roman,
2. Click on Bold
have a series of typeface variations such as
normal, bold, italics and bold italics. When you
apply bold, Word replaces your normal
typeface with a bold version of it.

ITALICISING TEXT
Italic text is a variation of a typeface that slants to italics for product or scientific names, place
the right. It was originally based on calligraphy names, foreign words, quotations, etc. It is a softer
and is used to emphasise text for a variety of form of emphasis than bold, although both can be
special reasons. For example, you can use added together for even more dramatic effect.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous file
Same

with this exercise, or open the

File

file E812 Font

Formatting_5.xlsx...

Click on A6, hold down

 and click on A8 to select the
range A6:A8
2
 Click on the Italic tool in the
Font group to italicise the cells
Notice that the previous bolding
remains and that the commands
for bold and italics in the Ribbon
appear in a different colour to
indicate that these effects have
been applied to the selected
range…
Click on B4, hold down
 and click on F4 to select the
5
range B4:F4
Right-click on the selected
 range to display the mini toolbar
and the shortcut menu

 Click on the Italics tool

italicise the selected cells
to

Notice that the shortcut menu

disappears but the mini toolbar
remains as a ghostly apparition 6
as you hover about the selected
range…
Click on A1 to deselect the
 previous range

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To italicise text: • You can apply multiple effects (bolding,
1. Select the text italicising, underlining, etc) to cells and
ranges. The relevant command icons on the
2. Click on Italic Ribbon will change colour to indicate just
what effects have been applied.

UNDERLINING TEXT
An underline is one or more lines appearing a cell. Underlining applies a line directly under text
immediately below text in a cell. Now this may within a cell, whereas bordering applies a border
sound straightforward but in Excel it is easy to around all or one of the edges of a cell, not the text
confuse underlining with placing a border under within the cell.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or open

File

the file E812 Font

Formatting_6.xlsx...

Click on cell A1 to select the

 cell with the main heading
2
Click on the Underline tool
 in the Font group to underline
the text in A1
You can also underline just
part of the text within a cell…

 Click on the Underline tool

in the Font group to remove
the underlining from the text
Double click on the word
 Global in the formula bar to
select it
Click on the Underline tool
 in the Font group to underline
the word Global 4
Click on cell A3 to see the
 changes more clearly

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To underline text: • Underlining should be used sparingly in
1. Select the cell, range, or text worksheets because it makes text more
difficult to read.
2. Click on Underline
• If you click on the drop arrow for Underline
you will also have the options of
applying a double underline.

CHANGING FONT COLOURS

The colour of text in cells can be changed in the other font formatting features, less is more –
Excel. Colour can be used to reflect a corporate use too many colours and you will just confuse the
brand identity, to impart a mood or just to jazz a reader.
worksheet up a bit. With colour, as with many of

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or open

File

the file E812 Font

Formatting_7.xlsx...

Click on B4, hold down

 and click on F4 to select the
range B4:F4
Click on the drop arrow for
 Font Colour in the Font
2

group to display a swatch of

colours you can apply
Hover the mouse pointer over
 different colours and notice
how Live Preview displays the
text in the selected cells in the
various colours
Click on Purple in Standard
 Colours to change the colour
of the text, then click on A3 to
see the change more clearly
4

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To change text colour: • Once you have selected a colour, it will
1. Select the cell, range or text appear in the Font Colour tool . You can
2. Click on the drop arrow for Font Colour then click on the tool rather than the drop
arrow to apply the colour.
3. Click on the colour of your choice • You can remove a font colour by selecting
Automatic in the palette.

CHANGING BACKGROUND COLOURS

To make your worksheets more striking Excel headings across columns or down rows. In Excel
allows you to change the background colours jargon when you change the background colour of
of cells and ranges. This is particularly useful for a cell you are changing its fill colour.
highlighting key data or placing emphasis on

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or open

File

the file E812 Font

Formatting_8.xlsx...

Click on B4, hold down

 click on F4 to select the range
B4:F4
Click on the drop arrow for Fill
 Colour in the Font
2

group to display a swatch of

colours you can apply
Hover the mouse pointer over
 different colours and notice
how Live Preview displays the
background in the selected
cells in the various colours
Click on Red, Accent 2,
 Lighter 60% to change the
colour of the background (or
fill) to a pinky-red colour, then
click on A3 to see the changes
more clearly
4

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To change the background colour of cells: • You can clear background colouring using
1. Select the cell, range or text the No Fill option on the colour swatch, or
you can choose very specific colours by
2. Click on the drop arrow for Fill Colour clicking on the More Colours option.
3. Click on the colour of your choice

USING THE FORMAT PAINTER

The process of formatting text involves first laborious and difficult to reproduce exactly.
selecting the cells or text to be changed and then Fortunately, the Format Painter tool allows you to
applying the formatting. If you have a lot of copy the formatting from one cell or range to
changes to make, this can become quite another.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or open

File

the file E812 Font

Formatting_9.xlsx...

Click on cell B4 to select it –

 this has a background fill,
different coloured text, and a
slightly larger font than
standard 2
Click on the Format Painter
 tool in the Clipboard group
on the Home tab of the
Ribbon
The mouse pointer will change
to include a representation of a
paint brush. A marquee will
also appear around the cell or
range where the formatting is
being copied from…
4
Click and hold down the left
 mouse button on A6, then drag
the mouse to A8 to apply the
formatting to the range A6:A8
Click on A3 to see the
 changes more clearly

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To use the format painter: • If you double-click on the Format Painter
1. Select the cell or range to copy the you can keep pasting the format until you
formatting from press or click on the Format Painter
2. Click on the Format Painter again.
3. Select the text to be formatted • When you paste a format it will replace any
previous font formatting.

CHAPTER 9 CELL ALIGNMENT

INFOCUS

LV1_E813

Microsoft Excel provides you with a great number of options for

placing your data within a cell. These options determine how the
data within a cell will be aligned.

In this session you will:

 gain an understanding of the cell alignment options

available in Microsoft Excel
 learn how to align the contents of a cell to the right
 learn how to align data in a cell to the centre
 learn how to align text to the left in a cell
 learn how to rotate text in a worksheet
 learn how to indent cells in a worksheet.

UNDERSTANDING CELL ALIGNMENT

When creating a new worksheet or workbook it complexity to your decision making process, you
can sometimes be a tough call working out where also have a huge number of choices in terms of
to place your data. Do I start in row 1, do I start in where your data should appear within any given
column A, etc, etc? Well just to add even more cell. This is what cell alignment is all about.

Understanding Your Options

Basically your options when it comes to cell alignment can be broken up into 4 main parts:
horizontal and vertical alignment, orientation, wrapping, and merging.

1 Horizontal and Vertical Alignment

Data in a cell can be positioned horizontally
and vertically within the cell. There are three
horizontal alignments available – against the
left border, against the right border, and in
the centre. There are also three vertical
alignments available – against the top
border, against the bottom border, and in
the middle. The vertical and horizontal
alignments are not mutually exclusive and
can be mixed together. For example, you
can have text that appears aligned to the
right and aligned to the top border.

2 Orientation
Orientation refers to the rotation of data
within a cell. With the orientation you can
angle the data upwards or downwards,
display the data vertically down the cell, or
rotate it 90° up or down the cell (this is
sometimes referred to as sideways).
3 Wrapping
Wrapping is a process used in word
processors where long sentences
automatically wrap to the next line. This can
also be done with long text entries that are
typed into a cell in a worksheet. A sentence
that may span across quite a few columns
can be made to wrap down a single cell or
even merged into several cells.

4 Merging
Merging basically means combining several
cells into one so as to make a super-sized
cell which can accommodate larger text
entries. It is used quite often for placing a
heading across a table at the top rather than
leaving it in the top left corner. It is also used
together with wrapping to allow longer lines
of text to be properly displayed in a
worksheet.

ALIGNING RIGHT
As a default in Microsoft Excel, text typed into a numbers for that matter, on any border of the cell
cell is aligned to the left border of the cell while you wish. Text is sometimes aligned to the right
numbers are aligned to the right. Of course this is of a cell to convey the impression of indenting the
only the default and you can align text, and text to enhance readability of the overall data.

1
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E813

Cell Alignment_1.xlsx...

Click on cell B5

Click on the Align Text Right
 tool in the Alignment
group on the Home tab of the
ribbon
The text in cell B5 will now 2
align to the right of the cell…
Click on C5, hold down
 and click on G5 to select the
range C5:G5
Click on the Align Text Right
 tool in the Alignment
group on the Home tab
All of the text in the selected
range will now align to the right
of their respective cells.

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To align data to the right: • Since text aligns to the left as a default and
1. Select the cell or range to align numbers to the right, you can use this as an
indication of how Excel is treating your data.
2. Click on the Align Text Right tool in the For example, if data you type goes right then
Alignment group on the Home tab Excel thinks it is working with numbers. This
can sometimes be useful when you
encounter a problem with a formula.

ALIGNING TO THE CENTRE

For visual effect it is sometimes useful to align midst of several columns of numbers. Placing text
text and numbers to the centre of a cell. This is in the centre means that there is essentially a
often used for small values such as part numbers “corridor” of space left either side which helps
or where there is a change of information in the improve readability.

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or open

File

the file E813 Cell

Alignment_2.xlsx...

Click on cell A6
 3
 Click on the Centre tool
the Alignment group on the
in

Home tab of the ribbon

The text in cell A6 will now
align to the centre of the cell…
Click on A7, hold down
 and click on A18 to select the
range A7:A18

 Click on the Centre tool

the Alignment group on the
in

Home tab

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To align data to the centre: • The values in the cells will remain centred
1. Select the cell or range to align even if the column is widened or narrowed.
2. Click on the Centre tool in the
Alignment group on the Home tab

ALIGNING LEFT
Conventional wisdom had it when spreadsheets However, you can place any text to the left of a cell
were first invented that text should align to the you please – it can be text, numbers, or even
left of a cell and numbers should align to the dates.
right. This is the default setup for Excel.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or open

File

the file E813 Cell

Alignment_3.xlsx...

Click on A6

Click on the Align Text Left
 tool in the Alignment
2
group on the Home tab
The text in cell A6 will now
align to the left of the cell…
Click on A12, hold down
 then click on cell A14 and A18
Click on the Align Text Left
 tool in the Alignment
4
group on the Home tab
All of the text in the selected
cells will now align to the left of
their respective cells

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To align data to the left: • We have only aligned text to the left in the
1. Select the cell or range to align exercise above. Exactly the same technique
is used to align numbers to the left. However,
2. Click on the Align Text Left tool in the we can think of very few times that you would
Alignment group on the Home tab ever need to do this given that numbers are
more readable when right aligned.

ROTATING TEXT
Microsoft Excel also allows you to change the need to be squeezed onto one page. Rotating the
orientation of your data – this is known as text column headings will allow you to retain narrow
rotation. You may, for example, have a columns and still have longish and descriptive
worksheet that has many columns of values that headings for each column.

Try This Yourself:

Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E813

Cell Alignment_7.xlsx...

Click on cell B5

Click on the Orientation tool
 in the Alignment group 2 3
on the Home tab and select
Angle Counterclockwise
to angle the cell at 45°
Click on the Orientation tool
 and select Angle Clockwise
to angle the cell from the
opposite direction
Click on the Orientation tool
 and select Vertical Text to
display the text vertically
5 6
Click on the Orientation tool
 and select Rotate Text Up
Click on the Orientation tool
 and select Rotate Text Down

Select the range B5:G5


Click on the Orientation tool
 and select Angle
8
Counterclockwise

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To adjust text rotation: • You can also rotate text using the options in
1. Select the cell or range to rotate the Format Cells dialog box. The options
here give you more control also over the
2. Click on the Orientation tool in the rotation angles.
Alignment group on the Home tab and
select the appropriate rotation command

INDENTING CELLS
If left, centre, or right horizontal alignment still is Indenting places consistent spacing to the left of
not enough to satisfy your needs in terms of the top and is determined by predefined stops built
placement within a cell, Microsoft Excel also into the cell. Each time you indent the data it moves
allows you to indent text and numbers in a cell. to the next of these stops.

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or open

File

the file E813 Cell

Alignment_8.xlsx...

Click on A7, hold down

 and click on A10 to select the
range A7:A10
Click on the Align Text Left
 tool in the Alignment
group on the Home tab to
align the text to the left
Click on the Increase Indent
 tool to indent the cells to 3
one stop
Click on the Increase Indent
 tool three more times to
increase the indent
Click on the Decrease Indent
 tool twice to decrease the
4
indent
Use the above steps to left
 align and then increase the
indent of the range A15:A16 6
two stops

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To indent cells: • You don’t have to left align the cells prior to
1. Select the cell or range to indent indenting. However, it does help if you do
this as you are then assured that the
2. Click on the Increase Indent tool to indenting is commenced from as far left as
increase the indent or the Decrease Indent possible.
tool to decrease the indent

NOTES:

CHAPTER 10 ROW AND COLUMN FORMATTING

INFOCUS

LV1_E814

In Microsoft Excel you can perform a number of formatting

operations on entire rows and columns, including increasing width
and height, decreasing width and height, and also hiding columns
and rows that may contain sensitive data.

In this session you will:

 learn how to change the size of columns by dragging

their borders
 learn how to set precise column widths
 learn how to set the default width of worksheet columns
 learn how to adjust the height of a row by dragging
 learn how to set precise row heights
 learn how to hide rows and columns in a worksheet
 learn how to unhide rows and columns in a worksheet.

APPROXIMATING COLUMN WIDTHS

The easiest and most visual way to adjust the mouse pointer is positioned on the border
column widths is simply to approximate it by between two column headings the mouse pointer
dragging the column border either left or right changes shape to indicate that the column border
until the desired width has been obtained. When can now be dragged to adjust its size.

1
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E814

Columns_1.xlsx...

Move the mouse pointer to the

 border between the column A
and B headings until the
mouse pointer changes to a
double arrow
Double click to perform an
 autofit – autofit works by
adjusting the column width for
the widest data entry in that
column
In our case this is not what we
want because the column has
widened to suit the heading
entry…
Move the mouse pointer to the
 column heading border again,
hold down the left mouse
button and drag to the left until 2
column A is only about twice
as wide as the other columns
3

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To widen a column approximately: • When you drag columns a sizing box will
1. Move the mouse pointer to the border appear advising you of the width as you
between two column headings drag. This is handy tool to get columns to a
good approximate size.
2. Hold down the left mouse button and drag
the border to make the left column either
larger or smaller

SETTING PRECISE COLUMNS WIDTHS

Using autofit or dragging columns to change the need to access the Column Width dialog box. This
column width is fine for quick and dirty changes dialog box allows you to adjust the width of one or
where approximate fit is fine. However, if you more columns to the precise width you require.
want a column adjusted to a specific size you will

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the
Same

previous file with this

File

exercise, or open the file

E814 Columns_2.xlsx...

Click on the column

 heading for column B,
hold down and click
on the column heading
for column F to select this
range of columns 2
Click on the Format tool
 in the Cells group
on the Home tab and
select Column Width to
display the Column
Width dialog box
This dialog box allows
you to specify the width
for all of the selected
columns…
Type 12 in Column
 Width and click on [OK]
to increase the size of the
selected columns to 12

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To change a column width precisely: • The width of a column is measured in
1. Select the column or columns to change characters. The maximum width a column
can be resized to is 255 characters –
2. Click on the Format tool in the Cells although we’ve never seen this done and
group and select Column Width to display wouldn’t recommend it because it would be
the Column Width dialog box too big for paper and many computer
3. Type the desired width and click on [OK] screens.

SETTING THE DEFAULT COLUMN WIDTH

Unless it’s been changed, the default width of all worksheet and need to have most, if not all, of the
columns in a worksheet is 8.43 characters. column widths a specific size it might be easier to
Naturally you can change any column any time adjust the default size of all of the columns in the
you wish. However, if you are creating a large worksheet before you begin.

Try This Yourself:

Continue using the
Same

previous file with this

File

exercise, or open the file

E814 Columns_3.xlsx...

Click on cell A1 1

Click on the Format tool
 in the Cells group on 2
the Home tab and select
Default Width to display
the Standard Width
dialog box
Type 15 and click on [OK]
 to change the width of all
of the columns that have
not previously been
changed
Notice here (below) how the columns that were previously changed (A,
B, C, D, E and F) have not adjusted in width – they retain their adjusted
widths. The remaining columns, from G onwards, have adopted the new
default column width of 15 characters…

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To set the default column width: • Changing the default width is best done
1. Click on the Format tool in the Cells when you first begin to create a new
group on the Home tab and select Default worksheet; this way previous settings do not
Width to display the Standard Width dialog get in the way and everything starts at the
box same width.
2. Type the desired width and click on [OK]

APPROXIMATING ROW HEIGHT

The height of rows will vary automatically to adjust the height of a row is by dragging the row
depending upon the size and type of font that you borders with the mouse. You can also perform an
choose. You can also elect to increase or autofit by double clicking on the border between
decrease row height yourself. The easiest way rows.

1
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E814

Rows_1.xlsx...

Move the mouse pointer to the

 border between row 1 and row
2 until the mouse pointer
shows double arrows 2
Hold down the left mouse
 button and drag the row down
until the sizing box shows 80
Release the mouse to resize
 the row
This should look pretty awful…

Move the mouse pointer to the 3

 border between row 1 and row
2 and when the arrow changes
to a double arrow double click
to perform an autofit
Move the mouse pointer to the
 border between row 4 and row
5 and drag row 4 down until it
is about twice its original size
Repeat step 4 for rows 8 and
 12

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To heighten a row approximately: • Row height is measured in points. There are
1. Move the mouse pointer to the border 72 points to an inch (28.8pts to a centimetre).
between two rows • When you perform an autofit by double
2. Hold down the left mouse button and drag clicking, the height of the row is determined
the border to make the row either larger or by the style and size of the largest font used
smaller anywhere in that row.

SETTING PRECISE ROW HEIGHTS

If you want to have very precise control over the creating a worksheet that will be printed onto pre-
height of a row you can use the Row Height printed stationery or forms.
dialog box to precisely determine the point size of
the row. This can be useful for example if you are

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise, or open

the file E814 Rows_2.xlsx...

Click on the row heading for

 row 5, hold down and
then click on the row heading
for row 7 to select the rows 5
to 7

 Click on the Format tool

in the Cells group on the 2
Home tab and select Row
Height to display the Row
Height dialog box
Type 20 and click on [OK]

Repeat the above steps to
 change the heights of rows 9,
10, and 11 to 20 points

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To set a row height precisely: • Here’s a chance to wow your friends at trivia!
1. Select the row or rows to change The maximum height a row can be set to is
409 points – this is over 5 inches or 14
2. Click on the Format tool in the Cells centimetres! Although just because you can
group and select Row Height to display the there is absolutely no reason why you
Row Height dialog box should!
3. Type the desired width and click on [OK]

HIDING ROWS AND COLUMNS

Sometimes worksheets are built using data that worksheet or workbook is that it can be easily read
may be of a sensitive, personal, or confidential from the screen by passers-by. Microsoft Excel
nature. A typical example may be employee pay allows you to hide columns and rows from view,
rates. The problem with having this data in a yet retain the content for performing calculations.

1
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E814

Hiding_1.xlsx...

Click on the heading for

 column D to select the column

 Click on the Format tool

in the Cells group on the
2
Home tab, then select Hide &
Unhide > Hide Columns to
hide the column that is
currently selected
Notice that the formulas in the
worksheet didn’t change and
that the headings skip D…
Click on the row heading for
 row 4, hold down and
click on the heading for row 6 3

 Click on the Format tool

in the Cells group on the
Home tab, then select Hide &
Unhide > Hide Rows
Only the totals for the 1st
Quarter should now be visible

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To hide rows and columns: • Even though the row or column has been
1. Select the rows or columns to hide hidden it is still there and any data or formula
in it is still used by the workbook as per
2. Click on the Format tool in the Cells normal. All that has happened is that the
group on the Home tab, then select Hide & data is made invisible but not inactive.
Unhide > Hide Columns or Hide & Unhide
> Hide Rows

UNHIDING ROWS AND COLUMNS

Rows or columns that have been hidden from them again involves selecting the adjacent rows or
view in a worksheet are still there – they just can’t columns and then using the Hide & Unhide
be seen. It is almost as if their relative row or command to see them again.
column height has been shrunk to zero. Unhiding

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise, or open

the file E814 Hiding_2.xlsx...

Click on the column heading

 for column C, hold down
and click on column heading E

 Click on the Format tool

in the Cells group on the
2
Home tab, then select Hide &
Unhide > Unhide Columns to
display all hidden columns in
the selected range
Click on the row heading for
 row 3, hold down and
click on row heading 7

 Click on the Format tool

in the Cells group on the
3
Home tab, then select Hide &
Unhide > Unhide Rows to
display all hidden rows in the
selected range

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To unhide columns or rows: • To select all columns and rows in the
1. Select the range adjacent to and including worksheet, click at the top left of the column
the rows and/or columns and row borders. You can then unhide all
hidden rows and columns in fewer operations
2. Click on the Format tool in the Cells and without looking for them.
group, then select Hide & Unhide > Unhide
Columns or Unhide Rows

CHAPTER 11 NUMBER FORMATTING

INFOCUS

LV1_E815

Given that a spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel is really

geared to performing calculations and crunching numbers, it is only
logical to assume that there are special considerations that apply to
number formatting.
In Excel, number formatting refers to making the numbers appear
with a specific number of decimal places, with percentage and
currency signs, and even as dates and times.
Number formatting is one of the key aspects of ensuring that the
data in your worksheets is easy to read and comprehend.

In this session you will:

 gain an understanding of what number formatting is

 learn how to apply general number formats to cells and
ranges
 learn how to format a range of cells as currency
 learn how to apply percentage formatting to cells
 learn how to format cells as fractions
 learn how to format dates
 learn how to apply the thousands separator to cells in the
worksheet.

UNDERSTANDING NUMBER FORMATTING

With numbers, in Excel what you see is definitely underlying value of a number. Take 2% as an
NOT what you get! In Excel there are always two example – on the screen it is formatted to appear
aspects to a number: how the number presents as a number with a percentage sign, whereas the
on the screen (known as formatting) and the real value in the cell is .02!

Number Formatting – The Veil Placed Over Numbers

All calculations in Excel are done using numbers – this is only logical. So, when you want to perform
a calculation you type the numbers in various cells and then create formulas to reference those
numbers. But how exactly do you explain to your reader what those numbers represent? For
example, how do you tell the reader that you are working with currency, or percentages, or even
dates (which in Excel are really numbers)?
The answer to this question lies in number formatting. With number formatting you change the way
a number looks so that it makes immediate sense to the reader of your worksheet – the underlying
value of number, however, remains unchanged. For example, instead of show sales tax in a
worksheet as .1 you show it as 10%, to show 12889.95 as currency it would appears $12,889.95 or
€12,889.95 (depending upon the country you have configured your computer to), and to show 39345
as a date you show it as 20-Sep-2007.
The following worksheet contains formatted numbers.

With the formatting removed from the numbers the worksheet looks as follows:

Formatting can actually be applied as you type. For example, if you type 20/9/07 Excel will place the
number 39345 in the cell but will actually format this number as a date and show it as you typed.
There are also a whole range of number formatting options on the Ribbon that allow you to apply
formatting to numbers after they have been entered into a worksheet.

APPLYING GENERAL FORMATTING

The Number Format tool in the Number group these formats easily and quickly to a selected cell
on the Home tab contains a drop arrow that or range of cells in the worksheet.
provides a gallery of some of the more commonly
used general number formats. You can apply

Try This Yourself:

Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E815

Number Formatting_1.xlsx...

Click on D4, hold down

 and click on D13
Click on the Home tab on the
 Ribbon, click on the drop
arrow for the Number
Format tool in the
Number group to see a gallery
3
of general formats
Click on Long Date to make
 the short dates in the selected
range appear as long dates
Click on E4, hold down
 and click on E13

 Click on the drop arrow

the Number Format tool
for

and click on Number

to display these as numbers
with 2 decimal places
Repeat the above steps to
 change G4:G13 to Currency
Repeat the above steps and
 change the following ranges as
shown:
7

H4:H14 Percentage
I4:I4 Accounting
G15:I15 Currency

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To apply general formatting to numbers: • Remember, changing the format does not
1. Select the range to format change the underlying value. When decimals
are used, Excel may appear to round values
2. Click on the drop arrow for the Number up or down as necessary – however, the
Format tool in the Number group value in the cell does not change. This can
on the Home tab sometimes result in minor worksheet
3. Click on the desired number format rounding errors.

FORMATTING AS CURRENCY
If you use Currency or Accounting from the example, if you are in Australia you will receive $
Number Format list Excel will format the signs, while in the UK you will receive £ signs. The
selected range using the currency format as Accounting Number Format command, however,
defined in the setup of your computer. For provides you with access to other currencies.

1
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E815

Number Formatting_2.xlsx...

Click on G4, hold down

 and click on G13
Click on the Accounting
 Number Format tool in the
Number group on the Home
tab of the Ribbon to display
the selected cells in an
accounting number format 2

 Click on the drop arrow

the Accounting Number
for

Format tool and click on £

English (U.K.) to show the
range in UK pounds

 Click on the drop arrow

the Accounting Number
for

Format tool and click on €

Euro (€ 123) to show the
range in euros

 Click on the drop arrow

the Number Format tool
for 5

and click on
Currency to display the range
in the local currency as
determined by your computer

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To format a range as Currency: • There is virtually no difference between the
1. Select the range to format Accounting and the Currency formats
except that with the Accounting format the
2. Click on the drop arrow for the currency symbol appears aligned along the
Accounting Number Format tool in the left of the cell whereas with Currency the
Number group and click on the desired currency symbol is slammed up against the
currency format value.

FORMATTING PERCENTAGES
Formatting percentages can be a little tricky at value is changed. The percentage format simply
first. The percentage formats in Excel appear to shows the number as a percentage of 100.
multiply a value by 100 and add on a % sign to Therefore if you want Excel to show a value as
the cell value. However, again no underlying 20% you will need to have .2 in the cell.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or open

File

the file E815 Number

Formatting_3.xlsx...

Click on H4, hold down

 and click on H13
Click on the Percent Style tool
 in the Number group on
the Home tab of the Ribbon to
display the selected cells as
percentages
Spend a few moments
examining how Excel displays 2
the percentages

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To format cells as Percentages: • You can actually type a formatted
1. Select the range to format percentage directly into a new cell. For
example, if you type 15% into cell D20 the
2. Click on the Percent Style tool in the value in D20 will actually be entered as .15
Number group on the Home tab of the but will display as typed.
Ribbon

FORMATTING AS FRACTIONS
Excel allows you to format numbers with decimal you format 3.5 as a fraction it would be nice to see
places as fractions. This may sound cool but in 3½ in the cell – however in reality you will receive 3
fact it is rather limiting simply because the display 1/2 which is less than useful.
of the fractions is difficult to read. For example, if

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or open

File

the file E815 Number

Formatting_4.xlsx...

Click on E4, hold down

 and click on E13

 Click on the drop arrow

the Number Format tool
for

and click on Fraction

to display the range with
fractions where relevant

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To format decimals as fractions: • Fortunately, most countries in the world have
1. Select the range to format converted to decimal systems and there
should be very little need to utilise fractions
2. Click on the drop arrow for the Number as shown above. Fractions in Excel are really
Format tool in the Number group only for the die-hards.
on the Home tab
3. Click on Fractions

FORMATTING AS DATES
When is a date not a date? When it is in an Excel it is converted to the number that corresponds to
worksheet. Dates in Excel are really sequential the number of days from Jan 1, 1900. The really
numbers beginning from Jan 1, 1900 which is nice thing with Excel is that there are quite a few
day number 1. So when you type a date in Excel different date formats to work with.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or open

File

the file E815 Number

Formatting_5.xlsx...

Click on D4, hold down

 and click on D13
Click on the dialog box
 selector on the Number 2
group on the Home tab on the
ribbon
This will display the Format
Cells dialog box with the
Number tab active and the
Date category visible…
Scroll through the list, click on
 14-Mar-01 and click on [OK] to
see the dates in the range in
this particular date format

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To change a date format: • Excel also has time formats as well. These
1. Select the range to change are useful for time arithmetic.
2. Click on the dialog box selector on the
Number group to see the Format Cells
dialog box
3. Select the desired format and click [OK]

USING THE THOUSANDS SEPARATOR

Larger numbers can sometimes be difficult to Using the Comma Style tool this number can
read. For example, when you see 1324633 are easily be formatted to appear as 1,324,633 which is
we talking in millions or hundreds of thousands? instantly much easier to read.
You really need to count the numbers to be sure.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or open

File

the file E815 Number

Formatting_6.xlsx...

Click on F4, hold down

 and click on F13 to select the
range F4:F13
Click on the Comma Style tool
 in the Number group on
the Home tab of the Ribbon to
format the numbers 2
Well, perhaps not! This was a
trick format. Nothing changed
here because the numbers
aren’t large enough for the
comma to be applied…
Click on I4, hold down
 and click on cell I13 to select
the range I4:I13
Click on the Comma Style tool
 in the Number group on
the Home tab of the Ribbon to
format the numbers to show
commas after thousands and 4
millions

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To show numbers with commas: • As a default, the Comma Style tool also
1. Select the range to format displays 2 decimal places. You can adjust
this later to either increase or decrease the
2. Click on the Comma Style tool in the decimal places if required.
Number group on the Home tab of the
Ribbon

CHAPTER 12 PRINTING
INFOCUS

LV1_E816

Despite the so-called paperless office there is still a great deal of

printing going on from computer applications such as Microsoft
Excel. The skill to be able to convert what you have on your screen
into a format and presentation that is suitable for paper is an
important one to have and is the main focus of this session.

In this session you will:

 gain an understanding of printing in Excel

 learn how to preview print jobs before actually printing them
 learn how to select a printer for printing
 learn how to print a range in a workbook
 learn how to print an entire workbook
 learn how to specify the number of copies to print
 gain an overview of the Print options.

UNDERSTANDING PRINTING
Printing, in its simplest form, means producing a printing only requires a printer which converts the
paper copy of what you have created on the electronic version into letters and other graphics on
computer screen. Early forms of printing required a page. Before you commit to printing to paper,
typesetting, printing presses and ink. These days there are a few things to consider.

Resisting the Urge to Print

These days printers are very cheap, easy to install and easy to use. While computers were
supposed to reduce the amount of paper and introduce a paperless age, in reality they have made it
easy to go through pages and pages of paper while we review and modify the data. If you take some
time to think the following things through, you may well reduce the volume of paper that you go
through.

Draft versus Final

The first thing to consider is why you are printing. If you just want to review the layout and proof the
numbers, there is a good case for printing only a draft copy of the data. This uses less ink and in
some cases prints more quickly than a best-quality copy. If you have a colour printer, then you can
often choose to print in greyscale, saving the more expensive colour ink for later. If it’s the final copy
that you want to print, then you should make sure you’ve previewed the output so that you don’t
waste precious ink, time, paper and patience.

When Printing isn’t Printing

Traditionally, printing referred to creating a hard copy of the data, meaning a copy of the data on
paper. These days, printing can also be used to create an electronic version of the data, known as a
soft copy. For example, you can print to the Microsoft XPS Document Writer and create an XPS
version of the file.

Knowing What to Print

Before attempting to print from Excel you need to be aware and understand exactly what you are
printing. Do you want to print only a part (a range) of the worksheet, perhaps the entire worksheet,
or maybe all of the worksheets in a workbook? As a default Excel assumes that you wish to print
everything in the current (known as active) worksheet and that’s what you’ll get if you choose the
simplest and easiest way to print in Excel.

Knowing Where to Print

Even though it may appear like it, printing is not handled by Excel, but rather through Microsoft
Windows. With Windows you install printers on your computer – these computers may be sitting on
the table next to your computer, or may even be a fair distance away in another room or on another
floor and connected via your network. Once a printer has been installed in Windows on your
computer it will become available for printing your Excel data. One of the installed printers on your
computer will be set up as the default printer. The default printer is the printer that appears in the
Print dialog box when you select File > Print. It’s the printer that will be used unless you select
another one.

Knowing When to Print

When you tell Excel to print it must somehow convert what appears on a screen in columns and
rows into a logical, legible equivalent on paper. Naturally, if your data spans across dozens of
columns it won’t print easily on one sheet of A4 paper. As a consequence there will be breaks in the
printing as it spans across several pieces of paper – and these breaks may not necessarily occur
where you want them. So before you print anything on paper it is a good idea to use Print Preview
to see on the screen exactly how the data will print before you send it to the printer. Print Preview
provides a way of seeing how the data will look when it’s printed without actually printing it. You
should always check Print Preview before sending any data to a printer.

PREVIEWING BEFORE YOU PRINT

You would hope that what you see on your many columns, or wide columns? How will Excel
screen is what you get when you print out on render this to paper? If you are not sure of how
paper – and generally this is the case. But what your worksheet data will print it is a good idea to
happens if you have a large number of rows, or preview the print data on the screen first.

Try This Yourself:

Before starting this exercise you
Open
File

MUST open the file E816

Printing_1.xlsx...

Click on the File tab then select

 Print to display the Print tab in
the Backstage view
The Print options are displayed
on the left and Print Preview on
the right. Print Preview shows
you how the worksheet data will
appear when printed on paper…
Click on the Zoom to Page tool
 to zoom in
You can use the scroll bars, if 1
necessary, to move around the
page when zoomed in. Clicking 4
on the Zoom to Page tool will
zoom in and out…
Click on the Zoom to Page tool
 to zoom out
Click on the Show Margins tool
 to see grey lines which
represent where the page
margins are
We won’t actually print at this
point so let’s exit out…
Click on the File tab (or any
 other tab in the ribbon) to close
the preview and return to the
worksheet

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To preview before printing: • After you have previewed or printed you may
1. Click on the File tab and select Print notice dotted lines in your worksheet – these
lines are page boundaries that indicate
where pages will break.

SELECTING A PRINTER
When you perform any printing operation Excel while working in the current session of Excel.
must be told which printer to use. Unless you Should you wish to use a different printer you can
specify otherwise Excel will use the Windows do so using the Printer drop list which allows you
default printer or the last printer you specified to choose from any printer installed in Windows.

Try This Yourself:

Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise, or open

the file E816 Printing_1.xlsx...

Click on the File tab on the

 ribbon, then select Print to see
the Print tab in the Backstage
view
Click on the Printer drop arrow
 to see a list of available
printers
Click on the name of the
 printer that you specifically
wish to use
You will need to ensure that 1
the printer you have chosen is
online and ready to use – a 2
green tick next to the printer
icon indicates that it is ready.
You could print at this point, or
return to your document, but
we will continue the next
exercise from here

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To select a specific printer: • The list of printers on your computer will
1. Click on the File tab and select Print differ from the one shown above. The list of
printers will show all printers installed for use
2. Click on the Printer drop arrow and click on your computer and could include the
on the desired printer printer on your desk as well as the one
connected via the network two floors below
where you currently are.

PRINTING A RANGE
Unless you specify otherwise Excel assumes that specified range in the worksheet by selecting the
you wish to print everything that is currently in the range prior to accessing the print commands and
active worksheet when you choose one of the then working through the options in the Print tab of
print commands. You can elect to print only a the Backstage view.

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise, or open

the file E816 Printing_1.xlsx...

Click on the File tab in the

 ribbon to return to the
document view, then click on
the Medium worksheet tab to
see a slightly larger worksheet
Click on A1, hold down
 and click on D24 to select the
range A1 to D24
Click on the File tab in the
 ribbon and select Print to see
the Print tab in the Backstage
view
All of the worksheet cells
appear in the preview,
indicating that all of the data
on the worksheet will print…

 Click on the drop arrow

Print Active Sheets in
for

Selection and click on Print

Selection
Now the preview shows only
the selected range of cells.
You will need to ensure that
the printer is online and ready
to use…
Click on [Print] to print the
 range

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To print a specific range: • When you use the Print Selection option in
1. Select the range to print the Print tab anything currently selected in
the workbook will be printed. You can
2. Click on the File tab and select Print
therefore select multiple ranges and have
3. Ensure that Print Selection is selected in them printed to produce more complex print
Settings jobs.
4. Click on [Print]

PRINTING AN ENTIRE WORKBOOK

Unless you specify otherwise Excel assumes that particularly if your workbook is made up of a
you want to print all of the data in the current or multiple of smaller worksheets. Printing an entire
active worksheet. You can also elect to print all of workbook is controlled from the Print tab in the
the worksheets in the workbook. This is handy Backstage view.

Try This Yourself:

Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E816

Printing_2.xlsx...

Click on the File tab on the

 ribbon, then click on Print to
see the Print tab of the
Backstage view

 Click on the drop arrow

Print Active Sheets in
for

Settings and select Print

Entire Workbook
This can be a paper-wasting
activity so it is a good idea to
preview the pages first.
Notice that the status bar 2
shows pages 1 of 4…
Click several times on Next
 Page in the Preview to
see the other pages
Click on the Zoom to Page
 tool several times to
zoom in and out
You could print now if you
were satisfied with the
preview of the data, but we’ll
conserve paper…
Click on the File tab (or any
 other tab) in the ribbon to
close the Print options and
return to the worksheet

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To print the entire workbook: • When you choose to print the entire
1. Click on the File tab and select Print workbook, all of the worksheets that contain
data will be printed. If there is an empty
2. Click on Print Entire Workbook in Settings
worksheet in the workbook it will not be
3. Click on [Print] printed.

SPECIFYING THE NUMBER OF COPIES

In this age of computing it is still amazing how whenever you print from Excel the Print dialog box
many people print a copy of a report from Excel provides you with the opportunity of specifying how
and then rush down to the photocopier to make many copies you want to print – and each one will
five more copies. This is really strange given that be an original!

Try This Yourself:

Continue using the
Same

previous file with this

File

exercise, or open the file

E816 Printing_2.xlsx...

Click on the Small

 worksheet tab
Click on the File tab on the
 ribbon, then select Print to
display the Print tab in the
Backstage view
Ensure that your printer is
online and ready to print…
Select Print Active
 Sheets in Settings
Click in Copies in Print to
 select the value, then type
2 4

Click on [Print] to print 2

 copies of the worksheet

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To print multiple copies: • The up and down arrows in the Copies
1. Click on the File tab on the ribbon, then option are known as spinners. Each time
select Print you click on them Excel enters the next
sequential number into the box for you.
2. Type how many copies you want in Copies
and click on [Print]

THE PRINT OPTIONS

There are many settings that you can use when file. You can print multiple pages per sheet or scale
printing to get the exact output that you need. a page to fit a particular paper size. This page
You can print the worksheet or special features of examines the controls in the Print tab of the
the worksheet. You can print to a printer or to a Backstage view.

1 8

5 6 7

 Copies & Print

button
Allows you to specify how many copies of the data you want printed. Once you have set all the options
(below), click on the Print button to print.

 Printer & Printer

Properties
Allows you to select from a list of installed printers and provides information about the current printer.
Printer Properties gives access to the printer-specific properties, usually including printing quality,
paper type selection (e.g. matt versus glossy) and maintenance.

 Print what &

Page range
Enables you to specify what part of the workbook to print. The default is the active worksheet,
however, you can change this to be a range from the workbook, or the entire workbook. Pages allows
you to specify exactly which pages of the report to print. Excel converts your column and row layout to
fit on pages of paper – this feature allows you to specify which of those pages to print.

 Other print
Settings
Collated specifies the order in which the pages of a multi-page printout are printed (i.e. all of the page
1’s, then the page 2’s and so on, or print all of the pages for the first copy, then all of the pages again
for the second copy, and so on). Orientation selects the direction the page will be printed on. Page
Size enables you to select the page dimensions. Margins enables you to set the non-printable area.
Scaling enables you to shrink the data to fit in a specified area (e.g. Fit Sheet on One Page).

 Page Setup Displays the Page Setup dialog box, enabling you to refine the options for the page even further.

 Page Navigation
tools
Use the arrows to navigate through the pages in a multi-page printout, thereby previewing each page
before printing. You can also type a specific page number to display that page directly.

 Margins & Zoom

tools
Enables you to display margins in the preview and to zoom in and out of the page.

 Print Preview Print Preview allows you to preview your data on the screen, based on the settings specified.

CHAPTER 13 CREATING CHARTS

INFOCUS

LV1_E817

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, a chart in a

worksheet can be worth a thousand numbers! Charts are used to
summarise data, reflecting proportions, trends, and anomalies in
your data far more effectively.
The really neat feature of charting in Excel is just how easy it is to
create a brand new chart.

In this session you will:

 gain an understanding of how charts are created and

presented in Excel
 gain an overview of different chart types
 learn how to create a new chart in Microsoft Excel
 learn how to work with an embedded chart
 learn how to resize a chart
 learn how to drag a chart to another location
 learn how to print an embedded chart
 learn how to create a chart sheet
 learn how to change the chart type of an existing chart
 learn how to change the chart layout of an existing chart
 learn how to change the style of a chart
 learn how to print a chart sheet
 learn how to embed a chart into a worksheet.

UNDERSTANDING THE CHARTING PROCESS

Charts provide a visual way of seeing trends in the worksheet data. But the beauty of the charting
the data in your worksheet. The charting feature process is that it is delightfully easy and simple –
in Excel is extremely flexible and powerful and once you know how.
allows you to create a wide range of charts from

The Charting Process

There’s no rocket science here – to create a new chart you simply select the data that you want to
graph then, from the Insert tab of the Ribbon, choose the type of chart you want. As soon as you
have clicked on the desired chart type a new chart will be embedded in the active worksheet.
1 Embedded Charts
Charts that appear within a worksheet are known as embedded charts. A chart is really an object
that sits on top of the worksheet – unlike numbers and letters, charts are not actually placed into
worksheet cells.

2 Chart Sheets
If you want to keep your chart separate from the data you can move the chart to its own sheet. Chart
sheets make it easier and more convenient to work with your chart because you’ll see more of it on
the screen – since the data is not there!

CHOOSING THE CHART TYPE

A chart is far more effective at communicating different types of information. Some charts show
results, outcomes or trends than a table of figures simple relationships between values, while others
displaying the same information. Different chart are designed for quite technical purposes. Here is a
types have been created to communicate summary of the use of different chart types.

Chart Type Use

Column, Bar, These chart types, either in 2D or 3D, are used to compare values
Cylinder, Cone, across categories. For example, they could compare the populations of
Pyramid different countries.

Line, Area Lines in 2D or 3D are perfect for showing trends such as sales or
employment figures. An area chart is basically a line chart with the
area below the line filled in.

Surface The surface chart plots trends in two dimensions. You could use this to
plot departmental sales figures over time. The chart then shows you
the trends between departments, as well as the sales trends over time.

Pie, Doughnut If you want to show proportion, such as the sales figures from different
departments that make up a total, then the pie and doughnut charts
are for you. The doughnut chart varies only from the pie chart in that it
can display more than one series of values.

Technical Chart Options

Stock The stock chart type has been designed to show the stock figures for a
day, and the trend over time. At its simplest, you can plot the high, low
and close figures, and at its most complex, the volume, open, high,
low, and close. It can be adapted to show the relationships between
any 5 sets of values.

XY (Scatter) Scatter diagrams are used to display the relationship between two
variables. For example, you could research the age and price of a
series of cars, and plot the values you find. You could also investigate
the height and weight relationship of a group of people.

Bubble The bubble chart is a scatter chart with a third set of values that
determine the size of the bubble marker. For example, it could be used
to show the concentrations of a particular metal at different times,
sampled from different depths in a dam. The position on the graph
would reflect the depth and time, and the size of the bubble would
reflect the concentration of the metal.

Radar A radar diagram is designed to show the change in values from a

central point. For example, it can be used to show mobile telephone
coverage, including multiple networks and multiple measurements.

CREATING A NEW CHART

Creating a chart is really easy in Excel. You correct data to chart. Generally you should select
simply select the data to chart then access the only raw data – not the totals or subtotals.
chart type you want on the Insert tab of the Headings at the left and at the top often present
Ribbon. The only tricky part is selecting the themselves as the legend or axis of the chart.

Try This Yourself:

Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file

E817 Charting_1.xlsx...

Click on A3, hold down

 and click on G7 to select the
range A3:G7
We have selected only the
raw data…
Click on the Insert tab of the
 Ribbon, and click on the
Column tool in the
Charts group to see a
gallery of Column chart
types
2
Click on the first option in 2-
 D Column – the Clustered
Column chart type
Excel will now create a chart
and place it (i.e. embed it) in
the worksheet for you…
Click on A1 to deselect the
 chart

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To create a chart: • When a chart is active the Ribbon shows
1. Select the range to chart additional Chart Tools tabs with commands
that are used when charting.
2. Click on the Insert tab of the Ribbon, and
click on the Column tool in the Charts
group
3. Click on the desired chart type

WORKING WITH AN EMBEDDED CHART

As a default, a new chart will be placed in the you want to work with a chart you must select it –
active worksheet, which is usually the one that this can be done by clicking on the chart. The chart
contains the data. Charts are placed over the top itself is made up of many objects and these too can
of the worksheet, embedded as objects. When be selected by clicking on them.

Try This Yourself:

Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise, or open

the file E817 Charting_2.xlsx...

Move the mouse pointer to the

 border of the chart and click
once to select the chart as an
object
The border of the chart will
thicken to indicate that the
chart is selected. In addition,
the range of data used for the 1
chart will be enclosed in
coloured lines. The Ribbon will
show chart-specific tabs and 2
commands…
Click on the chart legend to
 make it the active object in the
chart
Click on the vertical axis to
 make it the active object
Click on the horizontal axis to
 make it the active object
Click on the border of the chart
 to make the overall chart the
active object again – notice 3
that the coloured lines have
reappeared
Click in cell A1 to deselect the
 chart

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To select a chart and its objects: • Once an object is selected, be it a chart, a
1. Click on the border of the chart to select an legend on the chart, or the like, you can right
embedded chart click on the object to see a shortcut menu
specific to the selected object.
2. Click on the various objects of a chart to
select them

RESIZING A CHART
There are two main ways to resize a chart if you handles appear with dots in them. You can also
are not happy with its current size. A chart can be resize a chart using the commands that appear in
resized by dragging one of the sizing handles the Size group on the Format tab of the Ribbon
around the border of a selected chart. These that appears when the chart is selected.

Try This Yourself:

Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise, or open

the file E817 Charting_3.xlsx...

Click on the chart to select it


Move the mouse pointer to the
 sizing handle on the left border
of the chart until the mouse
pointer changes to a double
arrow
Hold down the left mouse 2 The pointer changes to a double-headed arrow when
 button and drag left until the
chart is about 25% larger
positioned over the sizing handles

You can also resize a chart

from the Ribbon…
Click on the Format tab of the
 Ribbon and notice that there
is a Size group
Click on the up spinner button
 of the Shape Height tool
until it shows 8.5 cm
Click on the up spinner button
 of the Shape Width tool
until it shows 18 cm
Click on A1 to deselect the
 chart
3

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To resize a chart: • Generally you would drag the sizing handles
1. Drag one of the eight sizing handles on the when you are interested in getting an
border of a selected chart approximate size change and use the tools
on the Ribbon when you need to size the
OR:
chart precisely.
1. Click on the up/down buttons of the Shape
Height and Shape Width tools

DRAGGING A CHART
It’s unlikely that a chart embedded in the border of the chart to the desired location. The
worksheet by Excel will be exactly where you chart obviously must be selected before it can be
would like it to be. You can easily relocate a chart dragged to a new position.
to a more appropriate position by dragging the

Try This Yourself:

Continue using the
Same

previous file with this

File

exercise, or open the file

E817 Charting_4.xlsx...

Click on the chart to

 select it
Move the mouse pointer
 to the border of the chart
until the mouse pointer
changes to a four-headed
arrow
2
Hold down the left mouse
 button and drag the chart
below the data so that the
Totals row in the
worksheet is visible
Click on A1 to deselect
 the chart

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To move a chart: • You can also use the standard cut and paste
1. Click on the chart to select it commands to move a chart. Click on the
chart to select it then use the Cut command
2. Move the mouse pointer to the border of the
to copy it to the clipboard. Click in a new
chart until the mouse pointer changes to a
location and use the Paste command to
four-headed arrow
paste the chart there.
3. Drag the chart to a new location

PRINTING AN EMBEDDED CHART

When you print a worksheet, Excel will print underlying data. All you basically need to do is to
whatever is in or embedded in that worksheet position the chart in the appropriate location then
including charts. This makes it easy and access the print commands in the normal way.
convenient to print both the chart and its

Try This Yourself:

Continue using the
Same

previous file with this

File

exercise, or open the file

E817 Charting_5.xlsx...

Click on the File tab on the

 Ribbon, then select Print
to see a preview of the
data and the chart
Not all of the chart or data
may be visible so we’ll
change the orientation to
landscape…

 Click on the drop arrow

for Portrait Orientation in
Settings and click on
Landscape Orientation 1
If you have a working
 printer click on [Print] to
print the chart
If you don’t have a printer
connected, click on the
File tab (or any other tab)
on the Ribbon to display
the workbook

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To print an embedded chart: • It’s great to be able to preview a chart before
1. Click on the File tab on the Ribbon then actually printing it. This way you can make
select Print any setup changes required to properly
position and see the chart on the printed
2. Click on [Print]
page, prior to printing.

CREATING A CHART SHEET

Charts can either be stored in a worksheet or in a are interested in printing the chart on its own page.
separate sheet of their own known as a chart Charts can be shifted back and forth between a
sheet. Chart sheets separate the chart from the worksheet and a chart sheet.
underlying data and are useful especially if you

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the
Same

previous file with this

File

exercise, or open the file

E817 Charting_6.xlsx...

Click on the chart to

 select it and display the
Chart Tools tabs in the
Ribbon
3
Click on the Design tab in
 the Ribbon, then click on
the Move Chart tool
in the Location group to
display the Move Chart
dialog box
Click on New Sheet, then
 type Revenue Chart –
this will become the sheet
name for the chart
Click on [OK] to move the
 embedded chart to its
own sheet
Click on the Chart Data
 tab to see the data again
Notice that the chart is no
longer embedded on this
worksheet

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To create a chart sheet: • Keeping charts on their own sheets makes
1. Click on the Design tab on the Ribbon, then them easier to work with. They are larger and
there is not the confusing matrix of data
click on the Move Chart tool in the
lines.
Location group
2. Click on New Sheet, type a name for the
sheet and click on [OK]

CHANGING THE CHART TYPE

Creating a chart is easy. But what if the results understand what each chart type is designed for
were not what you wanted? Do you have to go and to select the format that best suits your
back and start again? No! It is really quite easy to purpose. Just be aware that some chart types are
alter the chart type – all you need to do is to designed for specialised applications.

Try This Yourself:

Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise, or open

the file E817 Charting_7.xlsx...

Click on the Revenue Chart

 worksheet tab to see the chart,
then click anywhere on the
chart to select it and see the
chart commands on the
Ribbon
Click on the Design tab on the
 Ribbon and click on the
Change Chart Type tool
in the Type group to see the
3
Change Chart Type dialog
box
Click on 3-D Cylinder to select
 it
Click on [OK] to apply the
 change to the chart
Click on the Chart Data tab to
 return to the worksheet

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To change the chart type: • You can use the Change Chart Type tool
1. Ensure the chart or chart sheet is selected in the Type group for either embedded
2. Click on the Design tab on the Ribbon and charts or charts that have their own
click on the Change Chart Type tool in worksheet tabs.
the Type group
3. Click on the desired chart and click on [OK]

CHANGING THE CHART LAYOUT

Excel has a gallery of chart layouts that can be shift objects on the chart around to different
applied at any time to an existing and selected locations on the chart giving you several design
chart either in its own worksheet or embedded and layout options.
into the data worksheet. These layouts basically

Try This Yourself:

Continue using the
Same

previous file with this

File

exercise, or open the file

E817 Charting_8.xlsx...

Click on the Revenue

 Chart worksheet tab to
see the chart, then click
anywhere on the chart
to select it and see the
Chart Tools tabs on the
Ribbon 2
Click on the Design tab,
 then click on the More
button for the Chart
Layouts group to see a
gallery of possible
layouts
Click on Layout 3 to
 see the chart updated
with this layout
Repeat steps 2 and 3
 and experiment with
some of the other
layouts
Click on the More
 button for the Chart
Layouts group and click
on Layout 5
Click on the Chart Data
 tab
5

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To change the chart layout: • Layouts are like predefined themes created
1. Ensure the chart or chart sheet is selected by someone at Microsoft. Even though you
choose one of these layouts you can still
2. On the Design tab, click on the More button
make your own modifications to where the
for the Chart Layouts group
elements and objects are positioned and how
3. Click on the desired layout they look.

CHANGING THE CHART STYLE

The style of a chart involves basically the colour you have a lot of time and great taste you may as
scheme presented in the chart. Naturally you can well use one of the predefined styles built into
manipulate the colours of the bars and lines and Excel. You can choose and change styles in a
other elements as you please. However, unless chart at any time.

Try This Yourself:

Continue using the
Same

previous file with this

File

exercise, or open the file

E817 Charting_9.xlsx...

Click on the Revenue

 Chart worksheet tab to
see the chart, then click
anywhere on the chart to
select it and see the
Chart Tools tabs on the 2
Ribbon
Click on the Design tab,
 then click on the More
button for the Chart
Styles group to see a
gallery of possible styles
Click on Style 14 to see
 this applied to your chart
Click on the More button
 for the Chart Styles
group and click on Style
34
Click on the Chart Data
 worksheet tab

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To change the chart style: • If you can’t find the style you want simply
1. Ensure the chart or chart sheet is selected select the one that is the closest and then
modify those elements that you want.
2. On the Design tab click on the More button
for the Chart Styles group
3. Click on the desired style

PRINTING A CHART SHEET

You can print an embedded chart simply by chart sheet all you need to do is to make sure that
printing the worksheet as if it is a standard the chart sheet is active and then just print through
worksheet. And guess what, you can print a the Print command on the File tab on the ribbon.
chart sheet in exactly the same way. To print a

Try This Yourself:

Continue using the previous
Same

file with this exercise, or

File

open the file E817

Charting_10.xlsx...

Click on the Revenue Chart

 worksheet tab
Click on Chart Title, type
 Revenue Chart and press
to provide a more
meaningful title
Click on Axis Title, type
 Euros and press
Click on the File tab then
 click on Print to see the
print options and a preview
2

of the chart
No further adjustment is
required here so we can go
ahead and print it…
If you have a working printer
 click on [Print]
If you don’t have a printer
connected, click on the File
tab (or any other tab) to
return to the worksheet

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To print a chart sheet: • When you preview a chart prior to printing
1. Click on the chart sheet tab the screen rendition may not be as clear as
when the chart is actually printed. If your
2. Click on the File tab and click on Print
chart appears fuzzy in print preview it will still
3. Click on [Print] probably print satisfactorily.

EMBEDDING A CHART INTO A WORKSHEET

Charts can either be presented in their own sheet and a worksheet as often as you wish without
sheets or they can be embedded into a impacting at all on the chart. Sometimes it is easier
worksheet that contains data. In fact you can to work with a chart in its own sheet, but may be
move a chart back and forth between its own necessary to print it with its data.

3
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the
Same

previous file with this

File

exercise, or open the file

E817 Charting_11.xlsx...

Click on the Revenue

 Chart worksheet tab
Click on the Design tab on
 the Ribbon, then click on
4

the Move Chart tool in

the Location group to
display the Move Chart
dialog box
Click on Object in, then
 click on the drop arrow
and click on Sheet 2
Click on [OK] to move the
 chart to the worksheet
Reposition the chart by
 dragging it to the top left of
the sheet, then drag the
resizing handles to resize it
as shown
Click on the Chart Data
 worksheet tab

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To embed a chart in a worksheet: • Embedding is normally only done when it is
1. Click on the Design tab on the Ribbon, then necessary to print the worksheet and the
data together.
click on the Move Chart tool in the
Location group
2. Click on the drop arrow and select the
sheet to embed it into, then click on [OK]

CONCLUDING REMARKS

Congratulations!
You have now completed Microsoft Excel 2010 Level 1. Microsoft Excel 2010 Level 1 was
designed to get you to the point where you can competently perform a variety of operations.
We have tried to build up your skills and knowledge by having you work through specific tasks.
The step by step approach will serve as a reference for you when you need to repeat a task.

Where To From Here…

The following is a little advice about what to do next:
• Spend some time playing with what you have learnt. You should reinforce the skills that you
have acquired and use some of the application's commands. This will test just how much of
the concepts and features have stuck! Don't try a big task just yet if you can avoid it - small
is a good way to start.
• Some aspects of the course may now be a little vague. Go over some of the points that you
may be unclear about. Use the examples and exercises in these notes and have another go
- these step-by-step notes were designed to help you in the classroom and in the work
place!
Here're a few techniques and strategies that we've found handy for learning more about
technology:
• read computer magazines - there are often useful articles about specific techniques
• if you have the skills and facilities browse the Internet, specifically the technical pages of
the application that you have just learnt
• take an interest in what your work colleagues have done and how they did it - we don't
suggest that you plagiarise but you can certainly learn from the techniques of others
• if your software came with a manual (which is rare nowadays) spend a bit of time each day
reading a few pages. Then try the techniques out straight away - over a period of time
you'll learn a lot this way
• and of course, there are also more courses and books for you to work through.

INDEX
command 5 filling 64, 65
A commas 112 font colour 86
absolute cell addressing 72 complex formulas 60 font formatting 78
absolute references 75 contextual menu 10 font size 81
access keys 6 contiguous ranges 42, 43 font sizes 82
accounting format 107 copy marquee 66 font styles 78
active cell 18, 20, 33, 35 copying and pasting 64, 68 fonts 80
add buttons 13, 14 copying formatting 88 Format Painter 88
adding values 55 copying formulas 69, 70 formatting currency 108
adding 51 copying many cells 68 formatting dates 111
adjacent rows 47 copying methods 64 formatting fractions 110
align centre 92 copying to a range 67 formatting numbers 106
align left 93 copying 65, 66 formatting percentages 109
arguments in functions 54 creating charts 124 formatting 88
autofit 101, 98 creating workbooks 19 formulas that add 51, 55
autowidth 98 currency formatting 108 formulas 23, 50, 52, 61
AVERAGE function 57 currency 107 fractions 110
averages 57 customise Quick Access functions 23, 54
Toolbar 14
B customise toolbar 13 G
background colours 87 general number formats 107
Backstage View 8, 9 D Go To command 35
Backstage 3, 4 data editing 36 Go To dialog box 35
blank workbook template 19 date formatting 111 Go To 46
BODMAS 50, 53, 60 dates 22 group 5
bold 83 decimal places 112
Decrease Font Size H
C command 82 help options 9
calculation indicators 15 default column width 100 help 8
calculation model 61 default printer 114, 116 hiding columns 103
cell addresses 23 deleting data 36 hiding rows 103
cell alignment 90, 91 destination range 64 horizontal alignment 90
cell references 23 dialog box launcher 11, 12
cell referencing 50 dialog box 11, 12 I
cells 18, 4, 42 display ribbon 7 Increase Font Size
centre align 92 division 53 command 82
changing chart layout 131 document information 8 indenting cells 95
changing chart types 130 dragging a chart 127 Insert Function dialog box
chart layout 131 57
chart object 125 E Insert Function tool 54
chart resizing 126 edit mode 38 insertion point 3
chart sheet 129, 133 editing longer cell entries 38 italics 84
chart sheets 122 editing 27, 38
chart style 132 ellipse 11, 12 K
chart types 123, 130 embedded charts 122, 125 keyboard access 6
charts 122, 124 embedding charts 134 keyboard 34
clearing a cell 39 emptying a cell 39 keytip badges 6
clearing data 36 entering numbers 21
closing a workbook 29 euro currency 108 L
closing 16 Excel start 2 large ranges 46
colour 86 exiting Excel 16 launch dialog box 11, 12
column headers 48 exiting 16 launch Excel 2
column borders 98 left align 93
column charts 124 F licensing information 9
column width 100 fill colour 87 Live Preview 79
column widths 98, 99 fill handle 25, 65
columns 18, 48 fill 25 M
Comma Style command 112 filling a series 65 making changes 27
Microsoft Excel 2010 - Level 1

marquee 66 R underlining 85
MAX function 58 range calculations 42 unhiding columns 104
maximum values 58 range copying 68 unhiding rows 104
menu 10 ranges 117, 42, 43, 44, 45 use ribbon 5
merging 90 relative cell addressing 69,
MIN function 59 72 V
minimise ribbon 7 relative copying 25 values 21
minimum values 59 relative formulas 69, 73, 74 vertical alignment 90
mixed references 76 remove buttons 14 view 3
modelling 61 resize icon 15
moving a chart 127 resizing a chart 126 W
moving about 34 ribbon minimise 7 what if 61
multiple copies 119 ribbon 3 workbook information 9
multiplication 53 Ribbon 4 workbook printing 118
ribbon 5 workbook view 15
N right alignment 91 workbook 4
naming workbooks 24 right-click 10 workbooks 18, 33
navigating workbooks 33 rotating text 94 worksheet navigation 34
new workbook 19 row height 101, 102 worksheet 3, 4
non-contiguous range 70 rows 18, 47 worksheets 18
non-contiguous ranges 42, rules for using fonts 78 wrapping 90
44, 56
number formatting 106 S Z
numbers 21 safe closing 29 zoom percentage 15
Save As dialog box 24 zoom slider 15
O Save tool 24 zoom 3
objects 125 saving changes 27
opening a file 32 saving workbooks 24
opening a workbook 32 screen features 3
orientation 90, 94 scroll bars 3
overwriting cells 37 selecting a printer 116
overwriting 36 selecting columns 48
selecting ranges 43, 44, 45,
P 46
Page Setup dialog box 128 selecting rows 47
pasting 66 shortcut menu 10
percentage formatting 109 source range 64
percentages 107 special selections 45
pointing method 51 spell checking 26
points 101 start Excel 2
precise column widths 99 status bar 15, 3
previewing formatting 79 status 8
previewing printing 115 subtraction 52
print a chart sheet 133 Sum command 25
Print options 120 SUM function 55
print previewing 115 sum indicator 15
Print tab 120 summing 56
printers 116
printing a range 117 T
printing a workbook 118 tab 5
printing charts 128, 133 templates 19
printing options 9 text colour 86
printing 114, 115, 119, 28 text orientation 94
problem formulas 74 text rotation 94
text 20, 91
Q thousands separator 112
QAT 13 typing text 20
Quick Access Toolbar 13,
14 U
UK currency 108