Spreadsheet skills 1

Cell content

Type of
content Description Example

A text cell usually contains words or other

sets of characters that cannot be used in • Mix of alphabets and
mathematical calculations. numbers.
• Alpha-numeric codes.
If the content is to be used in formulae, it
• Dates in text form
must be converted into values.
Text • Other forms of text.

• Numbers
A value is a number that can be used in a • Dates in value form
Values calculation • Other useable values

• Mathematical operators
• Links to cell references
Instructions for performing calculations. • Spreadsheet formulae
Indicated by an equal (=) sign at the start (SUM, PRODUCT,
Formulae of the formula. COUNT, etc.)

Duplicating or moving Cells

1: Cut,Copy and Paste
Key Point
The type of content to be pasted can be selected when pasting cut or copied cell
content. Select Paste Special to choose what type of cell content will be pasted.
For example, if you only want to paste the result of a formula and not the formula itself,
select Values from Paste Special.
 Outcome Action Example

Right-click on the cell and select Cut. Then

right-click on the destination cell and select
Paste.
Shortcuts:
• Cut: CTRL+X
• Paste: CTRL+V
Another method is to click and drag the active
To move cell
cell border to the destination cell.
content

Right-click on the cell and select Copy. Then

right-click on the destination cell and select
Paste.
Shortcuts:
To copy cell • Copy: CTRL+C
content • Paste: CTRL+V

2. Using Autofill Handle

The AutoFill feature allows data that follows a predictable pattern to be rapidly input.
This is done by clicking and dragging the small black square at the bottom right of the
active cell border (the cursor will change to a black cross).
Action Source Result

Copy a single
cell rapidly

Fill pattern
(months)

Fill pattern
(multiples)
Mathematical Operations

Step Description Example

Cells A1 and A2 contain values.

The objective is to calculate the sum of cells
A1 and A2 in cell B1.
1

2 Input equal sign in cell B1

3 Select cell A1

4 Input the addition operator

5 Select cell A2
 6 Press Tab or Enter to calculate the sum.
•For subtraction, use a subtraction operator (−)
•For multiplication, use a multiplication operator (*)
•For division, use a division operator (/)
Key Point
The mathematical order of operations applies when using mathematical operators in a
spreadsheet.
For example, the spreadsheet will perform multiplication and division operations before
addition and division, and operations in parentheses will be completed first
SUM Function
The sum function can rapidly calculate the sum of multiple cells.

Step Description Example

Cell range A1 to A5 contains values.

The objective is to calculate the sum
of cell range A1 to A5 in cell B1 using
the SUM function.
1

Input an equal sign in cell B1, and

the SUM function, with an opening
2 parenthesis.
 Select cell range A1 to A5 by clicking
and dragging to select the cell range.
Alternatively, the cell range could be
typed in as A1:A5.
3

Type in closing parenthesis to close

4 off the function.

Press Tab or Enter to calculate the

5 sum.

Relative or absolute References

Relative cell reference – Cell reference in spreadsheet formulae that change relative
to the position of the copied cell to the original cell.
Absolute cell reference – Cell reference in spreadsheet formulae that do not change.

When a formula in a cell is moved or copied to another cell, relative cell references will
change according to the position of the destination cell relative to the original cell. This
is the default treatment for cell references.
This is useful if we would like a formula to apply to a list of data, where each row or
column is a new data input for the formula.
Absolute cell references will not change when the formula is copied. This is useful if a
formula needs to reference a fixed cell that applies to all formula copies.
To create an absolute cell reference, the $ symbol is added in front of the cell
reference's letter (column name) or number (row name). This locks that part of the cell
reference from moving.
Formulae can be typed into the cell or the formula bar.

Source cell Source Formula Source Example

C1 =A1+B1

C1 =A1+B1

C1 =$A1+B1

C1 =$A1+B1
 C1 =A$1+B1

C1 =A$1+B1

C1 =$A$1+B1

C1 =$A$1+B1

Destination cell Moved Formula Moved Example

C2 =A2+B2
D1 =B1+C1

C2 =$A2+B1

D1 =$A1+C1

C2 =A$1+B2

D1 =B$1+C1
 C2 =$A$1+B2

D1 =$A$1+C1

Average function
The AVERAGE function calculates the average of the selected range of values.

Step Description Example

Cell range A1 to A5 contains values.

The objective is to calculate the
average of cell range A1 to A5 in
cell B1 using the AVERAGE
function.
1

Input an equal sign in cell B1, and

the AVERAGE function, with an
2 opening parenthesis.
 Select cell range A1 to A5 by
clicking and dragging to select the
cell range.
Alternatively, the cell range could be
typed in as A1:A5.
3

Type in closing parenthesis to close

4 off the function.

Press Tab or Enter to calculate the

5 average.

Round Function
The round function changes the value of a cell by rounding the number to a specified
number of digits.
The ROUND function changes the underlying value rather than just changing how a
value is displayed (which is the case when formatting numbers).
Step Description Example

The objective is to round the value of cell A1 using the

1 ROUND function, to zero decimal places, in cell B1

Input an equal sign in cell B1, and the ROUND

2 function, with an opening parenthesis.

3 Select A1 and add a comma after the cell reference.

Type 0 to round to zero decimal places, then close

4 parenthesis to close off the function.
 5 Press Tab or Enter to round the figure.

The digit placed after the comma in the ROUND

function determines the place the number is round to:

Formula
cell Formula Result

B2 =ROUND(A2,2) 1234.56

B3 =ROUND(A3,1) 1234.6

B4 =ROUND(A4,−1) 1230

B5 =ROUND(A5,−2) 1200
PS

IF function
The IF function applies a logical test and returns different values depending on whether
the logical test has been met.

Step Description Example

The objective is to evaluate if the value in

cell A1 is less than 10 and return the value
1 if the logical test is met and 0 if the
1 logical test fails in cell B1.
 Input an equal sign in cell B1 and the IF
2 function with an opening parenthesis.

Input the logical test with the cell reference

A1, then add a comma.
=IF(A1<10,
3

Type 1 after the first comma (returns a

value of 1 if the logical test succeeds),
then add a comma.
=IF(A1<10,1,
4

Type 0 after the second comma to return a

value of 0 if the logical test fails, and then
a closing parenthesis to close the formula.
=IF(A1<10,1,0)
5
 Press Tab or Enter to run the IF function.
The value of 1 is returned, as 9 is less
than 10.
6

Copying the formula to the other cells in

the column yields the following results:

Formula cell Formula Result

B2 =IF(A2<10,1,0) 0

B3 =IF(A3<10,1,0) 1

B4 =IF(A4<10,1,0) 0

B5 =IF(A5<10,1,0) 1
PS