Element of an electronic speadsheet ms excel

4. SPREAD SHEET – MS EXCEL
a.Elements of Electronic Spread Sheet – MS EXCEL
Introduction to Excel Part One
Purpose
Upon completion of this session you will be able to:
Describe the general purposes and uses of an electronic spreadsheet
Modify and format an existing Excel spreadsheet
Output an excel spreadsheet to a flash drive, printer, and chart
Software Needed
Microsoft Excel. Please note that the screenshots are from a Windows machine, however, the same steps
would apply to a Mac platform.
1

Before beginning this tutorial please make sure that you have completed all of the Word tutorials. You should
have also completed all of the Basic Computing tutorials.
Overview
Electronic Spreadsheet
Common elements of Spreadsheet window
Unique elements of Spreadsheet window
Spreadsheet cells
2

• Lesson 1: Electronic Spreadsheet
• Excel is an electronic spreadsheet. A spreadsheet program can store, manipulate, and create
graphical representations of data. It can be integrated into the curriculum in lessons that have
information that can be quantified.
• Excel spreadsheet example - An empty spreadsheet with a task pane opened. Remember that a
task pane has common tasks readily displayed.
3

Activity 1: Opening Excel
In this activity you will be opening the spreadsheet program Microsoft Excel and entering text into an Excel
document.
Turn on your computer.
Click on the Start button start then click on All Programs> Microsoft Office> Microsoft Excel ExcelIcon. (For
Macs go to the Finder Menu and click on Go then click on Applications. In the Application window click on
the link to Microsoft Office. In the Microsoft Office window click Excel. )
4

• Elements of importance:
• Columns
• Rows
• Cells
• We will discuss these elements further in this tutorial.
Activity 2: Downloading, Saving and Opening an Existing File
This activity will use a file entitled demoXP.xls that has already been created and saved on the Edutech site. To
download and save this file:
Right click here
Select Save Target As... (In FireFox you will select Save Link As.)
A Save As dialogue box will open allowing you to change the file name and the location where the file is saved. You
should include your initials in the file name and choose a folder location where your course files are stored on
the hard drive. In previous tutorials you should have created a course work folder and a CEP 810 folder. Save
this file in your CEP 810 folder.
Click on Save and the demoXP.xls spreadsheet will be saved to your folder.
To Open the File:
In the main Excel menu bar click once on the File menu, scroll down and click on Open. ( File> Open )
Navigate through your folder directory and click on the demoXP file. (You should have added your initials to the file
name.)
5

Activity 2: Downloading, Saving and Opening an Existing File (Continued)
6

• Lesson 2: Spreadsheet Window - Elements Common with Microsoft Word
• In this next lesson you will learn about the main elements of the Excel window. The elements shown below
are similar to elements found in Microsoft Word.
Title Bar
The Title Bar lists the name of the software program you have open and then lists the name of the specific
document you are viewing. In this case, Microsoft Excel is open with the document name of Book1 showing.
Microsoft and other software use a default naming system of Book1, Book2 etc., to automatically name files
until you change the name to a descriptive word meaningful to you. Because you have opened the demoXP file,
your title bar should show the name of that document.
Menu Bar
The terms (words) in the Menu Bar each represent a different submenu. To view the menu- mouse over the
word in the menu bar and a pull down menu appears. The options in the pull down menu represent functions
that are relevant to the term in the menu bar. If you see a downward pointing double arrow then you are
viewing only the most frequently used options. Click on the double arrow to show all available options.
Standard Toolbar
The Standard Toolbar has icons for frequently used items. This bar will change to reflect recently used icons as
you use the software. You can move any toolbar to other locations in the spreadsheet by clicking and holding
on the four vertical dots on the left side of the toolbar.
The separator line, highlighted below, provides additional handles for moving the toolbar within the page.
7

• Formatting Toolbar
The Formatting Toolbar allows you to quickly make formatting changes to text and cells. Specifically, these
buttons will allow you to make changes to the appearance of your document. The icons in this bar will vary as
you use the program. If the icon you want to use does not appear in this menu, click on the toolbar options icon
at the far right of this bar to select the option you would want to add.
• Scroll bar
The Scroll Bar allows the viewer to view different parts of the spreadsheet that may not be viewable because of
the screen size. You can move the vertical scroll bar up or down and the horizontal scroll bar left or right.
• Status Bar
The left side of the Status Bar shows the possible states you have for each cell; Ready, Enter, or Edit. The other
cells show the result of formulas used in selected cells.
8

• Lesson 3: Spreadsheet Window - Unique Elements
These elements are unique to Excel and other electronic spreadsheets.
Formula Bar
The Formula Bar shows the selected cell on the left. The fx box on the right provides an area for entering data
or formulas into the cell.
Column & Row Header
In the Column & Row Header, each column is labeled with a letter and each row is associated with a number.
The columns, which go from the top of the page to the bottom, just like a column on a building, begin with A
and go through the alphabet repeatedly with a letter sequence of AA, AB, ...IV until 256 columns have been
identified. The rows are numbered from 1 - 65,536.
9

• Column
Each Column can be selected by clicking on the corresponding letter on the spreadsheet. Numerous columns
can be selected by clicking and dragging the cursor over the letters.
• Row
In turn, each Row can be selected by clicking on the corresponding number on the spreadsheet. Numerous
rows can be selected by clicking and dragging the cursor over the numbers. A hint: When selecting many rows,
start from the row furthest from the beginning and drag the mouse upward to control the "runaway mouse".7
• Cell
A Cell is the union of a column and row. The wide black line around the cell means that the cell has been
selected using a single left click. A square box (AutoFill handle) appears on the lower right edge. We will talk
more about the AutoFill in another lesson.
10

• Tabs
• The Sheet Tabs are located at the bottom of the spreadsheet and serve as navigation tools for the workbook. A
sheet is a single spreadsheet. A workbook (excel file) may have multiple sheets. Three sheets are provided
when you open the workbook but more can be added by selecting Insert > Worksheet from the standard
toolbar. The current worksheet will have the white background and extra sheets will have the gray tab. To
change from one worksheet to another, just click on the worksheet tab you want to view. Sheet names can be
easily changed by double clicking on the text "Sheet1" and typing the new name when the original letters are
highlighted with a black background.
The arrows serve as navigation tools also. The vertical line with the left pointing arrow  ExcelLVA will take you
to the leftmost sheet in the workbook. Correspondingly, the right pointing arrow with the horizontal line
ExcelRVA brings up the rightmost worksheet. The individual arrows move to the previous ExcelLA or next
ExcelRA worksheet.
Cursor
ExcelPlusThe wide white Plus Symbol serves as a selecting cursor. With the cursor in this state, you can select a cell
using a left click. The cell then becomes highlighted with the wide black rectangle
The blinking I Beam or Insertion Point is visible when the cell is in the Ready state and you have either double clicked
into the cell or have put data into the cell. Even though the I Beam is common in other programs, the difference
is that an extra action (double clicking or typing) is necessary for this to appear.
11

• Nomenclature
The cell is named by listing the column letter first followed by the row number. In this example; C1 refers to the cell
in the third column of the first row. Remember that the formula bar displays the name of the highlighted cell. If
more than one cell is selected, the initial cell will be displayed followed by a colon and then the name of the last
cell (e.g., A1:D1).
• Entry Bar
There are two ways to activate the enter or edit mode of the cell. You can double click in the cell or single click in
the Formula Box located in the formula bar. When you are in this enter or edit mode, additional icons appear
next to the entry bar. The is used to delete content in the cell, the is used to accept the entry you have made
and the is used to insert a formula. Note that the black line surrounding the cell becomes thinner when the cell
has been activated.
Selected Cell(s)
The wide black line surrounding the cell or selection of cells indicates the Selected Cells. Any changes made in the
program will occur in those cells. Cells need not be adjacent to one another to be selected. This will be covered
in later lessons.
12

• Lesson 4: Spreadsheet Cells
For this next lesson you will be working with the demoXP file. Please make sure you have the file open. You will be
exploring some of the elements in an existing spreadsheet. Therefore for many of the steps in these activities
there will be an accompanying explanation.
Activity 1: Values and Formulas
1. Single click on cell B13 (You should see the data next to fx displayed like the image below.)
Result: Cell B13 shows the value of 24430 but the formula bar displays the underlying formula of one-half of the
sum of cells B4 through B12.
13

Adding Values
When keying in numbers, the keypad at the right hand side of the desktop keyboard is helpful. Make sure the Num
Lock key has been selected.
After entering data in the cell, you can press Enter, TAB or any arrow key to move to adjacent cells. This will confirm
the cell's data entry.
Edit mode allows you to edit a cell's content. There are two ways to accomplish this task.
• Double click on the cell and enter your data.
• Click on the cell and then click on the formula bar to make changes. The enter, cancel and function arguments
will appear allowing you to accept, cancel your entry or add a formula from the formula bar
To begin adding values:
1. Click on cell C4
2. Key in 15000. Press the Enter key or down arrow key to move to cell C5 Key in the remaining values in the rest
of this column... (Remember to press the enter key or down arrow after each value has been entered.)
5000
0
0
160
1500
1000
2500
2500
3. Click on File, then Save. Remember to periodically save your file.
14

• Activity 2: Copying and Pasting Formulas
In this activity you will learn how to copy a formula from one cell and paste it into another.
1. Click on cell B13
2. In the Edit menu, select Copy (You should see a dotted line (marquee) around cell B13.)
3. Click on cell C13
4. In the Edit menu, select Paste
5. Press Enter or Esc to stop the copying of subsequent cells (You will no longer see the dotted line around cell
B13.) The number 13830 should appear in cell C13.
15

Activity 3: Entering Formulas
In this activity you will enter a formula that will add the columns B4 and C4
1. Double click on cell D4 and type =sum(b4:c4)
2. Press Enter to confirm the entry
Note: Using the sum function is more flexible than simply adding the two columns together since the sum function
will allow you to easily add additional columns if you were to include a Phase 3 to the formula.
Example: [=(B13+C13+D13)] vs. [=SUM(B13:D13)]
When using the sum formula, the colon (:) is used to select the adjacent cell and the comma (,) is used to select non-
adjacent cells. This formula [=SUM(B4:C4,B6:C6)] would give the sum of the adjacent cells, B4 & C4 added to
the sum of adjacent cells B6 & C6.
Result: The value displayed in the cell D4 should be 30000 with the cursor in a ready position in cell D5.
16

Activity 4: Copying Formulas into Multiple Locations
In this activity you will learn how to copy and paste a formula into multiple cell locations. You will copy and paste
the formula from D4 into cells D5 through D13.
1. Select cells D4 through D13 by either clicking on D4 and dragging down to D13 or clicking on D4 and holding
down the Shift key and then clicking on D13.
2. In the Edit menu, select Fill>Down
Result: The formula and values should be displayed in cells D5 through D13. Cell D13 should display the number
38260.
17

Additional Information: Fill Down can be used with adjacent cells and does not require the use of the clipboard
which uses copy and paste. The Fill Down action provides a Relative Reference to the cells. This means that the
formula will remain the same but the cell letters and numbers will reflect the currently selected rows and
columns. If you want to learn more about Relative vs. Absolute Reference in cells, check the help menu.
Alternative Method: An alternate way to complete the Fill Down is to select the cell to be copied, then click and
hold the small black box or handle on the edge of the cell, then drag until you have selected all of the cells you
want filled.
18

Activity 5: Entering Additional Formulas
In this activity you will learn how to add additional formulas to the spreadsheet. You will enter a sum formula to
total Phase 1, Phase 2, and the Grand Total.
1. Click on B14 and enter =sum(
2. Drag from B4 through B13 and key in a right parenthesis and press Enter
Result: The value of 73290 should be displayed in cell B14.
19

• An alternate way to include the Sum formula is to click on cell B14 and then click on the Sigma symbol for
summation and select and drag through B4 through B13. If you have double clicked on the cell, you will need to
double click on the Sigma symbol to activate the formula.
20

Now you are ready to add the totals for Phase 2 and the Grand Total.
1. Copy and paste the formula from B14 into C14. Remember to click Enter or Esc to stop copying.
2. In cell C14, enter the formula to sum column D
The spreadsheet calculations are complete.
21

Introduction to Excel Part Two: Formatting an Existing Spreadsheet
Purpose
Upon completion of this tutorial you will have learned how to format the following:
• Labels
• Title
• Rows and columns
• Values
• AutoFit Selection
Software Needed
Microsoft Office Excel
Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills
Before beginning this tutorial please make sure that you have completed Excel Introduction - Part 1.
Overview
• Formatting
• Creating a Chart
22

Activity 1: Spreadsheet Labels
Purpose: To improve the appearance and readability of the spreadsheet
1. Select Row 3 by clicking on the row header. Remember that the row header is the number at the beginning of
the row.
2. Click on the Bold button
3. Click on the Centering icon
• Result: Column titles are bold and centered
1. Select Column A by clicking in the column header
3. Click on the Align Right button
• Result: Categories are bold and right aligned
23

• Activity 2: Spreadsheet Title
1. Select the title cell - B1
2. Click on the arrow in the Font Size box, select 16 (See image below)
4. Select cells A1 through D1
5. Click on the Merge and Center icon
24

Activity 3: Formatting Values
Purpose: To make values easier to read
1. Select the box of cells -- B4 through D15
2. In the Format menu, select Cells
3. Click on Accounting from the Category menu. Then on the right side of the Format Cells window make sure that
Decimal Places is set to 2 and Symbol is set to None
4. Click on OK
Result: All values are formatted with commas and two decimal figures
25

5.Select cell D15
6. In the Format menu, select Cells
7. Set Symbol to $
26

Activity 4: AutoFit Columns
1. Select the entire worksheet by clicking the Select All Button (box) in the upper left corner where the rows and
columns intersect. The box is blank. (See the image below)
2. Select Format, select Column, and then AutoFit Selection
Result: All of the columns are spaced to accommodate the widest content in each column.
27

Activity 5: Page Set Up
Purpose: To format the spreadsheet for printing
1. In the File menu, choose Page Setup...
2. Click on the Page tab, make sure the Orientation is set at Portrait
3. Select the Margins tab and under the section Center on Page, check the box next to Horizontally
4. Select the Sheet tab and under Print, check Gridlines (this will add lines to the worksheet when printed)
5. Then press OK
6. In the File menu choose Print Preview... to see the placement of your worksheet on the page.
7. Save your Excel Document.
28

• Lesson 2: Creating a Chart
Excel is not only used to perform computations or to sort and organize data. It can also be used to create graphical
representations of information.
Activity 1: Creating a Chart
Purpose: To produce a graphic display of project budget totals
*Non-adjacent cells will be selected to create this chart.
1. Select cells A4 through A13
2. With the previous cells selected, hold down the Ctrl key, click and drag from D4 through D13
3. Click on the Chart icon Excel Chart Icon (if the Office Assistant appears, click on [No, don't provide help now])
29

5. The Chart Wizard appears displaying the first window in a series of four windows. The window is titled Step 1
of 4 - Chart Type
6. Under the heading Chart Type, keep it set to the first option Column.
7. Under the heading Chart sub-type select the 3-D chart. (See image below - it is the first option in the second
row.)
30

7. Once this sub-type is selected, you can click on the Press and Hold to view Sample button (See image above) to
see if the data is displayed properly. It should look like the image below.
8. If this chart is acceptable, click on Next
31

9. Behind the window Step 2 of 4 – Chart Source Data notice the highlighted selections on the spreadsheet. This
refers to the Data range shown in the Wizard.
10. Accept the default settings by clicking Next
32

11. The new window Step 3 of 4 – Chart Options. Key in the title Budget Category Totals.
12. Click on the Legend tab, and uncheck Show Legend
13. Click on Next
14. Click on As new sheet and key in the name Totals Chart to label the sheet
15. Click on Finish
33

16. Double click on the Sheet1 tab that is adjacent to the Totals Chart tab
17. Rename your data sheet to Budget Data
18. To change the orientation of the text for the Budget Categories, double click on one of the labels.
Notice: The chart worksheet tab includes the name Totals Chart that you provided while using the chart
wizard. Sheet 1 corresponds to the data we have in the spreadsheet.
34

A Format Axis dialogue box appears. In the Orientation field, select the Diamond connected to text and drag it to the
top of the circle so that the text orientation is 90 degrees
35

19. In the File menu, select Print Preview
20. If the chart appears the way you want it to look when printed, click on Print
21. If you would like to make changes to the appearance or add a Header or Footer, click on
Setup and select the options you would like to change.
36

Element of an electronic speadsheet ms excel

More Related Content

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked (20)

Similar to Element of an electronic speadsheet ms excel (20)

More from eVidhya (12)

Recently uploaded (20)

Element of an electronic speadsheet ms excel