Instructions for Opening a Comprehensive Data File in
Microsoft Excel
1. Put the CD into the drive.
NOTE: This document assumes that you have downloaded the CDF (.zip) file from
either PearsonAccess or from a CD, unzipped the file, and saved the CDF file (.txt) to
your local drive. If you saved it to a local or network drive, use that location for these
instructions.
2. Open Excel.
3. Click on File and then Open on the main toolbar.
4. The following window will appear. On the “Look-In” drop down choose the drive
(with the CD drive icon) where you put the CD in Step 1. The Files of Type
selection at the bottom of the window should be Text Files. (The sample D drive
below is hypothetical.)
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5. OPEN the file by either:
1) Clicking the file name and then on Open, OR
2) Double clicking the file name.
Note: In general, the name of the file will include your system number and will
have a TXT file type. Depending on your computer’s settings, you may or may
not see the .TXT file extension in the file name displayed on the screen.
6. The Text Import Wizard – Step 1 of 3 window will appear. Click Next.
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7. The Text Import Wizard – Step 2 of 3 window will appear next. On this screen you
will need to combine fields. NOTE: Refer to Student Data File Layout for column
alignment specifications.
A. Start by selecting the line that you would like to move.
B. Hold your mouse button down while you move the line.
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C. To complete the merge, drag the line to the top of the next line. Repeat this step
for all fields that need to be merged. Once complete click Next.
The computer will auto-combine the two lines into one.
8. The Text Import Wizard – Step 3 of 3 window will appear next. Use Scroll bar and
scroll all the way to the right.
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9. Hold down your Shift key and click on the last field. (This will highlight all the
columns.)
10. Under Column data format, select Text. Then click Finish.
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11. The raw data file will be imported into the Excel spreadsheet.
12. Save the spreadsheet by clicking File and then Save As on the main toolbar.
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13. The Save As window will appear. The Save as type selection at the bottom of the
window should be Microsoft Excel Workbook (*.xls). Specify the location where the file
should be saved and specify the file name. Click Save.
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HELPFUL TIPS
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Clicking on the cell to the left of the letter A and above the number 1 in the upper left
hand corner of the screen will select/highlight the entire spreadsheet.
Double clicking on a dividing line between any two columns will resize the column
to the width that will display all the entries in the column.
Columns of data can be hidden temporarily. (Select the column(s). Click
Format—Column—Hide)
To unhide selected columns, select the cells in the column to the left and in the
column to the right of the hidden columns and then click Format—Column—
Unhide. If the first column is hidden, click Go To—Edit. Type A1 in the
Reference box and then click OK. Click Format—Column—Unhide.
To unhide all the columns, select the entire spreadsheet by using the first tip
above and then click Format—Column—Unhide.
In the following screen, columns A through E are visible.
When columns B and D are hidden, only the following appear.
To display the column headings when printing the file, choose File on the main
toolbar and then click Page Setup. Then click the Sheet tab. Select the Row and
Column Heading check box. Each column heading will automatically display on
each page of the document. Hidden columns do not appear when printing the file.
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