Excel - Beginner
Documentation
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Table of Contents
Basics .................................................................................................................................. 1
What is a spreadsheet...................................................................................................... 1
Why on a computer......................................................................................................... 1
Basics of a spreadsheet ................................................................................................... 1
Types of data................................................................................................................... 1
Formatting........................................................................................................................... 1
Organize content in rows and columns........................................................................... 1
Change column and row sizes..................................................................................... 1
Merge cells.................................................................................................................. 3
Hide rows and columns............................................................................................... 3
Insert and Cut & Paste rows and columns .................................................................. 4
Paste special ................................................................................................................ 4
Transpose .................................................................................................................... 4
Splitting and freezing panes............................................................................................ 5
Split window ............................................................................................................... 5
Freeze panes................................................................................................................ 5
Format data in cells......................................................................................................... 6
Formulas ......................................................................................................................... 7
Basic formulas ( +, -, /, *, ^, () ) ................................................................................. 7
Formula function......................................................................................................... 7
Copying formulas........................................................................................................ 8
Referencing ................................................................................................................. 8
Relative references...................................................................................................... 8
Absolute references..................................................................................................... 9
Autoformatting............................................................................................................ 9
Conditional formatting.................................................................................................. 11
Insert Charts & Graphs ..................................................................................................... 12
Printing.............................................................................................................................. 13
Print preview................................................................................................................. 13
Page Break Preview ...................................................................................................... 13
The Center for Teaching Excellence
Excel - Beginner
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Documentation
Basics
What is a spreadsheet
It’s the equivalent of a paper ledger sheet. Spreadsheets are used for tracking money,
working with numerical data, statistics, etc.
Why on a computer
The computer does the calculating for you. Also, if you change values (say, if you change
a grade) the computer recalculates instantaneously for you.
Basics of a spreadsheet
Spreadsheets are made up of columns and rows, whose intersections are cells.
• Columns: vertical; labeled with letters
• Rows: horizontal; labeled with numbers
• Cells: referred to with letter first, then number (in the example below, cell F2 is
selected)
Types of data
•
•
•
Labels: Text (in the above example, Row 1 has the labels: First, Last, etc.)
Constants: Numbers (in the above example, the grades in columns C, D, and E are
constants: 89, 91, etc.)
Formulas: Equations; must start with equals sign (if a cell has a formula, go to View
> Formula Bar to view. The formula for cell F2 is =AVERAGE(C2:E2)
(More on formulas on page 7)
Formatting
Organize content in rows and columns
Change column and row sizes
Several ways to do this:
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•
Select the whole column or row and drag it to the appropriate size
•
OR Select Format>Column>Width
Enter the column width. Click OK.
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Merge cells
•
•
Select two cells (click and drag)
Format > Cells > Alignment, select Merge cells
Hide rows and columns
•
•
Select entire row or column
Format > Row (or Column) > Hide
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Insert and Cut & Paste rows and columns
Excel inserts columns to the left of the column you have selected, and inserts rows above
the row you have selected.
• Insert > Rows (or Insert > Columns)
Paste special
•
•
Select a cell (or row, or column)
Edit > Paste special
•
Select the appropriate option (for example, to paste a number that is the result of a
formula as a constant, select Values)
Click OK
•
Transpose
To transpose a row or column (make a column a row, or vice versa):
• Select a row, column, or group of cells
• Edit > Paste special
• Select the Transpose check box
• Click OK
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Splitting and freezing panes
Split window
This lets you see two to four copies of your document at the same time, so you can look
at (and work in) multiple parts of the document simultaneously.
• Select the cell to the right of and below the point where you want the screen to split.
• Window > Split
•
To remove the split, select Window > Remove Split
Freeze panes
This lets you keep some parts of the spreadsheet still (frozen) while you scroll through
another part.
• Select the cell to the right of and below the point where you want the screen to freeze.
• Window > Freeze Panes
• To unfreeze the panes, select Window > Unfreeze Panes
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Format data in cells
•
•
Select the cell you want to apply a special format to
Format > Cells
•
•
Select the format you want
Click OK
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Formulas
Use formulas to perform mathematical operations in Excel. The equals sign (=) is the
signal to Excel that you are typing a formula in a cell. Always start your formula with an
equals sign.
Basic formulas ( +, -, /, *, ^, () )
You can use Excel to: add, subtract, divide, multiply, raise to the exponent. You can also
group operations to have Excel, for example, first add values in cells and then divide by
the total number of cells.
Formula function
To insert a function into a cell:
• Insert > Function
•
Look for the function you want to use in the Select a function: field. If you don’t see
it, search for it by typing the name of the function in the Search for a function: field
and clicking Go.
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Select the function you want and click OK.
Specify the cells that you want to perform the function on (in this case, average) by
clicking and dragging on the spreadsheet, or by entering the addresses of the cells in
the Number fields.
• Click OK
Some other functions you might want to use include: Absolute value, count, and rounding
(which is different than applying a particular decimal format)
•
Copying formulas
To re-use a formula you’ve created in another cell:
• Select the cell that contains the formula you want to copy
• Ctrl+C
• Select the cell where you want the formula to go
• Ctrl+V
Referencing
A reference identifies a cell or a range of cells on a worksheet and tells Microsoft Excel
where to look for the values or data you want to use in a formula. With references, you
can use data contained in different parts of a worksheet in one formula or use the value
from one cell in several formulas. You can also refer to cells on other sheets in the same
workbook, and to other workbooks. References to cells in other workbooks are called
links.
Relative references
A relative cell reference in a formula, such as A1, is based on the relative position of the
cell that contains the formula and the cell the reference refers to. If the position of the cell
that contains the formula changes, the reference is changed. If you copy the formula
across rows or down columns, the reference automatically adjusts. By default, new
formulas use relative references. For example, if you copy a relative reference in cell B2
to cell B3, it automatically adjusts from =A1 to =A2.
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Absolute references
An absolute cell reference in a formula, such as $A$1, always refer to a cell in a specific
location. If the position of the cell that contains the formula changes, the absolute
reference remains the same. If you copy the formula across rows or down columns, the
absolute reference does not adjust. By default, new formulas use relative references, and
you need to switch them to absolute references. For example, if you copy a absolute
reference in cell B2 to cell B3, it stays the same in both cells =$A$1.
Autoformatting
To automatically apply colors and borders to a table:
• Select the range of cells you want to apply formatting to
• Format > Autoformat
•
Select the format you want to use
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Click OK
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Conditional formatting
•
•
Select the cell or group of cells you want to apply conditional formatting to
Format > Conditional formatting
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•
Set condition(s)
Click Format
•
Specify the way you want the cells to look if they meet the condition(s)
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Click OK, then click OK again
Insert Charts & Graphs
Use the Excel Chart Wizard to insert a chart or graph:
• Select the cells you want to make the graph out of
• Insert > Chart
•
Select the type and sub-type of chart you want to use
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•
Click Next; click through the wizard and fill in anything you want to add
•
If you want to include the chart on the same Excel page you’re working on, then
select As object in; if you want it on its own page select As new sheet
Click Finish
•
Printing
The print area shows you what part of the spreadsheet will print.
Print preview
To see what your document will look like when it prints:
• File > Print Preview
• To leave the print preview view, click the Close button
Page Break Preview
In the Page Break Preview mode, you can change the print area by clicking and dragging
the blue lines.
• File > Print Preview
• Click the Page Break Preview button
Or
• View > Page Break Preview
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