XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 1 Creating a Worksheet

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 2 What’s Inside and on the CD?  Essentials of creating a worksheet with OpenOffice.org Calc (spreadsheet software) Set of tools for simple/complex calculations (e.g., creating a budget, estimating expenses, creating income and expense projection) Functions like a visual calculator  Place number needed for calculation into a cell of the grid  Enter formulas (e.g., add, subtract) to manipulate the numbers  Spreadsheet software automatically performs calculations and displays results

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 3 What’s in the Calc window? Worksheet (or sheet)  Consists of a grid of columns (labeled with letters) and rows (labeled with numbers) Workbook  Contains one or more worksheets, each represented by a tab Worksheet cell (or cell)  Rectangle formed by intersection of a column and row  Each has a unique name (e.g., B3)

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 4 What’s in the Calc window? (continued) Active cell  The cell you can currently edit or modify  Change by clicking another cell or pressing arrow keys Range  Series of cells (e.g., D3:D6)  Select a range by clicking cell in top-left corner of the range and dragging the mouse to bottom-right cell in the range

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 5 What’s in the Calc window? (continued)

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 6 How do I enter labels?  Label Any text entered into a cell of the worksheet Use to describe numbers you’ve entered in other cells and for text data (e.g., names of people) Any “number” data not intended for use in a calculation should be entered as a label (e.g., telephone number)  Click cell and enter label Text extends into neighboring cells if too long

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 7 How do I enter labels? (continued)

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 8 How do I enter labels? (continued) To make a long label “wrap”  Select cell(s), click Format  Click Cells on menu bar to display Format Cells dialog box  Click Alignment tab, then click Wrap text automatically check box To edit a label after pressing Enter  Click cell, click Input line in Formula Bar  Use left/right arrow keys to move insertion point, and Backspace and Delete keys to delete characters To edit a label inside a cell  Double-click cell to activate  Edit contents using arrow, Backspace, and Delete keys

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 9 How do I enter values?  Value Number intended to be used in a calculation  Click a cell to make it active, and enter the (unformatted) value into the cell

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 10 How do I enter values? (continued)

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 11 How do I enter values? (continued) To indicate a negative value  Type a minus sign before the number To specifically enter a number as a label  Type an apostrophe before the number To enter values automatically  Use fill handle and drag-and-fill technique  Use Fill option on Edit menu

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 12 How do I enter formulas?  Formula Specifies how to add, subtract, multiply, divide, or otherwise calculate values in worksheet cells Always begins with a equal sign Can use cell references (column and row location) that point to contents of other cells

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 13 How do I enter formulas? (continued)  Most common arithmetic operators Subtraction – Addition + Multiplication * Division / Percent % Exponent ^

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 14 How do I enter formulas? (continued)  Use the pointer method (easiest way) Click cell where results should appear, type “=” Click cell that contains first number to reference in the formula Type an arithmetic operator, then click the next cell to reference Continue until formula is complete  Type formula directly into cell

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 15 How do I enter formulas? (continued)

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 16 How do I create complex formulas?  Use arithmetic operators, parentheses, and a mixture of values and cell references to calculate statistical, financial, and mathematical equations  Use parentheses to specify order for calculation  Be aware: cell references in formulas can lead to unexpected results when formulas are copied or moved

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 17 How do I create complex formulas? (continued)

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 18 How do I use functions?  Function: predefined formula  Calc includes more than 250 functions – financial, mathematical and trigonometric, statistical – including Sum, Average, Minimum, Maximum, and Payment

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 19 How do I use functions? (continued)  Verify that formulas and functions reference correct cells and data Avoid circular references  Formulas can include multiple functions

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 20 How do I use functions? (continued)  Use Function Wizard button to select a function from a list  Specify arguments (values or cell references used to calculate result of function) Click top-left cell containing data to use in the function, then drag down to bottom-right cell Release mouse button to display selected range of cells in dialog box Click OK button to calculate

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 21 How do I use functions? (continued)

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 22 How do I use functions? (continued)

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 23 How do I use functions? (continued)  Some functions use more than one argument, and those arguments may be required or optional  Be careful using functions you don’t fully understand  Check results with a calculator to make sure the function is working as expected

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 24 How do I use the Sum button?  Quickly creates a function to calculate the total of a column or row of cells  Calc examines cells to left of and above current cell to determine cells to include in total

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 25 How do I use the Sum button? (continued)

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 26 How do I use the Sum button? (continued)  Cells included in Sum function are displayed as a range or as a series of adjacent cells  Sum works best if every cell in the row or column of cells contains a value  Check the marquee to ensure that the correct range of cells is selected before pressing Enter

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 27 How do I use the Sum button? (continued)  If Sum button does not automatically select the correct cells: Press Esc key to remove the function and create the Sum fraction manually Drag across the correct range of cells to select them; press Enter to complete the function

XP Practical OpenOffice.org Chapter 5 28 Summary  The Calc window  How to enter labels, values, and formulas  How to create complex formulas  Ho to use functions  How to use the Sum button