Microsoft Excel A Spreadsheet Program

A Spreadsheet Program Allows the user to organize data into columns and rows, format the data, perform calculations on the data, and create charts and graphs using the data Killer App

Excel Window

Excel Interface The way you interact with the Excel program is very similar to the way you interact with other Microsoft Office programs given the locations of the Office Button, Quick Access Toolbar, Title bar, Close button, Ribbons, Zoom Slider, View Buttons, and Status Bar. Undo and Redo work as well!

Excel Workbook An Excel file with one or more worksheets

Excel Worksheet The work area for entering and calculating data made up of columns and rows separated by gridlines (light gray lines). Also called a spreadsheet. 16,384 Columns 1,048,576 Rows

Cell The Intersection of a column and a row on a worksheet. You enter data into cells to create a worksheet.

Active Cell The active cell contains the cell pointer. There is a dark outline around the active cell.

Formula Bar As you enter data into a cell, it simultaneously appears in the Formula bar, which is located above the worksheet.

Name Box The box to the left of the Formula bar above a worksheet that indicates the location of the active cell Type a cell’s name in the name box and press Enter to go to that cell.

Cell Reference The location of a cell in a worksheet is identified by its column letter and row number. Also known as the cell’s address. The active cell reference or name is in the name box to the left of the Formula bar. The Column header (a letter) and Row header (a number) are highlighted as well

Scroll Use the scroll bar to view locations on a worksheet without changing the active cell.

Sheet Tabs or Worksheet Tabs Tabs that appear at the bottom of the workbook window that display the name of each worksheet. You can change these names by right clicking on them and typing new names.

Tab Scrolling Buttons These appear to the left of the worksheet tabs and allow you to scroll hidden tabs into view. Useful in workbooks containing more than 5 or 6 sheets.

Label Text in the first row or column of a worksheet to identify the type of data contained in that column or row Can be Alphabetical, numeric, or a symbol Automatically aligns to the LEFT

Spreadsheet Defaults The standard settings Excel uses in its software, such as column width

Entering Data Text – aligns left Numbers – align right You can set different alignment for a cell, a row, a column, the worksheet

Delete or Clear Cell Contents You can press the Escape key or click the Cancel button on the formula bar to cancel an entry before you press the tab key or the Enter key Use the Clear Contents Command or the Delete key to erase data from a cell after it has been finalized

Excel File Names Save as an Excel workbook File extension (.xlsx for 2013) is added to file name Up to 255 characters – but keep short File names can contain letters, numbers, and spaces, but not / \ : * > “ <>

AutoComplete A feature used to complete an entry based on previous entries made in column containing the active cell

AutoCorrect A feature used to automate the correction of common typing errors Spell Check is also available in Excel and should be used with every file that contains text Spell Check does not put red wavy lines under misspelled words. You must run Spell Check.

Value A number entered in a worksheet A cell contains a value when its first character is a number, or one of these symbols: + - = $

Numeric Label A number entered in a worksheet as a label, not a value – such as the year 2005 used as a column label

Series A list of sequential numbers, dates, times or text that can be entered in a range of cells

Standard Column Width The default number of characters that display in a column based on the default font

Entering Dates Can enter dates using several different formats Use Number Group on Home Ribbon to specify date and other number or text formats

Formula An instruction Excel uses to calculate a number Example: =sumA1+A2 means make the contents of the active cell equal to the total of the contents of cells A1 and A2 OR add up the numbers in cells A1 and A2 put the answer in this active cell where the formula is being typed

Cell Range A1:C3 is the way you would write or indicate all the cells starting with A1 and going through C3 You could use a cell range in a formula such as =sum(A1:C3)

Mathematical Operators Symbols used in mathematical operations + is Addition - is Subtraction * is Multiplication / is Division

Order of Mathematical Operations The order in which Excel performs the calculations specified in a formula Operations enclosed in parentheses are first if any parentheses are present Left to right within the formula, multiplication and division are performed before addition and subtraction

Charts Select cells on a worksheet to create a chart Use Chart Options on Insert Ribbon to select chart type such as: column, line, pie, bar Add colors, titles, data labels and other elements to make charts easy to read and understand the data