What is Excel? Excel is a spreadsheet application developed by Microsoft. Excel is a spreadsheet application developed by Microsoft. It creates spreadsheets, graphs, and does basic sorting. It creates spreadsheets, graphs, and does basic sorting. A spreadsheet is the computer equivalent of a paper ledger sheet. It consists of a grid made from columns and rows. It is an environment that can make number manipulation easy and somewhat painless. A spreadsheet is the computer equivalent of a paper ledger sheet. It consists of a grid made from columns and rows. It is an environment that can make number manipulation easy and somewhat painless.

Terminology To understand how to use excel you must first understand the terminology behind it. To understand how to use excel you must first understand the terminology behind it. Cell: defined as the space where a specified row and column intersect. A cell is assigned a name according to its COLUMN letter and ROW number Cell: defined as the space where a specified row and column intersect. A cell is assigned a name according to its COLUMN letter and ROW number Column: defined as the vertical space that is going up and down the window. Letters are used to designate each COLUMN'S location. Column: defined as the vertical space that is going up and down the window. Letters are used to designate each COLUMN'S location.

Terminology Continued – Row: is defined as the horizontal space that is going across the window. Numbers are used to designate each ROW'S location. – Formulas/Functions: are entries that have an equation that calculates the value to display In this example, the solution was $ This was NOT typed into the keyboard. The formula that was typed into the spreadsheet was: =PMT(C4/12,C5,-C3)

Starting Out Step 0: Before you’re able to create a chat, you must first create a spreadsheet with proper data values. Step 0: Before you’re able to create a chat, you must first create a spreadsheet with proper data values. As an example, we’ll be demonstrating how to create a line graph. Below is our data set for the chart. As an example, we’ll be demonstrating how to create a line graph. Below is our data set for the chart.

Creating Your Chart Step 1: Highlight the data that you want to be in your chart. This includes the data values and labels as well. To highlight rows and columns that are not next to each other simply hold control (CTRL) and drag the rows or columns you need. Step 1: Highlight the data that you want to be in your chart. This includes the data values and labels as well. To highlight rows and columns that are not next to each other simply hold control (CTRL) and drag the rows or columns you need. In this example you simply hold CTRL and click the top column letters to select the entire two columns

Creating Your Chart Step 2: Once your data is highlighted you can either go to Insert  Chart from the menu Step 2: Once your data is highlighted you can either go to Insert  Chart from the menu Or you can simply click the Insert Chart icon on the toolbar Or you can simply click the Insert Chart icon on the toolbar

Make the Chart! Step 3: Once you’ve clicked insert chart a chart wizard will pop up. It is here that you’ll select which type of chart you wish to create. For our example, we’ll be creating a line chart. So we select the LINE under the chart type menu and then we select the style we want under the chart sub-type then click next. Step 3: Once you’ve clicked insert chart a chart wizard will pop up. It is here that you’ll select which type of chart you wish to create. For our example, we’ll be creating a line chart. So we select the LINE under the chart type menu and then we select the style we want under the chart sub-type then click next.

Setting Up Your Chart Step 4: The next screen you’ll see shows you where your date range is so far. Meaning what cells your chart incorporates. By selecting either rows or columns you determine which of your highlighted data represents the x-axis (the horizontal representation). In our case we want the dates to be the x-axis. Step 4: The next screen you’ll see shows you where your date range is so far. Meaning what cells your chart incorporates. By selecting either rows or columns you determine which of your highlighted data represents the x-axis (the horizontal representation). In our case we want the dates to be the x-axis. This shows your date range This determines what highlighted data represents your x-axis

Labeling Your Chart Step 5: Once you click next from the previous step, the wizard takes you where you can name your chart and where you can label the x-axis and y-axis to show what they represent. It’s good practice to label all that you can so that those reading your graph knows what you’re trying to represent. Step 5: Once you click next from the previous step, the wizard takes you where you can name your chart and where you can label the x-axis and y-axis to show what they represent. It’s good practice to label all that you can so that those reading your graph knows what you’re trying to represent. Chart title X-Axis Label: Date Y-Axis Label: Return (by %)

Where’s It Going? Step 6: The final step after you click next is to choose where you want your chart created. You can either create it as a new sheet or you can create it as an object inside the spreadsheet itself. It normally looks better on its own and you’ll only really want to use it as an object within the spread sheet if you want the reader to see the raw data values along with your chart. Step 6: The final step after you click next is to choose where you want your chart created. You can either create it as a new sheet or you can create it as an object inside the spreadsheet itself. It normally looks better on its own and you’ll only really want to use it as an object within the spread sheet if you want the reader to see the raw data values along with your chart. We’re going to create it as both just so you can see the difference between the two. We’re going to create it as both just so you can see the difference between the two.

The Final Product! Once you click finish your chart will be displayed. As a new sheet it’ll look like this: Once you click finish your chart will be displayed. As a new sheet it’ll look like this: As an object in the spreadsheet itself it’ll look like this: As an object in the spreadsheet itself it’ll look like this: Data Chart