Selecting cells on the worksheet To make a cell or range of cells the target of a command in Excel, the cells must be selected. We can select a single cell or a range or block of cells. A range of cells may one or more columns, one or more rows, or all of the cells on a worksheet. The selected range may include cells, rows, or columns that are adjacent or nonadjacent to each other. We can select cells on the worksheet with the mouse, with the Go To menu command, and by typing cell addresses in the Name Box on the Formula Bar. Whether one or many cells are selected on the worksheet, there is only one cell that is the active cell. The active cell is the target destination for whatever data item we enter next. One reasonfor selecting a range of cells in addition to the active cell is to constrain data entry to the selected range. As we type in data, the cells that we navigate to will be limited to the cells in the selected range. Selecting cells on the worksheet, Slide 1Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

The active cell When we open a new workbook in Excel, the first cell in the first worksheet is the active cell as well as the selected cell. Selecting cells on the worksheet, Slide 2Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

Selecting a single cell We can make any other visible cell on the worksheet be the active cell by positioning the cursor over the cell and clicking on it with the left mouse button. If the cell we want to select is not visible, we use the scroll bars to bring that cell into view so we can select it. Selecting cells on the worksheet, Slide 3Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

Selecting cells on the worksheet - 3 We can select a range of cells with the mouse by holding the mouse button down on the active cell and dragging the mouse across the range of cells we want to select. If cell D4 is the active cell and we want create a selection of cells from D4 through F8, we click on cell D4, hold the mouse button down, and drag to cell F8. As we drag the cells are selected. The name box shows the number of rows and columns in the selection. Selecting cells on the worksheet, Slide 4Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

Extending a range of cells If we want to extend the range of cells, we position the cursor over the cells we want to add to the selection, and hold down the shift key when we click the mouse button. To extend the selection of cells B2 through D3 to include B4 through D5, position the cursor over D5. Hold down the Shift key on the keyboard and click the mouse button. The selection will now include B2 through D5. Hold down the Shift key on the keyboard and click the mouse button. The selection will now include B2 through D5. Selecting cells on the worksheet, Slide 5Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

Selecting columns We can make a column be a range of selected cells by clicking on the column header. Click on the column B header to select the entire column. Note that cell B1, the first cell in the range, becomes the active cell. Selecting cells on the worksheet, Slide 6Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

Selecting rows We can make rows be a range of selected cells by clicking and dragging on the row headers. Click on the row 5 header and drag down to the row 7 header. Rows 5 through 7 are the selected range and cell A5, the first cell in the range, becomes the active cell. Selecting cells on the worksheet, Slide 7Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

Selecting all cells on the worksheet We can make the entire worksheet be a range of selected cells by clicking on the rectangular intersection between the column headers and the row headers. All of the cells in the worksheet are selected, and cell A1 is the active cell. Selecting cells on the worksheet, Slide 8Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

Selecting nonadjacent cells We can create a selection of cells that are not adjacent to each other by holding down the CTRL key when we click or drag to select cells. Creating selections of nonadjacent cells is useful when we want to apply the same formatting to cells that are scattered throughout the worksheet. We can create a selection of cells that are not adjacent to each other by holding down the CTRL key when we click or drag to select cells. Creating selections of nonadjacent cells is useful when we want to apply the same formatting to cells that are scattered throughout the worksheet. To add cell E2 to the range of selected cells A1 through C2, position the cursor over cell E2. Hold down the CTRL key on the keyboard and click the mouse button. The selection will now include A1 through C2 and E2. Selecting cells on the worksheet, Slide 9Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

Selecting cells using the name box - 1 We can make any cell in the worksheet the active cell by typing its address in the Name Box. Position the cursor over the Name Box and click the left mouse button. Selecting cells on the worksheet, Slide 10Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

Selecting cells using the name box - 2 Suppose we want to make a cell that is not visible in the worksheet window the active cell. We type the cell address Z100 into the Name Box, and press the Enter key. Suppose we want to make a cell that is not visible in the worksheet window the active cell. We type the cell address Z100 into the Name Box, and press the Enter key. Selecting cells on the worksheet, Slide 11Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

Selecting cells using the name box - 3 After we typed the cell address in the Name Box and pressed the Enter Key, Excel repositioned the worksheet so that cell Z100 would be visible and made it the active cell. Selecting cells on the worksheet, Slide 12Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

Selecting cells using the name box - 4 The Name Box can also be used to select a range of cells. Type the range A1:D6 into the Name Box and press the Enter key. The Name Box can also be used to select a range of cells. Type the range A1:D6 into the Name Box and press the Enter key. Selecting cells on the worksheet, Slide 13Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

Selecting cells using the name box - 5 Excel selects cells A1 through D6 and makes the first cell in the range, A1, the active cell. If necessary, Excel will scroll the worksheet to make the active cell visible. Note: when we finish with this command, the name box will contain the address of the active cell, A1, and not the address of the selected range. Excel selects cells A1 through D6 and makes the first cell in the range, A1, the active cell. If necessary, Excel will scroll the worksheet to make the active cell visible. Note: when we finish with this command, the name box will contain the address of the active cell, A1, and not the address of the selected range. Selecting cells on the worksheet, Slide 14Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

Selecting cells with the go to command - 1 We can also use the Go To... command on the Edit menu to select cells, make a cell be the active cell, and scroll the work sheet to make the active cell visible. We type the address of the cell or cells in the Reference text box on the Go To dialog box, just like we typed the address in the Name Box. We can also use the Go To... command on the Edit menu to select cells, make a cell be the active cell, and scroll the work sheet to make the active cell visible. We type the address of the cell or cells in the Reference text box on the Go To dialog box, just like we typed the address in the Name Box. Select the Go To command from the Edit menu. Selecting cells on the worksheet, Slide 15Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

Selecting cells with the go to command - 2 Type the address of the cell, A100, in the Reference text box on the Go To dialog box, just like we typed the address in the Name Box. Click on the OK button to complete the command. Selecting cells on the worksheet, Slide 16Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

Selecting cells with the go to command - 3 After we typed the cell address in the Reference text box and clicked on the OK button, Excel repositioned the worksheet so that cell Z100 would be visible and made it the active cell. If we had typed the address of a range of cells in the Reference text box instead of the address of a single cell, Excel would have selected and navigated to the range. Selecting cells on the worksheet, Slide 17Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin