The Excel model for information processing The Excel model is a grid of cells in which items of information are stored and processed. Any information that can be stored in a rectangular grid can be used and manipulated in Excel. For example, we can store a database in Excel, using the columns for the different items of information and the rows as a record for each individual in the database. In Excel, the basic strategy for processing information is to select a target and perform some action with it or to it. Targets can be a cell, a range of cells, a chart, or a graphic. If a worksheet cell were the target, the actions would include entering data, formatting the data, or changing the data. Actions or commands in Excel can be issued by selecting from menus, either the main menu or popup menus that appear when you click the right mouse button on an object, by clicking on tool buttons, and by keyboard shortcuts. Introduction to Excel, Slide 1Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

The Excel interface - the workbook window The name of the Excel workbook file is on the window title bar. The major portion of the window is dedicated to the worksheets which contain the data that with which we work. The bottom row contains the Status Bar which provides us with feedback about Excel is doing or expecting. When the word Ready appears, Excel is waiting for another command. Introduction to Excel, Slide 2Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

The Excel interface - the menu bar Beneath the window title bar is the menu bar. Menus list the commands which can be performed in Excel. To issue a menu command, click on the menu and select from the drop down list of choices. If a menu command ends in an ellipsis (…), it will open a dialog box with additional choices for the command. An arrow head pointing to the right at the end of a menu command means there is an additional drop down menu to select from. Introduction to Excel, Slide 3Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

The Excel interface - keyboard shortcuts The keyboard shortcuts for many commands are shown on the menus. Some keyboard shortcuts require the user to hold down the CTRL key while typing the letter for the shortcut. For example, the selected cell will be copied to the clipboard if the user holds down the CTRL key while typing a C. The underlined letter in a menu command is also a keyboard shortcut, e.g. the T in the Tools menu. To use shortcuts with underlined letters, hold down the ALT key and type the letter. The underlined letter in a menu command is also a keyboard shortcut, e.g. the T in the Tools menu. To use shortcuts with underlined letters, hold down the ALT key and type the letter. Introduction to Excel, Slide 4Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

The Excel interface - tool bars 1 Beneath the menu bar are the tool bars. The tool buttons on the standard and formatting tool bars are commands which are frequently used. To use a tool button, click on it. It will result in the same action as the equivalent menu command. For example, if we click on the Save tool button on the Standard tool bar, the Save dialog box will be opened. To use a tool button, click on it. It will result in the same action as the equivalent menu command. For example, if we click on the Save tool button on the Standard tool bar, the Save dialog box will be opened. The Standard tool bar. The Formatting tool bar. Introduction to Excel, Slide 5Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

The Excel interface - tool bars 2 If we select Toolbars from the View menu, we see the full list of available tool bars. To activate other tool bars, click on their name. Initially they will be displayed as floating palettes over the worksheet. Sometimes tool bars are activated by Excel commands, e.g. the chart wizard may open the chart toolbar. To activate other tool bars, click on their name. Initially they will be displayed as floating palettes over the worksheet. Sometimes tool bars are activated by Excel commands, e.g. the chart wizard may open the chart toolbar. The check marks before Standard and Formatting indicate that these tool bars are currently visible. Introduction to Excel, Slide 6Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

The Excel interface - the name bar The name bar is beneath the tool bar and shows the name of the active cell on the worksheet. If a cell has not been given a name explicitly, its default name is the column and row number, e.g. A1. The default name is also referred to as the cell address or cell reference. The name bar is beneath the tool bar and shows the name of the active cell on the worksheet. If a cell has not been given a name explicitly, its default name is the column and row number, e.g. A1. The default name is also referred to as the cell address or cell reference. Introduction to Excel, Slide 7Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

The Excel interface - the formula bar The formula bar is also below the tool bars. The formula bar shows a formula for the active cell. This formula says that cell B1 is equal to 2 times the number in cell A1. If the cell does not contain a formula, the contents of the cell are shown in the formula bar. The formula bar is also below the tool bars. The formula bar shows a formula for the active cell. This formula says that cell B1 is equal to 2 times the number in cell A1. If the cell does not contain a formula, the contents of the cell are shown in the formula bar. This is the active cell. Its default name is shown in the name bar. The result of the formula is shown in the cell. The formula used to compute the cell’s contents is shown in the formula bar. This is the active cell. Its default name is shown in the name bar. The result of the formula is shown in the cell. The formula used to compute the cell’s contents is shown in the formula bar. Introduction to Excel, Slide 8Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

The Excel interface - the insert function button The button to the left of the formula bar is the Insert Function button. Click on it to select an Excel function for the formula bar. Introduction to Excel, Slide 9Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

The Excel interface - enter and cancel buttons When we are entering a formula in the formula bar, the Enter and Cancel buttons are active in the formula bar. Clicking on the red x (the Cancel button), discards any changes we have made to the formula. It is equivalent to pressing the Esc key. Clicking on the green check mark (the Enter button), is equivalent to pressing the Enter key on the keyboard. The Enter button assigns the result of the formula to the active cell. Clicking on the green check mark (the Enter button), is equivalent to pressing the Enter key on the keyboard. The Enter button assigns the result of the formula to the active cell. Introduction to Excel, Slide 10Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

The Excel interface - the worksheets 1 The worksheet grid is beneath the formula bar. It is the main area where we enter, store, and process information. The worksheet tabs show the names of the worksheets in this workbook. To navigate from one worksheet to another, click on the worksheet tab. The tab with the highlighted color, the Sheet1 tab, indicates that it is the active worksheet. When Excel creates a new workbook, it includes three worksheets, and names them Sheet1, Sheet2, and Sheet3. Default names can be changed to names more descriptive of the content on the worksheet. Introduction to Excel, Slide 11Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

The Excel interface - the worksheets 2 The tab scrolling buttons enable us to navigate to a worksheet whose tab might not be visible. The tab split box can be dragged to the right or left to increase or decrease the amount of space allocated to the worksheet tabs and the horizontal scroll bar. Introduction to Excel, Slide 12Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

The Excel interface - the worksheets 3 The horizontal split box lets us divide the worksheet window into panes that scroll separately. The vertical scrollbar supports navigation on the worksheet to cells that are not currently visible. The vertical split box lets us divide the worksheet window into panes that scroll separately. The horizontal scrollbar supports navigation on the worksheet to cells that are not currently visible. Introduction to Excel, Slide 13Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

The Excel interface - popup context menus In addition to directing commands to the selected worksheet objects by using the menus and tool bars, we can position the mouse cursor over many of the objects on the worksheet and click the right mouse button to see a popup, or context, menu of commands relevant to the object you clicked on. For example, if I right click on the worksheet tab for Sheet2, a popup menu appears, enabling me to Insert a new worksheet, Delete Sheet2, Rename Sheet2, Move or Copy Sheet2, Select All Sheets in the workbook, change the color of the worksheet tab, or view a macro that I have attached to the worksheet. Right clicking objects is extremely useful because it lets us know what actions are appropriate to what worksheet objects. Introduction to Excel, Slide 14Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

The cell is the basic unit of data storage The model for information storage is a grid of cells. The individual cells in the Excel grid are the basic units of data storage. Cells can contain information that is text, such as names, addresses, cities, web addresses, descriptive text, etc.; information that is numeric, such as age, salary, GPA, score on an entrance exam, number of children, etc.; dates, such as birth date, employment date, date of last appointment or next appointment, etc.; and formulas which compute values and often use items of information stored in other cells. The model for information storage is a grid of cells. The individual cells in the Excel grid are the basic units of data storage. Cells can contain information that is text, such as names, addresses, cities, web addresses, descriptive text, etc.; information that is numeric, such as age, salary, GPA, score on an entrance exam, number of children, etc.; dates, such as birth date, employment date, date of last appointment or next appointment, etc.; and formulas which compute values and often use items of information stored in other cells. Introduction to Excel, Slide 15Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

Worksheet columns and rows organize data - 1 Each cell is located in a column labeled with a letter, and a row labeled with a number. Column letters and row numbers are combined to give each cell a unique identifier, called the cell address. The dollar item $45,000 is in cell D3. Each cell is located in a column labeled with a letter, and a row labeled with a number. Column letters and row numbers are combined to give each cell a unique identifier, called the cell address. The dollar item $45,000 is in cell D3. Columns and rows can be used to organize the data. This worksheet is not well organized because it is hard to know what each item of information is, and to whom it applies. Columns and rows can be used to organize the data. This worksheet is not well organized because it is hard to know what each item of information is, and to whom it applies. Introduction to Excel, Slide 16Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

Worksheet columns and rows organize data - 2 Introduction to Excel, Slide 17Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin The columns and rows in the worksheet can be used to organize the data. Usually, each column contains a different item of information, such as name, address, city, salary, etc. To make the worksheet make sense, we put a label in the first row that identifies what type of information is contained in the column. These labels are referred to as column headers. Usually, each column contains a different item of information, such as name, address, city, salary, etc. To make the worksheet make sense, we put a label in the first row that identifies what type of information is contained in the column. These labels are referred to as column headers. Each row in the worksheet contains the data for one individual. Thus, row 2 contains the data for John Jones and row 3 contains the data for Jane Smith. On this worksheet, we now know that the $45,000 entry in cell D3 is the salary for Jane Smith.

The active cell and selected cells Commands in Excel are directed at the cells and ranges of cells selected on the worksheet. Selected cells have a different background color, are surrounded by a thick border, and have highlighted row numbers and column letters. Within the celled range of cells, the active cell is A2, which is shown with a contrasting background color. The active cell is the one containing the item of information that we are currently working with. Its address is shown in the name bar and its contents are shown in the formula bar. Within the celled range of cells, the active cell is A2, which is shown with a contrasting background color. The active cell is the one containing the item of information that we are currently working with. Its address is shown in the name bar and its contents are shown in the formula bar. On this worksheet, the cell range from A2 through D3 is selected. Introduction to Excel, Slide 18Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

The active cell as the only selected cell The active cell may be the only cell selected on a worksheet. In this case, the active cell has the same background as other cells, and is surrounded by the thick border. Introduction to Excel, Slide 19Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

The most valuable command - the undo command Introduction to Excel, Slide 20Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin The most valuable command in Excel is the undo command because it helps you recover from the mistakes that are bound to occur. For example, suppose I accidentally deleted the salary for John Jones. The most valuable command in Excel is the undo command because it helps you recover from the mistakes that are bound to occur. For example, suppose I accidentally deleted the salary for John Jones.

The most valuable command - undo menu command Introduction to Excel, Slide 21Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin Select the Undo command on the Edit menu. The undo menu item will be shown along with the name of the action that it will undo, e.g. Undo Clear. The salary that I accidentally deleted is restored. The keyboard shortcut for Undo is CTRL+Z. Each Undo command undoes one Excel action. Generally multiple undo's are available to undo a sequence of actions. Whenever the workbook is saved, the list of undoable actions is deleted. The tool button will be dimmed and the menu command will say Can't undo. Each Undo command undoes one Excel action. Generally multiple undo's are available to undo a sequence of actions. Whenever the workbook is saved, the list of undoable actions is deleted. The tool button will be dimmed and the menu command will say Can't undo.

The most valuable command - the undo tool button Introduction to Excel, Slide 22Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin The Undo command is also available as a tool button. To undo my accidental deletion, I click on the Undo tool button on the Standard tool bar, and select Clear from the drop down menu. The Undo command is also available as a tool button. To undo my accidental deletion, I click on the Undo tool button on the Standard tool bar, and select Clear from the drop down menu. The salary that I accidentally deleted is restored.