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TABLE OF CONTENT
TABLE OF CONTENT.......................................................................................................................................................1
SPREADSHEET..................................................................................................................................................................3
ADVANTAGES OF USING ELECTRONIC OVER MANUAL SPREADSHEET ..............................................................................3
COMPONENTS OF A SPREADSHEET....................................................................................................................................3
Worksheet.....................................................................................................................................................................3
Database......................................................................................................................................................................3
Graphs..........................................................................................................................................................................4
APPLICATION AREAS OF SPREADSHEETS...........................................................................................................................4
Statistical analysis........................................................................................................................................................4
Accounting....................................................................................................................................................................4
Data management........................................................................................................................................................4
Forecasting (What if analysis).....................................................................................................................................4
MICROSOFT EXCEL........................................................................................................................................................5
PARTS OF MICROSOFT EXCEL WINDOW............................................................................................................................5
CREATE A NEW WORKBOOK.......................................................................................................................................6
OPEN A FILE.......................................................................................................................................................................6
SAVE A FILE........................................................................................................................................................................6
NAVIGATING THROUGH YOUR WORKSHEET........................................................................................................6
SCROLL THROUGH A WORKSHEET.....................................................................................................................................6
SELECTING DATA OR CELLS..............................................................................................................................................7
INSERTING.........................................................................................................................................................................7
CELLS, ROWS, OR COLUMNS.............................................................................................................................................7
WORKSHEET......................................................................................................................................................................8
Add a single worksheet.................................................................................................................................................8
Add multiple worksheets..............................................................................................................................................8
DELETING...........................................................................................................................................................................8
CELLS, ROWS, OR COLUMNS.............................................................................................................................................8
SHEETS...............................................................................................................................................................................8
RENAME A SHEET............................................................................................................................................................8
ENTERING DATA IN A WORKSHEET...........................................................................................................................8
ENTER DATA IN WORKSHEET CELLS.................................................................................................................................9
EDIT CELL CONTENTS.......................................................................................................................................................9
FILLING IN DATA BASED ON ADJACENT CELLS..............................................................................................................10
FORMATTING A WORKSHEET...................................................................................................................................10
DISPLAY/HIDING A WORKBOOK OR SHEET.....................................................................................................................10
DISPLAY/HIDE ROWS OR COLUMNS.................................................................................................................................11
Hide a row or column.................................................................................................................................................11
Display a hidden row or column................................................................................................................................11
ADD/REMOVE A CURRENCY SYMBOL.............................................................................................................................11
Add or remove a currency symbol..............................................................................................................................11
CHANGE THE NUMBER OF DECIMAL PLACES DISPLAYED..............................................................................................12
DISPLAY NUMBERS AS DATES OR TIMES.........................................................................................................................12
DISPLAY NUMBERS AS FRACTIONS OR PERCENTAGES.....................................................................................................12
DISPLAY NUMBERS WITH SCIENTIFIC NOTATION.............................................................................................................12
CHANGE COLUMN WIDTH AND ROW HEIGHT.................................................................................................................12
Change the width:......................................................................................................................................................12
Change the height......................................................................................................................................................13

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POSITIONING DATA IN A CELL.........................................................................................................................................13
CLEAR CELL FORMATS OR CONTENTS............................................................................................................................13
MOVING AND COPYING DATA...................................................................................................................................14
MOVING AND COPYING CELLS........................................................................................................................................14
MOVING AND COPYING CELL DATA................................................................................................................................14
MOVE ROWS/COLUMNS..............................................................................................................................................15
REPLACE TEXT/NUMBERS..........................................................................................................................................15
APPLY/REMOVE CELL SHADING..............................................................................................................................15
APPLY/REMOVE CELL BORDERS..............................................................................................................................16
FORMULAS.......................................................................................................................................................................17
FUNCTIONS.......................................................................................................................................................................17
Structure of a function................................................................................................................................................17
REFERENCES IN FORMULAS.............................................................................................................................................18
CREATE A FORMULA........................................................................................................................................................21
MOVE OR COPY A FORMULA...........................................................................................................................................22
CHARTS.............................................................................................................................................................................23
CREATE A CHART.............................................................................................................................................................24
SELECT A DIFFERENT CHART TYPE.................................................................................................................................24
FILTERING........................................................................................................................................................................25
FILTER A LIST..................................................................................................................................................................25
REMOVE FILTERS.............................................................................................................................................................26
SUBTOTALS......................................................................................................................................................................26
INSERT SUBTOTALS..........................................................................................................................................................27
REMOVE SUBTOTALS.......................................................................................................................................................27
SORT A LIST.....................................................................................................................................................................28
MERGE OR SPLIT CELLS OR DATA..........................................................................................................................28

SPREADSHEET
Def: A spreadsheet is a ledger sheet that allows a user to enter, edit and manipulate numeric data. It
is made up of row and columns where data is entered
There are two types of spreadsheets
1. Manual
2. Electronic
Manual:

Consist of books that have sheets of paper divided into rows and columns.
Data written and then manually calculated using a pencil and calculator

Electronic:

Prepared using a computer

Consists of a large virtual sheet divided into rows and columns
Data is entered and the system automatically calculates the results by use of Formulas

Advantages of Using Electronic Over Manual Spreadsheet

Consists of a large virtual sheet that has 256 columns and 65536 Rows
It utilises the powerful features of a computer such as storage unit, and processing speed
Allows the use formulas which enable the user to manipulate the data
Allows data formatting. One can format both text and numeric data making the work more
presentable and attractive
Allows automatic recalculation of values. When a value of a cell that is part of a formula changes
the Electronic spreadsheet automatically calculates a new total without the need of entering the
formula again
Allows representation of data in pictorial form (Charts)
A user can adjust the height of a Row or the width of a column.
Support data sorting and filtering. Sorting is arranging the data in either ascending or descending
order. Filtering allows a user to display only specific types of data.
It allows summarising of data. One can get a subtotal of a group of similar data.

Examples of Spreadsheet packages include SuperCalc, VisiCalc, Ms Excel, Lotus 1-2-3, QutroPro
etc

Components of A Spreadsheet
Worksheet

This is a virtual sheet that consists of rows and columns where data is entered.
The intersection of a row and a column forms a CELL.
Each row is referenced using numbers and columns using Alphabet
A cell is referenced using the Column and the Row reference. E.g. B30

Database

Data values can be entered in a spreadsheet and managed using a special feature found in the
Data Menu. Example of such features include the filtering and sorting

Graphs

Spreadsheet allow presentation of data in a pictorial format

One can create a pie chart bar graph line graph of pyramid graph

Application Areas Of Spreadsheets

Statistical analysis

Spreadsheets provide a set of data analysis tools that can be used in statistical analysis.
For maximum use the user must have statistical background. Examples of statistical
functions include: Average, Mean mode Median

Accounting

A Spreadsheet consists of several accounting functions. These include PMT, PVT. They
allow a user to calculate the interest and also track the value of an asset over time.
The automatic recalculation feature allows creation of a model of the books of account.

Data management

A spreadsheet allows arrangement of data in tabular format.

Data values can then be entered into a spreadsheet.
The columns form the Fields and the Rows forms the Record.
A user can Filter or Sort the data in the spreadsheet

Forecasting (What if analysis)

Forecasting is made possible by the use of the Automatic Recalculation feature. When a
user changes the content of a cell that is part of the formula, the system automatically
calculates a new total. Therefore there is no need to rewrite the formula in case of changes of
operands.

MICROSOFT EXCEL
Parts of Microsoft Excel Window
Title Bar
Standard Toolbar
Formatting Toolbar
Formula Bar

Cell
Name Box

Sheet Tab

Title Bar
- Displays the name of the program and the file that is being used
Menu Bar
- Displays options that allows manipulation of data
Standard And Formatting Toolbar contain shortcut of Menu Bar options
Name box
- Displays the Cell reference where the cursor is.
-It allows a user to move to a specific cell
Fomular bar
- Displays the content of a cell.
- Used to edit the content of a cell
Column header
- Display the column references
Row headers
- Display the row references
Cell
- A unit made up of intersection of a row and a column
- Its where data is entered
Autofill handle

-It is found on the Keyboard cursor

-Allows a user to copy data
-Allows a user to create a series

CREATE A NEW WORKBOOK

Do one of the following:
1. Create a new, blank workbook
On the File menu, click New, and then click Blank Workbook on the New Workbook task
pane.

OPEN A FILE
1. In your Microsoft Office program, click File, and then click Open.
2. In the Look in list, click the drive, folder, or Internet location that contains the file you want
to open.
3. In the folder list, locate and open the folder that contains the file.
4. Click the file, and then click Open.

SAVE A FILE

On the File menu, click Save.

Note If you're saving the file for the first time, you'll be asked to give it a name.
Save a copy of a file
1. On the File menu, click Save As.
2. In the File name box, enter a new name for the file.
3. Click Save.

NAVIGATING THROUGH YOUR WORKSHEET

Scroll through A Worksheet
To move between cells on a worksheet, click any cell or use the arrow keys. When you move to a
cell, it becomes the active cell. To see a different area of the sheet, use the scroll bars.
To scroll
Do this
One row up or down

Click the arrows in the vertical scroll bar.

One column left or

right

Click the arrows in the horizontal scroll bar.

One window up or
down

Click above or below the scroll box in the vertical scroll bar.

One window left or

right

Click to the left or right of the scroll box in the horizontal scroll bar.

A large distance

Drag the scroll box to the approximate relative position. In a very large
worksheet, hold down SHIFT while dragging.

Note The size of a scroll box indicates the proportional amount of the used area of the sheet that is
visible in the window. The position of a scroll box indicates the relative location of the visible area
within the worksheet.

Selecting Data or Cells

To select

Do this

Text in a cell

If editing in a cell is turned on, select the cell, double-click in it, and then
select the text in the cell.
If editing in a cell is turned off, select the cell, and then select the text in
the formula bar.

A single cell

Click the cell, or press the arrow keys to move to the cell.

A range of cells

Click the first cell of the range, and then drag to the last cell.

A large range of cells

Click the first cell in the range, and then hold down SHIFT and click the
last cell in the range. You can scroll to make the last cell visible.

All cells on a worksheet

Click the Select All button.

Nonadjacent cells or cell Select the first cell or range of cells, and then hold down CTRL and select
ranges
the other cells or ranges.
An entire row or column Click the row or column heading.
Adjacent rows or
columns

Drag across the row or column headings. Or select the first row or column;
then hold down SHIFT and select the last row or column.

Nonadjacent rows or
columns

Select the first row or column, and then hold down CTRL and select the
other rows or columns.

More or fewer cells than Hold down SHIFT and click the last cell you want to include in the new
the active selection
selection. The rectangular range between the active cell and the cell you
click becomes the new selection.
Cancel a selection of
cells

Click any cell on the worksheet.

INSERTING
Cells, Rows, or Columns
1. Do one of the following:
Insert new blank cells Select a range of cells where you want to insert the new blank cells.
Select the same number of cells as you want to insert.
Insert a single row Click a cell in the row immediately below where you want the new row.
For example, to insert a new row above row 5, click a cell in row 5.
Insert multiple rows Select rows immediately below where you want the new rows. Select
the same number of rows as you want to insert.
Insert a single column Click a cell in the column immediately to the right of where you
want to insert the new column. For example, to insert a new column to the left of column B,
click a cell in column B.
Insert multiple columns Select columns immediately to the right of where you want to
insert the new columns. Select the same number of columns as you want to insert.

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2. On the Insert menu, click Cells, Rows, or Columns.
3. If you are moving or copying a range of cells, and not a row or column, in the Insert Paste
dialog box, click the direction to shift the surrounding cells.

Worksheet
Add a single worksheet

Click Worksheet on the Insert menu.

Add multiple worksheets

Determine the number or worksheets you want to add.
1. Hold down SHIFT, and then select the same number of existing worksheet tabs that you want
to add in the open workbook.
Example: If you want to add three new worksheets, select three existing worksheet tabs.
2. Click Worksheet on the Insert menu.

DELETING
Cells, Rows, or Columns
1. Select the cells, rows, or columns you want to delete.
2. On the Edit menu, click Delete.
3. If you are deleting a range of cells, click Shift cells left, Shift cells up, Entire row, or
Entire column in the Delete dialog box.
Note Microsoft Excel keeps formulas up to date by adjusting references to the shifted cells to
reflect their new locations. However, a formula that refers to a deleted cell displays the #REF! error
value.

Sheets
1. Select the sheets you want to delete.
2. On the Edit menu, click Delete Sheet.

RENAME A SHEET
1. To rename the active sheet, on the Format menu, point to Sheet and then click Rename.
2. Type the new name over the current name.

ENTERING DATA IN A WORKSHEET

Ms Excel accepts three types of data.
Labels
Numeric/Numbers
Formula
Labels are alphanumeric data that is always left aligned to a cell. The data cannot be manipulated
Numeric data consist of digits from 0-9. This data is aligned to the right of a cell
A formula is mathematical expression that can be evaluated in a spreadsheet. Date and time will be
accepted as numbers in a spreadsheet.

Enter Data in Worksheet Cells

Enter numbers, text, a date, or a time

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1. Click the cell where you want to enter data.
2. Type the data and press ENTER or TAB.
Numbers and text in a list
1. Enter data in a cell in the first column, and then press TAB to move to the next cell.
2. At the end of the row, press ENTER to move to the beginning of the next row.
3. If the cell at the beginning of the next row doesn't become active, click Options on
the Tools menu, and then click the Edit tab. Under Settings, select the Move
selection after Enter check box, and then click Down in the Direction box.
Dates Use a slash or a hyphen to separate the parts of a date; for example, type 9/5/2002 or
5-Sep-2002. To enter today's date, press CTRL+; (semicolon).
Times To enter a time based on the 12-hour clock, type a space and then a or p after the
time; for example, 9:00 p. Otherwise, Microsoft Excel enters the time as AM. To enter the
current time, press CTRL+SHIFT+: (colon).
Enter the same data into several cells at once
1. Select the cells where you want to enter data. The cells do not have to be adjacent.
2. Type the data and press CTRL+ENTER.
Automatically fill in repeated entries in a column
If the first few characters you type in a cell match an existing entry in that column, Microsoft Excel
fills in the remaining characters for you. Excel completes only those entries that contain text or a
combination of text and numbers; entries that contain only numbers, dates, or times are not
completed.
To accept the proposed entry, press ENTER. The completed entry exactly matches the pattern
of uppercase and lowercase letters of the existing entries.
To replace the automatically entered characters, continue typing.
To delete the automatically entered characters, press BACKSPACE.
To select from a list of entries already in the column, right-click the cell, and then click Pick
from List on the shortcut menu
Fill in a series of numbers, dates, or other items
1. Select the first cell in the range you want to fill.
2. Enter the starting value for the series.
3. Enter a value in the next cell to establish a pattern.
E.g.
If you want the series 2, 3, 4, 5..., enter 2 and 3 in the first two cells. If you want the
series 2, 4, 6, 8..., enter 2 and 4. If you want the series 2, 2, 2, 2..., you can leave the
second cell blank.
4. Select the cells that contain the starting values.
Drag the fill handle down or to the right or up or to the left.
o

Edit Cell Contents

1. Double-click the cell that contains the data you want to edit.
2. Edit the cell contents.
3. To enter or cancel your changes, press ENTER or ESC.

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Filling In Data Based On Adjacent Cells

You can quickly fill in several types of data series by selecting cells and dragging the fill handle or
by using the Series command (point to Fill on the Edit menu, and then click Series).
Copy data within a row or column By dragging the fill handle of a cell; you can copy the
contents of a cell to other cells in the same row or column.
Fill in a series of numbers, dates, or other items Microsoft Excel can automatically continue a
series of numbers, number/text combinations, dates, or time periods based on a pattern you establish.
For example, the initial selections in the following table are extended as shown. Items separated by
commas are in adjacent cells.
Initial selection

Extended series

1, 2, 3

4, 5, 6

9:00

10:00, 11:00, 12:00

Mon

Tue, Wed, Thu

Monday

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

Jan

Feb, Mar, Apr

Jan, Apr

Jul, Oct, Jan

Jan-99, Apr-99

Jul-99, Oct-99, Jan-00

15-Jan, 15-Apr

15-Jul, 15-Oct

1999, 2000

2001, 2002, 2003

1-Jan, 1-Mar

1-May, 1-Jul, 1-Sep,...

Qtr3 (or Q3 or Quarter3)

Qtr4, Qtr1, Qtr2,...

text1, textA

text2, textA, text3, textA,...

1st Period

2nd Period, 3rd Period,...

Product 1

Product 2, Product 3,...

If the selection contains numbers, you can control whether to create a linear series or a growth series.

FORMATTING A WORKSHEET
Display/Hiding A Workbook Or Sheet
Do one or more of the following:
Hide a workbook window
1. Open the workbook.
2. On the Window menu, click Hide.
3. When you quit Microsoft Excel, you will be asked if you want to save changes to the hidden
workbook. Click Yes if you want the workbook window to be hidden the next time you open
the workbook.

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Hide a sheet
1. Select the sheets you want to hide.
2. On the Format menu, point to Sheet, and then click Hide.
Display a hidden workbook
1. On the Window menu, click Unhide.
If the Unhide command is unavailable, the workbook does not contain hidden sheets. If both
the Rename and Hide commands are unavailable, the workbook is protected from structural
changes. You'll need to remove protection from the workbook to determine whether sheets
are hidden; removing protection may require a password.
2. In the Unhide workbook box, double-click the name of the hidden workbook you want to
display.
Display a hidden sheet
1. On the Format menu, point to Sheet, and then click Unhide.
2. In the Unhide sheet box, double-click the name of the hidden sheet you want to display.

Display/Hide Rows or Columns

Hide a row or column
1. Select the rows or columns you want to hide.
2. On the Format menu, point to Row or Column, and then click Hide.

Display a hidden row or column

1. Select a row or column on each side of the hidden rows or columns you want to display.
2. On the Format menu, point to Row or Column, and then click Unhide.
Tip
If the first row or column of a worksheet is hidden, click Go To on the Edit menu. Type A1 in the
Reference box, and click OK. Point to Row or Column on the Format menu, and then click
Unhide.

Add/Remove a Currency Symbol

Add or remove a currency symbol
1.
2.
3.
4.

Select the cells you want to format.

On the Format menu, click Cells, and then click the Number tab.
In the Category list, click Currency.
In the Symbol list, do one of the following:
o To add a currency symbol, select the one you want.
o To remove a currency symbol, click None.

Change the Number of Decimal Places Displayed

1. On the Format menu, click Cells, and then click the Number tab.
2. In the Category list, click Currency, Accounting, Percentage, or Scientific.
3. In the Decimal places box, enter the number of decimal places you want to display.

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4. If you want to change the currency symbol, click the symbol you want to use in the Symbol
list.

Display Numbers as Dates or Times

1. Select the cells you want to format.
2. On the Format menu, click Cells, and then click the Number tab.
3. In the Category list, click Date or Time, and then click the format you want to use.
Note If you dont find what youre looking for, you can create a custom number format by using
format codes for dates and times.

Display Numbers as Fractions or Percentages

1. Select the cells you want to format.
2. On the Format menu, click Cells, and then click the Number tab.
3. Do one of the following:
o To display numbers as fractions, click Fraction in the Category list, and then click
the type of fraction you want to use.
o To display numbers as percentages, click Percentage in the Category list. In the
Decimal places box, enter the number of decimal places you want to display.
Note Numbers above 1 are automatically entered as percentages; and numbers below 1 are
converted to percentages by multiplying by 100. For example, entering 10 results in 10%,
and entering .1 results in 10%. To have all numbers converted by multiplying by 100, on the
Tools menu, click Options, click the Edit tab, and then clear the Enable automatic percent
entry check box.

Display Numbers with Scientific Notation

1. Select the cells you want to format.
2. On the Format menu, click Cells, and then click the Number tab.
3. In the Category list, click Scientific. In the Decimal places box, enter the number of
decimal places you want to display.

Change Column Width and Row Height

Change the width:
Of a single column
Drag the boundary on the right side of the column heading until the column is the width you want.
The displayed column width is the average number of digits 0 through 9 of the standard font that fit
in a cell.
To fit the contents
Double-click the boundary to the right of the column heading.

Change the height

Of a single row
Drag the boundary below the row heading until the row is the height you want.

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To fit the contents
Double-click the boundary below the row heading.

Positioning Data in a Cell

On the Format menu, click Cells, and then click the Alignment tab.
Do one of the following:
To indent text from the left, right, or both sides of the cell, in the Horizontal
box, click Left (Indent), Right (Indent), or Distributed (Indent). Then, in
the Indent box, click the amount of indent you want.
To indent text from the top, bottom, or both top and bottom of the cell, in the
Vertical box, click Top (Indent), Bottom (Indent), or Distributed. Then, in
the Indent box, click the amount of indent you want.
To horizontally justify text that is distributed in a cell (indented from both
sides), in the Horizontal box, click Justify.
To horizontally justify text that is not distributed in a cell, in the Horizontal
box, click Distributed (Indent), and then click Justify distributed.
To vertically justify text in a cell, in the Vertical box, click Justify.

1.
2.

Align data at the top, center, or bottom of a cell

On the Format menu, click Cells, and then click the Alignment tab.
4. In the Vertical box, click the option you want.

3.

Rotate text in a cell

On the Format menu, click Cells, and then click the Alignment tab.
6. In the Orientation box, click a degree point, or drag the indicator to the angle you
want.
To display text vertically from top to bottom, click the vertical Text box under
Orientation.

5.

Clear Cell Formats or Contents

When you clear cells, you remove the cell contents (formulas and data), formats (including number
formats, conditional formats, and borders), or comments, but you leave the blank cells on the
worksheet. When you delete cells by clicking Delete on the Edit menu, Microsoft Excel removes
them from the worksheet and shifts the surrounding cells to fill the space.
1. Select the cells, rows, or columns you want to clear of formats or contents.
2. On the Edit menu, point to Clear, and then click Formats or Contents.
You can clear formats and contents by clicking All. This also removes any cell comments and
data validation.
Notes

If you click a cell and then press DELETE or BACKSPACE on the keyboard, Excel removes
the cell contents but does not remove comments or cell formats.
If you clear a cell, the value of a cleared cell is 0 (zero), and a formula that refers to that cell
receives a value of 0.

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MOVING AND COPYING DATA

When you copy a cell by dragging or by using Cut or Copy, and Paste, Microsoft Excel copies the
entire cell, including formulas and their resulting values, comments, and cell formats.
If the selected copy area includes hidden cells, Excel also copies the hidden cells. If the paste area
contains hidden rows or columns, you might need to unhide the paste area to see all of the copied
cells.
Instead of copying entire cells, you can copy specified contents from the cells. For example, you can
copy the resulting value of a formula without copying the formula itself or you can copy only the
formula. You can also change what part of the cell you pasted by clicking Paste Options in the
lower right corner of your pasted selection.
Note Paste Options is available only after you copy a selection, not after you cut or move a
selection.

Moving and Copying Cells

Move or copy cells
1. Select the cells you want to move or copy.
2. Do one of the following:
Move cells On the Edit Menu Click Cut and select the upper-left cell of the paste area.
Copy cells On the Edit Menu Click Copy and select the upper-left cell of the paste area
3. On the Edit Menu Click on Paste

Moving and Copying Cell Data

Move or copy cell contents
1. Double-click the cell that contains the data you want to move or copy.
2. In the cell, select the characters to move or copy.
Move cells On the Edit Menu Click Cut and select the upper-left cell of the paste area.
Copy cells On the Edit Menu Click Copy and select the upper-left cell of the paste area
3. Click Paste.
4. Press ENTER.
Note When you double-click a cell or press F2 to edit a cell, the arrow keys work only within that
cell. To use the arrow keys to move to another cell, first press ENTER to complete your editing
changes to the active cell.
Copy cell formats/Formulas/Values
These steps copy only cell formatting such as font color or fill color, and not the contents of the
cells.
1. Select the cells you want to copy.
2. On the Edit Menu Click Copy and select the upper-left cell of the paste area
3. Click Paste Special.
4. Click Formats/Formula/Values

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MOVE ROWS/COLUMNS
1.
2.
3.
4.

Select the row or column you want to move.

Click Cut.
Select a row or column below or to the right of where you want to move your selection.
On the Insert menu, click Cut Cells.

REPLACE TEXT/NUMBERS
1. Select the range of cells you want to search.
If you want to search the entire worksheet, click any cell in the worksheet.
2. On the Edit menu, click Replace.
3. In the Find what box, enter the text or numbers you want to search for or choose a recent
search from the Find what drop down box.
Note You can use wildcard characters in your search criteria.
4. If you want to specify a format for your search, click Format and make your selections in the
Find Format dialog box.
If Format is not available in the Find and Replace dialog box, click Options and then click
Format.
5. Click Options to further define your search. For example, you can search for all of the cells
that contain the same kind of data, such as formulas.

6.
7.
8.
Note

In the Within box, you can select Sheet or Workbook to search a worksheet or an entire
workbook.
In the Replace with box, enter the replacement characters and specific formats if necessary.
If you want to delete the characters in the Find what box, leave the Replace with box blank.
Click Find Next.
To replace the highlighted occurrence or all occurrences of the found characters, click
Replace or Replace All.
To cancel a search in progress, press ESC.

APPLY/REMOVE CELL SHADING

1. Select the cells you want to apply shading to or remove shading from.
2. Do one of the following:
Shade cells with solid colors
To apply the most recently selected color, click Fill Color on the Formatting toolbar
To apply a different color, click the arrow next to Fill Color, and then click a color on the
palette.
Shade cells with patterns
1. On the Format menu, click Cells, and then click the Patterns tab.
2. To include a background colour with the pattern, click a colour in the Cell shading
box.

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3. Click the arrow next to the Pattern box, and then click the pattern style and colour
you want.
If you do not select a pattern color, the pattern is black.
Remove shading
On the Formatting toolbar, click the arrow next to Fill Color, and then click No Fill.

APPLY/REMOVE CELL BORDERS

1. On the Format Menu, click Cells.
2. Click on the Borders tab
3. Do one of the following:
Apply cell borders
1. On the Borders toolbar, click the arrow next to Draw Border or Draw Border Grid,
and then click Draw Border on the palette.
2. Do one of the following:
Draw a border line on cells Click the line you want as a border with the border
drawing tool or click on the line and drag on the lines you want as borders.
Draw a outside border around a row Click in the center of a cell with the border
drawing tool and drag on the row.
Draw a outside border around a column Click in the center of a cell with the
border drawing tool and drag on the column.
Apply border gridlines
3. On the Borders toolbar, click the arrow next to Draw Border or Draw Border Grid,
and then click Draw Border Grid on the palette.
4. Do one of the following:
Draw a border line on cells Click the line you want as a border with the border grid
drawing tool or click on the line and drag on the lines you want as borders.
Draw borders around every cell in a row Click in the center of a cell with the
border grid drawing tool and drag on the row.
Draw borders around every cell in a column Click in the center of a cell with the
border grid drawing tool and drag on the column.
Notes
o To apply a different border line style, click the arrow next to Line Style, and then
click a line style on the palette.
o To apply a different border line colour, click Line Colour, and then click a colour on
the palette.
o The borders are applied to the edges of the cells, which are rotated to the same degree
as the rotated text.

17
o

Holding the CTRL key temporarily toggles between Draw Border mode and Draw
Border Grid mode and also toggles the Erase Border mode between erase borders
and erase border grids.

FORMULAS
Formulas are equations that perform calculations on values in your worksheet. A formula starts with
an equal sign (=). For example, the following formula multiplies 2 by 3 and then adds 5 to the result.
=5+2*3
A formula can also contain any or all of the following: functions, references, operators, and
constants.

Parts of a formula
Functions: The PI() function returns the value of pi: 3.142... ( this may be optional)
References (or names): A2 returns the value in cell A2.
Constants: Numbers or text values entered directly into a formula, such as 2.
Operators: The ^ (caret) operator raises a number to a power, and the * (asterisk) operator
multiplies.

Functions
Functions are predefined in-built Formulas that perform calculations by using specific values, called
arguments, in a particular order, or structure. Functions can be used to perform simple or complex
calculations. For example, the ROUND function rounds off a number in cell A10.

Structure of a function
Structure. The structure of a function begins with an equal sign (=), followed by the function
name, an opening parenthesis, the arguments for the function separated by commas, and a closing
parenthesis.
Function name. For a list of available functions, click a cell and press SHIFT+F3.
Arguments. Arguments can be numbers, text, logical values such as TRUE or FALSE, arrays, error
values such as #N/A, or cell references. The argument you designate must produce a valid value for
that argument. Arguments can also be constants, formulas, or other functions.
Entering formulas When you create a formula that contains a function, the Insert Function dialog
box helps you enter worksheet functions. As you enter a function into the formula, the Insert
Function dialog box displays the name of the function, each of its arguments, a description of the
function and each argument, the current result of the function, and the current result of the entire
formula.

18

References in Formulas
A reference identifies a cell or a range of cells on a worksheet and tells Microsoft Excel where to
look for the values or data you want to use in a formula. With references, you can use data contained
in different parts of a worksheet in one formula or use the value from one cell in several formulas.
You can also refer to cells on other sheets in the same workbook, and to other workbooks.
References to cells in other workbooks are called links.
The A1 reference style
By default, Excel uses the A1 reference style, which refers to columns with letters (A through IV, for
a total of 256 columns) and refers to rows with numbers (1 through 65536). These letters and
numbers are called row and column headings. To refer to a cell, enter the column letter followed by
the row number. For example, B2 refers to the cell at the intersection of column B and row 2.
To refer to
Use
The cell in column A and row 10

A10

The range of cells in column A and rows 10 through 20

A10:A20

The range of cells in row 15 and columns B through E

B15:E15

All cells in row 5

5:5

All cells in rows 5 through 10

5:10

All cells in column H

H:H

All cells in columns H through J

H:J

The range of cells in columns A through E and rows 10 through 20 A10:E20

The difference between relative and absolute references
Relative references A relative cell reference in a formula, such as A1, is based on the relative
position of the cell that contains the formula and the cell the reference refers to. If the position of the
cell that contains the formula changes, the reference is changed. If you copy the formula across rows
or down columns, the reference automatically adjusts. By default, new formulas use relative
references. For example, if you copy a relative reference in cell B2 to cell B3, it automatically
adjusts from =A1 to =A2.
Absolute references An absolute cell reference in a formula, such as $A$1, always refer to a cell in
a specific location. If the position of the cell that contains the formula changes, the absolute
reference remains the same. If you copy the formula across rows or down columns, the absolute
reference does not adjust. By default, new formulas use relative references, and you need to switch
them to absolute references. For example, if you copy an absolute reference in cell B2 to cell B3, it
stays the same in both cells =$A$1.
Mixed references A mixed reference has either an absolute column and relative row, or absolute
row and relative column. An absolute column reference takes the form $A1, $B1, and so on. An
absolute row reference takes the form A$1, B$1, and so on. If the position of the cell that contains
the formula changes, the relative reference is changed, and the absolute reference does not change. If
you copy the formula across rows or down columns, the relative reference automatically adjusts, and
the absolute reference does not adjust. For example, if you copy a mixed reference from cell A2 to
B3, it adjusts from =A$1 to =B$1.

19
About calculation operators in formulas
Operators specify the type of calculation that you want to perform on the elements of a formula.
Microsoft Excel includes four different types of calculation operators: arithmetic, comparison, text,
and reference.
Types of operators
Arithmetic operators To perform basic mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, or
multiplication; combine numbers; and produce numeric results, use the following arithmetic
operators.
Arithmetic operator
Meaning (Example)
+ (plus sign)

Addition (3+3)

(minus sign)

Subtraction (31)
Negation (1)

* (asterisk)

Multiplication (3*3)

/ (forward slash)

Division (3/3)

% (percent sign)

Percent (20%)

^ (caret)

Exponentiation (3^2)

Comparison operators You can compare two values with the following operators. When two
values are compared by using these operators, the result is a logical value either TRUE or FALSE.
Comparison operator
Meaning (Example)
= (equal sign)

Equal to (A1=B1)

> (greater than sign)

Greater than (A1>B1)

< (less than sign)

Less than (A1<B1)

>= (greater than or equal to sign) Greater than or equal to (A1>=B1)

<= (less than or equal to sign)

Less than or equal to (A1<=B1)

<> (not equal to sign)

Not equal to (A1<>B1)

Text concatenation operator Use the ampersand (&) to join, or concatenate, one or more text
strings to produce a single piece of text.
Text operator
Meaning (Example)
& (ampersand) Connects, or concatenates, two values to produce one continuous text value
("North"&"wind")
Reference operators Combine ranges of cells for calculations with the following operators.
Reference
Meaning (Example)
operator
: (colon)

Range operator, which produces one reference to all the cells between two
references, including the two references (B5:B15)

20
, (comma)
(space)

Union operator, which combines multiple references into one reference

(SUM(B5:B15,D5:D15))
Intersection operator, which produces on reference to cells common to the two
references (B7:D7 C6:C8)

The order in which Excel performs operations in formulas

Formulas calculate values in a specific order. A formula in Excel always begins with an equal sign
(=). The equal sign tells Excel that the succeeding characters constitute a formula. Following the
equal sign are the elements to be calculated (the operands), which are separated by calculation
operators. Excel calculates the formula from left to right, according to a specific order for each
operator in the formula.
Operator precedence
If you combine several operators in a single formula, Excel performs the operations in the order
shown in the following table. If a formula contains operators with the same precedence for
example, if a formula contains both a multiplication and division operator Excel evaluates the
operators from left to right.
Operator
Description
: (colon)
(single space)
, (comma)

Reference operators

Negation (as in 1)

Percent

Exponentiation

* and /

Multiplication and division

+ and

Addition and subtraction

&

Connects two strings of text

(concatenation)

= < > <= >= <>

Comparison

Use of parentheses
To change the order of evaluation, enclose in parentheses the part of the formula to be calculated
first. For example, the following formula produces 11 because Excel calculates multiplication before
addition. The formula multiplies 2 by 3 and then adds 5 to the result.
=5+2*3
In contrast, if you use parentheses to change the syntax, Excel adds 5 and 2 together and then
multiplies the result by 3 to produce 21.
=(5+2)*3
In the example below, the parentheses around the first part of the formula force Excel to calculate
B4+25 first and then divide the result by the sum of the values in cells D5, E5, and F5.
=(B4+25)/SUM(D5:F5)

Create a Formula
Formulas are equations that perform calculations on values in your worksheet. A formula starts with
an equal sign (=). For example, the following formula multiplies 2 by 3 and then adds 5 to the result.

21
=5+2*3
Create a simple formula: =128+345
The following formulas contain operators and constants
Example formula
What it does
=128+345
=5^2
1.
2.
3.
4.

Adds 128 and 345

Squares 5
Click the cell in which you want to enter the formula.
Type = (an equal sign).
Enter the formula.
Press ENTER.

Create a formula that contains references or names: =A1+23

The following formulas contain relative references to and names of other cells. The cell that contains
the formula is known as a dependent cell when its value depends on the values in other cells. For
example, cell B2 is a dependent cell if it contains the formula =C2.
Example formula
What it does
=C2

Uses the value in the cell C2

=Sheet2!B2

Uses the value in cell B2 on Sheet2

=Asset-Liability
Subtracts a cell named Liability from a cell named Asset
1. Click the cell in which you want to enter the formula.
2. In the formula bar type = (equal sign).
3. Do one of the following:
o To create a reference, select a cell, a range of cells, a location in another worksheet, or
a location in another workbook. You can drag the border of the cell selection to move
the selection, or drag the corner of the border to expand the selection.
o To create a reference to a named range, press F3, select the name in the Paste name
box, and click OK.
4. Press ENTER.
Create a formula that contains a function: =AVERAGE (A1:B4)
The following formulas contain functions

22

Example formula
=SUM(A:A)

What it does
Adds all numbers in column A

=AVERAGE(A1:B4) Averages all numbers in the range

1. Click the cell in which you want to enter the formula.
2. To start the formula with the function, click Insert Function on the formula bar.
3. Select the function you want to use. You can enter a question that describes what you want to
do in the Search for a function box (for example, "add numbers" returns the SUM function),
or browse from the categories in the Or Select a category box.
4. Enter the arguments. To enter cell references as an argument, click Collapse Dialog to
temporarily hide the dialog box. Select the cells on the worksheet, then press Expand
Dialog.
5. When you complete the formula, press ENTER.
Create a formula with nested functions: =IF(AVERAGE(F2:F5)>50, SUM(G2:G5),0)
Nested functions use a function as one of the arguments of another function. The following formula
sums a set of numbers (G2:G5) only if the average of another set of numbers (F2:F5) is greater than
50. Otherwise it returns 0.
1. Click the cell in which you want to enter the formula.
2. To start the formula with the function, On the Insert Menu click on Functions.
3. Select the function you want to use. You can enter a question that describes what you want to
do in the Search for a function box (for example, "add numbers" returns the SUM function),
or browse from the categories in the Or Select a category box.
4. Enter the arguments (argument: The values that a function uses to perform operations or calculations.
The type of argument a function uses is specific to the function. Common arguments that are used within
functions include numbers, text, cell references, and names.).
o To enter cell references as an argument, click Collapse Dialog next to the argument

o
o

you want to temporarily hide the dialog box. Select the cells on the worksheet; then
press Expand Dialog.
To enter another function as an argument, enter the function in the argument box you
want. For example, you can add SUM(G2:G5) in the Value_if_true edit box.
To switch the parts of the formula displayed in the Function Arguments dialog box,
click a function name in the formula bar. For example, if you click IF, the arguments
for the IF function appear.

Move or Copy A Formula

When you move a formula, the cell references within the formula do not change. When you copy a
formula, the cell references may change based on the type of reference used.
1. Select the cell that contains the formula.
2. Verify that the cell references used in the formula will produce the result you want. Switch to
the type of reference you need. To move a formula, use an absolute reference
3. On the Edit menu, click Copy.
4. Select the cell you want to copy it to.
5. To copy the formula and any formatting, on the Edit menu, click Paste.
6. To copy the formula only, on the Edit menu, click Paste Special, and then click Formulas.

23

CHARTS
Charts are visually appealing and make it easy for users to see comparisons, patterns, and trends in
data. For instance, rather than having to analyze several columns of worksheet numbers, you can see
at a glance whether sales are falling or rising over quarterly periods, or how the actual sales compare
to the projected sales.
Creating charts
You can create a chart on its own sheet or as an embedded object on a worksheet. You can also
publish a chart on a Web page. To create a chart, you must first enter the data for the chart on the
worksheet. Then select that data and use the Chart Wizard to step through the process of choosing
the chart type and the various chart options, or use the Chart toolbar to create a basic chart that you
can format later.
Worksheet data
Chart created from worksheet data
A PivotChart report is an interactive summary of data in a chart format. It is created differently than
regular Microsoft Excel charts. After you create a PivotChart report, you can view different levels of
detail or reorganize the layout of the chart by dragging its fields and items.
How worksheet data is represented in a chart
A chart is linked to the worksheet data it's created from and is updated automatically when you
change the worksheet data.
Data Marker
Major gridline
Category names
Chart data series names
Data Marker Each data marker (data marker: A bar, area, dot, slice, or other symbol in a chart that represents
a single data point or value that originates from a worksheet cell. Related data markers in a chart constitute a data
series.) represents one number from the worksheet. Data markers with the same pattern represent one
data series (data series: Related data points that are plotted in a chart. Each data series in a chart has a unique
color or pattern and is represented in the chart legend. You can plot one or more data series in a chart. Pie charts
have only one data series.). In the example above, the rightmost data marker represents the Qtr2 Actual

value of 99.
Major Gridline Microsoft Excel creates axis values from the worksheet data. Note that the axis
values in the example above range from 0 to 120, which encompasses the range of values on the
worksheet. Major Gridlines (gridlines in charts: Lines you can add to a chart that make it easier to view and
evaluate data. Gridlines extend from the tick marks on an axis across the plot area.) mark the major intervals on
the axis. You can also display minor gridlines on a chart, which mark the intervals between the major
intervals.
Category Names Excel uses column or row headings in the worksheet data for category axis
names. In the example above, the worksheet row headings QTR1 and QTR2 appear as category axis
names.
Chart Data Series Names Excel also uses column or row headings in the worksheet data for series
names. Series names appear in the chart legend (legend: A box that identifies the patterns or colors that are
assigned to the data series or categories in a chart.). In the example above, the row headings Projected and
Actual appear as series names.

24
Chart Tips When you rest your pointer over a chart item, a chart tip containing the name of the
item appears. For example, when you rest the pointer over a legend, a chart tip that contains the
word Legend appears.
Embedded Charts and Chart Sheets
You can create a chart on its own chart sheet (chart sheet: A sheet in a workbook that contains only a chart. A
chart sheet is beneficial when you want to view a chart or a PivotChart report separately from worksheet data or a
PivotTable report.) or as an embedded chart (embedded chart: A chart that is placed on a worksheet rather than
on a separate chart sheet. Embedded charts are beneficial when you want to view or print a chart or a PivotChart
report with its source data or other information in a worksheet.) on a worksheet. Either way, the chart is

linked to the source data on the worksheet, which means the chart, is updated when you update the
worksheet data.
Embedded charts An embedded chart is considered a graphic object and is saved as part of the
worksheet on which it is created. Use embedded charts when you want to display or print one or
more charts with your worksheet data.
Chart sheets A chart sheet is a separate sheet within your workbook that has its own sheet name.
Use a chart sheet when you want to view or edit large or complex charts separately from the
worksheet data or when you want to preserve screen space as you work on the worksheet.

Create a Chart
1. Make sure the data on your worksheet is arranged properly for the type of chart you want to
use.
2. Do one of the following:
Customize your chart as you create it.
1. Select the cells that contain the data you want to use for your chart.
2. Click Chart Wizard.
3. Follow the instructions in the Chart Wizard.
Create a basic chart that you can customize later.
4. Display the Chart toolbar. To show the Chart toolbar, point to Toolbars on the View
menu and then click Chart.
5. Select the cells that contain the data you want to use for your chart.
6. Click Chart Type.
Tip
If the cells you want to select for your chart are not in a continuous range, do the following:
Select the first group of cells that contain the data you want to include. While holding down CTRL,
select any additional cell groups you want to include. The nonadjacent selections must form a
rectangle.

Select a Different Chart Type

For most 2-D charts, you can change the chart type of either a data series or the entire chart. For
bubble charts, you can change only the type of the entire chart. For most 3-D charts, changing the
chart type affects the entire chart. For 3-D bar and column charts, you can change a data series to the
cone, cylinder, or pyramid chart type.
1. To change the chart type, do one of the following:
o For the entire chart, click the chart.

25
For a data series, click the data series.
2. On the Chart menu, click Chart Type.
3. On the Standard Types tab, click the chart type you want.
o

If you are changing the chart type for one data series and not the entire chart, be sure the
Apply to selection check box is selected.
To apply the cone, cylinder, or pyramid chart type to a 3-D bar or column data series, click
Cylinder, Cone, or Pyramid in the Chart type box on the Standard Types tab, and then
select the Apply to selection check box.

FILTERING
Filtering is a quick and easy way to find and work with a subset of data in a list. A filtered list
displays only the rows that meet the criteria you specify for a column. Microsoft Excel provides two
commands for filtering lists:
AutoFilter, which includes filter by selection, for simple criteria
Advanced Filter, for more complex criteria
Unlike sorting, filtering does not rearrange a list. Filtering temporarily hides rows you do not want
displayed.
When Excel filters rows, you can edit, format, chart, and print your list subset without rearranging or
moving it.
AutoFilter
When you use the AutoFilter command, AutoFilter arrows appear to the right of the column labels
in the filtered list.
Microsoft Excel indicates the filtered items with blue.
You use custom AutoFilter to display rows that contain either one value or another. You can also use
custom AutoFilter to display rows that meet more than one condition for a column.
Advanced Filter
The Advanced Filter command can filter a list in place like the AutoFilter command, but it does
not display drop-down lists for the columns. Instead, you type the criteria you want to filter by in a
separate criteria range above the list. A criteria range allows for more complex criteria to be filtered.

Filter a List
You can apply filters to only one list on a worksheet at a time.
1. Click a cell in the list you want to filter.
2. On the Data menu, point to Filter, and then click AutoFilter.
Filter for the smallest or largest number
1. Click the arrow in the column that contains the numbers, and click (Top 10...).

26
2. In the box on the left, click Top, or Bottom.
3. In the box in the middle, enter a number.
4. In the box on the right, click Items.
Filter a list for rows that contain specific text
5. Click the arrow in the column that contains the numbers, and click (Custom).
6. In the box on the left, click equals, or does not equal, contains, or does not contain.
7. In the box on the right, enter the text you want.
Filter for numbers greater than or less than another number
8. Click the arrow in the column that contains the numbers, and click (Custom).
9. In the box on the left, click is greater than, is less than, is greater than or equal to,
or is less than or equal to.
10. In the box on the right, enter a number.
11. To add another criteria, click And or Or, and repeat the previous step.
Filter for a number equal to or not equal to another number
12. Click the arrow in the column that contains the numbers, and click (Custom).
13. In the box on the left, click equals, or does not equal.
14. In the box on the right, enter a number.
15. To add another criteria, click And or Or, and repeat the previous step.
Notes

When you apply a filter to a column, the only filters available for other columns are the
values visible in the currently filtered list.

Only the first 1000 unique entries in a list appear when you click the arrow

Remove Filters

To remove a filter applied to one column in a list, click the arrow

next to the column,
and then click All.
To remove filters applied to all columns in a list, point to Filter on the Data menu, and then
click Show All.
To remove the filter arrows from a list, point to Filter on the Data menu, and then click
AutoFilter.

SUBTOTALS
Microsoft Excel can automatically calculate subtotal and grand total values in a list. When you insert
automatic subtotals, Excel outlines the list so that you can display and hide the detail rows for each
subtotal.
To insert subtotals, you first sort your list so that the rows you want to subtotal are grouped together.
You can then calculate subtotals for any column that contains numbers.

27
If your data isn't organized as a list, or you only need a single total, you can use AutoSum instead of
automatic subtotals.
How subtotals are calculated
Subtotals Excel calculates subtotal values with a summary function, such as Sum or Average. You
can display subtotals in a list with more than one type of calculation at a time.
Grand totals Grand total values are derived from detail data, not from the values in the subtotal
rows. For example, if you use the Average summary function, the grand total row displays an
average of all detail rows in the list, not an average of the values in the subtotal rows.
Automatic recalculation Excel recalculates subtotal and grand total values automatically as you
edit the detail data.

Insert Subtotals
Insert individual subtotals
1. Make sure the data you want to subtotal is in list format: each column has a label in the first
row and contains similar facts, and there are no blank rows or columns within the list.
2. Click a cell in the column to subtotal.
3. Sort your data either in Ascending or Descending order.
4. On the Data menu, click Subtotals.
5. In the At each change in box, click the column to subtotal.
6. In the Use function box, click the summary function you want to use to calculate the
subtotals.
7. In the Add subtotal to box, select the check box for each column that contains values you
want to subtotal. In the example above, you'd select the Sales column.
8. If you want an automatic page break after each subtotal, select the Page break between
groups check box.
9. If you want the subtotals to appear above the subtotalled rows instead of below, clear the
Summary below data check box.
10. Click OK.
Note You can use the Subtotals command again to add more subtotals with different summary
functions. To avoid overwriting the existing subtotals, clear the Replace current subtotals check
box.

Remove Subtotals
When you remove subtotals, Microsoft Excel also removes the outline and any page breaks that you
inserted into the list along with the subtotals.
1. Click a cell in the list that contains subtotals.
2. On the Data menu, click Subtotals.
3. Click Remove All.

28

SORT A LIST
Sorting arranges your data in either ascending or descending order according to the column selected.
This allows faster viewing of data. Sort rows in ascending order (A to Z, or 0 to 9) or descending
order (Z to A, or 9 to 0)
1. Click a cell in the list you want to sort.
2. On the Data menu, click Sort.
3. In the Sort by and Then by boxes, click the columns you want to sort.
4. Select any other sort options you want, and then click OK.

MERGE OR SPLIT CELLS OR DATA

Spread the content of one cell over many cells
Text spread and centered over multiple cells
Warning Microsoft Excel places only the upper-leftmost data in the selected range into the
resulting merged cell. If there is data in other cells, the data is deleted.
1. Select the cells you want to merge.
2. On the Format Menu Click on Cells then Alignment tab
3. Select the checkbox next to Merge Cells
Split merged cells
1. Select the cells you want to merge.
2. On the Format Menu Click on Cells then Alignment tab
3. Deselect the checkbox next to Merge Cells
Ranking Numbers
Using the Lookup functions
Using the sumif