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What is MS Excel?

Excel is an electronic spreadsheet program that can be used for storing, organizing and manipulating data. It is compose of a rectangular table or grid of rows and columns. You can also use it to perform mathematical calculations quickly. The horizontal rows are identified by numbers (1,2,3) and the vertical columns with letters of the alphabet (A,B,C). For columns beyond 26, columns are identified by two or more letters such as AA, AB, AC. The intersection point between a column and a row is a small rectangular box known as a cell. A cell is the basic unit for storing data in the spreadsheet. Because an Excel spreadsheet contains thousands of these cells, each is given acell reference or address to identify it. The cell reference is a combination of the column letter and the row number such as A3, B6, AA345. 1. Features of MS Excel The features of MS Excel are as follows: Workbooks: A document in MS Excel is called a workbook. Each workbook contains sixteen worksheets by default. A user can change this number by resetting the default options. Worksheets within workbooks make it easy to bind files of related information. When a user opens a workbook, he can use all the worksheets to perform a task. To create a workbook, a user will have to select the New command from the File menu. To open an existing workbook, a user will have to select the Open option from the File menu. A user can insert a worksheet between two worksheets by choosing the Worksheet option from the Insert menu. Using keyboard: The following table provides different keyboard shortcuts for selecting a row, column, current cell, worksheet, etc. 1. To Select Current Cell Entire Column Entire Row Entire Worksheet Keyboard Shortcuts Enter CTRL+Spacebar Shift+Spacebar CTRL+SHIFT+Spacebar

Cell References: MS Excel provides three types of cell references: relative, absolute, and mixed. Relative references refer to the cell relative to the given position. Absolute references refer to the specific cell irrespective of the position of the formula. The $ sign is used to denote an absolute reference. Mixed references are a combination of both relative and absolute references. It has one absolute co-ordinate and one relative co-ordinate. and C$1 are both examples of mixed references. MS Excel allows fast searching and instant replacing of data. To search or replace the data entered by a user, he can use the Find or Replace command from the Edit menu. Inserting or Deleting Rows and Columns: MS Excel provides the facility to insert rows or columns into the existing worksheet. Inserting a row of data shifts the rest of the rows down and removes the last row of the worksheet. Similarly, inserting a column shifts the rest of the columns to the right and deletes the rightmost column. This occurs because the total number of rows and columns remain the same in any case. MS Excel provides several formatting features that enhance the appearance of the data, which is presented in the worksheets. Some of them are described as follows: MS Excel allows setting up a page before printing. To set up a page, a user will have to open the File menu and click on the Page Setup. The Page Setup dialog box will appear that will allow the user to set the paper size, orientation of the data, scaling of the area, set the left, right, bottom, and top margin, set the header and the footer, etc. MS Excel provides the autofit selection that adjusts the width of the column according to the widest entry in that column. A user can hide or unhide certain rows or columns. He can also provide the default column standard width. MS Excel allows a user to align the characters in different ways by using the Alignment tab page of the Format Cells dialog box. The dialog box provides a number of alignment options. Horizontal Alignment options General: The text is left aligned and the numbers are right aligned. This is the default status. Left: Aligns the contents to the left of the cell. Center: Aligns the cell contents to the center of the cell. Right: Aligns the contents to the right of the cell. Fill: Fills the selected cells with the single character. Justify: This option is selected with multiple lines of text as it wraps the contents from left to right. 2. Vertical Alignment options: Top: Aligns the text at the top of the cell. Center: Places the text in the center of the cell.

A user can perform various kinds of entries in a cell. He can enter text, number, data, and time in a cell. He can also enter some special characters such as $ % + / ( ). He can also enter date and time in a cell. He can select different formats for date and time according to his own requirements. Entering Data in Series: A user can fill a range of cells either with the same value or with the series of values. This can be done using the Autofill handle (small square on the bottom-right corner of the active cell).

Bottom: Aligns the text on the bottom of the cell. Justify: Wraps the text from top to bottom. MS Excel provides a facility of viewing the same worksheet simultaneously in more than one window. This is accomplished by selecting the New Window command in the Windows menu. A user can also create more than one window to arrange the workspace to promptly access the information needed. Using MS Excel, a window can be arranged in different ways by using the Arrange command from the Windows menu. If a user wants to move between different windows, he can do so by pressing Ctrl+F6 to go to the next window or by pressing Ctrl+Shift+F6 to go to the previous window. He can temporarily hide or unhide windows by choosing the Hide command in Window menu to hide the active window or by choosing the Unhide command in the Window menu to unhide the hidden window. When a user works on a very large worksheet with row and column headings, the row headings scroll off to the left when he moves towards the right. Similarly, when he moves down to see the data, the column headings scroll up. To overcome this problem, he can split the active window into two, with row or column headings in one window and the data on the other window. Controls: The controls are the special objects, which enhance user interface and facilitate user input. MS Excel provides several custom controls such as list boxes, check boxes, and dialog boxes, etc. A large number of toolbars are found in the View menu. Users can add a toolbar or a number of toolbars into the working document depending upon the work involved and use different controls in their documents. Functions and formulas: The built-in formulas are called functions. MS Excel provides analyzing data and manipulating text by using different functions. Users can easily calculate percentage, interest, average, etc. by using built-in functions. This can be done either by typing in the function-based formulas or by using function wizards. Formulas are widely used in simple computing (such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) and advanced computing. They provide the power to analyze data extensively. Auto-calculation: MS Excel spreadsheet allows a user to automatically recalculate the whole worksheet every time a change is made in a single cell. There are basically two kinds of recalculations. 1. 2. Automatic: In this type of calculation, the change in the value of the cell automatically recalculates the whole worksheet. Manual: In this type of calculation, the recalculation of the complete worksheet is performed by pressing the F9 key. This option can be selected on the Calculation tab page of the Options dialog box, which is opened by choosing Options from the Tools menu. Charts: One of the most important features of MS Excel is a chart. MS Excel allows users to view data entered as tables in a graphical form as charts, which helps a user 3. 1. 2.

to easily understand, analyze, and compare data. Excel allows its users to create either two-dimensional charts or three-dimensional charts. A user can enhance the chart by adding chart items, such as data labels, a legend, titles, text, and gridlines. He can also do formatting on these items by using colors, alignment, fonts, and other formatting attributes. MS Excel also allows users to view charts along with the data by using embedded charts. These charts are included in the worksheet and can be copied, moved, and resized in the same way as can be done with any other graphical object. Database: Data are raw facts, information is processed data, and a database is an organized collection of information. Every organization heavily depends upon databases to store, retrieve, and maintain different kinds of data. MS Excel provides all this in the form of its database feature. In MS Excel, database can be created in two ways: Enter the data in the form of table in the worksheet. Use the Data Form command Records can be inserted, deleted, and sorted by using the Data menu. With the above-described features of MS Excel, users can perform almost all the operations they want in a very efficient and easy way. Its advanced features have made it the first choice for professionals working in a financial organization to perform their lengthy tasks in an easy way and in a quick manner. Therefore, MS Excel has become the most preferred choice for most of the users as well as professionals throughout the world. Parts of MS Excel Screen Active Cell In an Excel 2007 worksheet, the cell with the black outline. Data is always entered into the active cell. Column Letter Columns run vertically on a worksheet and each one is identified by a letter in the column header. Formula Bar Located above the worksheet, this area displays the contents of the active cell. It can also be used for entering or editing data and formulas. Name Box Located next to the formula bar, the Name Box displays the cell reference or the name of the active cell. Row Number Rows run horizontally in an Excel 2007 worksheet and are identified by a number in therow header.

Sheet Tab Switching between worksheets in an Excel 2007 file is done by clicking on the sheet tab at the bottom of the screen. Quick Access Toolbar This customizable toolbar allows you to add frequently used commands. Click on the down arrow at the end of the toolbar to display the toolbar's options. Office Button Clicking on the Office Button displays a drop down menu containing a number of options, such as open, save, and print. The options in the Office Button menu are very similar to those found under the File menu in previous versions of Excel. Ribbon The Ribbon is the strip of buttons and icons located above the work area in Excel 2007. The Ribbon replaces the menus and toolbars found in earlier versions of Excel.

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Click the up/down or right/left arrows on the horizontal or vertical scroll bars. This moves the spreadsheet one row (up or down) or column (right or left) at a time. Drag the scroll box of a scroll bar. Click the scroll area (any area to the left/right or above/below the scroll box on the scroll bar). This moves the spreadsheet one screen left/right or up/down.

If your mouse has a scroll wheel, you can use this wheel to move through a spreadsheet by two methods: y y Roll the mouse's scroll wheel up or down to scroll your spreadsheet up or down. Press the scroll wheel to display a four-way pointing arrow, then move the mouse up, down, right, or left. (When you are done, click the scroll wheel again.)

Using the keyboard to move around a spreadsheet Using the mouse can be faster to jump from one place in a spreadsheet to another, but sometimes using the mouse can be frustrating, trying to line it up just right. For that reason, you can also use the keyboard to move around a spreadsheet. Some of the common ways to move around a spreadsheet are shown in Table. Pressing This Up Arrow Down Arrow Left Arrow Right Arrow Ctrl + Up Arrow Ctrl + Down Arrow Ctrl + Left Arrow Ctrl + Right Arrow 4. Ways of Navigating Around the Spreadsheet Page Up Page Down Ctrl + Page Up Ctrl + Page Down Home Ctrl + Home Ctrl + End Does This Moves up one row Moves down one row Moves left one column Moves right one column Jumps up to the top of a column that contains data Jumps down to the bottom of a column that contains data Jumps to the left of a row that contains data Jumps to the right of a row that contains data Moves up one screen Moves down one screen Displays the previous worksheet Displays the next worksheet Moves to the A column of the current row Moves to the A1 cell Moves to the bottom right cell of your spreadsheet

To navigate a spreadsheet with the mouse, you can click the scroll bars or use the scroll wheel on your mouse, if you have one. To use the scroll bars, you have three choices:

If you know the specific cell you want to move to, you can jump to that cell by using the Go To command. To use the Go To command, follow these steps: 1. Click the Home tab and then click the Find and Select icon in the Editing group. A pull-down menu appears and then click Go To. The Go To dialog box appears. You can also choose the Go To command by pressing Ctrl+G. Click in the Reference text box and type the cell you want to move to, such as C13 or F4. Click OK. Excel highlights the cell you typed in Step 2.

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Select the cell where you want to enter data by clicking on it with the white cross cursor. This will place the thick `selection' box around that cell. Type in the data or formula. The details of this step are presented below for each of the five types of data which can be entered. Press the Enter key. This will complete the input and move the selection box down one cell which will then be able to receive further input.

After selecting the cell and initially entering the data, the user is in a limited editing mode. The main key for editing mistakes in this mode is the backspace key. For a more complete set of editing options, especially for longer entries, there is an advanced editing mode. To enter the advanced editing mode, press the F2function key or click on the editing region. The keyboard focus will then shift from the current cell to the editing region at the top of the worksheet. There, you can use cursor keys to position the cursor within the data in the cell, and have all of the capabilities of the data entry area available. 7. Creating Formula

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Types of Cell Entries Each cell can contain one of three of information: a label, a value, or a formula. A label provides descriptive text information about entries in the spreadsheet, such as a person s name. a cell that contains a label is not generally used to perform mathematical calculations. A value is an actual number that is entered into a cell to be used in calculations. A formula is an instruction to the program to calculate a number. A formula generally contains cell addresses and one or more arithmetic operators: a plus sign (+) to add, a minus sign (-) to subtract, an asterisk (*) to multiply, and a slash (/) to divide. When you see the formula rather than entering the calculated result, the software can automatically recalculate the result if you need to change any of the values on which the formula is based.

Writing Excel formulas is a little different than the way it is done in math class. Excel formulas starts with the equal sign ( = ) rather than ending with it. The equal sign always goes in the cell where you want the formula answer to appear. The equal sign informs Excel that what follows is part of a formula, and not just a name or a number. Excel formulas look like this: =3 + 2
8. Basic Formula Remember to enter the formula in the cell where you want the result of the calculation to appear. Always start with an = Formulas do not contain any spaces. Use the following mathematical operators: (The examples below use 8 as the value in cell A1 and 2 as the value in cell B1)

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Creating and Editing Cell Entries

The simplest method to place data in a spreadsheet involves selecting the location for the data, typing the data on a keyboard and then typing the Enter key to finish the input. Simple Data Entry

Addition ..........+ ...... example: =A1+B1 (results in 10) Subtraction ......- ....... example: =A1-B1 (results in 6) Multiplication..*....... example: =A1*B1 (results in 16) Division.........../........ example: =A1/B1 (results in 4) Exponentiation.^....... example: =A1^2 (results in 64) When you have finished entering the formula click on the green checkmark on the formula bar. Once you have done so, the cell will display the result of the formula s calculation while the formula bar will continue to display the formula. Moving to or clicking into another cell will also allow the result of the calculation to show in the cell. To display the result of your formula as a percentage, click in the cell with the formula and press the % icon on the toolbar. NOTE: If your formula involves multiple steps, remember that the rules of mathematical precedence apply. Calculations will be done in the following order: 1. Any calculation enclosed in parenthesis 2. Exponentiation 3. Multiplication and division 4. Addition and subtraction For example: If cell A1=8, cell B1=2 and cell C1=3, then =A1+B1*C1 would result in an answer of 14. (B1 multiplied by C1 with the result added to A1.) If the formula is changed to = (A1+B1)*C1, A1 would first be added to B1, and the result would be multiplied by C1, giving an answer of 30 9. If and look up functions The IF function returns one value if a condition you specify evaluates to TRUE, and another value if that condition evaluates to FALSE. For example, the formula=IF(A1>10,"Over 10","10 or less") returns "Over 10" if A1 is greater than 10, and "10 or less" if A1 is less than or equal to 10. The Excel LOOKUP function 'looks up' a supplied value within a data set and returns the corresponding value from a second data set. If the function fails to find an exact match to the supplied 'lookup' value, it uses the largest value that is less than or equal to the supplied 'lookup' value. Because the function finds a 'nearest' match, it is not suitable for all lookups - if you require an exact match to your 'lookup' value, or an error message if this isn't found, consider using the Vlookup or the Hlookup Function. For the Lookup function to work correctly, it is necessary that the data to be searched be ordered (ascending numerically or alphabetically). If the data is not ordered, the function may return unpredictable results.

10. Sorting and Filtering Sorting and Filtering allow you to manipulate data in a worksheet based on given set of criteria. Basic Sorts To execute a basic descending or ascending sort based on one column:    Highlight the cells that will be sorted Click the Sort & Filter button on the Home tab Click the Sort Ascending (A-Z) button or Sort Descending (Z-A) button

Custom Sorts To sort on the basis of more than one column:      Click the Sort & Filter button on the Home tab Choose which column you want to sort by first Click Add Level Choose the next column you want to sort Click OK

Filtering Filtering allows you to display only data that meets certain criteria. To filter:   Click the column or columns that contain the data you wish to filter On the Home tab, click on Sort & Filter  Click Filter button  Click the Arrow at the bottom of the first cell  Click the Text Filter  Click the Words you wish to Filter

 

To clear the filter click the Sort & Filter button Click Clear

11. Creating Chart Charts allow you to present information contained in the worksheet in a graphic format. Excel offers many types of charts including: Column, Line, Pie, Bar, Area, Scatter and more. To view the charts available click the Insert Tab on the Ribbon. Create a Chart To create a chart:  Select the cells that contain the data you want to use in the chart Click the Insert tab on the Ribbon Click the type of Chart you want to create

To modify the labels and titles:    Click the Chart On the Layout tab, click the Chart Title or the Data Labels button Change the Title and click Enter

Chart Tools The Chart Tools appear on the Ribbon when you click on the chart. The tools are located on three tabs: Design, Layout, and Format. Within the Design tab you can control the chart type, layout, styles, and location.

 

Modify a Chart Once you have created a chart you can do several things to modify the chart. To move the chart:    Click the Chart and Drag it another location on the same worksheet, or Click the Move Chart button on the Design tab Choose the desired location (either a new sheet or a current sheet in the workbook)

Within the Layout tab you can control inserting pictures, shapes and text boxes, labels, axes, background, and analysis.

Within the Format tab you can modify shape styles, word styles and size of the chart.

To change the data included in the chart:   Click the Chart Click the Select Data button on the Design tab Copy a Chart to Word     Select the chart Click Copy on the Home tab Go to the Word document where you want the chart located Click Paste on the Home tab

To reverse which data are displayed in the rows and columns:   Click the Chart Click the Switch Row/Column button on the Design tab