Spreadsheet Basics

- Purpose of spread sheets – Set up tables of data for easy observation and manipulation.
- Spread sheet terms
- Cell – A single field that stores information
- Can be word
- Can be a number
- Can be a date
- Can be a formula
- Column – A vertical alignment of cells
- Row – A horizontal alignment of cells
- Format
- The font type and size of print
- The type of number
- The manner in which a date is displayed and printed
- Cell – A single field that stores information
- Common applications – Using the mouse, Alt-letter and Cntrl-key
KEY: Think in terms of what you want to do with the information, not what the software will do… and you’ll have a much greater learning curve.
- Entering information (words, sentences, numbers, dates and formulas)
- Changing column widths
- “Marking” a group of cells (for group manipulation such as formatting, copying, setting column widths, moving cells, drawing lines, etc…)
- Copying cells
- Moving cells
- Inserting rows/columns
- Deleting rows/columns
- Making a formula to add up columns
- Drawing lines around cells for improved presentations
- Formatting cells with words, numbers and dates
- Saving and Saving As
- Printing what you want to print
- Print Preview
- Page Setup
- The “tool bars”
- Folders, Files and Hard Drives (Folders, Papers and File Cabinets)
Entering Information into a Cell
ONE METHOD
- Get to the cell using either the mouse or the arrow keys
- Type in a word or number.
ANOTHER METHOD
- Get to the cell using either the mouse or the arrow keys
- Type a formula (See Making a formula).
- Changing Column Widths
ONE METHOD
- Alt, O, C, W (Format, Column, Width)
- Enter the column width by number
- Hit the enter key.
ANOTHER METHOD
- Use the mouse to point the arrow to Format, Column, Width
- Enter the column width by number
- Hit the enter key.
ANOTHER METHOD
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- Highlight the Column(s) you want to widen/narrow at the “head” of the spreadsheet and simply “drag” the column at the end of the lettered heading.
- OR “double-click” for automatic column width settings.
- Marking a Group of Cells
ONE METHOD
- Go to the “root” cell by using the arrow keys.
- Hold down the shift key to “anchor” the grouping
- Use the arrow keys to highlight the desired group of cells.
ANOTHER METHOD
- Use the mouse to get to the “root” cell.
- Hold down the left mouse button to “anchor” the grouping.
- Move the mouse to highlight the desired group of cells.
SPREAD SHEET BASICS (EXCEL) – Page 3
- Copying Cells
ONE METHOD
- Mark the cell(s) to be copied as noted above in Marking a Group of Cells.
- Alt, E, C (Edit, Copy) specifies the cell(s) to be copied.
- The “source” cells will be highlighted with a perimeter flashing line.
- Use the arrows or mouse to select (move to) the upper left cell of the “destination”.
- Hit enter. The cells will automatically copy.
ANOTHER METHOD
- Mark the cell(s) to be copied as noted above in Marking a Group of Cells.
- Use the mouse to select the Edit, Copy) to specify the cell(s) to be copied.
- The “source” cells will be highlighted with a perimeter flashing line.
- Use the arrows or mouse to select (move to) the upper left cell of the “destination”.
- Hit enter. The cells will automatically copy.
- Moving Cells
ONE METHOD
- Mark the cell(s) to be moved as noted above in Marking a Group of Cells.
- Use the mouse and “drag” the cells to the desired location.
- Careful!!!
- But don’t be too nervous… the computer will prompt you if it appears you will overwrite existing cells.
NOTES:
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SPREAD SHEET BASICS (EXCEL) – Page 4
- Inserting Rows/Columns
ONE METHOD
- Alt, I, R (Insert, Entire Row) / (Alt, I, C to insert a column)
- Hit the Enter key.
- (To insert more than one row/column, highlight the number of rows/columns desired using the steps highlighted in Marking a Group of Cells.)
ANOTHER METHOD
- Use the mouse to point to Insert, Entire Row/Column.
- Hit the enter key or the left mouse button while the arrow is on the Entire Row circle.
- (To insert more than one row, highlight the number of rows desired using the steps highlighted in Marking a Group of Cells.)
- Deleting Rows/Columns
ONE METHOD
- Alt, E, D, R (Edit, Delete, Row) / (Alt, E, D, C to delete a column)
- Hit the enter key.
- (To insert more than one row, highlight the number of rows desired using the steps highlighted in Marking a Group of Cells.)
TIP: Be careful not to hit the “shift cells” option.
ANOTHER METHOD
- Use the mouse to select Edit, Delete, Row/Column
- Hit the enter key.
- (To insert more than one row, highlight the number of rows desired using the steps highlighted in Marking a Group of Cells.)
TIP: Be careful not to hit the “shift cells” option.
NOTES:
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SPREAD SHEET BASICS (EXCEL) – Page 5
- Making a Formula to add/subtract/multiply/divide cells or numbers
THE BASICS
- Type “=sum(”.
- Point the mouse (or use the arrow keys) to the cell you want to place in the formula OR type a number.
- Use the operators + (plus), – (minus), * (multiply), / (divide) and = (equal) to create your formula.
- To add a row or column a special : (colon) can be used to “anchor” at the base or top of a column (end of a row) so a column(row) can be highlighted to be totaled.
- Add the right parenthesis to complete the formula.
- The order of operations is ( ) first, then * and /, then + and -, left to right.
- Drawing Lines around Cells
ONE METHOD
- Highlight the cells around which you want to draw.
- Use the formatting “tool bar”
- Select the line drawing icon.
- Choose the icon to highlight your selection (e.g. lines on the bottom, lines on top, bold lines on the bottom, etc…)
- To place a complete perimeter border on a block of cells, you must do this last or else the other commands will override this choice.
NOTES:
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SPREAD SHEET BASICS (EXCEL) – Page 6
- Formatting Cells
ONE METHOD
- Select the cell(s) you wish to format.
- Alt, O, E (Format, Cells) and select your choice.
- Follow the prompts.
ANOTHER METHOD
- Select the cell(s) you wish to format.
- Use the mouse to Format, Cells and select your choice.
- Follow the prompts.
ANOTHER METHOD
- Select the cell(s) you wish to format.
- Use the formatting “tool” bar.
- Follow the prompts.
ANOTHER METHOD
- Select the cell(s) you wish to format.
- Hold down the Ctrl while typing 1.
- Follow the prompts.
Some ways in which formats can be applied:
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- Number – Decimals, Currency, Dates
- Alignment – Left, Right, Centered, Vertical, Slanted, Merged cells, Wrapped text
- Fonts – Lettering Style, Size, Bold, Italic, Underlined
- Borders – The type of lines surrounding cells – beneath, above or on the sides.
- Patterns – Shades and colors
- Protection – Locked and Hidden Cells
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SPREAD SHEET BASICS (EXCEL) – Page 7
- Saving and Saving As
SAVING
- The first time you save a new spreadsheet (or Word document) the computer will as you to name it.
- Each additional time you save the file, the computer saves it with the exact name you’ve already given the file.
One Method for Saving
- Alt, F, S (File, Save)
- The first time only will you be prompted to give the file a name.
Another Method for Saving
- Use the mouse to go to File, Save.
- The first time only will you be prompted to give the file a name.
Another Method for Saving
- Hold down the Ctrl key while typing S.
- The first time only will you be prompted to give the file a name.
SAVING AS – This is a method for changing aspects of a file or spreadsheet and saving the new file without eliminating the old one. For instance, you may wish to make a master spreadsheet of your leads that you use for continual review. But you may wish to manipulate the spreadsheet to provide a separate spreadsheet for each salesperson you work with, or for each dealer or a separate sheet for actual sales, etc…
One Method for Saving As
- Alt, F, A (File, Save As)
- You will be prompted to enter a file name (not necessarily the current spread sheet name.)
Another Method for Saving As
- Use the mouse to go to File, Save As.
- You will be prompted to enter a file name (not necessarily the current spread sheet name.)
SPREAD SHEET BASICS (EXCEL) – Page 8
- Printing
PRINT PREVIEW
- Use print preview to ensure you will print what you want to print.
- Alt, F, V (File, Print Preview) (or use the mouse)
- The Preview of the output will come to your screen.
- When you return to the spreadsheet (Esc), there are occasionally dotted lines to highlight the print “block” limits.
PAGE SETUP
- Use page setup to move from portrait to landscape include headers and page numbers.
- Alt, F, U (File, Page Setup) (or use the mouse)
- Follow the prompts.
- Alt, F, P (File Print)
- Follow the prompts.
OR
- Use the mouse to select File and Print.
- Follow the prompts.
OR
- Hold the Ctrl key and type P.
- Follow the prompts.
- Tool Bars
- Alt V, T (View, Toolbars) Or use the mouse….
- Explore and have fun.
- Folders, Files and Drives
- Think of Folders as actual folders you might put into a file cabinet.
- The files are the pieces of paper you would put in each folder.
- The hard drive is just like your file cabinet. It is where you store your folders.
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