Introduction to Microsoft Excel: What is a Spreadsheet

1
Exploring Microsoft Excel

• Chapter 1
• Introduction to Microsoft Excel What is a
  Spreadsheet?
• By
• Robert T. Grauer
• Maryann Barber

2
Objectives (1 of 2)

• Describe what a spreadsheet is and potential
  applications
• Explain how the rows and columns of a spreadsheet
  are identified, and how its cells are labeled.
• Distinguish between a formula and a constant
• Open, save, print a workbook insert and delete
  rows and columns

3
Objectives (2 of 2)

• Describe the three-dimensional nature of a
  workbook distinguish between a workbook and a
  worksheet
• Print worksheet with values or formulas
• Copy and/or move cells within a worksheet
• Differentiate between relative, absolute, and
  mixed references
• Use Page Setup to print worksheet and preview
  before printing
• Format a worksheet to include changing the font
  or appearance, borders, and alignment

4
Overview

• Introduction to spreadsheets and Excel
• Show wide diversity of spreadsheet applications
• Fundamentals of spreadsheets using Excel
• Worksheet recalculates automatically after changes

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Introduction to Spreadsheets (1)

• Spreadsheet is a computerized ledger
• Used to store data and update calculations
• Divided into rows and columns
• Columns identified with alphabetic headings
  A-Z,AA-AZ,,IA-IV.
• Rows identified with numeric headings 1-65,536
• The intersection of a row and column is a cell.
• Each cell has a unique cell reference, denoted by
  column name followed by row name
• Ex A9 is cell in column A, row 9

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Introduction to Spreadsheets (2)

• Click on a cell to select for entering or editing
  its contents
• Cells can contain constants or formulas
• Constants--entries that do not change
• Numeric data or text (labels)
• Ex 88
• Formulas--combination of constants, functions,
  cell references, and/or arithmetic operators
• Always begin with an .
• Ex (B3C32D3)/4

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Introduction to Spreadsheets (3)

• The arithmetic operators are , , /, , and -.
• They are listed in order of precedence
• Use parentheses to force precedence
• A function is a predefined computational task
• Ex AVERAGE(B3B7) calculates (B3B4B5B6B7)/5
• EXCEL contains may functions such as SUM,
  AVERAGE, MIN, MAX, ROUND,

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Introduction to Excel

• Common user interface on all Office applications
• Menus and toolbars are similar to Word and Power
  Point
• Application window document window for the
  workbook
• Worksheet is an Excel spreadsheet
• Workbook contains one or more worksheets
• Tabs at bottom for worksheets
• Toolbars--Standard and Formatting
• File menu--Save, Save As, Open and Print commands
• Up to 255 characters for filename

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9
Excel XP (Open)
Places Bar
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Excel XP Worksheet
Column
8
t
Row
cell
Worksheets
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Excel XP Worksheet
Formula bar
Name box
12
Active cell
t
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Excel Features and Commands (1 of 2)

• Active cell
• cell is surrounded by a heavy black border
• entries are made into the active cell
• Name Box
• Contains the cell reference of the active cell
• Formula bar displays the contents of the active
  cell
• located near the top of the worksheet
• Status bar keeps you informed of what is
  happening as you work
• located at the bottom of the worksheet

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13
Excel Features and Commands (2 of 2)

• Toolbars contain icons that perform common
  commands
• ScreenTips give helpful hints
• appear when you hold the mouse over an icon or a
  commented cell
• File Type compatible with Excel 2000 and Excel 97
• Save as Command
• save as a different file name
• save as a different file type (Excel 95 or
  another spreadsheet program)

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Hands-On Exercise 1

• Objective To start Microsoft Excel, to open,
  modify, and save an existing workbook
• Welcome to Windows
• Obtain the practice files
• Start Microsoft Excel
• Open the workbook
• The Save As command
• The Active Cell, Formula Bar and Worksheet tabs
• Experiment (What If?)
• The Office Assistant

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Modifying the Worksheet

• Insert command
• can be used to add individual rows, columns,
  cells, or worksheets

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Modifying the Worksheet

• Delete command
• can be used to delete individual rows, columns,
  or cells (select first)

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Modifying the Worksheet

• Page Setup command and dialog box
• Gives control over printed worksheet
• Page, Margins, Header/Footer, Sheet tabs

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Hands-On Exercise 2

• Objective To open an existing workbook to
  insert and delete rows and columnsto modify the
  appearance of a printed workbook.
• Open the workbook
• Delete a row
• Insert a row
• Use the AutoComplete feature
• Insert a column
• Display the cell formulas
• The Page Setup command
• The Print Preview command
• Insert and Delete a worksheet

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Getting around the Worksheet

• A rectangular group of cells is a range
• Single cell, group of cells, or entire worksheet
• Specified by top-left cellbottom-right cell
• Ex (A1B3) is cells A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3
• Click and drag to select a range
• Copy duplicate contents of a cell from a source
  range to a destination range
• All of source
• Top-left of destination
• Move transfer contents of a cell from one
  location to another
• Cell references are adjusted after copies and
  moves

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Cell Referencing

• Three ways to reference a cell
• Absolute reference remains constant throughout
  a copy operation
• Specified with a dollar sign before the column
  and row, i.e. B4
• Relative reference adjusts during a copy
  operation
• Specified without dollar signs, i.e. B4
• If referenced cell is moved it will adjust
• Mixed reference either the row or the column is
  absolute the other is relative
• Specified with a dollar sign before the absolute
  part of the reference, i.e. B4

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Cell Reference Examples
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Hands-On Exercise 3

• Objective to create a new worksheet to copy
  formulas containing relative and absolute
  references
• Start Excel
• Save the workbook
• Enter student data and literal information
• Compute the student semester average
• Copy the semester average
• Compute class averages
• What If? Change exam weights

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Excel XP Formatting

• You can format the contents of cells like in Word
• Can also format cells themselves
• Select-then-do
• Column widths
• Row Heights
• Numeric Format
• Alignment
• Fonts
• Borders, Patterns, and Shading
• Edit, Clear removes formatting

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Types of Numeric Formats

• General
• Number
• Currency
• Accounting
• Date
• Time

• Percentage
• Fraction
• Scientific
• Text
• Special
• Custom

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Format Cells Command
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Hands-On Exercise 4

• Objective to format a worksheet using boldface,
  italics, shading, and borders to change the font
  and/or alignment of an entry.
• Center the title across selection
• Format the exam weights
• Format the class averages
• Borders and color
• Print the workbook
• Use the Page Setup command to modify the
  appearance of the printed workbook
• Print the cell formulas

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Summary (1 of 2)

• Spreadsheet is computerized accountants ledger
• Spreadsheet is generic term worksheet is an
  Excel term
• Cells contain formulas or constants
• A formula always begins with an equal sign
• Formulas can be copied or moved anywhere within
  the worksheet.
• Make sure you understand absolute, relative, and
  mixed cell referencing and when to use each!!

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Summary (2 or 2)

• Page Setup gives you control over the appearance
  of the printed worksheet
• Formatting is done by selecting the cell(s) you
  want to format, then applying the format you want
  
• Use the Ctrl key to select non-contiguous cells
  or ranges of cells
• Print worksheets with displayed values and
  formulas