MICROSOFT EXCEL 2016: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Revised: 2/20/2020

Exploring the Excel 2016 Environment Switch to Excel

Open Excel by using the Start menu or by double-clicking the Desktop icon for Excel 2016.

Title Bar
1. Note the Title Bar section which has window controls at the right end, as in other Microsoft Office
programs.
2. Note that a blank workbook opens with a default file name of Book1.

Quick Access Toolbar

Save Undo Customize
The Quick Access Toolbar is located all the way to the left
on the Title Bar. It contains frequently used commands
and can be customized using the drop-down menu.

1. Point to each small icon to view its ScreenTip.

2. Be aware that the Undo and Repeat buttons

commands are not located anywhere else in the
application except for on the Quick Access Toolbar.
Redo/Repeat

3. Click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar button, check New on the menu. Notice how a new
button has appeared.

4. Click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar button again and select Show Below the Ribbon. This
repositions the toolbar to be below the ribbon.

5. Note that when the toolbar is below the ribbon, its customize button is very difficult to see, due
to its white color.

MC-NPL Computer Lab • 1001 Powell St • Norristown, PA 19401 Page 1 of 83

(610) 278-5100 x141 • [email protected] • www.mc-npl.org
MICROSOFT EXCEL 2016: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Revised: 2/20/2020
6. Move the Quick Access Toolbar back above the ribbon by clicking the customize button and
selecting Show Above the Ribbon.

Ribbon
The ribbon contains all of the tools that you use to interact with your Mention Handout 1
Microsoft Excel file. It is located at the top of the window. All of the
programs in the Microsoft Office suite have one.
The ribbon has a number of tabs, each of which contains buttons, which are organized into groups. Try
clicking on other tabs to view their buttons (do not click the File tab yet), and then return to Home tab.
Active Tab
By default, Excel will open with the Home tab active on the Ribbon. Note how the Active tab has a
white background, and the Inactive tabs have the opposite.

Contextual Tabs
Contextual tabs are displayed when certain objects, such as an images and charts, are selected. They
contain additional options for modifying the object. Contextual tabs stand out because they are darker
in color and are located to the right of all the other tabs. As soon as we start being productive in the
program, we will see contextual tabs appear.

Show Slide 6

Switch to Excel
Groups and Buttons

On each tab, the buttons (a.k.a. commands or tools) are organized into Groups. The groups have
names, but the names are not clickable.
Hover over some active buttons on the Home tab to observe ScreenTips. The ScreenTips display the
name of the button, along with a short description of what the button does.

MC-NPL Computer Lab • 1001 Powell St • Norristown, PA 19401 Page 2 of 83

(610) 278-5100 x141 • [email protected] • www.mc-npl.org
MICROSOFT EXCEL 2016: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Revised: 2/20/2020
Buttons with Arrows
Note that some buttons have images on them and some have images and an arrow. The arrow
indicates that more information is needed to carry out the function of the button. Some arrowed
buttons have two parts: the button proper and the list arrow.

• A one-part arrowed button, called a menu button, will darken completely when you point to
it:

1. In the Styles group, point to the Conditional Formatting button.

2. Note there is no difference in shading between the left and right of the
button when you point to each section.

• On a two-part arrowed button, called a split button, only one section at a time will darken
when you point to it.

1. In the Font group, point to the left part of the Fill Color button. This is the
“button proper” section of the button. Note how it is darkened separately
from the arrow portion of the button.

2. Point to the right portion, the section with the arrow. This is the “list arrow”
section of the button. Note how it is darkened separately from the left
portion.

3. The button proper is the section of a two-part button that will carry out the default
option or the last used option.

4. The list arrow section will open an options menu.

Dialogue Box Launcher

On some groups there is a Launcher button which will open a dialogue box or side panel with
related but less common commands.
Click a launcher button, and then close the dialogue box.

Ribbon Display Options button

This button provides options that will hide the ribbon from view. The main benefit to this is that it
allows your spreadsheet to take up more of the screen.
1. Locate the Ribbon Display Options button (to the left of the window control buttons).

MC-NPL Computer Lab • 1001 Powell St • Norristown, PA 19401 Page 3 of 83

(610) 278-5100 x141 • [email protected] • www.mc-npl.org
MICROSOFT EXCEL 2016: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Revised: 2/20/2020

2. Click on it. Three options appear.

3. Click Auto-hide Ribbon. This option essentially makes Excel go into “full screen” mode. It hides
not only the ribbon, but also the Quick Access Toolbar, title bar, and Window Controls.

4. To get the ribbon to show after Auto-hiding it:

a. Point to the top-center of the screen and click. (Clicking the three dots does the same
thing.) The full ribbon can be seen and used. However, as as soon as the body of the
spreadsheet is clicked it will hide again.

b. Click in the middle of the document. Notice how the ribbon hides again.

5. To get a partial display of the ribbon to stay in view:

a. Click the “mini” Ribbon Display Options button on the top right.

b. Click Show Tabs. Note this option has brought back our Quick Access Toolbar, title bar,
Window Controls, and part of the ribbon; only the Tabs are visible. The buttons are not.

c. Click the Home tab. Notice how the buttons come into view.

d. Click in the middle of the spreadsheet. Notice how the buttons disappear again.

Note: A shortcut for changing to the “Show Tabs” view is to double-click the Active Tab. If the
buttons in the ribbon suddenly disappear, then you may have done this by accident.

MC-NPL Computer Lab • 1001 Powell St • Norristown, PA 19401 Page 4 of 83

(610) 278-5100 x141 • [email protected] • www.mc-npl.org
MICROSOFT EXCEL 2016: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Revised: 2/20/2020

6. To get the entire ribbon to stay in view:

a. Click Ribbon Display Options

b. Click Show Tabs and Commands. This option keeps entire ribbon visible at all times. It is
the default option. We will keep this option selected for the remainder of class.
Dynamic Resizing
If you use Excel on other computers, be aware that the button placement on the Ribbon might look
slightly different. For instance, a button might be a different size or be positioned in a slightly different
place. The reason for this is that the Ribbon auto-adjusts itself based on the size of the Excel window.

1. Notice what the buttons in the Styles group currently look like.

2. Click the Restore Down button.

3. Notice how the buttons look different now. Rest assured, they are still the same buttons.

4. Click the Maximize button to bring the window back to full screen.

MC-NPL Computer Lab • 1001 Powell St • Norristown, PA 19401 Page 5 of 83

(610) 278-5100 x141 • [email protected] • www.mc-npl.org
MICROSOFT EXCEL 2016: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Revised: 2/20/2020
File Tab
The File tab provides a Backstage view of your document. Backstage view gives you various options for
saving, opening a file, printing, or sharing your document. Instead of just a menu, it is a full-page view which
makes it easier to work with.

1. Click the File tab.

2. Notice that the Ribbon and the spreadsheet are no longer in view. Note the commands on the left side
of the screen that you use to perform actions TO a document rather than IN a document.

3. Other things you can do in the Backstage view:

a. Click the Info menu option. The Info section of the File tab offers an easy to use interface for
inspecting documents for hidden properties or personal information.

b. Click the New menu option. In this view you can create a new Blank document, or choose from a
large selection of Templates.

c. Click the Open menu option. The Open pane is used to open existing files on your computer.

i. It immediately presents you with a list of documents that you have recently opened, so you
can quickly find and open them again. The computers in the Computer lab have this feature
turned off for privacy reasons. ii. Clicking OneDrive allows you to open a file that is stored in
OneDrive, which is Microsoft’s internet cloud service.

iii. Clicking Browse opens a File Explorer dialog, which allows you to find the file on your
computer. We will be using this option in class.

d. Notice the two “save” menu options: Save and Save As. There is a difference between these
settings, which we will explain shortly.

4. To return to the spreadsheet from the Backstage view, click the large, left pointing
arrow in the top-left corner of the screen.

MC-NPL Computer Lab • 1001 Powell St • Norristown, PA 19401 Page 6 of 83

(610) 278-5100 x141 • [email protected] • www.mc-npl.org
MICROSOFT EXCEL 2016: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Revised: 2/20/2020
Workspace
Open Excel and locate the parts of the Excel window. Show Slide 7

• Name Box: Displays the currently selected sell.

• Formula Bar: Displays the number, text, or formula that is in the currently selected cell, and allows you
to edit it. It behaves just like a text box.

• Selected Cell: The selected cell has a dark border around it.

• Column: Columns run vertically (top to bottom).

• Column Label: Identifies each column with a letter. Clicking on a column label selects the entire column.

• Row: Rows run horizontally (left to right).

• Row Label: Identifies each row with a number. Clicking on a row label selects the entire row.

• Cell: The intersection of a row and column.

• Worksheets: The worksheets contained in the workbook are displayed at the bottom-left of the screen.
Click on a worksheet to view it.

• Scroll Bars: Used to view other parts of a worksheet when the entire worksheet cannot fit on the
screen.

MC-NPL Computer Lab • 1001 Powell St • Norristown, PA 19401 Page 7 of 83

(610) 278-5100 x141 • [email protected] • www.mc-npl.org
 MICROSOFT EXCEL 2016: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Revised: 2/20/2020
• View Tools: See Status Bar next

Status Bar
The status bar is located below the document window area.

Current Information
The left end gives current information about the spreadsheet. Excel doesn’t have much information here.
Views
At the right end are shortcuts to the different views that are available. Each view displays the spreadsheet
in a different way, allowing you to carry out various tasks more efficiently.

This is the view we will be working in throughout this course. It

Normal simply displays the grid of cells that make up your spreadsheet.

Page Layout Shows what your spreadsheet will look like when printed on paper.
Allows you to add page breaks to your spreadsheet so you can better
control what parts of the spreadsheet are printed on each page.
Page Break Preview

Zoom Slider
Also at the right end of the Status Bar is the Zoom Slider. This allows you to adjust how large the
spreadsheet is displayed on the screen. It does not adjust the actual size of the text—just how big or small
they are rendered on the screen (like moving a newspaper away from or closer to your eyes).

MC-NPL Computer Lab • 1001 Powell St • Norristown, PA 19401 Page 8 of 83

(610) 278-5100 x141 • [email protected] • www.mc-npl.org
MICROSOFT EXCEL 2016: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Revised: 2/20/2020

Customization Switch to Excel

1. Right-clickthe Status Barto display theCustomize Status Bar
menu.

Why does the Status Bar look empty when there are
so many tools active? (mostof the options have
checkmarks next to them)
Many of these tools only appear under certain
conditions. For example, the “Average” and “Count”
tools only appear in the Status Bar when you select
multiple cells that have numbers in them.

2. Notice how Num Lock does not have a check mark next to it. That means this piece of information is
not currently being displayed on the status bar.

3. Click Num Lock to enable it.

a. Notice how the Customize Status Bar menu remains on the screen.

b. Notice how the status bar now contains the words Num Lock. This means that our keyboard’s
Num Lock is currently turned on.

c. Look at the top-right corner of your keyboard and confirm that the Num Lock light is indeed on.

4. Click Num Lock a second time in the Customize Status Bar menu to turn it off.

5. Click in a clear space to dismiss the Customize Status Bar menu.

MC-NPL Computer Lab • 1001 Powell St • Norristown, PA 19401 Page 9 of 83

(610) 278-5100 x141 • [email protected] • www.mc-npl.org
MICROSOFT EXCEL 2016: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Revised: 2/20/2020
Excel Cursors
Show Slide 8
You will encounter many different cursor shapes while using Excel.
Gray = Not unique to Excel Green = Unique to Excel Mention Handout 2
Standard Default cursor shape. Appears when you are pointing at buttons on the
Ribbon.
I-Beam Appears when you are pointing to editable text or to a text box that you
can type into.
Clicking and dragging will move whatever object you are pointing to. Move

Appears when you point to a cell on your spreadsheet. Clicking and dragging
Box Cross will select
cells.
Fill Handle Appears when you point to the black square in the bottom-right
corner of a selected cell. Clicking and dragging will auto-fill
adjacent cells (we will talk more about auto-fill later).
Appears when you point to a column header. Clicking will select an entire
column.
Select Column
Appears when you point to a row header. Clicking will select an entire
row.

Select Row
Appears when you point to the divider line between two column
headers.

Resize Column Allows you to resize columns.

Appears when you point to the divider line between two row headers.
Allows you to resize rows.
Resize Row

MC-NPL Computer Lab • 1001 Powell St • Norristown, PA 19401 Page 10 of 83

(610) 278-5100 x141 • [email protected] • www.mc-npl.org
MICROSOFT EXCEL 2016: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Revised: 2/20/2020

Creating an Excel Document and Saving It Switch to Excel

Creating an Excel file

1. When Excel opens, it will display a blank worksheet ready for you to enter data. The data that you enter
and the formatting that you use become your document.

2. In A cell , type “My first spreadsheet.”

1
3. Each spreadsheet you create is temporary unless you save it as a file with a unique name and
location.

Preparing a Save to Location – a USB Device

Note: Home students can skip this section.

When we save an Excel document, all the data in that document is collected and saved as a file. Normally,
files are saved on a computer’s hard drive, but due to security restrictions on computer lab machines, files
must be saved on removable storage devices.
For this class, we will be using a USB flash drive to save our work. This flash drive will remain in the lab
between classes.
1. Orient the flash drive as pictured below
Slide mechanism Show Slide 10
This end goes into the
USB port on monitor

2. Notice that there is a slide mechanism on the side to retract the USB connector into the body of the
drive. Slide this all the way to the right to expose the connector.

3. Locate the USB ports on the monitor. The connector will slide into the port only one way with your
name label facing toward you and right-side up.

4. Fit the connector into the port and push it in gently.

MC-NPL Computer Lab • 1001 Powell St • Norristown, PA 19401 Page 11 of 83

(610) 278-5100 x141 • [email protected] • www.mc-npl.org
MICROSOFT EXCEL 2016: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Revised: 2/20/2020
5. At this point, you may get a notice that the computer is installing a device driver – wait until the
message disappears.

6. A notification may appear in the bottom-right corner of the screen, asking what you want to do with the
flash drive. Close it by pointing to it and clicking its Close button.

7. You are now ready to begin saving your file.

Saving the File

Switch to Excel
1. Click the File tab.

2. Click the Save As button. (We use Save As instead of Save the first time we save a file or whenever we
want to save an existing file under a different name or change where we save the file.)

3. Click Browse.

4. Notice that a smaller window appears in front of our work. This small window is called a dialog box.
Because the computer needs to know more than just “OK, save,” the dialog box is where we tell it how
we want to save our work.

MC-NPL Computer Lab • 1001 Powell St • Norristown, PA 19401 Page 12 of 83

(610) 278-5100 x141 • [email protected] • www.mc-npl.org
MICROSOFT EXCEL 2016: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Revised: 2/20/2020

Dialog Box Address field

Title
Will be either
“Save As” or
“Open”

Content Pane

Navigation
Pane

File Name Field

“Save” or “Open” Button

5. When it comes to saving, there are two important things to identify for the computer:

1. The location where the file is going to be saved to.

2. What name you want to give the file.

6. The location where it will be saved is displayed for us in the Address field. In this case, note that the
Documents directory is the default save location, but we want to save our file to the flash drive.

7. Notice other available folders and devices can be seen in the left pane, called the navigation pane. If
we wanted to save to one of these alternate locations, we would have to click on it.

8. Find the location labeled Kingston (E:) and click on it. Kingston is the name of the company that
created our flash drive.

Note: If you are taking this class from home and do not have a flash
drive, use “Documents” as the location to save your files.

9. Your address field should now read Computer > Kingston E:).

10. Now we need to name our file. Notice that the file name field is located towards the bottom of the
dialogue box.

MC-NPL Computer Lab • 1001 Powell St • Norristown, PA 19401 Page 13 of 83

(610) 278-5100 x141 • [email protected] • www.mc-npl.org
MICROSOFT EXCEL 2016: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Revised: 2/20/2020
11. Click in the File Name box and the words will be highlighted. Then enter the word first to name your
file ‘first’.

12. Once we have given the computer a file name and a save location, we are ready to save. At this point,
your Save As dialog box should look like the image below. To save, you will click the Save button.

13. Your Excel window will still be open but notice the title bar will now show the file name first.xlsx.

Safe Removal of a USB Device

Before we learn more about creating and saving files, we are going to Show Slides 11-13
learn how to safely remove our flash drive. You should never just pull it
out because, if the computer is in the middle of writing information to the file, it could corrupt it and make
it unreadable!

1. First, and MOST important, be sure to close any and all windows that you might have open. Check your
taskbar for “lit up” buttons very carefully.

2. When you first insert an USB device, an icon resembling the one circled in the picture below appears in
the notification area. This icon will aid in the safe removal of your flash drive from the computer.

3. Find the icon with the help of your ScreenTips. The ScreenTip will say “Safely Remove Hardware and
Eject Media”.

MC-NPL Computer Lab • 1001 Powell St • Norristown, PA 19401 Page 14 of 83

(610) 278-5100 x141 • [email protected] • www.mc-npl.org
MICROSOFT EXCEL 2016: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Revised: 2/20/2020

4. Once you locate the correct icon, click on it.

5. When you do, a menu will appear. Click on Eject Cruzer Glide. This is the brand name of our flash
drives.

6. On most computers, you will then see a confirmation message that the drive is safe to physically
remove from the computer. However, the computers in the lab do not display this message.

7. Occasionally you might forget to close your windows before clicking on the Safely Remove Hardware
icon. In that case a dialog box will appear, saying that the drive cannot be safely ejected because it is in
use. It prompts you to close all your windows and then try ejecting again.

8. Be aware that performing the safely remove step removes the USB device virtually from the computer.
In order to use the drive again however, it must also be physically removed from the port and re-
inserted. Remove your drive from the computer.

MC-NPL Computer Lab • 1001 Powell St • Norristown, PA 19401 Page 15 of 83

(610) 278-5100 x141 • [email protected] • www.mc-npl.org