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Spreadsheets

The document discusses electronic spreadsheets and their components and functions. Spreadsheets allow users to organize and analyze numerical data. They have formulas, functions and cell references that allow manipulation of data. Common spreadsheet applications are Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice Calc and Google Sheets.

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Musa Michael
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35 views

Spreadsheets

The document discusses electronic spreadsheets and their components and functions. Spreadsheets allow users to organize and analyze numerical data. They have formulas, functions and cell references that allow manipulation of data. Common spreadsheet applications are Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice Calc and Google Sheets.

Uploaded by

Musa Michael
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SPREADSHEETS

Electronic spreadsheet or simply spreadsheet is and application software used to


calculate, organize and analyze numerical data. Examples of electronic spreadsheets
are: Microsoft Excel, Open Office, Calc, Lotus 1-2-3, Corel Quarto Pro.

Advantages of electronic spreadsheets


1. They enable the user to accomplish tasks quickly.
2. They utilize the large storage space on the computer to save and retrieve
documents.
3. Enable the user to produce neat work.
4. Have better document formatting capabilities.
5. Have inbuilt formulas called functions that enable the user to quickly manipulate
mathematical data.
6. They automatically adjust the results of a formula if the values in a worksheet re
changed. This is called automatic recalculation.

Components of a spreadsheet include: worksheet, database and charts.

Applications of Spreadsheets.
1. Statistical analysis –they can used to compute men, mode, standard deviation as
well as complex statistical analyses.
2. Accounting – they can be used to compute totals, consolidate financial
transactions as well predict future business trends
3. Mathematical and scientific – spreadsheets can also be used to solve arithmetic
and trigonometric problems.
4. Forecasting – a feature known as “What if” analysis is used to make future
predictions.

Parts of MS Excel Worksheet

a) Worksheet – is the work area made up of rows and columns


b) Formula bar – is where a cell entry or formula in the active cell is displayed.
c) Cell – is the intersection of row and column.
d) Active cell – is the cell currently selected.
e) Name box – it displays the address of the active cell. It can also be used to
create a named range.
f) Row identifier (row ID) – a number used to identify a row.
g) Column identifier (column ID) – a header/letter used to identify a column.

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h) Cell address – is a combination of row ID and column ID that indicates the
location of a specific cell.
i) Sheet tab –

Entering data into a worksheet


Cell data entries

Entries into a worksheet can be classified into four categories:

i. Labels
ii. Values
iii. Formulae
iv. Functions

Labels – any text or alphanumeric characters entered in a cell are viewed s labels.
Labels are used s row or column headings usually to describe the contents of the row or
column. For example, if a column has names of people, the column header can be
NAMES.

Values – are numbers that can be manipulated mathematically.

Formulae – are mathematical expressions that create a relationship between cells to


return a new value.

Functions – are inbuilt predefined formulas that the user can quickly use instead of
having to create one each time a calculation is to be performed.

Cell Referencing
There are three types of cell referencing:

Relative cell referencing – a relative cell reference changes if the formula is copied to
another cell.

Absolute cell referencing – an absolute cell reference does not change even if the
formula is copied to another cell. An absolute cell reference is made by placing a dollar
sign before the cell reference, e.g. $D$4

Mixed cell referencing – is a combination of relative cell reference and absolute cell
reference, e.g. $A3 or A$3.

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Functions
A function must start with an (=) sign followed by the function name, then the
arguments. Arguments are numeric values or text enclosed in brackets, e.g. in
=SUM(C6:E6), C6:E6 are the function arguments.

Classification of Functions
Mathematical Functions: SUM() – adds all the values in the selected range of cells.
ROUND() – rounds off a number to a specific number of decimal places. SUMIF() –
onditionally adds the specified cells according to set criteria, e.g.
SUMIF(C5:K5,”>=100”). PRODUCT() – multiplies all the values in the arguments.

Statistical Functions: AVERAGE() – returns the arithmetic mean of its arguments,


AVERAGEIF() -, COUNT() – counts the number of cells that contain number,
COUNTIF() - , MIN() – reurns the smallest value in a set of values, MAX() – , RANK() –
returns the position or rank of a number from a list of values.

Logical Functions: IF() - , AND() – returns true if all its arguments are true, or false if
any argument is false, OR() -, NOT() -

Date and Time Functions: TODAY() – returns today’s date, NOW() - , DATE() - ,

Lookup & reference functions: VLOOKUP() –

Number formats
i. General – general format cells have no specific number format.
ii. Number – used to display of numbers e.g. 253, 10.6 etc.
iii. Currency – for displaying monetary values.
iv. Accounting – lines up the currency symbols and decimal points e.g. $50, Ksh.75.
v. Date – displays date in chosen format.
vi. Time – displays time in chosen format.
vii. Percentage – multiplies the value in a cell with 100 and displays it as %.

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Some Microsoft Excel Features
a) Sorting – is arranging data in a column or part of a column in ascending/descending
order.

b) Filtering – it is a quick and efficient method of finding and working with a subset of
data in a list.

c) Fill & AutoFill –

d) Subtotals and Grand totals – the subtotals function is used to summarize a worksheet
list to display grouped subtotals and grand totals.

e) Freeze pane – it is used to freeze a portion of the sheet to keep it visible while you
scroll through he rest of the sheet.

f) Conditional Formatting – is a feature that allows you to apply specific formatting to


cells that meet certain criteria. It is most often used as colour-based formatting highlight,
emphasize or differentiate among data.

g) Goal seek – is a tool used in What-if Analysis to determine an input value based on a
known output value.

h) Data validation – it ensures that the user does not enter invalid data. An error
message is displayed when the entered data violates the validation rule.

i) Remove duplicates – deletes duplicate data in a row/column. It also deletes entire


duplicate rows.

Charts
A chart, also known as graph, is a diagram generated from numerical data on a
worksheet.

Types of Charts: Line chart, Column chart, Bar chart, Pie chart, Scatter chart

Q: what is a chart legend?

Microsoft Excel Errors

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