(NTA 4) Diploma in Customs and Tax Management (DCTM)

GST 05221: DATA PROCESSING

SPREADSHEET APPLICATION
Spreadsheet is a versatile computer program (package) that enables you to do a wide range of
calculations dynamically and create high quality graphs and charts.
➢ Think of a spreadsheet as a collection of columns and row that form a table.
Alphabetical letters are usually assigned to columns and numbers are usually assigned
to rows. The point where a column and a row meet is called a cell.
Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet program that is used to record and analyse numerical data.
➢ It is the most widely used spreadsheet and is available within the Microsoft Office
suite of programs. It is a spreadsheet, developed by Microsoft for Windows, macOS,
Android and iOS.
Why should I learn M.S Excel?
As Example-We all deal with number in one way or in other. We all have daily expenses
which we pay for from the monthly income that we earn. For one to spend wisely, they will
need to know their income vs. expenditure. Microsoft comes in handy when we want to
record, analyse, and store such numeric data.
Where can I get Microsoft Excel?
There are number of ways in which you can get Microsoft Excel. You can buy it from a
hardware computer shop that also sells software. Microsoft Excel is part of the Microsoft
office suite of programs. Alternatively, you can download it from the Microsoft website, but
you will have to buy the license key.
Three most important components of Excel is which you need to understand first:
1. Cell
A cell is a smallest but most powerful part of a spreadsheet. You can enter your data into a
cell either by typing or by copy-paste.
➢ Data can be a text, a number, or a date. You can also customize it by changing its
size, font color, background color, borders, etc.
➢ Every cell is identified by its cell address, cell address contains its column number
and row number (If a cell is on 11th row and on column AB, then its address will be
AB11).
2. Worksheet
A worksheet is made up of individual cells which can contain a value, a formula, or text. It
also has an invisible draw layer, which holds charts, images, and diagrams. Each worksheet
in a workbook is accessible by clicking the tab at the bottom of the workbook window.
➢ In addition, a workbook can store chart sheets; a chart sheet displays a single chart
and is accessible by clicking a tab.
3. Workbook
A workbook is a separate file just like every other application has. Each workbook contains
one or more worksheets. You can also say that a workbook is a collection of multiple
worksheets or can be a single worksheet.
➢ You can add or delete worksheets, hide them within the workbook without deleting
them, rename and change the order of your worksheets within the workbook.

Microsoft Excel Window Components

1. Active Cell: A cell which is currently selected. It will be highlighted by a rectangular box
and its address will be shown in the address bar. You can activate a cell by clicking on it or
by using your arrow buttons. To edit a cell, you double-click on it or use F2 to as well.
2. Columns: A column is a vertical set of cells. A single worksheet contains 16384 total
columns. Every column has its own alphabet for identity, from A to XFD. You can select a
column clicking on its header.
3. Rows: A row is a horizontal set of cells. A single worksheet contains 1048576 total rows.
Every row has its own number for identity, starting from 1 to 1048576. You can select a row
clicking on the row number marked on the left side of the window.
4. Fill Handle: It’s a small dot present on the lower right corner of the active cell. It helps
you to fill numeric values, text series, insert ranges, insert serial numbers, etc.
5. Address Bar: It shows the address of the active cell. If you have selected more than one
cell, then it will show the address of the first cell in the range.
6. Formula Bar: The formula bar is an input bar, below the ribbon. It shows the content of
the active cell and you can also use it to enter a formula in a cell.
7. Title Bar: The title bar will show the name of your workbook, followed by the application
name (“Microsoft Excel”).
8. File Menu: The file menu is a simple menu like all other applications. It contains options
like (Save, Save As, Open, New, Print, Excel Options, Share, etc).
9. Quick Access Toolbar: A toolbar to quickly access the options which you frequently use.
You can add your favorite options by adding new options to quick access toolbar.
10. Ribbon Tab: Starting from the Microsoft Excel 2007, all the options menus are replaced
with the ribbons. Ribbon tabs are the bunch of specific option group which further contains
the option.
11. Worksheet Tab: This tab shows all the worksheets which are present in the workbook.
By default, you will see, three worksheets in your new workbook with the name of Sheet1,
Sheet2, Sheet3 respectively.
12. Status Bar: It is a thin bar at the bottom of the Excel window. It will give you an instant
help once you start working in Excel.

Fill-handle in Microsoft excel

➢ In Microsoft Excel, a fill handle is a feature to extend (and fill) a series of numbers,
dates, or even text to a desired number of cells.
➢ In the active cell of the spreadsheet, the fill handle is represented as a small black box
at the bottom right corner, as shown in the image. If you enter the number ”1” in cell
A1 and the number ”2” in cell A2, you could extend that numbering sequence down
through as many cells as you want.
➢ You can do this by selecting both cells, then clicking on the fill handle (the small
black box) with the left mouse button. While holding the left mouse down, drag the
mouse down the spreadsheet in column A. If you dragged down to cell A50 and
release the mouse button, cells A1 through A50 would now be sequentially numbered
1 to 50 without having to type each number individually.
Another example of the fill handle is to enter ”5” into cell A1, then ”10” into cell A3, drag a
box around cells A1 though A4, and then drag the fill handle down as far as you want. This
series of actions makes column A have 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, etc., with spaces in between each
cell.
Fill data automatically in worksheet cells
Use the Auto Fill feature to fill cells with data that follows a pattern or are based on data in
other cells. Select one or more cells you want to use as a basis for filling additional cells.For a
series like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5..., type 1 and 2 in the first two cells. For the series 2, 4, 6, 8..., type 2
and 4. For the series 2, 2, 2, 2..., type 2 in first cell only. Drag the fill handle.
➢ If needed, click Auto Fill Options Button image and choose the option you want

STANDARD FUNCTIONS
Create a simple formula in MS excel
You can create a simple formula to add, subtract, multiply or divide values in your
worksheet. Formulas always start with an equal sign (=), so Simple formulas start with an
equal sign (=), followed by constants that are numeric values and calculation operators such
as plus (+), minus (-), asterisk (*), or forward slash (/) signs.
Use AutoSum
Suppose we need to enter a formula that calculates the total of 10 values entered in cells A1
to A10. It would be very tedious to have to type in the following formula: = A1 + A2 + A3 +
A4 + A5 + A6 + A7 + A8 + A9 + A10 and there is so many ways that you can perform the
calculation. Fortunately, there is a shortcut. We can use a standard function for the sum of a
range of cells.
In the above case we could abbreviate the formula to: = SUM(A1:A10)
➢ You can use AutoSum to quickly sum a column or row or numbers. Select a cell next
to the numbers you want to sum, click AutoSum on the Home tab, press Enter
(Windows), and that’s it! When you click AutoSum, Excel automatically enters a
formula (that uses the SUM function) to sum the numbers.
➢ Select one or more cells you want to use as a basis for filling additional cells.
➢ SUM is just one of over two hundred standard functions, the majority of which you
will probably have no need to use. The more commonly used functions are:
SUM Sum of a range of cells
MAX Maximum of a range of cells
MIN Minimum of a range of cells
PRODUCT Multiplication of a range of cells
COUNT counting of a range of cells
SQRT Square root of a cell or value
 AVERAGE Average (arithmetic mean) of a range of cells
STDEV Standard deviation of a range of cells
MEDIAN Median of a range of cells
➢ All functions that you will use require 1 or more arguments in brackets following the
function name. These arguments almost always specify the cell or range of cells to
which the calculation applies.
GRAPHS AND CHARTS
A ‘chart’: “Any data which is represented graphically” OR “Diagram or graph that organizes
and represents a set of numerical or qualitative data.”
➢ A chart is a visual representation of your data. By using elements such as columns (in
a column chart) or lines (in a line chart), a chart displays series of numeric data in a
graphical format.
Common TYPES OF CHARTS

NOTE: Refer to practical

attended during tutorial
sessions