Excel

Fundamentals
 Microsoft Excel

UNDERSTANDING WORKBOOKS
In Microsoft Excel the data you enter, whether it sheets) that have been ruled into columns and
consists of numbers, text, or formulas, is stored rows. Before using Excel it is helpful to know what
in a file known as a workbook. Workbooks are the various parts and elements that make up a
just like huge electronic books with pages (or workbook are.

5 6

 A worksheet (or page) in a workbook contains 16,384 columns that are labelled using
letters of the alphabet. The first column in a worksheet is labelled column A, while the last is
labelled XFD

 A worksheet (or page) in a workbook contains 1,048,576 rows that are labelled using numbers
from 1 to 1,048,576

 Where a column and row intersect we get what is known as a cell. You enter your data into
these cells. Each cell in a worksheet can hold up to 32,767 characters – although it would be
unrealistic to ever push it this far. Cells are referred to by their column and row labels. For example, in
the screen above the cell we are pointing to is C11 – this reference is known as the cell
address and is most important as it is frequently used in commands and formulas
When you start typing something, you want it to appear somewhere in the worksheet. As a
 consequence when the Status Bar shows Ready mode, at least one cell in the worksheet will

be
highlighted – this is known as the active cell. In the screen above, the active cell is cell A1 –
notice that the column label and the row label also appears coloured to indicate the active cell. You can
have more than one active cell – when this occurs you have what is known as a range
A workbook (as you would expect) is made up of pages known as worksheets. You can have as
 many sheets in a workbook as your computer resources can accommodate. As a default, a

new
[email protected] Page 1 St. George’s Information Services
blank workbook normally has 3 worksheets labelled Sheet1, Sheet2, and Sheet3. Of course
these labels are pretty boring and meaningless and can be changed to something more relevant
The Insert Worksheet button here will insert another worksheet into the current workbook
 Microsoft Excel

NAVIGATING IN A FILE

Arrow Move one cell to the right, left, up or down

Keys

Tab Move once cell to the right

Ctrl+Home To beginning file

Ctrl+End To end of typed information

Home Beginning of a line

End End of a line

Page Down Down one screen

Page Up Up one screen

F5 To a specific page

Appear at the right and on the bottom of the screen. You may click
Scroll bars
the scroll arrows, drag the scroll box or click the scroll bar to
move through the document.

[email protected] Page 2 St. George’s Information Services

 Microsoft Excel

TYPING TEXT OR NUMBERS INTO A WORKSHEET

Generally when you start a new spreadsheet you wish to enter the data active. This can be done
project, the first task is to enter some headings in a number of ways but the most common is to
into rows and columns. To type anything into a click in it first before typing.
worksheet you need to make the cell into which

Try This Yourself:

Before you begin ensure
that there is a blank
workbook on the screen…

 Click in cell A3 to
make this the active
1 2

cell, type Garden 3

Settings
When youand press the
press next cell down
automatically becomes
the active cell. By the
way, even though the text
looks like it is in cells A3
and B3 it really only is in
cell A3 – since there is
nothing in B3, Excel
allows the spill over to be
displayed giving the 4
illusion it is in 2 cells…
 Type Pool Covers and
press

 Repeat the above steps

and enter the remaining
text in column A as shown
 Click in cell B2 to make
5
this the active cell, type
UK and pressyou press the cell
When
to the right becomes the
active cell…
 Enter the remaining text

in
row 2 as shown

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To save
enteratext:
new document:  In
You thedon’t
exercise
have above
to use weor have namedto makethe
1.1. Click
Click on
thethe
cellFile
pointer
Tabon theanddesired
selectcell
SaveandAs workbook
adjacent cells Garden Department
active. You can simplySalesuse
andthe
type the filed
mouse it inand
C:\Course Files
click in the forif Excel
cells 2010.
you want or
2. Locate therequired
storage information
folder in the Navigation Each time you
even press the start
arrowExcel
keysittowill mostup,
move likely
2. pane
Press , an arrow key or to assume
down, left, you
orwant
right.to file your workbooks in a
3. Type a File name and click on [Save]the cell
confirm the data entry and to move folder called Documents which is associated
pointer to another cell with the user name you use on the computer.

[email protected] Page 3 St. George’s Information Services

 Microsoft Excel

TYPING SIMPLE FORMULAS IN A WORKSHEET

The whole idea behind Excel is to get it to even other formulas, already in the worksheet
perform calculations. In order for it to do this you using the cell addresses of these numbers rather
need to type formulas in the worksheet. Usually than the actual value in them. Formulas must be
these formulas reference existing numbers, or typed beginning with an equal sign (=).

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
file with this exercise...

 Click in cell B8 to make this

the active cell
 Type =B3+B4+B5+B6+B7

3
and Press to enter the
examine what is happening on
formula and move to the next
the screen
cell

 Notice that a calculation has

now been performed. We have
entered a formula in B8 that
says “add the values in B3, B4,
B5, B6, and B7 and show them
here”…
 Ensure that C8 is the active
cell, type =SUM(C3:C7) and
5

press
This is an alternative type of
formula known as a “function”.
Again a calculation will appear
in the cell…
 Click in cell B8 and notice that

the formula you typed appears

in the Formula Bar, while the 6
result of the calculation
appears in the worksheet
 Repeat step 5 with cell C8

Click on the File Tab

 and select Save to save the
additions that have been made

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To enter a formula: Operators
1. Click the cell pointer on the desired cell and + Addition
type the formula commencing with = - Subtraction
2. Press , an arrow key or * Multiplication
to confirm the data entry and to / Division
move the cell pointer to another cell

[email protected] Page 4 St. George’s Information Services

 Microsoft Excel

FILLING A SERIES
A series refers to a sequence of ordered entries reducing the amount of time taken for data entry,
in adjacent cells, such as the days of the week or and ensuring that the spelling is correct. Excel
months of the year. The fill technique can be provides days and months as special built-in series
used to create these in a worksheet for you, that you can access.

2
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E707

Filling_1.xlsx...

 Click on cell A4

 Move the mouse pointer to the

small square (the fill handle)

at the bottom right corner of
the cell until the mouse pointer 3
appears as a thin, black cross
Drag the mouse pointer to
 column F
Excel will fill the range with the
first six months of the year…
Click on cell A5 and repeat
 steps 2 and 3 to create the
series of months with their full
names
You can also fill more than one

6
row at a time…

 Select the range A6:A12

Repeat steps 2 and 3 to fill
across to column F

 Examine each of the series

created by the filling process

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To fill a series:  As you drag the fill handle across, a tool tip
1. Click on the first cell in the series appears below the fill pointer displaying the
current value in the series. This is really
2. Drag from the fill handle across as many
handy when you want to end on a particular
columns as required
month, day or value.

[email protected] Page 5 St. George’s Information Services

 Microsoft Excel

INSERTING AND DELETING WORKSHEETS

Once you’ve decided on a structure for your worksheets inserted. However, remember that
workbook, you may find that there are some deletion of worksheets is permanent and can’t be
worksheets that can be deleted. Alternatively, undone using Undo, so always save your
you may find that you need additional blank workbook before making these changes.

1
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
you MUST open the file
Open
File

E1324 Worksheet
Techniques_1.xlsx…

 Examine the
workbook – it currently
contains one worksheet
named Sheet1
 Click on the New Sheet

icon 3
at the end of the worksheet
tabs
A new worksheet named Sheet2
will be inserted. You can
 Press
also use+the keyboard
shortcut...
another
to insert
new worksheet
This sheet is named Sheet3 and 4
is inserted before the
currently selected sheet.
Now let’s delete a sheet...
Right-click on the Sheet3
 worksheet tab to display the
shortcut menu
Select Delete to remove the
 worksheet
As the worksheet contains no data,
the sheet will be deleted
immediately. If a worksheet 5
contains data, Excel will ask
you to confirm your actions...
Repeat steps 4 and 5 to
 delete Sheet2

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To insert a new worksheet into a workbook:  To insert a worksheet between existing
 Click on the New Sheet icon to the right of worksheets, right-click on the worksheet tab
the worksheet tabs before which you want to insert a new sheet,
then click on Insert to display the Insert
To delete a worksheet from a workbook:
dialog box. Select Worksheet and click on
 Right click on the worksheet tab, then [OK].
select
Delete

[email protected] Page 6 St. George’s Information Services

 Microsoft Excel

COPYING A WORKSHEET
Just as you can copy the contents of cells and have a budget workbook that contains data for
ranges within a worksheet, you can duplicate several departments, you can create a worksheet
worksheets within a workbook. This technique is for the first department and then copy it to create
ideal for replicating layouts. For example, if you identical worksheets for other departments.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
file with this exercise, or open
Same
File

the file E1324 Worksheet

Techniques_1.xlsx...

 Right-click on Sheet1
to display the worksheet
shortcut menu
 Select Move or Copy to
2
display the Move or Copy
dialog box

 Click on Create a copy so it

appears ticked, then click on
[OK]
The new worksheet is named
Sheet1 (2). Let’s create a
“template” from this worksheet
by deleting unwanted data...

press
Select the range B7:E9, then
to clear it 3

 Repeat step 4 to clear the

ranges B14:E23, G7:J9 and
G14:J23, then press +
to return to cell A1
Now we can copy this “template” to
6
create additional
worksheets...
Repeat steps 1 to 3 three
 times to create three copies

of
the template worksheet – this
time without data
The
For finalReference…
Your worksheet should be Handy to Know…
named Sheet1 (5)
To copy a worksheet:  You can copy the current worksheet using
1. Right-click on the worksheet to copy, then the HOME tab by clicking on Format in the
select Move or Copy Cells group, then clicking on Move or Copy
Sheet.
2. Click on Create a copy so it appears
ticked  The Before sheet options in the Move or
Copy dialog box allow you to position the
3. Click on [OK]
copied worksheet where you want.

[email protected] Page 7 St. George’s Information Services

 Microsoft Excel

RENAMING A WORKSHEET
By default, Excel names worksheets as Sheet1, makes it much easier to understand the purpose of
Sheet2, Sheet3, etc. These names are fine if you a worksheet. You can also adjust the horizontal
are not planning to share the workbook, but scroll bar to make room for longer, more
changing these to something more relevant meaningful worksheet names.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous
file with this exercise, or open
File
Sam

the file E1324 Worksheet

e

Techniques_2.xlsx...

 Point to the vertical

dots between the sheet
names and the horizontal
scroll bar, as
shown
The pointer will change to a
double-headed arrow... 4

 Click and drag the bar

across
to the right, to the end of
column L, then release the
mouse button
 Double-click on Sheet1
5

(5) to
select the worksheet tab name
Repeat steps 3 and 4 to
This will also place
rename it intoworksheets:
the other edit
mode…
Sheet1 (4) Admin
 Type Comms,
Sheet1 (3)
Sheet1 (2)
Shop
IT
then press

Sheet1 Maintenance

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To rename a worksheet:  You can rename a worksheet by
1. Double click on the current name on the right-clicking on the worksheet tab to display
worksheet tab the shortcut menu and clicking on Rename.
2. Type the new name and press  A worksheet tab name can contain up to 31
characters including spaces, but it is better to
keep it short and succinct.

[email protected] Page 8 St. George’s Information Services

 Microsoft Excel

SELECTING ROWS
If you want to make changes to an entire row, row header to the left of the row. Remember that
such as bolding all of the headings in a row or any changes you make will apply to every cell in
changing the font of all the cell entries, you must the row all the way across to column XFD, so be
first select the row. This is done by clicking on the careful!

2
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous file
Same
File

with this exercise, or open the file

E705 Ranges_1.xlsx...

 Press
the active +cell to make cell A1

 Move the mouse pointer to the

row heading for row 5
3

Notice that the mouse pointer

changes to a black arrow that
points towards the row…


Click once on row heading 5 to
select the entire row
4
 Click in cell B7and press

This is the key combination for

+
selecting an entire row…
 Click on the row header for

row 7
Hold down
to select this row and click 6
on the row header for row 10
 All rows from 7 to 10 will be
selected…

 Click in the row header for row 5,

then hold down the left mouse
7
button and drag down the row
headers to row 10
This is another technique for selecting
rows, but it does require a steady
hand!

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To select an entire row:  When every cell in a row or column is
1. Click on the row header of the row that you selected, the corresponding row or column
want to select header is filled in dark blue. When only some
of the cells are selected, the row or column
OR
header is filled in orange. These indicators
1. Click in any cell in the row and press help you locate the active cell(s) on the
+ worksheet.

[email protected] Page 14 St. George’s Information Services

 Microsoft Excel

SELECTING COLUMNS
If you want to make changes to an entire clicking on the column header directly above the
column, such as bolding all of the headings in a column. Remember that any changes you make
column or changing the font of all the cell entries, will apply to every cell in the column all the way
you must first select the column. This is done by down to row 1,048,576!

Try This Yourself: 2

Continue using the previous
Same
File

file with this exercise, or open

the file E705 Ranges_1.xlsx...

3
 Press + to
make cell A1 the active cell
 Move the mouse pointer to

the
column heading for column B
Notice that the mouse pointer
 changes to a black arrow
pointing down the column…
Click once to select the column 4
This time the row headers change
to orange to indicate that at
 least one cell (but not all) in
each row is selected…
Click in cell D6 and press
+


This key combination also
selects an entire column…


Hold down and click 6
Click on the column header for
on
column B to select it for
the column header
column D
This time, columns B, C, and D
are all selected…

 Click in the column header for

column A, then hold down the
left mouse button and drag the
mouse pointer across the
column headings to column E

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To select an entire column:  Make sure that you check your worksheet
1. Click on the column heading of the column carefully after you’ve made changes to entire
that you want to select columns. Remember that all of the cells in
that column are affected – even those in
OR
rows below the visible area.
1. Click in any cell in the column and press
+

[email protected] Page 15 St. George’s Information Services

 Microsoft Excel

USING THE SUM FUNCTION TO ADD

One of the most used functions is the SUM type the function, and then use the pointing
function. This function allows you to add the technique to fill in the arguments. Excel then paints
values in a range of cells. The function is written marquees around the cells involved helping you to
as: =SUM(range or ranges to add). You can track your progress.

1
Try This Yourself:
Before starting this exercise
Open
File

you MUST open the file E710

Formulas_4.xlsx...

 Click on B9 then type =sum(

to start the formula

 Click on B6 to point to this cell

as the start, hold down the

key and click on B8
2
Notice the relative addressing
details, 3R x 1C, that appear in
the tool tip…
Type ) and press to
 complete the function
Click on B9, then move the
 mouse pointer to the fill handle
on the lower right corner of the
cell and drag across to E9 to
fill the selected range with the 7
equivalent functions


Click on the Copy command
on the Clipboard group on
the Home tab

Clickthen
on B14, hold down and
click on cells B19 and
B24


Release and
press
to paste equivalent functions
into the worksheet

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To type a sum function for a contiguous range:  You can also use the Sum command in the
1. Type =sum( Editing group on the Home tab of the
Ribbon to have Excel automatically enter a
2. Select the range of cells
sum function based on a range of cells.
3. Type )
 You can also type the name of a function in
4. Press upper or lowercase – it is not case sensitive.

[email protected] Page 27 St. George’s Information Services

 Microsoft Excel

CALCULATING AN AVERAGE
The AVERAGE function allows you to average average function can be applied using the
the values in a range of cells. It is written in much Functions Wizard, a part of Excel that steps you
the same way as the SUM function, for example, through the process of creating a function or you
=AVERAGE(range of cells to average). The can type it in yourself if you are comfortable with it.

1
Try This Yourself:
Continue using the previous file
Same
File

with this exercise, or open the

file E710 Formulas_6.xlsx...

 Click on B29 then click on the

Insert Function tool to
display the Insert Function
dialog box

 Click on AVERAGE in Select a

function then click on [OK] to
display the Function
Arguments dialog box
Click on the Range Selector
 tool for Number1

to roll up
the wizard, then hold down
and select the following
ranges


B6:B8
B11:B13

B16:B18 3

B21:B23

Press to complete
the range specifications, then
click on [OK] to complete the 5
process
group, then select Average
Let’s use the AutoSum
 Click on B9, hold down
function…
click
Click on
the
onthen
B34, B14,click
B19on
and
and B24, then
press to complete the
 formula
drop arrow for the

Sum
command
For Your Reference… Handy to Know…
on average
To insert an the Editing
function:  You can type queries like “How do I work out
1. Click in the cell then click on the Insert the monthly payment for a car loan?” into the
Function tool Search box in the Insert Function dialog
box. Once you have selected a function from
2. Click on AVERAGE in Select a the Select a function list, the Function
function Arguments dialog box will help you to enter
3. Insert the required ranges then click on the values into the function.
[OK]

[email protected] Page 28 St. George’s Information Services

 Microsoft Excel

FINDING A MINIMUM VALUE

The Minimum or MIN function allows you to The function can be applied using the Function
extract the lowest value from a range of values. It Wizard, or by typing the function in detail directly
is written in much the same way as the SUM into the cell.
function. For example, =MIN(range of cells).

Try This Yourself:

Continue using the previous
file with this exercise, or
Same
File

open the file E710

Formulas_8.xlsx...

 Click on B31 then

click on the Insert

Function tool to display
the Insert Function
dialog box
 Click on the drop arrow

for the Or select a category

box and click on Statistical

 Scroll down and click on

4
MIN
in Select a function then
click on [OK] to display the
Function Argumentsand
then hold down dialog
box
select the following ranges:
 Click on the Range Selector
B6:B8 B16:B18
tool B11:B13 to roll up the
wizard, B21:B23

 Press
to complete
range specifications, thenthe
6

click on [OK] to complete the

process
Let’s simply type the function
this time…

 Click on B36 and type

=MIN(B9,B14,B19,B24)

 Press to complete the

7
formula

For Your Reference… Handy to Know…

To insert a minimum function:  You might use a Minimum function in real
1. Click in the cell then click on the Insert life to find the lowest value in a large range of
Function tool numbers. For example, in a large inventory it
can be used to work out which product is the
2. Click on MIN in Select a function slowest seller.
3. Insert the required ranges then click on
[OK]

[email protected] Page 29 St. George’s Information Services

 Microsoft Excel

THE CHARTING PROCESS

Charts provide a way of seeing trends in the data any of the Insert commands in the Charts group
in your worksheet. The charting feature in Excel on the
is extremely flexible and powerful and allows you
to create a wide range of charts from

Inserting Charts
The first step when creating a chart is to select the data from the worksheet that you want to chart. It is
important to remember that the selected range (which can be either contiguous or non-contiguous),
should include headings (e.g. names of months, countries, departments, etc). These become labels on
the chart. Secondly, the selected range should not (normally) include totals as these are inserted
automatically when a chart is created.
The second step is to create a chart using the INSERT tab on the ribbon. You can choose a
Recommended Chart where Excel analyses the selected data and suggests several possible chart
layouts.
Alternatively you can create the chart yourself from scratch by choosing one of the Insert commands in
the Charts group. Charts that you create in Excel can be either embedded into a worksheet, or they
can exist on their own sheets, known as chart sheets.

Embedded Charts
Charts that appear within a
worksheet are known as
embedded charts. A chart is
really an object that sits on
top of the worksheet – unlike
numbers and letters, charts
are not actually placed into
worksheet cells.

Chart Sheets
If you want to keep your
chart separate from the data
you can move the chart to
its own sheet. Chart sheets
make it easier and more
convenient to work with your
chart because you’ll see
more of it on the screen –
since the data is not there!

[email protected] Page 40 St. George’s Information Services

 Microsoft Excel

CHOOSING THE RIGHT CHART

A chart is far more effective at communicating communicate different types of information. Some
results, outcomes or trends than a table of figures charts show simple relationships between values,
displaying the same information. Different chart while others are designed for quite technical
types have been created to purposes. Here is a summary of the use of different
chart types.

Column, Bar These chart types, either in 2D or 3D, are used to

compare values across categories. For example,
they could compare the populations of different
countries.

Line, Area Lines in 2D or 3D are useful for showing trends

such as sales or employment figures. An area
chart is a line chart with the area below the line
filled in.

Surface The surface chart plots trends in two dimensions.

You could use this to plot departmental sales
figures over time. The chart then shows you the
trends between departments, as well as the sales
trends over time.

Pie, Doughnut If you want to show proportion, such as the sales

figures from different departments that make up a
total, then the pie and doughnut charts are for
you. The only variation between the doughnut
chart and the pie chart is that the doughnut chart
can display more than one series of values.

Stock The stock chart type has been designed to show

the stock figures for a day, and the trend over
time. At its simplest, you can plot the high, low
and close figures, and at its most complex, the
volume, open, high, low, and close. It can be
adapted to show the relationships between any
five sets of values.

XY (Scatter) Scatter diagrams are used to display the

relationship between two variables. For example,
you could research the age and price of a series
of cars, and plot the values you find. You could
also investigate the height and weight
relationship of a group of people.

Radar A radar diagram is designed to show the change

in values from a central point. For example, it can
be used to show mobile telephone coverage,
including multiple networks and multiple
measurements.

[email protected] Page 41 St. George’s Information Services