INTRODUCTION TO

EXCEL
INTRODUCTION

Microsoft Excel is an electronic

spreadsheet. You can use it to
organize your data into rows
and columns. You can also use
it to perform mathematical
calculations quickly.
What is a Spreadsheet?

 "Aspreadsheet is a group of values and

other data organized into rows and columns
similar to the ruled paper worksheets
traditionally used by bookkeepers and
accountants.“
 Thespreadsheet software is mandatory to
create computerized spreadsheets. Microsoft
Excel is a form of a spreadsheet.
Benefits of Excel
 Best way to store data.
 You can perform calculations.
 All the tools for data analysis.
 Easy to data visualizations with charts.
 You can print reports easily.
 So many free templates to use.
 You can code to automate.
 Transform and clean data.
 Store data with millions of rows.
The Interface
 When you open Excel for the first time, the Excel Start Screen will
appear. From here, you will be able to create a new workbook, choose
a template, and access your recently edited workbooks
 To access the Excel interface you have to select the Blank workbook
option form the Excel Start Screen.
Interface cont…
1. Quick Access Toolbar: The Quick Access Toolbar lets you an access common command
no matter which tab is selected. You can customize the commands.
2. The Ribbon: The Ribbon contains all of the commands you will need to perform
common tasks in Excel. It has multiple tabs, each with several groups of commands.
3. Tell Me: The Tell me box works like a search bar to help you quickly find tools or
commands you want to use.
4. Microsoft Account: From here, you can access your Microsoft account information, view
your profile, and switch accounts.
5. Name Box: The Name box displays the location, or name, of a selected cell.
6. Formula Bar: In the formula bar, you can enter or edit data, a formula, or a function that
will appear in a specific cell.
7. Column: A column is a group of cells that runs from the top of the page to the bottom. In
Excel, columns are identified by letters.
8. Cell: Each rectangle in a workbook is called a cell. A cell is the intersection of a row and
a column. Simply click to select a cell.
9. Row: A row is a group of cells that runs from the left of the page to the right. In Excel,
rows are identified by numbers.
10. Worksheets: Excel files are called workbooks. Each workbook holds one or more
worksheets. Click the tabs to switch between them, or right-click for more options.
11. Worksheet View Options: There are three ways to view a worksheet. Simply click a
command to select the desired view
12. Zoom Control: Click and drag the slider to use the zoom control. The number to the
right of the slider reflects the zoom percentage
13. Vertical and Horizontal Scroll Bars: The scroll bars allow you to scroll up and down or
side to side. To do this, click and drag the vertical or horizontal scroll bar.
How to use a spreadsheet
 The cell address also appears in the Name box in the top-left corner, and that a cell's
column and row headings are highlighted when the cell is selected.
 You can also select multiple cells at the same time. A group of cells is known as a cell
range. Rather than a single cell address, you will refer to a cell range using the cell
addresses of the first and last cells in the cell range, separated by a colon.
Examples:
Cell range A1:A8 Cell range A1:F1
 When using a spreadsheet application, the user can use various concepts to compute the
data entered into the cells in the spreadsheet. These different concepts are provided
within the program.
 Some common concepts that are utilized are:
• Charts
• Functions
•Formulas
• Cell referencing
Charts
 A chart can be created as its own object or embedded within the sheet itself. This is
helpful when a user needs to analyze data or represent changing data.
Some types of Charts are:
• Column • Pie • Surface
• Line • Bar • Radar
• X&Y • Area • Combo
1. Chart Title: The title should clearly describe what the chart is illustrating.
2. Vertical Axis: The vertical axis (also known as the y axis) is the vertical part of the
chart. Here, the vertical axis measures the value of the columns.
3. Data Series: The data series consists of the related data points in a chart.
4. Horizontal Axis: the horizontal axis (also known as the x axis) is the horizontal part of
the chart.
5. Legend: The legend identifies which data series each colour on the chart represents.
Functions
 A function is a pre-programmed mathematical formula to allow the user to make
calculations based on the data input. The functions under spreadsheets are there to
perform a simple calculation by using a certain value, called arguments.
Why using functions on spreadsheets?
• For arithmetic functions to process numerical data.
• For the use of statistical functions that use analysis tools and averaging
tools for finding the average of the numbers in a certain row/column on a
spreadsheet.
• The date function that processes and converts dates. This function could
be used to put the sequential dates in order on the spreadsheet.
• The logic function that process logic data. An example of logic data would
be an AND/OR function. If there was something that needed to be marked
yes if it is above 5 and marked no if it is below 5 then that would be a logic
function.
• The financial functions that process monetary data.
 How to use functions?
• They all must start with an equal sign, the name of the function, parenthesis
opening and closing.
• In the function, a comma or semicolon is used as the delimiter, depending
on what settings are there in the spreadsheet would depend on which one
to use.
• An example would be =SUM(A1:A4), this function would find the sum in
those cells.
• Some of the most common functions are SUM, AVERAGE, IF, COUNT,
MAX and MIN.
Formulas
 Excel uses standard operators for formulas, such as a plus sign for addition (+), a minus
sign for subtraction (-), an asterisk for multiplication (*), a forward slash for division
(/), and a caret (^) for exponents.
 A formula always starts with an equals sign (=), followed by a constant, a function or
a reference, then followed by an operator, and then followed by another constant,
function or reference.
A constant: is a value that never changes; this includes numbers,
dates, titles and other text input.
References: represent a certain cell, such as “A2”
An operator: is usually a math symbol, such as “+” or “*”
which tells the computer how to compute (add or multiply)
the given constants or functions given in the formula.
Cell References
 While you can create simple formulas in Excel using numbers (for example, =2+2 or
=5*5), most of the time you will use cell addresses to create a formula. This is known
as making a cell reference. Using cell references will ensure that your formulas are
always accurate because you can change the value of referenced cells without having to
rewrite the formula.
Example:
We want to add the numbers “5” and “2” and display the result below.
We are typing in cell A3 the equal sign (=) we select cell A5,
we press the plus button (+) and then select the A2 cell

When you press Enter, the formula calculates and displays

the answer in cell A3
 By doing math equations using cells addresses,
if the values in the referenced cells change, the formula automatically recalculates

Formulas can also include a combination of cell references and numbers, as in the
examples below:
 Operators are not always arithmetic, they can also be comparison, text concatenation,
and reference operators. Comparison includes greater than, lesser than, greater than or
equal to, and lesser than or equal to. To connect two values into one value, a text
concatenation (the “and” sign i.e. “&”) is used.

The signs used as reference operators are the following:

• A colon is used to reference two cells and all the cells between them (i.e.
B1:B10)
• A comma is used to combine multiple references into one reference (i.e.
B1:B10,C1:C10)
• A space is used as an intersection operator.
There are two ways of doing this:
1. Relative Cell Referencing.
2. Absolute Cell Referencing.
A relative cell reference will adjust as the formula is copied from another cell while an
absolute will not adjust.

An example of this would be "=D2+F2" which is row 2 to row 3 which will equal
"D3+F3". It is also important to note that a user can reference both the same sheet and
other sheets in a book using this concept.