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Excel 2007
Introduction
Excel 2007 Introduction
Table of Contents
Creating New Workbooks..................................................................................................................... 6
Creating a Blank Workbook .............................................................................................................. 6
Templates ......................................................................................................................................... 6
Entering Data ......................................................................................................................................... 7
Entering Data into the Active Cell ..................................................................................................... 7
Entering the same value into Multiple Cells ..................................................................................... 8
Moving after Enter ............................................................................................................................ 8
Worksheet Views ................................................................................................................................... 9
Normal View ..................................................................................................................................... 9
Page Layout View ...........................................................................................................................11
Page Break Preview .......................................................................................................................11
AutoCalculate ......................................................................................................................................11
AutoSum ..............................................................................................................................................13
Extended AutoSum .........................................................................................................................13
AutoFill .................................................................................................................................................14
AutoFill Options ..............................................................................................................................14
Checking Spelling ...............................................................................................................................15
Adding Page Breaks ...........................................................................................................................16
Saving Workbooks ..............................................................................................................................17
Saving a Workbook for the First Time ............................................................................................17
Saving Changes to a Workbook .....................................................................................................18
Closing Workbooks ............................................................................................................................19
AutoCorrect .........................................................................................................................................19
Creating Custom AutoFill Lists .........................................................................................................20
Inserting Symbols ...............................................................................................................................21
Inserting Hyperlinks ............................................................................................................................22
Something Else to Try ....................................................................................................................24
Data Entry Shortcuts ..........................................................................................................................24
For Example ...................................................................................................................................25
Opening Workbooks ...........................................................................................................................26
Navigating Workbooks .......................................................................................................................28
Selecting Data .....................................................................................................................................29
Selecting using the Mouse .............................................................................................................29
Selecting Multiple Areas .................................................................................................................30
Selecting using the Keyboard .........................................................................................................30
Editing and Clearing Data ..................................................................................................................31
Editing Data ....................................................................................................................................31
Clearing Data ..................................................................................................................................31
Moving and Copying Data ..................................................................................................................32
Undo, Redo and Repeat ......................................................................................................................33
Repeating Commands ....................................................................................................................34
From the New Workbook window, you can also choose the New from Existing option. This creates a new
workbook that contains all data and formatting of an existing workbook. A copy of the existing workbook will be
opened, which can be changed and saved under a new name, leaving the original unaffected.
Templates
Excel 2007 has a number of templates that contain standard text and formatting to be used as a base for
your workbooks.
To download a template for the first time from the Microsoft website:
Click on Continue to validate your copy of Excel before downloading the template
The template will be downloaded and a new workbook created that is based on the template.
Recently used templates will be listed under Blank and Recent in the New Workbook window, allowing you to
create further workbooks from the same template as required.
Entering Data
Before entering text or numbers into the worksheet, the active cell must be positioned. The active cell
indicates where the text or number that you next type will be entered, and is indicated by its dark borders.
The active cell can be moved by pressing the up, down, left or right arrows, or using any of Excel's other
navigation keystrokes. The active cell can also be moved using the mouse - position the mouse
pointer where you wish to active cell to appear and click once.
After positioning the active cell, simply type the text or number, then:
After typing the data, it will appear in the selected cell. If the cell is still active, the data will also appear in
the formula bar at the top of the screen.
Alphabetical text (labels) automatically align to the left of the cell when entered while numbers and dates
(values) align to the right. Dates should always be entered in the format dd/mm/yy e.g. e.g. 12/06/07 for
12th June 2007.
The following keyboard shortcuts can also be used to enter data into the active cell:
Keystroke Action
Ctrl ; Enter the current date in the active cell
Shift Ctrl ; Enter the current time in the active cell
Dates and times entered in this way will not update automatically each time the workbook is opened.
If you need to enter the same value or label into a range of cells, this can be done as follows:
Select the range you wish to enter the label or value into
Type the label or value
Press [Ctrl Enter]
By default, the next cell in the column will be selected when [Return] is pressed. If you wish to change this:
If you don't want the active cell to change when [Enter] is pressed, remove the check from the After
pressing Enter, move selection in the Options window.
Worksheet Views
You can view your worksheet using one of three views in Excel 2007.
The View buttons on the status bar can be used to choose the view to be used:
Button View
Normal View
Page Layout View
Page Break Preview
Alternatively, you can click on the View ribbon and choose the required view from the Workbook Views
group.
Normal View
This view shows data as it will print but does not show headers and footers or other print formatting
options. Only the main area of the worksheet is displayed, with no margins or empty space at the bottom of
each page. Page breaks show as dashed black lines on the worksheet.
This view is fully WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) and shows pages exactly as they will print,
including margins and any blank space. You can also enter header and footer text in this view.
Page Break Preview displays the entire worksheet, but cells that are not part of the print range are
displayed in grey. Page breaks are displayed as thick blue lines that can be moved as required.
Use the Full Screen button on the Views ribbon to set Excel to full screen mode. The ribbon, quick access
toolbar and Office button will be hidden, as will the formula bar, name box and status bar. Press [Esc] to return
to stop full screen mode.
AutoCalculate
The AutoCalculate box on the status bar is used to quickly view the average, count and sum of a selected
block of values. If the selection does not contain any values, this box will remain blank.
As well as the default Average, Count and Sum options, additional calculations can be viewed. Position the
mouse pointer over the status bar and press the right-mouse button.
Option Displays
Average The average of the selected values
Count The number of values or labels in the selection
Numerical Count The number of values in the selection
Maximum The highest value in the selection
Minimum The lowest value in the selection
Sum The total of all numbers in the selection
AutoSum
AutoSum is used to add the contents of columns and/or rows of values and place the results in specified
cells of the worksheet.
Select the values you wish to add up, including the blank row or column to contain the result.
If you wish to add up columns, include a blank row at the bottom of the range, if you wish to add
up rows, include a blank column to the right of the selection.
The following range would be selected to add column and row totals to the table:
Click on the AutoSum button in the Editing group of the Home ribbon
As the AutoSum command enters formula into the spreadsheet, the total will update automatically if the figures
on the spreadsheet are amended.
Extended AutoSum
As well as adding totals to your spreadsheets using the AutoSum button, you can use other common
functions to summarise the highlighted figures. Click on the drop-down arrow of the AutoSum button to
show the additional options:
Function Description
Average Returns the average of each column and/or row in the selection
Count Returns the number of items in each column and/or row in the selection
Max Returns the highest value in each column and/or row in the selection
Min Returns the lowest value in each column and/or row in the selection
AutoFill
The AutoFill handle at the bottom-right corner of the active cell or selection can be used to enter a series of
data automatically.
AutoFill works slightly differently depending on the type of data contained in the cell.
If text or a value has been entered in the cell, this will be repeated when the fill handle is dragged
If a date has been entered in the cell, this will increment when the fill handle is dragged
If a value has been entered and you hold [Ctrl] when dragging the fill handle, the value will
increment
AutoFill Options
When you use the AutoFill command to copy data, you are given the
choice of how the data should be inserted.
Options:
Option Description
Copy Cells Repeat the first value in all cells of the range
Fill Series Increment the value or date
Fill Formatting Only Copy only the formatting from the first cell into all others in the range
Fill Days For dates, increase by one day for each cell selected
Fill Months For dates, increase by one month for each cell selected
Fill Years For dates, increase by one year for each cell selected
Checking Spelling
Excel's spell checker can be started in one of two ways:
Press [F7] or
Click on the Review ribbon, then on the Spelling button in the Proofing group
Excel will start checking from the active cell. If the active cell is not A1, you will be asked if you wish to
check spelling from the beginning of the sheet.
When an incorrect word is found, the following dialog box will be displayed:
Click on a replacement word in the Suggestions list or edit the Not in Dictionary text as required
Choose Change to change this occurrence of the word or Change All to change all occurrences
in the message
Click on Ignore to ignore this occurrence of the word
Click on Ignore All to ignore all occurrences of the word in the message
Click on Add to add the word to the custom dictionary - this is useful for names of people, etc.
that do not appear in the standard dictionary
To add an incorrect spelling to the AutoCorrect list so that it is corrected automatically in future,
choose the correct replacement from the Suggestions list that should be used when the incorrect
spelling is typed, then click on the AutoCorrect button
In the following image, the break marked (1) is a system page break that was inserted automatically, while
(2) is a manual page break inserted by the user.
In the following screenshot, a horizontal page break would be inserted between rows 3 and 4 of the
worksheet.
In the following screenshot, a vertical page break would be inserted between columns C and D of the
worksheet.
You can insert both a horizontal and vertical page break in one step by clicking on the cell to begin the new
page. A horizontal break will be added above this cell, and a vertical page break to the left of this cell.
Saving Workbooks
Saving involves assigning a workbook name and placing the workbook in a folder on one of your
computer's drives so that it can be opened again if required.
When you save a workbook for the first time, you can choose either the Save or Save As command.
Click on the Office button and choose Save or Save As, or click on the Save button on the Quick
Access Toolbar
To choose a different drive to save the file to, click on the Computer icon in the Folder list on the
left of the Save As window
To choose a different folder on the same drive, click on the drive name in the navigation trail
along the top of the window
Double-click on the folder you wish to save the file to
Click in the File Name box and type a new name for the workbook
Click on Save
If you are saving an existing workbook after changes have been made, it is important to know the
difference between the Save and Save As commands.
Command Description
Save This command saves the current workbook under the existing name and replaces the
original version. Click on the Office button and choose Save, or click on the Save
button on the Quick Access Toolbar.
Save As This command requests a new name for the workbook and leaves the original
unchanged. Click on the Office button and choose Save As.
You can also use the following shortcut keys to save a file:
Keystroke Action
Ctrl S Save
F12 Save As
Closing Workbooks
Although it is possible to open more than one Excel workbook at a time, it is good practice to close a
workbook when you have finished working on it.
If the file has not yet been saved, choose Yes to save the workbook or No to cancel any changes made
AutoCorrect
This feature is used to correct spelling errors as they are typed or to complete abbreviations automatically
e.g. teh will automatically change to the when [Space] or [Return] is pressed.
The following options can also be set in the AutoCorrect dialog box:
Option Description
Correct two initial caps This will correct two capital letters typed at the beginning of a sentence,
changing the second letter to lower case
Capitalise first letter of This will ensure the first letter of a sentence is a capital letter, changing any
sentence lower case letters typed after a full stop
Capitalise names of This will ensure day names e.g. Monday start with a capital letter
days
Correct accidental usage If the Caps Lock key is pressed, all capital letters will show as small letters
of Caps Lock key and vice-versa. Excel will correct this and switch the Caps Lock key off
Any words added to the AutoCorrect list in Excel will also be available in Word and PowerPoint.
If you have already entered the list manually into the worksheet, it can be imported as a custom list with no
retyping required:
Select the cells containing the items of the list - these must be located next to each other
Click on the Office button, then on the Excel Options button
Click on the Popular option in the left-hand menu
Click on the Edit Custom Lists button
Click on the Import button
Click on OK
Inserting Symbols
Symbols that do not appear on the standard keyboard can be inserted as follows:
Click on the Insert ribbon, then on the Symbol button in the Text group
From the Font drop-down list, choose the font set that contains the symbol you wish to insert (see
table below)
Click on the symbol required, using the scroll bar to view more symbols as required. If using the
Normal font, subsets of the font will be listed to allow you to find the character you want quicker
and easier
Click on Insert
When complete, click on Cancel
The last 16 symbols used will show along the bottom of the Insert Symbol window.
Font Characters
Normal Text Fractions and international characters e.g. those with accents
Symbol Additional characters not found above e.g. mathematical and scientific
characters
Wingdings Bullet symbols and other graphics e.g. envelope and scissor symbols
Webdings Small graphics e.g. globes and weather symbols
Inserting Hyperlinks
A hyperlink is a link to a specific part of the current workbook, a different workbook or a website. Hyperlinks
appear as underlined text and, when clicked, will activate the target automatically.
To insert a hyperlink:
To link to another file, Excel or otherwise, click on the Existing File or Web Page icon on the left.
Navigate the folders in the centre of the window to locate and select the file you wish to link to
To create a hyperlink to a web page, click on the Existing File or Web Page icon and type the full
URL of the page in the Address box e.g. http://www.hp.com. If you have visited the web page
recently, click on Browsed Pages to choose the URL from your History list
To link to a specific cell in the workbook, click on the Place in this Document icon. Choose the
sheet and enter the reference of the cell to link to
To link to a named range in the workbook, click on the Place in this Document icon. Click on the
+ in front of Defined Names and choose the name from the list displayed
To create an email hyperlink that will create a new mail message when clicked, click on the E-mail
Address icon and type the full Email Address e.g. john.smith@hp.com. If messages created
using this link should always have a specific subject, enter this in the Subject box
Click on OK
Hyperlinks to web pages can be created automatically by typing the full URL address of the
website e.g. http://www.hp.com
Email hyperlinks can be created by typing the full email address e.g. john.smith@hp.com. When
this link is clicked, an Outlook message will be created and addressed automatically
Hyperlinks to files can be created by typing the computer, folder and filename e.g. \\pc-
one\data\test.doc. When clicked, the file will be opened
Shortcut Action
Ctrl ' Duplicates the value from the cell directly above the active cell
Ctrl ; Inserts the current date into the active cell, using the short date format
dd/mm/yy
Shift Ctrl ; Inserts the current time into the active cell, using the short time format hh:mm
Ctrl Moves the active cell to the last entry in the current column
Ctrl Moves the active cell to the last entry in the current row
Ctrl D Copies the value from the first cell of the selection into all other selected cells
in the same column
Ctrl R Copies the value from the first cell of the selection into all other selected cells
in the same row
Ctrl Return Inserts the typed value into all selected cells
For Example
Using the above keys, you could press [Ctrl D] to copy the value 100 into all other selected cells in column
A, or press [Ctrl R] to copy the value into all selected cells in row 1.
Opening Workbooks
The most recent workbooks you have used can be opened by clicking on the Office button, then on the
workbook you wish to open on the right-hand side of the menu:
To open a workbook that does not appear in the Recent Documents list:
The following toolbar appears along the top of the Open window:
Click on the Organise button to show a menu that allows you to:
Create new folders within the folder you are currently viewing
Perform housekeeping tasks such as copying, moving and deleting selected files
Change the layout of the Open window e.g. to include the Details or Preview pane
View properties of the selected file
Click on the Views button to view the files in the Open window in different ways:
Use the List option to show file names with small icons in multiple columns
Use the Details option to show the name of each file, as well as its modification date, type, size
and tags
Use the Tiles option to show larger icons of each file with the name, type and size
Navigating Workbooks
Before entering any data into your worksheet, it is important to position the active cell correctly. Any typed
data will be placed in the active cell when [Enter] or [Return] is pressed.
The following cursor movement keys can also be used to move around a worksheet:
A cell can also be activated using the Name box above the column headings of the spreadsheet.
Click in the name box and enter the cell you wish to go to
Press [Enter]
Selecting Data
Selecting using the Mouse
Click on cell A1
Hold [Shift] and click on cell C5 - all cells between will be selected
Select Action
Column Click on the letter at the top of the column
Row Click on the number at the beginning of the row
Entire sheet Click on the grey box between the first column letter and first row number
Arrows will display when you click on a column letter or row number, to show that the mouse is positioned
correctly to select the column or row. The following image shows the mouse in the correct position to select
column B:
You can select multiple areas of the spreadsheet so that formatting can be applied to non-contiguous text
in a single step.
Drag the mouse over the first block of cells you wish to select and release the mouse button when
complete
Hold [Ctrl] and drag the mouse over the next block of cells, again releasing the mouse when
complete
Repeat the above step until all text is selected
The [Shift] key can be added to any navigation shortcut to select text in that direction e.g. to select from the
current cell to the beginning of the row, press [Shift] and [Home] together.
The following shortcuts can also be used to select areas of the worksheet.
Select Keystroke
Column [Ctrl Spacebar]
Row [Shift Spacebar]
The entire sheet [Ctrl Shift Spacebar] or [Ctrl A]
The current region [Ctrl *] on the numeric keypad or [Ctrl Shift 8] on the standard keyboard
The current region is the area of data surrounding the active cell, until a blank column or row is
encountered.
In the following screenshot, there are two regions. Cells A1 to D3 are in the current region as this contains
the active cell (B2). Cells A5 to D7 are in another region as there is a blank row between these cells and
the first region.
The content of the active cell always displays in the Formula Bar:
It is also possible to edit the cell without using the Formula Bar. Simply double click in the cell and edit as
required, pressing [Enter] when complete
Clearing Data
This will only clear the content of the cell - removing any text, numbers or formula typed in the cell.
Formatting such as borders and colours will not be removed.
The Clear command can be used to specify exactly what you want to delete from the selected cells, for
example, you can use this to clear only the formatting from your cells. Any data entered in the cells will
remain, but all formatting will be removed.
The following keyboard shortcuts can also be used to move and copy data.
Keystroke Action
[Ctrl C] Copy
[Ctrl X] Cut
[Ctrl V] Paste
A range can also be moved or copied using the drag and drop facility:
Position the mouse over the edge of the selected range to display the white mouse pointer with 4
directional arrows
Drag the range to a new location and release the mouse button
To copy text using drag and drop, hold [Ctrl] while dragging and release the mouse button before releasing the
[Ctrl] key.
Click on the Undo button on the Quick Access Toolbar to undo the last command
Click on the drop-down arrow after the Undo button to select the command you wish to undo up to
Click on the Redo button on the Quick Access Toolbar to redo the last command
Click on the drop-down arrow after the Redo button to select the command you wish to redo up to
The following keyboard shortcuts can also be used to undo and redo commands:
Keystroke Action
[Ctrl Z] Undo
[Ctrl Y] Redo
Repeating Commands
The Repeat command will repeat the action just performed and can be used to carry out the same task on
a number of different worksheet ranges. Press [F4] at any time to repeat the last command.
On the Home ribbon, click on the Find & Select button of the Editing group
Choose Find
Type the text you wish to locate
Click on Find Next to find the first occurrence of the word, then Find Next again until the correct
occurrence is found
Alternatively, you can display a list of all cells in the worksheet that contain your search text. Click on Find
All in the Find window to do this:
Additional search options can be set in the Find dialog box by clicking on the Options button:
Use the Within box to choose to search the current sheet only, or the entire workbook
Use the Search box to search through the spreadsheet by row or column
Use the Look In box to choose to search the formula in cells, or formula results only
Check Match Case to find only results with the same mix of upper and lower case characters
Check Match Entire Cell Contents to find only cells that contain nothing but the search text
Finding Formatting
It is possible to find text that is formatted in a specific way e.g. all text using the Arial font or all text
coloured red:
On the Home ribbon, click on the Find & Select button of the Editing group
Choose Find
Click on the Options button to show additional options
Click on the Format button
Choose the formatting you wish to locate, using any required tabs from the top of the window
Click on OK
Click on Find Next to find the next occurrence of the formatting, or Find All to find all formatting
Replacing Data
On the Home ribbon, click on the Find & Select button of the Editing group
Choose Replace
Type the text or number to be located in the Find What box
Type the replacement text or number in the Replace With box.
Click on Find Next to find the next occurrence of the word
Click on Replace to replace the single occurrence or Replace All to replace all occurrences
When a column is inserted, the new column will appear to the left of the selected column, with the selected
column moving across the worksheet. When a row is inserted, the new row will appear above the selected
row, with the selected row moving down the worksheet accordingly.
In the following screenshot, if a new column were inserted it would appear between Jan and Feb:
In the following screenshot, if a new row were inserted it would appear between South and West:
You can also press [Ctrl Shift +] to insert a column or row at the selected position.
You can also press [Ctrl -] to delete the selected columns or rows.
Entering Formulas
A formula is a sequence of values, cell references and mathematical operators entered into a cell to
produce a result. A formula can be used to perform operations such as addition and multiplication based on
data in the worksheet. When the data is changed, the result of the formula will update automatically.
Addition ( + )
Subtraction ( - )
Multiplication ( * )
Division ( / )
Exponential ( ^ )
Percent ( % )
As you build your formula, Excel will highlight the cells that make up the formula on the worksheet. The
colour of each border matches the cell reference in the formula:
When you double click on a cell containing a formula, Excel will again colour each cell reference in that formula,
adding borders to the related cell on the worksheet.
Rules of Formulas
Brackets
Of
Division
Multiplication
Addition
Subtraction
For example:
If a formula is entered into a single cell, it can be copied into adjacent cells using the standard Copy and Paste
commands, or dragged to adjacent cells using the fill handle.
Worksheet Functions
A function is a calculation tool that can be used to perform a specific task in a formula. Function names are
followed by arguments or options which differ depending on the information needed by the function.
The Insert Function command, or the Function Wizard, can be used if you are unsure of a function or its
arguments.
Type keywords to search for the function you need - use plain English and enter as many
keywords as you can to describe what you wish to achieve with the function
Click on Go
Excel will show all functions that match your search text. Click once on a function to show a description of
the function below the Select a Function list.
Excel will display the Function Arguments window. Use this box to specify the ranges you wish to
calculate, or any other arguments specific to the function you have chosen. Click on OK to enter the
function into the active cell when all arguments have been added.
To type a function into your spreadsheet without using the Function Wizard:
When you type or edit a function, Excel displays a screentip that shows you the arguments required for that
function. The function used here, the ROUND function, requires two arguments - the number you wish to
round up or down, plus the number of decimals or digits you wish to round it to.
If you would like to disable these screen tips so that Excel does not display them when you type a function, click
on the Office button and choose Excel Options. Click on the Advanced option on the left-hand side of the
window, then scroll down to show Display options. Uncheck Show Function Screentips then click on OK.
Function Examples
The following mathematical functions have only one argument - the range of cells to be calculated:
Function Description
=today() Returns the current date which will update each time the file is opened
=now() Returns the current date and time which will update each time the file is opened
Inserting Worksheets
By default, there are three sheets in each new workbook created, but more can be inserted as required.
The quickest way to insert more than one sheet is to choose the Insert Sheet command, then press the repeat
key [F4] to repeat the command.
You can also insert a new sheet by clicking on the New Sheet tab that appears at the end of all tabs in the
worksheet:
The default of three sheets in each new workbook can be changed as follows:
Renaming Sheets
By default, each worksheet is named Sheet followed by a sequential number representing the order in
which the sheet was inserted. The default sheet names can be changed to more relevant names that
represent the data stored on that sheet.
You can also recolour sheet tabs to categories and group sheets
Renaming Sheets
For example, in a monthly budget or expense workbook, the following default sheet names:
To rename a sheet:
Although spaces are allowed in sheet names, they are not recommended as they can make formulas more
difficult to enter if they refer to different sheets.
Recolouring Sheets
In Excel 2007, you can set each tab to show as a different colour, for example:
Deleting Sheets
Before deleting sheets, select the sheets you wish to remove:
On the Home ribbon, click on the Delete button in the Cells group
Choose Delete Sheet
The following shortcuts can be used to move between the sheets of a workbook:
Keystroke Action
[Ctrl PgUp] Activate the previous sheet
[Ctrl PgDn] Activate the next sheet
[Shift Alt F1] Insert a new sheet in front of the active sheet
By default, the Clipboard Task Pane will display whenever you copy an item in Word, Excel or PowerPoint.
The Clipboard can hold 24 items and can be displayed in other applications too, allowing you to paste
Office data into these.
If the Clipboard Task Pane does not show by default, click on the More Options button in the Clipboard
group of the Home ribbon:
When the Clipboard task pane is displayed in Excel, an icon will appear on the task bar tray at the bottom
of the screen. Use this icon to show the Clipboard in any application that you wish to paste data into.
You can remove the Clipboard icon from the task bar by clicking on the Options button at the bottom of the
Clipboard task pane. Un-check the option to Show Office Clipboard Icon on Task Bar.
Once the Clipboard Task Pane is displayed, you can insert any item stored in the clipboard.
To paste from the clipboard, click on the item's icon on the Clipboard task pane
To paste all items from the clipboard, click on Paste All at the top of the Clipboard task pane
To clear all items from the clipboard, click on the Clear All button at the top of the Clipboard task
pane
Close the Clipboard task pane by clicking on the x in the top-right corner of the task pane
Up to 24 items can be stored in the Clipboard. If the clipboard is full and you attempt to add another item, the
earliest item placed in the clipboard will be over-written.
Research
The Research task pane allows you to find reference
information from a number of sources without leaving Office
2007. You can insert any found information into your
worksheet.
To quickly research any text in your document, hold [Alt] and click on the cell that contains the text. All reference
books will be searched for the text and any results will be displayed.
Adding Services
Click on the Research Options link at the bottom of the research task pane - a list of standard
research options will be shown
Tick each option you wish to make available, and remove the check from any options you do not
wish to use
Click on OK when complete
You can copy any text from the research pane into your worksheet by selecting the text, then right-clicking over
the selection. Choose Copy from the shortcut menu, then paste the text into any cell as normal.
Smart Tags
A smart tag is a button that appears while you are creating your document, offering options and commands
that are relevant to the task you are performing.
You can control which smart tags Excel displays in your worksheet as follows:
Smart tags appear when you type certain data into your worksheet, such as Outlook contact names or US
stock symbols. Smart tags show as purple triangles in the bottom-right corner of the cell.
Position the mouse over the cell that contains a smart tag
Position the mouse over the smart tag icon to display a drop-down arrow
Click on the drop-down arrow to show all smart tag options
If a formula you enter contains an error, Excel will display a smart tag to alert you of this error. Formula
errors show as green triangles in the top-left corner of the cell.
When you paste data into your Excel worksheet, you often have a choice of how the data should be
inserted. Paste smart tags appear when you paste data into the worksheet.
Position the mouse over the smart tag icon to display a drop-down arrow
Click on the drop-down arrow to show all smart tag options
Choose to Keep Source Formatting to format the pasted data as it appeared in the original sheet,
even if this is different to the format of the current worksheet
Choose to Match Destination Formatting to reformat the pasted data to match the current range
Choose Values and Number Formatting to paste the data keeping only number formatting.
Background colours, borders, etc. will be discarded
Choose Keep Source Column Widths to set the width of the column you paste the data into to
match the width of the column copied from
Choose Formatting Only to paste only copied formatting - no data will be pasted
Choose Link Cells to link to the original cells rather than pasting a copy of the data
When you insert columns, rows or cells into your Excel worksheet, you will be given a choice of how the
new cells should be formatted. Insert smart tags appear when you insert columns or rows into a range that
contains different formats on each side of the new column or row.
Position the mouse over the smart tag icon to display a drop-down arrow
Click on the drop-down arrow to show all smart tag options
Choose Format Same as Left to format the new column to match the existing column on the left
Choose Format Same as Right to format the new column to match the existing column on the
right
Choose Clear Formatting to not format the new column in any way
In the following example, the formula entered in cell B4 is =B2-B3. When copied to column C, the formula is
updated relatively to =C2-C3.
However, there may be times when you don't want the formula to update the cell references for you. In the
following example, we want both formulas to refer to the same cell - E5 - to pick up the discount
percentage. The formula in B3 is =B2*E2, while the formula in C3 is =C2*E2.
To keep E2 absolute when the formula is copied, it should be entered into B3 as such: =B2*$E$2.
To stop the references from changing, they must be entered as absolute references. This will ensure the same
cell is referenced regardless of how the formula is moved or copied.
Create the formula in the normal way and position the cursor anywhere on the reference to be
made absolute
Type a dollar sign ($) before the column and row reference or press [F4]
Pressing [F4] once will make both the column and row reference absolute. Pressing [F4] a second time will
make only the row reference absolute and a third time the column reference.
Range Names
Range names can be set to refer to any range of cells. Range names can make entering formula much
easier, and make the formula easier for others to read. For example, the formula =SALES-PROFIT is much
easier to understand than =B24-E15.
Using this example, Sales and Profit are range names applied to cells B24 and E15 respectively.
The name box to the left of the formula bar can be used to assign a name to a range.
Type a name for the range - this should not contain spaces and must be more than a single
character in length
Press [Return]
To use a name in a formula, simply type the name or press [F3] to select the name from a list:
The Name Manager allows you to check the value and formula entered in named ranges, even if these
cells are no longer in view on your worksheet. You can also use the Name Manager to edit and delete
range names.
Add comments to the selected named range by clicking on the Edit button and amending as
required. Click on OK
Delete the selected name by clicking on the Delete button. This will remove the name from the
cell, but leave the cell as is on the worksheet
Click on the drop-down arrow next to the name box to display a list of names
Click on any name to select that range in the worksheet
Button Description
Font
Font size
Bold
Italics
Apply bottom border. Click on the drop-down arrow for further border options
Fill colour
Text colour
You can also use the Quick Format bar to format specific text within a cell:
Double-click on the cell that contains the text you wish to format
Drag the mouse over the text you wish to format
The Quick Format bar will appear faintly to the right of the text -
position the mouse over the bar to show it fully
Click on the format you wish to apply
Press [Enter] to re-enter the text in the cell
Text Formatting
Text Formatting via the Ribbon
The Home ribbon contains shortcuts for the following text formatting options:
Button Description
Font
Font size
Bold
Italics
Underlining
Apply bottom border. Click on the drop-down arrow for further border options
Fill colour
Text colour
Change the size of the text by clicking on the drop-down arrow of the Size box and choosing the
size in points - there are 72 points to an inch
Add bold, italics or underlining to the cell by clicking on each button
Change the colour of the text in the cells by clicking on the drop-down arrow of the Text Colour
button. Choose the required colour from the palette or click on Automatic to set the text colour
back to the default - usually black
Formatting can be applied to more than one range at the same time. Drag the mouse over the first range, then
hold [Ctrl] while dragging over each additional range.
Additional character formatting can be applied through the format cells dialog box:
Formatting Shortcuts
The following keyboard shortcuts can also be used to format selected cells:
Keyboard Action
Ctrl B Bold
Ctrl U Underlining
Ctrl I Italics
Ctrl 5 Strikethrough
Ctrl 1 Display the Format Cells dialog box
If the cell contains text, as opposed to numbers, it is possible to format only part of the text:
The number format can be changed to ensure all numbers in a column have the same amount of decimal
places. Currency symbols and commas can also be added in the format.
Number Formatting
The Home ribbon contains shortcuts for the following number formatting options:
Button Description
Additional formatting options e.g. date and time
Button Description
Comma format, 2 decimals
Increase decimals
Decrease decimals
To format numbers:
Click on the Currency, Percent or Comma button to apply that format to the selection
To increase the number of decimal places by 1, click on the Increase Decimals button
To decrease the number of decimal places by 1, click on the Decrease Decimals button
The following worksheet demonstrates the effects of Currency, Percent and Comma formatting:
Formatting can be applied to more than one range at the same time. Drag the mouse over the first range as
normal, then hold [Ctrl] while dragging over each additional range.
Additional number formatting can be applied through the Format Cells dialog box:
Category Description
General Displays the number as it was entered, with no symbols or extra decimal places.
Number Displays the number with a set amount of decimal places. A comma can be added
between each thousand of the number by checking the Use 1000 Separator box.
Currency Displays the number with a currency symbol and set amount of decimal places.
Currency symbols from most of the world's countries are available and can be
selected from the Symbol drop-down list. Unlike the Accounting format, the currency
symbol appears immediately in front of the number, and not at the extreme left of the
cell (see illustration below).
Accounting Displays the number with an optional currency symbol and set amount of decimal
places. The currency symbol will be placed at the extreme left of the cell (see
illustration below).
Date Displays a list of date formats that can be selected.
Category Description
Time Displays a list of time formats that can be selected.
Percentage Multiplies the number by 100 and displays the % symbol with a specified amount of
decimal places. The number 0.25 would display as 25%.
Fraction Displays the number as a fraction. The fraction that the number should be rounded
to can be selected e.g. 1.125 as quarters would display 1 1/4, but as halves would
display 1.
Scientific Displays the number in scientific format - especially useful for extremely large or
small numbers. For example, the number 200000000 which has 8 zeros would
display 2.00E+08
Text Displays the number as text, aligned to the left of the cell.
Special Displays the number as a zip code, telephone number or social security number.
The following worksheet illustrates the difference between Accounting and Currency formatting.
With the Currency format, the currency symbol is placed directly to the left of the first number
With Accounting format, all currency symbols are aligned to the left of the cell, regardless of the
size of the number
When you choose the Date or Time format, you can choose the language that the date or time should be
shown in.
The following keyboard shortcuts can also be used to format selected cells:
Keystroke Action
Shift Ctrl ! Fixed (2 decimals)
Shift Ctrl $ Currency (2 decimals)
Shift Ctrl % Percent (0 decimals)
Shift Ctrl ^ Scientific Format
Shift Ctrl ~ Remove number formatting
You can also add and remove borders with the following shortcuts:
Keystroke Action
Shift Ctrl & Add a single outline border around the selection
Shift Ctrl _ Clear all borders from the selection
Applying Shading
Additional Formatting
Additional borders and colours can be applied through the Format Cells dialog box:
Click on the Fill tab along the top of the Format Cells dialog box
Click on a colour in the palette or click on More Colours to display additional options. Choose a
colour from the Standard options, or click on Custom to enter the R, G, B values of a specific
colour you wish to use. Click on OK when complete
To add a gradient fill to the cells, click on the Fill Effects button. Choose the two colours you wish
to shade with, then choose the Shading Style and Variants. Click on OK when complete
Drawing Borders
You can also add borders to your spreadsheet by drawing them over the required cells - this can often be
much easier than selecting the cell position via the Format Cells dialog box.
To draw borders:
Click on the drop-down arrow of the Borders button on the Home ribbon
Choose Draw Border
To draw an outline border around your cells, position the mouse where the top-left corner of the
box should appear (1). Click and drag the mouse to the bottom-right corner of the box (2)
Add vertical and horizontal lines by dragging over the gridlines of the table that you wish the lines
to appear over
Add diagonal lines by dragging across a cell
Click on the Draw Border button on the Home ribbon when all lines have been added
Erase unwanted lines by clicking on the drop-down arrow of the Borders button on the Home ribbon and
choosing the Erase Border option.
To set the border colour before drawing any lines, click on the drop-down arrow of the Borders button on the
Home ribbon and choose the Line Colour option. Choose a colour to be used when the next border line is
drawn.
Aligning Text
You can set both horizontal and vertical alignment using the buttons in the Alignment group of the Home
ribbon.
Button Description
Vertical alignment: Top
To align text:
Indenting Text
If text is left or right aligned in the cell, it can be indented from the left or right border using the Indent
buttons on the Home ribbon:
Button Description
Decrease indent - move back towards the cell border
To indent text:
Text Orientation
You can set the orientation of text in the cell by changing the angle at which it's displayed. If you have
narrow columns, for example, you can fit more text into the cell if the text is rotated to 90 degrees:
Drag the red pointer in the Orientation box to the required angle
Click on OK
Alternatively, line breaks may be inserted manually while typing the text:
Merging Cells
The Merge and Centre command is used to centre a heading over a number of columns. In the following
screenshot, cells A1 to D1 have been merged and centred:
Ensure the heading is typed in the first of the cells to be merge. In the above example, the
heading would be typed in cell A1
Select the cells you wish to merge, starting with the cell containing the heading
Click on the Merge & Centre button on the Home ribbon
The following options are available by clicking on the drop-down arrow of the Merge & Centre button:
Option Description
Merge Across This command will merge each row into a single cell, but will not merge the
columns within the range
Merge Cells This will merge all selected cells into a single cell
Unmerge Cells This will remove any merging currently on the range
Applying Themes
Themes allow you to format a file in a number of ways.
When you apply a theme, it will be applied to all sheets in the current workbook, regardless of the sheet you are
on when you choose the command.
For example, the following worksheet was created using the default theme:
Themes can be customised if they don't follow the exact format that you require:
Click on the drop-down arrow of the Colors box and choose a colour scheme for the theme
Click on the drop-down arrow of the Fonts box and choose a font set to use
Click on the drop-down arrow of the Effects box and choose the effects to be applied to inserted
objects
You will automatically be switched to Page Layout view and the cursor will move to the Header area.
To insert standard header text such as the file name or page number, click on the drop-down
arrow of the Header button and choose the standard text to insert
To add standard elements, click on the required button in the Header & Footer Elements group:
To insert your own text, click in the Header box and type text as required
To add a footer, click on the Go To Footer button
When the header text has been typed, click on any part of the worksheet, away from the header
line
Add a footer in the same way as described above
When complete, click on the Normal view button (the first view button) to return to normal view of
the worksheet
If required, you can set a different header and footer for the first page of the printout by clicking on the Different
First Page box in the Header and Footer ribbon. Set different headers and footers for the odd and even pages
of the printout by clicking on Different Odd & Even Pages.
To set the margins that will appear between the edge of the paper and the printed data:
Choose a default margin setting (normal, wide or narrow) or click on Custom to set specific
margins. Enter the margins for the top, bottom, left and right of the page, then click on OK
Additional print options are set through the Page Layout ribbon:
Check the Print box under Gridlines in the Sheet Options group to print gridlines around each cell
Check the Print box under Headings in the Sheet Options group to print the column headings (A,
B, C, etc.) and row headings (1, 2, 3, etc.) with the worksheet
Click on the More Information button for more print options
Conditional Formatting
Conditional formatting allows you to change the appearance of cells depending on the values stored in the
cells. Fonts, borders and/or patterns can be set using this option.
Highlight Cells
Click on the drop-down arrow of the With box and choose the format to apply. Click on Custom
Format to show the Format Cells dialog box from which you can select any formats to apply, then
click on OK
Click on OK to apply the conditional format
If you have used conditional formatting in previous versions of Excel, click on the Conditional Formatting
icon, then on Highlight Cells Rule and More Rules to show the standard Conditional Formatting dialog box.
Top/Bottom
Click on the drop-down arrow of the With box and choose the format to apply. Click on Custom
Format to show the Format Cells dialog box from which you can select any formats to apply, then
click on OK
Click on OK to apply the conditional format
Data Bars
Colour Scales
Icon Sets
To icons to cells:
On the Home ribbon, click on the Conditional Formatting button in the Styles group
Choose Clear Rules
Choose to Clear Rules from Selected Cells or Clear Rules from Entire Sheet
If a cell contains a value or date that does not fit the column width, a row of hash symbols will be displayed
in the cell. You can view the content of the cell by positioning the mouse over the cell:
If you wish to set the width of a single column, it is not necessary to select that column first. When setting
the width of multiple columns, the columns must first be selected.
Position the mouse pointer over the right border of one of the selected column headings - a new
mouse pointer shape will be displayed
Drag the mouse to the left or right to adjust the column width - the size of the column will be
displayed in both characters and pixels
It is possible to set the width more than one column at a time, even if the columns do not appear next to each
other. Click on the heading of the first column you wish to change, then hold [Ctrl] and click on each additional
column. Position the mouse pointer over the right border of any of the selected column headings and drag the
mouse to the required width.
AutoFit
The AutoFit command will set the width of a column automatically to fit the longest text entry or number
within that column.
You can also AutoFit columns by positioning the mouse pointer over the right border of any of the selected
column headings and double-clicking the mouse.
If you wish to set the height of a single row, it is not necessary to select that row first. When setting the
height of multiple rows, the rows must first be selected.
Position the mouse pointer over the bottom border of one of the selected row headings - a new
mouse pointer shape will be displayed
Drag the mouse up or down to adjust the row height - the size of the row will be displayed in both
characters and pixels
AutoFit
You can AutoFit the row height to automatically accommodate the largest text in the row.
You can also AutoFit rows by positioning the mouse pointer over the bottom border of any of the selected row
headings and double-clicking the mouse.
Clearing Formatting
Cells are cleared by selecting the cells and pressing [Delete].
This will only clear the content of the cell - removing any text, numbers or formula typed in the cell.
Formatting such as borders and colours will not be removed.
The Clear command can be used to specify exactly what you want to delete from the selected cells, for
example, you can use this to clear only the formatting from your cells. Any data entered in the cells will
remain, but all formatting will be removed.
Format Painter
The Format Painter is used to copy formatting from one area of the worksheet to another. All formatting
including character formatting (font, size and style) and number formatting is copied.
Select the cell or range of cells containing the formatting you wish to copy
Click on the Format Painter button on the Home ribbon
The mouse pointer will display a paintbrush - drag the mouse over the new range of cells to
contain the formatting options copied
To copy formatting to more than one location, double click on the Format Painter button. Select all new ranges
to copy the formatting to, then click on the Format Painter button again to switch it off.
Page Background
You can set an image to show in the background of your spreadsheet. The image will be tiled across the
worksheet to fill each page.
To choose a different drive to open an image from, click on the Computer icon in the Folder list
on the left of the Open window
To choose a different folder on the same drive, click on the drive name in the navigation trail
along the top of the window
Double-click on the folder you wish to open an image from
Select the image you wish to open
Click on Open
To view the image more clearly, you can remove the gridlines from screen by clicking on the View ribbon and
unchecking the Gridlines box in the Show/Hide group.
AutoFilter will be enabled by default, allowing you to quickly filter each column as required
The table will be formatted automatically using table and cell styles
As you add new records under the data, they will automatically be added to the table range
You can show a totals row that will always display the totals for each column
Defining a Table
If you have headings for each column, ensure the My table has headers box is ticked
Ensure the range for your table is correct, then click on OK
The table will be formatted automatically and the AutoFilter arrows will show at the top of each column.
Naming a Table
Once you have defined a table, you can assign a name to it. This makes it easier to identify each table if
you have multiple tables within a single worksheet or workbook.
Click on the smart tag that appears in the cell you have just typed into
Choose the Undo Table Expansion command
Once a format has been applied, you can choose additional options in order to change the format to suit
you.
Option Description
Header Row Sets a different format for the top row of the table
First Column Sets a different format for the left-most column of the table
Total Row Adds a total row to the table and formats this differently to the rest of the table
Last Column Sets a different format for the right-most column of the table
Banded Rows Shades each alternate row differently so that the rows are easier to distinguish
between
Banded Columns Shades each alternate column differently so that the columns are easier to
distinguish between
To clear the formatting from a cell and return it to the default style of the table:
You can create a new style based on an existing table style as follows:
All new and modified styles will be listed under Custom when you click on the drop-down arrow of the Table
Styles list on the Design ribbon.
Use the Font, Border and Fill tabs to make the required changes to the format for the selected
element
Click on OK
Repeat the above steps to format all elements of the table
Click on OK when all formatting has been applied
To set a custom format as the default used for all tables in the workbook, click on the drop-down arrow of the
Table Styles list and right-click over the format you wish to set as the default. Choose Set As Default from
the shortcut menu displayed.
You can create a new style based on an existing cell style as follows:
All new and modified styles will be listed under Custom when you click on the drop-down arrow of the Cell
Styles list on the Home ribbon.
If your table has a cell formatted in the way you wish to style to be formatted, select this cell
Click on the Home ribbon
Click on the drop-down arrow of the Cell Styles box
Click on New Cell Style
Enter a new name for the style in the Style Name box
In the Style Includes list, check each part of the style you wish to modify
Click on the Format button
Use the Number, Alignment, Font, Border, Fill and Protection tabs to make the required changes
to the format of the style
Click on OK
Click on OK again to return to the worksheet
To remove a custom style no longer needed, click on the drop-down arrow of the Cell Styles list and right-click
over the format you wish to remove. Choose Delete from the shortcut menu displayed.
Once the total row has been added, click in the cell under any other columns you wish to add a summary
function to. Click on the drop-down arrow and choose the function to use to summarise the data:
You can also display the total row by checking the Total Row box in the Table Style Options group of the
Table Tools - Design ribbon.
Resizing Tables
You can resize your table by selecting a new range for the table to cover in the worksheet. This allows you
to create space for new records above the total row, if this is displayed.
To resize a table:
Drag the mouse over the new table range, or modify the range manually by changing the cell
references in the Resize Table dialog box
Click on OK
You can also resize a table by clicking on the handle in the bottom-right corner of the table range. Drag this
to resize the table, releasing the mouse button when the required size is showing.
Click on any cell in the table you wish to convert back to a range
Click on the Design ribbon under Table Tools
Click on the Convert to Range button in the Tools group
You will be asked to confirm if you want to convert the table to a range - click on Yes to convert the table
You can also convert a table to a range by right-clicking on any cell in the table and choosing Table, Convert to
Range from the shortcut menu displayed.
Sorting a Table
Sorting Data
The menu options will differ depending on the type of data your column contains:
If sorting a column containing text, choose Sort A-Z or Sort Z-A as required
If sorting a column containing values, choose Sort Smallest to Largest or Sort Largest to
Smallest as required
If sorting a column containing dates, choose Sort Oldest to Newest or Sort Newest to Oldest as
required
The field names will remain at the top of the list and all records will be sorted in order of the column
containing the active cell.
Note: Even if you select a specific range in the table, all rows will be sorted when you choose the Sort
command.
You can also sort the table by clicking on the drop-down arrow next to the heading of the column you wish
to sort, then choosing the required sort option from the top of the menu:
Sorting by Colour
You can also sort a table by colour, so that cells with a specific text or fill colour will appear together at the
top of the table.
The sort buttons can also be used to sort in order of more than one field. For example, to sort the following
list in descending order of Airport, with the same airports grouped in descending order of Price:
First click anywhere in the Airport column and use the Sort Z-A command
Next, click in the Price column and use the Sort Largest to Smallest command
You can also use the Sort button on the Data ribbon to sort by multiple levels:
Click on the drop-down arrow of the Sort By field and choose the first field to sort by
Change the Order if required
Click on the Add Level button
Click on the drop-down arrow of the Then By field and choose the second field to sort by
Again, change the Order if required
Repeat the above 3 steps for each level you wish to add
Click on OK to sort the data
AutoFilter
This command allows you to display only those rows in a table that
contain a certain value or meet a certain criteria.
Using AutoFilter
To use AutoFilter:
Click on the drop-down arrow in the heading of the column you wish to filter
A list will display all values currently in the column - uncheck all values you want to hide from the
list
Click on OK
When a list is filtered, only the displayed records will be printed. The drop-down arrows will not be printed.
Text Filters
If the column you are filtering contains text, you can use the Text Filters option to apply custom filtering to
the list. Custom filters allow you set specific criteria to be matched e.g. all entries containing a specific
word, or all entries that end in specific characters.
Click on the drop-down arrow in the heading of the column you wish to filter
Click on Text Filters
Choose the type of comparison you wish to make e.g. Contains or Ends With
Click in the empty box in the top right of the dialog box and enter the text you wish to match
To add a further condition, click on And if both conditions must be met, or click on Or if either
condition can be met
Click on the drop-down arrow in the second line and choose the next comparison you wish to
make
Click in the box next to this and enter the text you wish to match
Click on OK when complete
For example: The following would show all records that had the word "London" in this field, but only if they
also started with "North".
Number Filters
If the column you are filtering contains values, you can use the Number Filters option to apply custom
filtering to the list e.g. to find all entries greater than 100, or between 50 and 75.
Click on the drop-down arrow in the heading of the column you wish to filter
Click on Number Filters
Choose the type of comparison you wish to make e.g. Greater Than or Between
Click in the empty box in the top right of the dialog box and enter the value you wish to match
To add a further condition, click on And if both conditions must be met, or click on Or if either
condition can be met
Click on the drop-down arrow in the second line and choose the next comparison you wish to
make
Click in the box next to this and enter the value you wish to match
Click on OK when complete
The Top 10 option allows you to choose the top or bottom number of records in a field - you could use it to
find the top 10 sales or the bottom 5% of salaries.
In the first box, choose whether to show the top or bottom items from the list
Choose the number of items to display
Choose whether to show the specific number of Items or the specified Percent
Click on OK
The Above Average and Below Average commands require no further input. These will work out the
average value in the column, then show all records that have a value above or below this.
When looking for duplicate information, you can find rows that match exactly in all fields, or duplicate
entries in specific fields only.
All columns in the table will be listed - check those you wish to find duplicates in, then click on OK.
You will be informed if any duplicates have been found and erased.
You can use the Undo command to recover any duplicate records deleted in error. However, it's also good
practice to save the workbook before removing duplicate values. If the outcome is not what you expected, you
can then close the workbook without saving it and revert back to the original version.
Before using structured references, it's a good idea to give your table a meaningful name that will be easy
to refer to in your formulas.
You can now refer to any column in your table using the syntax: TableName[ColumnHeading]
The following options also appear in the list of column names and can be used in your formulas as
required:
Option Description
#All Refers to the entire table, including column headings and total row
#Data Refers to the data in the table, excluding column headings and totals
#Headers Refers to the column headings only
#Totals Refers to the total row only - if no total row is displayed, this will return null
#This Row Refers to the row that the active cell is currently in
Exporting Tables
If you use Sharepoint, you can export a table directly to a Sharepoint list without leaving Excel.
Sharepoint is an information management system that runs on a company intranet. Sharepoint allows users to
collaborate in teams, sharing files, information, contacts etc. as required.
Click on Next
Excel will confirm the type of data in each column of your table - click on Finish
A confirmation will display, informing you that the export was successful, and giving the URL of
the list. Click on OK
You can now view the table via the Lists section of your Sharepoint site:
Open the workbook that contains the cell styles you wish to use
Activate the workbook you wish to copy the styles into
Click on the Cell Styles button on the Home ribbon
You will be asked if you wish to import styles that have the same names as styles in the current workbook.
Click on Yes to import these styles, overwriting any styles with the same name in the current
workbook
Click on No to only import styles with names that don't exist in the current workbook
All imported styles will now be listed in the Cell Styles list and will be available for use in the current workbook.
Click in the cell to contain the new entry and press the right-mouse button
Inserting Images
Excel 2007 supports a large number of graphic formats so that images created in other applications may be
inserted into a worksheet.
Click on the Insert ribbon, then on the Picture button in the Illustrations group
Click on the drop-down arrow in the Look In box and select the drive and folder in which the
image is stored
Select the name of the file from the list displayed
Click on the Insert button
If you want to insert multiple images in a single step, hold [Ctrl] and click on each image in the Insert Picture
dialog box. Click on Insert when all images are selected.
When an image has been inserted, the Format ribbon under Picture Tools can be used to edit the image,
for example:
Click on a picture style to change the appearance of the image e.g. to add a frame or drop
shadow
Use the buttons in the Adjust group to change the brightness, contrast and colours of the image
Click on the Compress Pictures button in the Adjust group to make the image smaller in size, to
reduce the size of your message. Click on OK to apply compression.
Inserting ClipArt
ClipArt can be added to a spreadsheet to illustrate a point or add light relief to a complex document. ClipArt
categories include signs, maps, symbols, currency and cartoons.
Click on the Insert ribbon, then on the ClipArt button in the Illustrations group
Type a word or phrase that describes the picture that you are
looking for, then click on Search
All matching images will be displayed in the ClipArt task pane:
Scroll through the images until you find the image you wish to
use
Position the mouse over the image, then click on the drop-down arrow that will appear
Click on Insert to insert the selected image into the worksheet
When searching for images in the Clip task pane you may wish to be more selective in your search options
so that fewer images are shown, and they match your specified criteria more precisely.
Type Description
ClipArt ClipArt, drawings and other static graphics
Photographs Photographs and scanned images
Movies Video clips, animated GIFs and other animations. Note that animated GIFs
will display only if the worksheet is saved in HTML format and viewed in a
web browser such as Internet Explorer
Sounds Sound clips such as .WAV and .MP3 files
Inserting SmartArt
Excel 2007's SmartArt feature allows you to create the following types of diagrams:
Click on the Insert ribbon, then on the SmartArt button in the Illustrations group
Choose the type of diagram you wish to create from the list on the left-hand side of the window
Enter the text for each box in the diagram, pressing the arrow keys to move between each label
and [Return] to create a new label
Click away from the SmartArt to hide the text entry box. Click on the SmartArt again to show the text and the
Design and Format ribbons.
The Design ribbon can be used to change the layout, style and colour of the SmartArt:
Change the colour by clicking on the Change Colours button, then on the required colour
scheme
Change the style by clicking on the drop-down arrow of the Style box and choosing a new format
Click on the Reset Graphic button on the Design ribbon to return the layout, style and colour to the default
settings.
Adding Shapes
Use the Shapes button on the Insert ribbon to add lines and shapes to your worksheet.
Drawing Shapes
Shapes such as rectangles, ellipses, triangles and cylinders can be added as follows:
Click on the Insert ribbon, then on the Shapes button in the Illustrations group
Click on the type of shape you wish to draw
Position the mouse where the top-left corner of the shape should appear and drag the mouse
diagonally to create the required shape and size
Release the mouse button when the shape is correctly drawn
For example, to draw an oval shape, click on the Ellipse shape, then at point 1 on the worksheet. Drag the
mouse to point 2 before releasing the mouse button.
Drawing Lines
Click on the Insert ribbon, then on the Shapes button in the Illustrations group
Click on the type of line you wish to draw
Position the mouse where the beginning of the line should appear and drag the mouse to create
the required length and direction
Release the mouse button when the line is correctly drawn
To draw an arrow, for example, click on the Arrow button on the ribbon. Click at point 1 on the worksheet,
then drag the mouse to point 2 before releasing the mouse button.
Drawing Shortcuts
The following keys can be held while drawing the shape to change the way in which the shape is created:
Key Action
Shift Forces a perfect shape or line e.g. a square or circle or straight line
Ctrl Draws the line or shape from the centre out
Shift + Ctrl Draws a perfect shape or line from the centre out
Selecting Shapes
An object or graphic must be selected before it can be manipulated in any way. It is possible to select a
single object, or multiple objects on the worksheet.
To quickly select all shapes on the worksheet, click on a single shape then press [Ctrl A] to select all.
The shape styles that are available to you depend on the theme that has been applied to the workbook.
As well as changing the style of a shape or line, you can also change the
fill and outline colours manually.
Choose Picture to add a picture to the shape. Locate and select the image you wish to use, then
click on Insert
Choose Gradient to add shading to the shape, then choose from the default shades displayed
Choose Texture to add a pre-set texture to the shape e.g. marble or wood
To choose a different colour, click on More Outline Colours to display a full palette from which
any colour can be selected. Use the Standard tab to choose from the palette, or click on the
Custom tab to enter the RGB (red, green blue) values of a colour. Click on OK when complete
Click on the More option on any of the Shape Fill or Shape Outline commands to view the Format Shape
dialog box.
The following menu options appear on the left-hand side of the window:
Shape Effects
Effects such as shadows, glows and reflections can be added to a shape or line as follows:
By default, objects are stacked as they are created i.e. the first shape drawn will appear at the bottom of
the stack while the last shape drawn will appear at the top.
In the following example, the red circle was drawn first, so appears at the bottom of the stack:
Aligning Objects
Alignment is used to ensure that shapes are precisely aligned with each other. If the Align Left option is
used, for example, all selected objects will be lined-up with the left-most object.
The following example shows the same shapes after left alignment:
To align shapes:
Distributing Objects
Distribution will ensure the spacing between three or more objects is identical.
The following example shows the same shapes after horizontal distribution:
To distribute shapes:
Creating Charts
Charts can be created from worksheet data by selecting the data on which you want to base your chart -
including any text to appear as headings or legend text. If the text and numbers do not appear in one
continuous range, select the first range as normal then hold [Ctrl] while dragging over each additional
range. Ensure all ranges contain the same number of cells.
For example, the following selections could be used create a chart to display the month names and their
totals:
To create a chart:
To quickly create a column chart on a separate sheet, select all data to be included on the chart and press
[F11].
Once the chart has been created, you can use the Data group on the Design ribbon to choose whether the
chart should be displayed by row or column.
Excel 2007 has a number of pre-set layouts that you can apply to your chart, to control where each element
is positioned e.g. the legend, data table, etc.
Chart Styles
Chart Styles can be used to apply pre-set formatting to your style, to give the bars or lines a mix of colours.
Adding Labels
The Layout ribbon of a selected chart can be used to fine-tune the chart layout, including adding titles and
legends.
To remove a label from the chart, click once on the label, then press [Delete].
The horizontal and vertical axes can be formatted to show in different ways.
Major gridlines appear at each value on the axis, while minor gridlines appear between major gridlines. Set
where the gridlines should appear by clicking on Axes, then Primary Vertical Axis, then More Primary
Vertical Axis Options.
Choose the type of chart you wish to use from the left-hand menu
Choose the particular chart format you wish to use from the sample images on the right
Click on OK
Charts are used to display values in a graphic format that makes them easier to understand. Once data is
in a graphic format, trends can be identified and future values can be forecast based on the current
findings.
There are a number of different types of charts that can be created in Excel, the most common of which are
identified below:
Type Description
Column
This type of chart shows variations over a period of time or
illustrates comparisons between items.
Line
This type of chart shows trends in data over a period of
time. When compared to an area chart, line charts
emphasise the rate of change over time as opposed to the
magnitude of change.
Type Description
Pie
This charts show the relationship or proportions of different
parts to the whole. A pie chart always contains one series
of data and is useful in emphasising a single element.
Bar
This type of chart shows individual figures at a specific time
or illustrates comparisons among items.
Area
This type of chart emphasises the magnitude of change,
rather than time and the rate of change. It also shows the
relationship of parts to a whole, by displaying the sum of
the plotted values.
XY (Scatter)
This chart type is commonly used for scientific data and
shows the relationship between values in several series of
data.
Stock
This chart illustrates fluctuations in stock prices
representing opening, high, low and closing values.
Type Description
Surface
In this chart colours and patterns indicate areas of the
same value. They are useful for finding optimum
combinations between two sets of data.
Doughnut
This chart is similar to a pie chart and shows the
relationship or proportions of different parts to the whole
Bubble
This chart compares 3 sets of data using the position on the
chart and bubble size.
Radar
A radar displays each category on its own value axis
radiating from the centre point. Lines connect values in the
same series.
Once a chart has been created, the location can be changed as follows:
Choose the new location for the chart - if moving the chart to a new sheet, you can change the
name of the new sheet if required
Click on OK
Click on the Insert ribbon, then on the Text Box button in the Text group
Position the mouse where the top-left corner of the text box should appear and drag the mouse
diagonally to create the required shape and size
Release the mouse button when the text box is correctly drawn
You can set the format of a text box, so that it automatically changes shape to accommodate all text inside
it.
By default, the text will align vertically to the top of the box. Click on the drop-down arrow of the
Vertical Alignment box and change this if required
By default the text will appear horizontally. Click on the drop-down arrow of the Text Direction box
and change this to one of the rotated options if required
To change the size of the text box to fit the text, click on the Resize Shape to Fit Text box
Click on Close
Connecting Shapes
You can connect shapes and lines that you have drawn using any of the lines from the Insert Shapes
button. When you connect two shapes, the connector will always stay between the shapes, even if they are
moved.
To use connectors:
Click on the edge of the first shape, where the connector line should begin
Without releasing the mouse button, drag to the edge of the second shape, where the connector
line should end
Release the mouse button to add the connector
Changing Shapes
Once you have drawn a shape, you can change it to a different shape without losing the format of the
original shape. Any text typed inside the shape will remain, and it will stay in the same position on the
worksheet.
When an object is selected, a rotation handle is shown at the top of the object.
It is also possible to rotate images - both ClipArt and inserted file images - in this way.
If you prefer, you can rotate the image to a set 90 degrees to the left or right:
Flipping Shapes
Objects can be flipped to create a mirror image or rotated to any degree of the original shape.
For example, the following screenshot shows an original object that has then been flipped horizontally, then
vertically:
To flip an object:
Inserting WordArt
WordArt allows you to add highly formatted text objects to your worksheet, for example:
To add WordArt:
Choose the Shadow, Reflection, Glow, Bevel and 3D Rotation commands to add these effects
to the WordArt
To change the shape of the text, choose the Transform command and the required shape:
Chart Templates
If you always format your charts in the same way, you can save this format as a chart template that you
can easily apply to other charts in the future.
Create a chart and format it exactly as you would like the template to be formatted
Ensure the chart is selected
Click on the Design ribbon, then on the Save as Template button in the Type group
Click on the Set as Default Chart button before clicking on OK if you want all new charts to use the template
format by default.
To zoom into the worksheet, click on the + button of the zoom slider to increase the magnification
by 10% each time you click
To zoom out of the worksheet, click on the - button of the zoom slider to decrease the
magnification by 10% each time you click
Drag the pointer up or down to increase or decrease the magnification as required
To zoom into a particular area of the worksheet, select the area, then click on the percentage indicator at the
beginning of the zoom slider. Choose Fit Selection, then click on OK.
Save As
If you are saving an existing workbook after changes have been made, it is important to know the
difference between the Save and Save As commands.
Command Description
Save This command saves the current workbook under the existing name and replaces the
original version. Click on the Office button and choose Save, or click on the Save
button on the Quick Access Toolbar.
Save As This command requests a new name for the workbook and leaves the original
unchanged. Click on the Office button and choose Save As.
To choose a different drive to save the file to, click on the Computer icon in the Folder list on the
left of the Save As window
To choose a different folder on the same drive, click on the drive name in the navigation trail
along the top of the window
Double-click on the folder you wish to save the file to
To save the file as a different type e.g. an earlier version of Excel, click on the Save as Type list
and choose the format you wish to save the file in
Click in the File Name box and enter a new name for the file
Click on Save
Save As PDF
You can save an Excel workbook as a PDF file, provided you have downloaded the add-on from the
Microsoft website.
PDF stands for Portable Document Format, and uses the Adobe Acrobat program to view its
files. PDF files
can contain text, graphics, forms to be filled in by the user, interactive movie clips and links to
web pages.
PDF files can have security built-in so that the viewer of the file can only read it and not change it in any
way. The other benefit to using PDF files is that the viewer will see the file exactly as you have saved it,
regardless of their PC settings. The original graphic appearance of the document will always be preserved.
PDF files can be relatively small in size, so are popular for saving on the web. Many web sites will offer
PDF documents - providing more information about the site for you to download.
Print Preview
Print Preview is used to preview the workbook before printing.
Button Description
Print Displays the print dialog box
Page Setup Displays the page setup dialog box which allows you to change margins, the
header and footer and additional print options such as gridlines and headings
Zoom Toggles between 100% view and full page view. You can also click anywhere
on the page to zoom in or out
Next Page Shows the next page of the printout
Previous Page Shows the previous page of the printout
Show Margins Allows you to change the margins of the worksheet (see below)
Close Closes the preview screen and returns to the worksheet
Printing Workbooks
To print a copy of the worksheet:
The Print dialog box will open, allowing you to set exactly what should be printed.
Click on the drop-down arrow in the Name box to choose a different printer if required
In the Page Range box, choose All to print the entire sheet, or click in the Pages box and type
the pages to be printed From and To
In the Print What box, choose Selection to print the selected range only, or Active Sheet to print
the whole sheet. Choose Entire Workbook to print all sheets of the workbook
Increase or decrease the number of Copies as required
Click on OK to print the selected pages
To quickly print one copy of the active sheet without further options being displayed, click on the Office button,
then on the arrow next to the Print button. Choose Quick Print.
Emailing Workbooks
Excel has a facility to quickly email the current workbook to any number of recipients without the need to
open Outlook 2007 manually.
A new Outlook email message will be created that contains the Excel file as an attachment.
Click in the To box and type the address of the people you wish to send the file to. Separate
multiple names with a semi-colon
Click in the Cc box and enter the names of the people you wish to copy the message to
The subject will automatically set as the name of the file - select this and type a new subject if
required
Add any introductory text to the body of the message
Click on the Send button when complete
To send a PDF copy of the worksheet that others won't be able to amend, click on the Office button, then on the
Send button. Choose the Email as PDF Attachment command.
The properties pane will appear across the top of the worksheet. Click in each box and fill in the properties
as required.
Tab Description
General The location and size of the file, creation and modification dates and the file
attributes.
Summary Title, Subject and Author of the file as well as any keywords or comments.
Statistics Displays the revision number and total editing time of the book.
Contents Lists the different parts of the file e.g. the sheets contained in the book.
Custom An area for custom properties such as Client, Publisher and Typist.
Marking As Final
When you mark a workbook as final, the document will be saved as read-only so that no more changes can
be made to the document. In addition, the status bar shows that this is the final version of the file.
Once a document is marked as final, you will not be able to enter new text into the workbook or change the
format in any way. The majority of ribbon commands will be disabled.
A message box will inform you that your workbook will be marked as final and saved as a read-only file.
Click on OK.
Another message box will confirm that the document has been marked as final:
The status bar will show the Final indicator, immediately following Ready:
Documents marked as final in Excel 2007 will not be read-only if they are opened in earlier versions of Excel. If
you need to make changes to a document marked as final, click on the Office button, choose Prepare and
Mark as Final again to turn off this setting.
Saving Workspaces
A workspace file contains information about the open workbooks, active sheets and window sizes. When
the workspace file is re-opened, it will automatically open all workbooks that were open when the file was
saved.
Creating a workspace file enables you to retrieve the exact screen layout at a later stage.
Arranging Windows
Choose the way you want your workbooks to be arranged, then click on OK
Tiled This will arrange all windows both horizontally and vertically
Vertical This will arrange windows next to each other, showing more of each
worksheet than the Horizontal option
Cascade All windows will be placed in a stack with their title bars displayed.
Click on a title bar to show a window
The files saved in the workspace can still be accessed individually if required.
After entering your formula, look in the top-left corner of the cell. If this shows a green triangle, the
cell contains an error
Click on the cell that contains the formula - a smart tag will display
Position the mouse over this icon to display a drop-down arrow
Click on the drop-down arrow and choose how you wish to handle the error
Option Description
Help on this Error Show the help screen relating to this error
Show Calculation Steps Display the Evaluate window, giving a breakdown of the formula to make the
error
easier to spot
Ignore Error Ignore the error and remove the smart tag
Edit in Formula Bar Edit the error manually
Choose Show Calculation Steps from the error's Smart Tag options
The first step of the formula will be displayed, with all cell references showing in the Evaluation
box. The following example shows a simple formula of one cell being subtracted from another:
Click on the Step In button to show the value in the underlined cell:
Click on the Evaluate button to calculate the underlined formula and show it's result
If the formula contains more calculations, continue to click on Evaluate until the values of all
references of the formula are shown. Click on Close when complete.
Dashed lines will appear around the print area on the worksheet.
You can quickly select the print area in the worksheet by clicking on the drop-down arrow of the Name box
and choosing Print_Area:
To clear the print area and return to printing the entire workbook:
Printing Titles
If your worksheet contains more data than will fit on a single page when printed, you can set the headings
to appear at the top of each page of the printout.
These headings are known as print titles. You can have rows that repeat at the top of each page of the
printout and/or columns that appear on the left of each page.
Click on OK
To clear print titles, click on the Print Titles button then remove the cell references from the Rows to repeat at
Top and Columns to repeat at Left boxes.
Compatibility Checking
If you need to share your workbooks with users that have previous versions of Excel, you can use the
compatibility checker to see which features in your workbook they will be unable to see.
If your workbook contains VBA coding (macros), these may not work in previous versions of Excel
If your Excel 2007 worksheet is larger than the maximum number of rows and columns of
previous versions, data will be lost when you save your file
Most conditional formatting is lost when an Excel 2007 file is saved for a previous version of Excel
You may experience problems with range names and filters when saving between different
versions of Excel
You will be shown a dialog box that lists the features that are not supported in previous versions.
Click on Find to locate the range in the worksheet that uses the feature that is not supported
Click on Help to learn more about the incompatibility
Click on OK to return to the worksheet
To save the file for a previous version of Excel, click on the Office button and choose Save As. Change the
Save as Type as required, then click on Save.
Setting Passwords
You can set two types of passwords on your Excel workbooks:
Type Description
Password to Open This password will be needed in order to open the workbook
Password to Modify Anyone can open the workbook, but this password will be needed to make
any changes to the file
Click on Save
If the file already exists, you will be asked if you wish to replace the file - click on Yes
If a modify password was set, you can click on the Read Only button to open the file without a password, but
will not be able to save any changes to the file.
Click on Save
If the file already exists, you will be asked if you wish to replace the file - click on Yes
When you open the file, you will be prompted whether you want to open it as read-only or not.