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Introduction
Excel 2003 Introduction
Introduction
Entering Data............................................................................................................................. 11
Moving the Active Cell ....................................................................................................................11
Entering Text, Numbers and Dates ................................................................................................11
Something Else to Try ....................................................................................................................12
Using AutoFill............................................................................................................................ 15
AutoFill Options ..............................................................................................................................16
AutoCorrect ............................................................................................................................... 19
AutoCorrect Options .......................................................................................................................20
Page Breaks............................................................................................................................... 27
Worksheet Views....................................................................................................................... 28
Page Setup................................................................................................................................. 29
Headers and Footers......................................................................................................................29
Sheet Options .................................................................................................................................30
Printing....................................................................................................................................... 32
Emailing Workbooks................................................................................................................. 33
Something Else to Try ....................................................................................................................34
Comparing Workbooks............................................................................................................. 40
Selecting Cells........................................................................................................................... 42
Selecting Multiple Areas .................................................................................................................43
AutoFormat................................................................................................................................ 54
AutoFormat Options .......................................................................................................................54
Indenting Text............................................................................................................................ 60
Conditional Formatting............................................................................................................. 71
AutoCalculate ............................................................................................................................ 74
Additional Options ..........................................................................................................................74
AutoSum .................................................................................................................................... 75
Extended AutoSum.........................................................................................................................75
Worksheet Functions................................................................................................................ 83
Function Tool Tips ..........................................................................................................................84
Inserting Functions .........................................................................................................................84
Outlining .................................................................................................................................... 88
AutoComplete.......................................................................................................................... 107
Creating Workbooks
When Excel 2003 is launched, a new blank workbook is displayed automatically. If you need another
new workbook, click on the first button on the Standard Toolbar or press [Ctrl N].
The Getting Started Task pane shows when you launch Excel. This task pane has links to help topics and useful
websites, and provides a link to the New Workbook task pane.
The top of this task pane shows the last four books you have worked on, allowing one-click access to
these files:
The New Workbook task pane shows when you choose the File, New command and gives you a
choice of the type of workbook you wish to create.
Templates
Excel 2003 has a number of templates that contain standard text and formatting to be used as a base
for your documents.
Any recently used templates will be listed above the General Templates link on the task pane. Click
on the name of a template to create another workbook based on that template. To create a workbook
based on a template that has not be used recently:
X Choose the category of templates using the tabs at the top of the dialog box displayed e.g.
Spreadsheet Solutions for the standard Excel templates.
X Choose the template you wish to use.
X Click on OK.
The New Workbook task pane will close automatically once the new file has been created. If you wish
to close this pane without creating a new workbook, click on the Close button in the top-right corner of
the pane.
Zoom Display
The magnification of the worksheet can be changed to increase or decrease the size that the worksheet displays
on screen. You can zoom out to display more on the screen, or zoom in to view the detail of a certain part of the
sheet.
X Click on the drop-down arrow of the Zoom box on the Standard Toolbar and choose the zoom
percentage you wish to use.
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.
X Click in the name box and enter the cell you wish to go to
X Press [Enter].
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 and press [Enter]. 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.
X Alphabetical text (labels) automatically align to the left of the cell when entered while numbers
and dates (values) align to the right.
X Dates should always be entered in the format dd/mm/yy e.g. 01/12/99 for 1st December 1999.
X Excel's default setting is to move the active cell down when [Return] is pressed.
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
If you need to enter the same value or label into a range of cells, this can be done as follows:
X Select the range you wish to enter the label or value into.
X Type the label or value.
X Press [Ctrl Enter].
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 È Moves the active cell to the last entry in the current column
Ctrl Æ Moves the active cell to the last entry in the current row
Copies the value from the first cell of the selection into all other selected cells in the same
Ctrl D
column
Ctrl R Copies the value from the first cell of the selection into all other selected cells in the same row
Other options such as setting the correct User Name can also be set in this dialog box. To set your user name,
click on the General tab.
Inserting Symbols
Symbols that do not appear on the standard keyboard can be inserted as follows:
Symbol Subsets
When you choose Normal Text or one of the text-based fonts such as Arial or Times New Roman, subsets of the
font will be listed to allow you to find the character you want quicker and easier. Click on the drop-down arrow of
the Subset box and choose the required category.
Using 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.
AutoFill Options
When you use the AutoFill command to copy data, you are given the choice of how the data should
be inserted.
X After using AutoFill, look in the bottom-right corner of the range of data - you will see a smart tag.
X Position the mouse over this tag to display a drop-down arrow.
X Click on the drop-down arrow and choose how you wish to fill the range.
For example, if a date is entered in the first cell, the following options will be available:
The AutoFill handle can be dragged up or to the left to remove any unwanted entries from the end of
the list.
Custom Lists
Custom lists can be used for frequently used sets of data. Any list can be defined and then entered by
typing the first item and dragging the fill handle.
If you have already entered the list manually into the worksheet, it can be imported as a custom list with no
retyping required:
X Select the cells containing the items of the list - these must be located next to each other.
X Choose Tools, Options and click on the Custom Lists tab.
X Click on Import.
X Click on OK.
List AutoFill
List AutoFill copies formatting from existing lines of a spreadsheet into any new lines typed directly
under these lines.
X The list must contain 3 or more lines formatted in the same way, with no spaces between these
lines.
X If a formula is included in the original list, this will also be added automatically to any new lines
added to the list.
For Example:
In the following example, any new lines added would be formatted as follows:
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.
AutoCorrect Options
The following options can also be selected in the AutoCorrect dialog box:
Any words added to the AutoCorrect list in Excel will also be available in Word and PowerPoint.
Checking Spelling
The spell checker can be started in three ways:
Choose the language you wish to check the spelling in from the Dictionary Language drop-down list.
When a spelling error is found, the following options are available:
To add an incorrect spelling to the AutoCorrect list so that it is corrected automatically in future:
X From the list of suggestions, choose the correct replacement that will be used when the incorrect
spelling is typed.
X Click on AutoCorrect.
Research Services
The Research task pane allows you to find reference information from a number of sources without leaving Office
2003. You can insert any found information into your worksheet.
X If the task pane is already displayed, click on the drop-down arrow of this pane and choose
Research
Service Description
Reference Books This will look up your text in the dictionary and thesaurus, and will also offer
translation of the text
Research Sites This will look up your text on eLibrary, Encarta Encyclopaedia and the MSN search
engine
Business and Financial This will look up your text in Gale Company Profiles and MSN Money Stock Quotes
Sites
X In the Search For box, type the text you wish to research
X Click on the drop-down arrow of the next line and choose the service you wish to use e.g. all
research sites
X All results will be shown:
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.
Adding Services
X Click on the Research Options link at the bottom of the research task pane
X 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.
X To add extra services, click on the Add Services button. All services available to you will be
displayed - click on the required service, then on Add
X Click on OK when complete
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.
The Office Assistant will display a light bulb whenever there is help available on the Excel feature you
are using. To find out more about this feature, click once on the bulb in the Assistant display box.
Assistant Options
When the Assistant is displayed, its options can be changed by positioning the mouse over the Assistant and
pressing the right mouse button.
X Select Options to change the general settings e.g. Make Sounds or Show Tip of the Day at
StartUp. Choose OK when complete
X Select Choose Assistant to change the character used. Click on Next to scroll through the
characters and choose OK to select the displayed character
X Select Animate to view the animation features of the Assistant
Ask a Question
The "Ask a Question" box appears at the end of the menu bar. This box can be used to find help on any topic.
X Click in the Ask a Question box and type the Excel feature you want to know more about.
X Press [Enter]
The Search task pane will display with a list of all matching help topics.
You can change the source of Excel help by clicking on the drop0down arrow of the Search box at the bottom of
the search task pane:
Close the help window by clicking on the button in the top-right corner of the window.
You can show the help task pane at any time by clicking on the Excel Help button on the Standard Toolbar.
Adding 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. The
following types of hyperlinks can be inserted into Excel sheets:
Inserting Hyperlinks
X Select the cell you wish to insert the hyperlink in - ensure the cell contains text that can be clicked
to activate the link.
X Choose Insert, Hyperlink or click on the Hyperlink button on the Standard Toolbar.
X If the workbook has not yet been saved, you will be prompted to save the file. Choose Yes or No
as required.
There are four options for the targets of hyperlinks created in Excel:
X To link to another file, Excel or other, click on the Existing File or Web Page icon. Navigate the
folders in the centre of the dialog box to find the file you wish to link to.
X 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.company.com. If a link to the page has
been used recently, click on Browsed Pages to choose the link from your History list.
X To link to a specific cell or named range in the workbook, click on the Place in this Document
icon. To link to a specific cell, choose the sheet and enter the cell reference. To link to a named
range, click on the + in front of Defined Names and choose the name from the list displayed.
X 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@company.com. If messages
created using this link should always have a specific subject, enter this in the Subject box.
X Hyperlinks to web pages can be created automatically by typing the full URL address of the
website e.g. http://www.company.com.
X Email hyperlinks can be created by typing the full email address e.g. johnsmith@company.com.
When this link is clicked, an Outlook message will be created and addressed automatically.
X 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.
Page Breaks
Excel workbooks are paginated as they are typed – system page breaks are inserted where no more
text will fit onto a page. These breaks can be overwritten with hard (manual) page breaks.
Remove a page break by clicking on the cell that immediately follows the break and choosing Insert, Remove
Page Break.
Worksheet Views
Normal view displays the entire workbook which comprises 256 columns and 65536 rows. Page
breaks display as dashed black lines. Choose View, Normal.
Page Break Preview also 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.
Choose View, Page Break Preview.
Page Setup
Page settings can be changed using the File, Page Setup command. Use the Page tab to change
the orientation and scaling of the page:
Use the Margins tab to change the left, right, top and bottom margins of the worksheet. This tab also includes
options to centre the printed range horizontally and/or vertically on the page.
The Header/Footer tab is used to set header and footer text. Click on the drop-down arrow of the
Header or Footer list and choose a pre-set header or footer, or set a custom header or footer as
follows:
To format text entered in the custom header or footer, select the text, then click on the Font icon.
Choose all formatting options, then click on OK.
To set the format of an inserted image, select the &[Picture] text and click on the Format Picture
icon. Use the Size tab to specify the size of the image and the Picture tab to crop the image or set
image control e.g. to print the image as greyscale.
Sheet Options
Use the Sheet tab to set the print area and titles plus additional options such as gridlines, row/column
headings and comments. The print area is the range of the worksheet that will be printed when the
Print command is issued. This can also be set as follows:
To clear the print area, choose File, Print Area, Clear Print Area.
The Sheet tab of the Page Setup dialog box is also used to specify columns or rows that should be
repeated on each printed page.
X Click in the Rows to repeat at the top box, then drag the mouse over the rows you want to
repeat from the worksheet in the background.
X Click in the Columns to repeat at left box, then drag the mouse over the columns you want to
repeat from the worksheet in the background.
You can also use the Sheet tab to specify how errors should print on the worksheet - as displayed on screen, as
blank cells or as dashes.
Print Preview
Print Preview is used to preview the workbook before printing. Choose File, Print Preview or click on
the Print Preview button on the Standard Toolbar.
The following buttons are available at the top of the Preview screen:
Button Description
It's possible to set left, right, top and bottom margins in the Print Preview screen, as well as setting column
widths.
Printing
The Print button on the Standard Toolbar will send one copy of the active sheet to print without any further
options being displayed.
The File, Print command can be used to set exactly what should be printed.
Emailing Workbooks
Excel has a facility to quickly email the current workbook to any number of recipients. This option only
works if you are using Outlook as your email application:
If your workbook contains more than a single sheet, you will be asked whether you wish to send the
current sheet only, or the entire workbook.
If you choose to send the current worksheet only, an email header will be displayed at the top of the
worksheet, showing the following toolbar buttons.
X Click in the To box and type the address of the people you wish to send the file to. If you wish to
send the message to more than one person, separate each name with a semi-colon.
X Click in the CC box and enter the names of the people you wish to copy the message to.
X If you wish to copy the message to someone without their name appearing on the message, click
on the BCC button and add their name to the BCC box.
It's also possible to email the current section only - useful if you only need to send a specific range of
data to a colleague.
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.
X Choose File, Save or File, Save As, or click on the Save button on the Standard Toolbar.
X Ensure the correct drive and folder are selected - if these are not correct, click in the Save In box
and select the drive and/or folder.
X Click in the File Name box and type a new name for the workbook.
X 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.
The Save command saves the current workbook under the existing name and replaces the
original version. Choose File, Save or click on the Save icon on the standard toolbar.
The Save As command requests a new name for the workbook and leaves the original unchanged. Choose
File, Save As.
If you accidentally attempt to close a workbook without first saving it, Excel will ask if you wish to save any
changes to the workbook. Click on Yes to save the changes or No to exit the workbook and lose any changes.
Keystroke Action
Ctrl S Save
F12 Save As
Some Excel information will not be translated - custom formatting will be lost as will advanced Excel features
such as outlining, OLE links, embedded charts and drawn objects.
If the workbook will be opened in Excel 2002, 2000 or 97, it need not be saved in a different format. Excel 2003
workbooks can be opened directly in Excel 2002, 2000 and 97.
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 you have a large number of workbooks open and wish to close them in one step, hold [Shift] while clicking on
the File menu. The Close option changes to Close All and will close all workbooks currently open, without exiting
Excel. You will be prompted to save any unsaved workbooks.
Opening Workbooks
Existing workbooks are opened as follows:
X Choose File, Open or click on the Open button on the Standard Toolbar.
X Click on the drop-down arrow in the Look In box and select the drive and folder in which the file is
stored.
X Select the name of the workbook from the list displayed and choose Open.
The last four workbooks opened are listed at the bottom of the File menu. Clicking on one of these names will
open the file in a single step.
The following toolbar buttons appear at the top of the Open dialog box:
The Preview view displays an image of the selected file on the right of the Open dialog box. Use the File,
Properties window to set whether a preview picture should display or now.
The New Workbook task pane contains shortcuts to the last four documents opened in Word. The
task pane can be shown in one of the following ways:
If the New Workbook task pane does not show by default, click on the drop-down arrow at the top of
the Task Pane and choose New Workbook.
The Open dialog box can also be used for file management. Right click on a workbook name for a list
of options, including the following:
X Choose Delete to permanently delete the file. Click on Yes or No in the warning box displayed.
X Choose Rename to rename the file. Type a new name and press [Return].
The Open button contains a drop-down arrow that gives options to open the file as read-only, open a copy of the
file or to open the file in your web browser. To open the workbook in the standard way, click on the Open button,
away from the drop-down arrow.
X Choose File, Open or click on the Open icon on the Standard Toolbar.
X In the Files of Type box, choose the format of the file you wish to open.
X Click on the drop-down arrow in the Look In box and select the drive and folder in which the
workbook is stored.
X Select the name of the file from the list displayed and choose Open.
To save the imported workbook in Excel 2003 format, choose File, Save As and select Microsoft Excel
Workbook from the Files of Type list.
If the workbook you wish to open is an Excel 2002, 2000 or 97 file, it can be opened directly in Excel 2003
without changing the Files of Type option.
Comparing Workbooks
If you are working with multiple workbooks, you can show these side by side, and synchronise them so that as
you scroll through one workbook, the other will be scrolled at the same time.
Click on the Close Side by Side button on the toolbar to return to viewing one workbook on screen.
X Each workbook has its own button on the Task Bar - click on a button to activate that workbook.
X Hold [Alt] and press [Tab] to switch between workbooks. Release [Tab] when the required book is
highlighted.
It is also possible to select the document you wish to activate from the Window menu:
X Choose Window.
X In the lower part of the menu, choose the name of the document you wish to activate.
Window Settings
If you prefer, you can prevent Excel from opening each workbook in a separate application window.
You will still be able to work with multiple Excel files, but each workbook will not appear along the task
bar.
The following keyboard shortcuts can also be used to switch between open workbooks:
Keystroke Action
Ctrl F6 Open Next Workbook
Shift Ctrl F6 Open Previous Workbook
Selecting Cells
You can select text using either the mouse or the keyboard - whichever you prefer. To select text
using the mouse:
Select Action
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.
X Drag the mouse over the first block of cells you wish to select. Release the mouse button when
complete.
X Hold [Ctrl] and drag the mouse over the next block of cells, again releasing the mouse when
complete.
X 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
* The current region is the area of data surrounding the active cell, until a blank column or row is encountered.
Editing Data
The content of the active cell always displays in the Formula Bar:
Once the cell is active, you can edit the text as follows:
X To insert text, simply type the text. It will appear at the cursor position.
X Press [Backspace] to remove the character to the left of the cursor.
X Press [Delete] to remove the character to the right of the cursor.
X Press [Return] to enter the revised data into the cell.
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 Cells
Cells are cleared by selecting the cells and pressing [Delete]. This will only clear the content of the
cell - any text, numbers or formulae typed in the cell. Formatting such as borders and colours will not
be removed.
The Clear command in the Edit menu can be used to specify exactly what you want to delete from the
selected cells. You can use this to clear only the formatting from your cells. Any data entered in the
cells will remain, but any formatting will be removed.
X To remove content and formatting from a selection, choose Edit, Clear, All
X To remove only formatting from a selection, leaving the contents as they are, choose Edit, Clear,
Formats
X Click on the drop-down arrow after the Undo icon and select the last command you wish to undo
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. Choose Edit, Repeat as many times as required
The following keyboard shortcuts can also be used to undo, redo and repeat commands:
Keystroke Action
Ctrl Z Undo
Ctrl Y Redo
F4 Repeat
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:
X Position the mouse over the edge of the selected range to display the white arrow shaped mouse
pointer. Drag the range to a new location and release the mouse button.
X To copy text, hold [Ctrl] while dragging and release the mouse button before releasing the [Ctrl]
key.
Paste Options
When you paste data into your Excel worksheet, you often have a choice of how the data should be
inserted.
X After pasting your data, look in the bottom-right corner of the range of data - you will see a paste
icon.
X Position the mouse over this icon to display a drop-down arrow.
X Click on the drop-down arrow and choose how you wish to paste the data.
When you paste as a link, the pasted data will update each time the original is changed.
If you prefer, you can disable the Paste Options button so that it doesn't show each time you paste
data.
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 drop-down arrow at the top of the
Task Pane and choose Clipboard.
When the task pane displays in Office, an icon will appear on the task bar 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. Uncheck the option to Show Office Clipboard Icon in Task Bar.
Once the Clipboard Task Pane is displayed, you can insert any item stored in the clipboard.
X To paste from the Clipboard, click on the item's icon on the Clipboard Task Pane.
X To paste all items from the clipboard, click on Paste All at the top of the Clipboard Task Pane.
X To clear all items from the Clipboard, click on the Clear All button at the top of the Clipboard 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.
Finding Data
X Choose Edit, Find or press [Ctrl F].
X Choose Find Next to find the first occurrence of the word and 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 dialog box to do this:
Search Options
Additional search options can be set in the Find dialog box by clicking on Options:
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:
Click on the drop-down arrow of the Format button and choose Clear Find Format to locate text regardless of
its format.
Replacing Data
X Choose Edit, Replace or press [Ctrl H].
X Type the text or number to be located in the Find What box and the replacement text or number
in the Replace With box.
X Choose Find Next to find the next occurrence of the word, Replace to replace the single
occurrence or Replace All to replace all occurrences.
X Select the entire column(s) or row(s) to be deleted by clicking on the column letter or row number
in the worksheet frame.
X Choose Edit, Delete.
The Insert and Delete commands are also available if you select columns or rows and click the right mouse
button.
The following shortcuts can also be used to insert or delete columns or rows:
Keystroke Action
Copying Formatting
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.
X Select the cell or range of cells containing the formatting you wish to copy.
X Click on the Format Painter button on the Standard Toolbar - the mouse pointer will display a
paintbrush.
X 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
and click on the button again to switch it off.
AutoFormat
It is possible to format a worksheet using an automatic preset format. This will format text and
numbers in the range, adding colour and borders where applicable. Excel has many preset formats
that can be customised manually if required.
X Click anywhere in the range to be formatted. If the range does not contain any blank columns or
rows, it is not necessary to select the range.
X Choose Format, AutoFormat.
X Choose the required format from the list of samples displayed.
X Choose OK.
Any manual formatting can be carried out on the range after an AutoFormat has been applied. It is also possible
to change column widths and row heights after applying an AutoFormat.
AutoFormat Options
You can choose exactly which formatting options you wish to apply to the range:
Text Formatting
Character formatting includes fonts, point size and effects such as bold and italics.
The Formatting Toolbar contains shortcuts for the following character formatting options:
X 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.
X Add bold, italics or underlining to the cell by clicking on each button.
X Change the colour of the text in the cells using the Text Colour icon at the end of the Formatting
Toolbar. 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:
X Choose the font, size and style from the lists displayed.
X Click on the drop-down arrow of the Color box and choose the required colour from the palette
displayed.
X Click on the drop-down list of the Underline box and choose the required underline option. The
Accounting style will place the underline slightly lower than a normal underline, leaving a gap
between the cell content and underlining.
X Check the effects you wish to apply.
X Choose OK when complete.
The following keyboard shortcuts can also be used to format selected cells:
Keystroke 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:
Text Alignment
By default, text is aligned to the left of the cell and numbers to the right. Alignment of cells can be
changed using the buttons on the Formatting Toolbar:
X Ensure the heading is typed in the first of the cells to be merge. In the above example, the
heading would be typed in column B.
X Select the cells you wish to merge, starting with the cell containing the heading.
X Click on the Merge & Centre button.
You can split cells that have previously been merged in the above way:
X Select the merged cell - the Merge & Centre button will appear activated.
X Click on the Merge & Centre button to split the cells back to how they looked originally.
Additional alignment can be applied through the format cells dialog box:
Option Description
Horizontal
Sets the alignment between the left and right of the cell.
Alignment
Vertical
Sets the alignment between the top and bottom of the cell.
Alignment
Indent Sets the distance that the text appears from the left margin of the cell.
Wrapping Text
It is possible to enter multiple lines of text in the same cell using one of the following techniques:
Alternatively, line breaks may be inserted manually while typing the text:
Indenting Text
If text is left aligned in the cell, it can be indented from the left border using the Indent buttons on the
Formatting Toolbar.
Indenting can only be applied to cells that are left aligned. If the cell is right aligned or centered, text will still
indent from the left of the cell.
Indenting can also be set through the Alignment tab of the Format, Cells dialog box.
X Click on the drop-down arrow of the Cell Colour button to set the background colour of the
selection.
X Click on the drop-down arrow of the Text Colour button to set the colour of any text in the
selected cells.
Additional Formatting
Additional borders and colours can be applied through the format cells dialog box:
X Select the cells you wish to format and choose Format, Cells.
X Click on the Border tab to display the following options:
The following keyboard shortcuts can also be used to format selected cells:
Keystroke Action
Shift Ctrl & Add a single outline border around the selection
It is possible to create a new toolbar containing the Border or Colour options. This is especially useful
if you use these commands over and over again.
X Click on the drop-down arrow of the border or colour button on the Formatting Toolbar.
X Click on the thick grey bar at the top of the drop-down menu and drag this to a suitable position
on the screen.
Drawing Borders
You can 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:
The Draw Border toolbar will display with the following buttons:
To draw an outline border around your cells, position the mouse where the top-left corner of the box
should appear. Click and drag the mouse to the bottom-right corner of the box.
Vertical and horizontal lines can be added simply by dragging over the gridlines of the table that you
wish the lines to appear over. You can add diagonal lines by dragging across a cell.
You can erase borders from the worksheet by clicking on the Erase Border button on the Draw
Border toolbar. The mouse pointer shape will change to an eraser.
To set the border colour before drawing any lines, click on the Border Colour button on the Draw Border
toolbar and select a new colour. This will be used when the next border line is drawn.
X 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.
X Position the mouse pointer over the right border of one of the selected column headings – a new
mouse pointer shape will be displayed.
X Drag the mouse to the left or right to adjust the column width.
While changing the column width in this way, the size of the column will be displayed in both characters and
pixels.
AutoFit
The AutoFit command will set the width of a column automatically to fit the longest text entry or
number within that column.
The column width can be returned to normal by choosing Format, Column, Standard Width and choosing OK.
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 on the worksheet:
It is good practice in any spreadsheet application to set row heights rather than leave blank rows between
related ranges of data.
Number Formatting
When a number is entered into a spreadsheet, no zero decimals will be displayed in the number. For
example, if 100.00 were entered, 100 would be displayed.
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. The Formatting
Toolbar contains shortcuts for the following number formatting options:
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.
Displays the number with a set amount of decimal places. A comma can be added between each
Number
thousand of the number by checking the Use 1000 Separator box.
Category Description
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
Currency
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).
Displays the number with an optional currency symbol and set amount of decimal places. The
Accounting
currency symbol will be placed at the extreme left of the cell (see illustration below).
Multiplies the number by 100 and displays the % symbol with a specified amount of decimal
Percentage
places. The number 0.25 would display as 25%.
Displays the number as a fraction. The fraction that the number should be rounded to can be
Fraction
selected e.g. 1.125 as quarters would display 1 1/4, but as halves would display 1.
Displays the number in scientific format - especially useful for extremely large or small numbers.
Scientific
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:
When you choose the Date or Time format, you can choose the language that the date or time should
be shown in. Choose the required language from the Locale (location) box.
The following keyboard shortcuts can also be used to format selected cells:
Keystroke Action
Symbol Description
. (period) Decimal separator
, (comma) Thousand separator
0 Digit placeholder - will result in a zero if the number is not large enough to need it.
# Digit placeholder - used only if the number is large enough to need it.
% Multiplies the number by 100 and adds the % symbol.
[colour] Changes the number to the colour in square brackets.
"Symbol" Any letter or punctuation symbol can be added, but should be placed in quotation
marks
Excel number formats have two sections separated by a semi-colon (;). The first section is used if the number is
positive, while the second is optional and used if the number is negative.
Examples:
Format Description
"US $" #,##0.00 Places US $ in front of the value. If the number is over 1000, a comma
separator is used. The number is forced to 2 decimal places.
000 The number is forced to three digits. The value 1 would display as 001.
[blue]0.00;[red]- Positive numbers will display in blue and are forced to 2 decimal places.
0.00 Negative numbers display in red with a minus sign and 2 decimals.
DDDD, D MMMM This will format the date 1/1/2000 to Monday, 1 January 2000.
YYYY
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.
X All cell values less than 200 have the font set to bold and red.
X All cell values greater than 600 have the cell pattern set to light yellow.
X Select the cells to which you wish to apply conditional formatting and choose Format,
Conditional Formatting.
X Ensure the first box reads Cell Value Is to set the format depending on the value stored in the cell
X Click on the drop-down arrow in the Between box and select the comparison type e.g. Greater
than or Less than. Type the comparison values in the following boxes
X Click on Format and select the formatting to apply if the condition is met. Choose OK to set this
format.
X To add a second condition, click on Add and repeat all steps to set this condition.
X Choose OK to set the conditional format.
The following conditional format will change all cells containing values over 200 to red text with a red
border.
You can show the Search pane any time you need to find a file, without the need to leave Excel.
Choose File, File Search to show the task pane.
To search for text in the name, properties or content of a file or Outlook item:
X Click in the Search Text box on the Search task pane. Type the text you wish to locate.
X Click on the drop-down arrow of the Search In box to choose where you wish to search for your
data:
X Click on the drop-down arrow of the Results Should Be box and tick the items you wish to find
e.g. Excel files or Outlook contacts. You can check as many options as you wish to find.
X Click on Search.
X Click on a file in this pane to open the file for viewing or editing.
X Position the mouse at the end of the file name and click on the drop-down arrow for more options.
Click on the Modify button at the bottom of the Search pane to edit your search or perform another search.
AutoCalculate
The AutoCalculate box on the status bar is used to quickly view the total of a selected block of data. If
the selection does not contain any values, this box will remain blank.
Additional Options
As well as the default Sum option, additional calculations can be viewed. Position the mouse pointer
over the AutoCalculate box and press the right mouse button.
The following functions are available to be used in the AutoCalculate box. When you select a function,
that function will be used until another is chosen manually:
Function Description
Average Returns the average of the selected values
Count Returns the number of values or labels in the selection
Count Nums Returns the number of values in the selection
Max Returns the highest value in the selection
Min Returns the lowest value in the selection
Sum Returns the total of all numbers in the selection
AutoSum
This is used to add the contents of columns and/or rows of values and place the results in specified
cells of the worksheet.
X 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:
X Click on the AutoSum button on the Standard Toolbar to insert the totals.
As the AutoSum command enters formulae 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
Entering Formulae
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 Formulae
Order of Calculation
Brackets
Of
Division
Multiplication
Addition
Subtraction
If a formula is entered into a single cell, it can be copied into adjacent cells using the standard Copy and Paste
commands.
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.
X Create the formula in the normal way and position the cursor anywhere on the reference to be
made absolute.
X 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.
Converting Euros
The Euro Tools add-in enables the EuroValue toolbar which can be used to quickly convert the
selected number from one Euro currency to another. To show this toolbar:
X Ensure the Euro Currency Tools add-in is enabled. Choose Tools, Add-Ins and check this option
on the list of add-ins if not.
X Right-click over any toolbar currently displayed on screen.
X Choose EuroValue.
Converting Euros
If you need the result of a Euro conversion to appear in your worksheet, you can use the Euro
Conversion command to convert values between currencies of countries that have adopted the Euro.
Formatting Euros
X Click on the drop-down arrow on the Symbol list and choose Euro. There are two options - the
first displays the symbol in front of the number, the second displays the symbol after the number.
X Choose OK.
If you often format numbers to the Euro, the Euro symbol can be placed on the Formatting Toolbar
using the Euro Tools add-in:
To format a number after the Euro Currency Tools have been enabled, simply select the cells to be
formatted and click on the Euro button on the Formatting Toolbar.
Once the add-in has been enabled in this way, it will launch automatically each time Excel is started. To disable
the add-in, choose Tools, Add-Ins and uncheck the Euro Tools option.
Error Checking
If a formula you enter contains an error, Excel will display a smart tag to alert you of this error.
X After entering your formula, look in the top-left corner of the cell. If this shows a green triangle, the
cell contains an error.
X Click on the cell that contains the formula. A smart tag will display.
X Position the mouse over this icon to display a drop-down arrow.
X Click on the drop-down arrow and choose how you wish to handle the error.
If you prefer, you can disable the Error Checking indicator so that doesn't show each time you enter
an incorrect formula.
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:
X Click on the Step In button to show the value in the underlined cell.
X Click on Step Out to continue evaluating.
X Click on the Evaluate button to move to the next cell reference of the formula. Again, click on
Step In to show the value of this reference.
X Continue to click on Evaluate until the values of all references of the formula are shown. Clicking
on Evaluate for the last time will show the result of the formula.
X Click on Close when complete.
The watch window updates automatically as the cells change, allowing to you see at a glance what
their results are.
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 following mathematical functions have only one argument - the range of cells to be calculated.
Function Description
Function Description
=TODAY( ) Returns the current date that will update each time the file is opened
=NOW( ) Returns the current date and time that will update each time the file is opened
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,
choose Tools, Options and the General tab. Uncheck Function Tooltips and click on OK.
Inserting Functions
The Insert Function command can be used if you are unsure of a function or its arguments.
X Type keywords to search for the function you need - use plain English and enter as many
keywords as you need.
X Click on Go.
Excel will display the Function Arguments dialog box. 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.
Label Names
Label names can be used to refer to all values immediately following that label in a worksheet range.
For Example
In the following example, JAN could be used to refer to the range B2:B5, while EXCEL could be used
to refer to the range B3:D3.
In this spreadsheet, the following formula could be entered to add up the first column of figures:
=SUM(Jan)
While the following formula could be entered to find the average of the second row of figures:
=AVERAGE(Excel)
To refer to a cell that intersects two label ranges, type both label names with a space between. Using the above
example =Excel Feb would return 88.
Range Names
Range names can be set to refer to any range of cells. Range names can make entering formulae
much easier.
SALES and PROFIT are range names that could be applied to cells B24 and E15 using the following
method:
The name box to the left of the formula bar can be used to assign a name to a range.
X Type a name for the range - this should not contain spaces and must be more than a single
character in length.
X Press [Return].
To use a name in a formula, type the name or press [F3] to select the name from a list.
X Click on the drop-down arrow next to the name box to display a list of names.
X Click on any name to select that range in the worksheet.
To remove a name, choose Insert, Name and Define. Select the name and choose Delete.
Not sure if the worksheet you are working on contains range names, and if it does, what these names refer to?
Outlining
Outlining reads the summary columns and rows in the worksheet i.e. those containing totals, and
places these into the highest level of the outline. Detail columns and rows i.e. those containing the
numbers to be summed, are placed into the lowest level.
X Create the worksheet in the normal way, ensuring all formulae are entered correctly and either
below or to the right of the detail.
X Choose Data, Group and Outline and Auto Outline.
X To hide outline symbols, choose Tools, Options and choose the View tab.
X Uncheck Outline Symbols and choose OK.
Excel Charts
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:
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.
Bar
This type of chart shows individual figures at a
specific time or illustrates comparisons among items.
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.
XY (Scatter)
This chart type is commonly used for scientific data
and shows the relationship between values in
several series of data.
Radar
A radar displays each category on its own value axis
radiating from the centre point. Lines connect values
in the same series.
3D 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.
The following selections could be used create a chart to display the month names and their totals:
To quickly create a chart on a separate sheet, select all data to be included on the chart and press [F11].
The data of the chart can be displayed by row or column. The buttons on the Chart Toolbar can be used to
change the chart orientation:
By Row
By Column
X If the chart is displayed by row, each row of worksheet range will be a different data series.
X If the chart is displayed by column, each column of worksheet range will be a different data series.
For Example
Would display the following chart by row: And the following chart by column:
X Click on the drop-down arrow of the Chart Type button on the Chart Toolbar.
X Choose the type of chart you wish to use from the list displayed.
A larger selection of chart types is available by changing the type in the following way:
Each element can be selected by clicking the mouse on the element or using the Chart Objects box
on the Chart Toolbar.
Formatting a Chart
Choose Chart, Chart Options to display chart options. A dialog box will display, containing a sample
image of your chart.
The tabs along the top of the dialog box are used to set all chart options:
Tab Description
Allows you to set a title to appear at the top of the chart, plus titles to appear along the category
Titles
and value axis
Axes Allows you to choose whether a category and value axis should be displayed
Gridlines Allows you to choose whether the chart should contain horizontal or vertical gridlines
To format a selected chart element, click on the Properties button on the Chart Toolbar.
A dialog box will display with different tabs, depending on the chart element selected. The following
tabs are displayed when you show the properties of a data series:
Tab Description
This tab is used to set the colour of bars and lines of the chart. In a line chart, it can also be used
Patterns
to change the markers and to smooth the line if required.
This tab is used to plot a series onto a secondary axis, which will be created automatically. This
Axis
option is not available if the chart has only one data series.
This tab is used to insert error bars that will show the margin of error on either side of the figures
Y Error Bars
plotted on the chart. The error value can be set to a fixed value or percentage.
Data Labels This allows you to set data labels for the selected data series only
This tab allows you to set the order in which the series are displayed on the chart. Select a series
Series Order from the list displayed and use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to position the series as
required.
This tab is used to set the width of the gap between bars of a chart, and to set an overlap if the
Options bars appear next to each other. It can also be used to vary the colours of all bars within a single
series.
The following tabs are displayed when you display the properties of the value axis of a chart:
Tab Description
Patterns This tab is used to set the style of the value axis line
Font This tab is used to set font, size and style of the numbers of the value axis
This tab is used to set the format of the numbers on the axis e.g. to Currency or Percent with 2
Number
decimals
Alignment This tab is used to set the alignment and orientation of the axis text
X Double click on any title or label to change the font, pattern and alignment options.
X Double click on the legend to change the font, pattern and placement options.
X Double click on the value axis to change the font, pattern, number format and scale of the axis.
X Double click on a data series to change the fill options. Fill effects such as gradient, texture and
picture can be selected to fill each bar.
Double click on the label or title you wish to align, then click on the Alignment tab.
The following icons on the Chart Toolbar can be used to quickly change the alignment of selected
labels:
Chart Gridlines
Major and minor gridlines can be set on the value and category axis of a chart:
The gridlines of the value axis are set according to the scale. Major gridlines appear at each major
unit, while minor gridlines appear at each minor unit.
To set gridlines:
Major Unit Interval at which numbers and major gridlines should appear on the axis 20
Minor Unit Interval at which minor gridlines should appear on the axis 10
X Double click anywhere on the value axis to display the properties dialog box.
X Click on the Scale tab.
X Set the minimum, maximum, major and minor unit as required. Ensure the Auto box is not
checked for the units you wish to specify manually.
X Choose OK when complete.
It is possible to change the display unit of the value axis e.g. to thousands or millions. This results in smaller
numbers displayed on the value axis and an automatic axis label showing the display unit. Choose the required
option from the Display Unit drop-down list.
Data Labels
Data labels are used to display text for each point on a data series. They can be used to display
labels or values:
X If displaying more than one label, choose how to separate these labels in the Separator box e.g.
using a comma or displaying each label on a new line.
X Click on OK.
X Select a single series by clicking once on any item of the series. Select a single item by clicking
once on any item of the series, then clicking on the specific item.
X Click on the Properties button on the Chart Toolbar.
To remove unwanted data labels, simple click on any label in the series and press [Delete] - all labels in the
series will be removed.
Formatting Labels
To format a set of data labels, double click on any of the labels to display a dialog box with the
following tabs:
Tab Description
Choose the colour to appear in the background of the labels, and the style and colour of a
Patterns
border to appear around the labels
Font Set the font and style of the label text
Number Set the format of a value label e.g. to Currency or Percent with two decimals
Set the alignment of the text and use the Label Position box to set where the label should
Alignment
appear e.g. outside or centre
The legend can be hidden or displayed by clicking on the Legend button on the Chart Toolbar.
Double clicking on the legend displays a dialog box with the following tabs:
Tab Description
Patterns Used to set the background colour of the legend box, plus the borders around the box
Font Used to set the font, size and style of legend text
Used to set the position at which the legend should appear. Choose Bottom to spread the
Placement
legend vertically below the chart.
The data table can be hidden or displayed by clicking on the Data Table button on the Chart Toolbar.
X Each column (or field) should contain information of the same type e.g. all prices, or all consultant
names.
X Each column should begin with a unique heading (or field name) in the first row e.g. PRICE or
CONSULTANT.
X Each row (or record) should contain a set of data relating to one entry. In the above example,
each row is a product sale with a date, product name, etc.
X The list should not contain any entirely blank columns or rows - although blank cells here and
there are acceptable.
X Ensure all field names are label text - if a number is used it should be preceded with an
apostrophe (‘) e.g. '1999.
AutoFilter will be enabled by default, allowing you to quickly filter each column as required
A border will display around your list, showing you exactly where the list begins and ends
A new record row is always present in the list, showing you exactly where you should add new records
Adding Totals
You can show totals in your list by clicking on the Toggle Total Row button on the list toolbar.
You can change the function used in the table by clicking in the total row, in the column that you wish to
summarise.
The List menu on the List Toolbar provides easy access to all data list commands. For example, you can use this
menu to:
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 È Moves the active cell to the last entry in the current column
Ctrl Æ Moves the active cell to the last entry in the current row
Copies the value from the first cell of the selection into all other selected cells in the same
Ctrl D
column
Ctrl R Copies the value from the first cell of the selection into all other selected cells in the same row
AutoComplete
When AutoComplete is enabled, Excel will complete the text you begin typing into a cell based on
existing text in the current column. If the first few characters you type match an existing entry in the
column, the text will be completed automatically.
X Choose Tools,
Options and
select the
Edit tab.
X Ensure the
Enable
AutoComplete
for Cell Values
box is checked
X Choose OK
X Click in the cell to contain the new entry and press the right mouse button.
X Choose Pick From Drop-down List and click on the required entry.
This worksheet...
Any fields that contain formulae (such as TOTAL above) are not accessible as these will be updated
automatically when data is added or changed.
X Click anywhere in the data list and choose Data, Form to view the data form.
X Click on New to add a new record and press [Tab] to move from one field to the next.
X Click on Delete to remove the current record.
X Click on Close to return to the data list.
Sorting Data
It is not necessary to select the entire data list before sorting it.
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.
Selecting a single column of the list will result in only that column being sorted - your rows of data will
become mismatched. For this reason, Excel warns when only part of the data list is selected and you
attempt to sort this data:
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 REGION, with the same regions grouped in descending order of
PRICE:
1) First click anywhere in the PRICE column and click on the Sort Descending button.
2) Next click anywhere in the REGION column and click on the Sort Ascending button.
Sub Totals
This option automatically calculates totals in the specified column. If the data is sorted correctly,
subtotals will be given for each group of records, with a grand total at the end.
X Sort the data list in the required order and click anywhere in the list.
X Choose Data, Subtotals.
X Specify the field to be grouped, the function to be used (e.g. Sum) and the fields to be calculated.
X Choose OK.
For Example
The following settings would be entered to add the subtotals to the data list above:
Outlining
An outline is created automatically. Click on level 1 to display grand totals, level 2 to display sub totals
and level 3 to display all.
In the above example, the following would result from choosing Level 1:
Choose Data, Subtotals and Remove All to return the list to normal.
AutoFilter
This command allows you to display only those rows in a data list that contain a certain value or meet
a certain criteria.
The AutoFilter command places drop-down arrows next to each heading in the list. When these
arrows are clicked, they display all values found in that column. When a value is selected, Excel
temporarily hides all rows that do not contain these values.
When clicked, a list will display all values in that field - simply choose the value you want to show:
To use AutoFilter:
When a list is filtered, only the displayed records will be printed. The drop-down arrows will not be printed.
X Fields that have been filtered have a drop-down arrow that appears in blue.
X Click on this drop-down arrow and choose All.
If a number of fields have been filtered, re-display all data by choosing Data, Filter, Show All.
Top 10
This 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.
Custom Filtering
Custom filters allow you set specific criteria to be matched. You could use it to find all sales with a
total over 600, or a date later than 1st June.
The following filter would display all records with a TOTAL between 400 and 600.
Advanced Filter
This command allows you to display only those records in a data list that contain a certain value or
meet a certain criteria. The AutoFilter command can also be used for this purpose, but has the
following limitations:
There is a limit on the number of conditions that can be set in the criteria.
The list is always filtered in place - it is not possible to copy matching records to a different part of
the workbook for editing or further analysis.
Advanced filtering is used with more complex criteria or if you wish to copy the filtered list to another
location in the workbook. There are three ranges that should be setup before running the Advanced
Filter command:
Range Description
Database This is the entire datalist that you wish to filter - all matching records will be found in this range.
This is the area of the worksheet in which you specify what data you want to find in the datalist e.g.
Criteria
all clients in London or all accounts with a balance exceeding $1000.
Extract All records of the database range that match the specified criteria will be copied here.
For Example
Before running the Advanced Filter command it is helpful to name the datalist you will be filtering. This
is done as follows:
X Click anywhere in the list you wish to filter, ensuring this is set up correctly according to the rules
of datalists.
X Press [Shift Ctrl *] to select the entire list.
X Click in the name box above the worksheet's column headings and type the name database. This
is the default name that Excel associates with a datalist.
X Press [Return]
If you name the wrong range, a range name can be removed by choosing Insert, Name, Define. Choose the
name from the list displayed and click on Delete then Close.
The next step of advanced filtering involves setting up the Criteria range. This should contain the
relevant column headings in the first row and the criteria itself on the following lines. Multiple lines of
criteria can be entered, but care should be taken that conditions are placed on the correct line:
If both conditions must be met, these should be placed on the same line. The following criteria will
only show Word courses if they had a level of Core Skills:
If either condition can be met they should be placed on separate lines. The following criteria will find
all Word courses, regardless of their level, as well as all Core Skills courses:
If you wish to extract the matching data from the database to a different area of the worksheet, an
extract range can be set. This should consist of the headings of the columns you wish to extract - not
necessarily all columns.
Once all three ranges have been set, the Advanced Filter command can be used:
X Click on any cell of the main datalist and choose Data, Filter, Advanced Filter.
X Ensure all ranges are entered correctly in the dialog box - this will be done automatically if all
ranges have been named correctly.
X If you wish to extract data to a different area of the worksheet, and have set an extract range,
click on Copy to Another Location.
X Choose OK to extract the data.
It is also possible to extract matching records to another sheet in the same workbook, or to another
workbook altogether.
X Set up the extract range on a new sheet and name this range as extract.
X Activate the sheet containing the extract range and click on a blank cell of this sheet - well away
from the extract range.
X Choose Data, Filter, Advanced Filter.
X Click in the List Range box and type the name database.
X Click on Copy to Another Location then OK.
Advanced filter does not let you copy your filtered range to another workbook. But you CAN specify a
database range and a criteria range from another file as follows:
X Ensure the workbook containing the database and criteria ranges is saved and open.
X Set up the extract range in the new workbook and name this range as extract.
X Activate the sheet containing the extract range and click on a blank cell of this sheet - well away
from the extract range.
X Choose Data, Filter, Advanced Filter.
X Click in the List Range box and choose Window and the name of the sheet containing the
database range. When this file is displayed, select the datalist, including headings.
X Click in the Criteria Range box and choose Window and the name of the sheet containing the
database range. When this file is displayed, select the criteria range.
X Click on Copy to Another Location then OK.
Pivot Tables
A pivot table is a table used to summarise and analyse data from an existing list or worksheet. A pivot
table is made up of row headings, column headings and intersecting summary data.
A dialog box containing all fields of the data list is also displayed:
To add a field to the pivot table, drag the field from this toolbar onto the relevant area of the blank
pivot table template.
X Choose the field you wish to summarise by column, and drag this to the "Drop Column Fields
Here" area.
X Choose the field you wish to summarise by row, and drag this to the "Drop Row Fields Here"
area.
X Choose the value you wish to summarise for each column and row heading and drag this to the
"Drop Data Items Here" area. The pivot table will display automatically.
If the original data in the worksheet is changed, the pivot table will NOT automatically update. To update the
pivot table, select any cell in the table and choose Data, Refresh Data.
Hiding Entries
The pivot table need not include all data from the underlying list - it is possible to hide specific
categories or entries.
X Click on the drop-down arrow of the field used to summarise by row or column. All entries in that
field will be displayed.
X Click on the check box of each item you wish to exclude.
X Click on OK when complete.
Drilling Down
Drill Down allows you to double click on any of the summary figures of a pivot table to view the details that make
up this figure. Double clicking on a sum, for example, would show all figures (and the records) that make up the
sum.
X Double click on the figure you wish to view the detail of.
X A new sheet will be created containing the records. The sheet can be deleted if no longer required
- choose Edit, Delete Sheet to do this.
Report AutoFormats
A pivot table can be formatted automatically using a number of preset formats. The following format is
REPORT6 - all colours, font formatting and borders are added automatically.
X Click anywhere in the pivot table and click on the Format Report button on the Pivot Table
toolbar.
If the Pivot Table toolbar is not displayed, right click over any toolbar currently on screen and choose Pivot
Table to show this.
Table Options
X Choose the Pivot Table menu on the Pivot Table toolbar and click on Table Options.
X Choose the relevant formatting options - Preserve Formatting will ensure formatting is not lost
when the table is refreshed.
X To enter a default value into empty cells, or cells containing errors, enter the appropriate values in
the Show boxes.
X Choose OK when all options have been set.
Pivot Charts
A pivot chart is used to summarise and analyse data from an existing list or worksheet. A pivot chart is made up
of series fields, category fields and page fields.
A dialog box containing all fields of the data list is also displayed:
To add a field to the chart, drag the field from this toolbar onto the relevant area of the blank pivot
chart template.
X To add a field to the category axis, drag the field from the Pivot Table toolbar to the "Drop More
Category Fields Here" area.
X To add a field to the legend, drag the field from the toolbar to the "Drop More Series Fields Here"
area.
X Choose the value you wish to summarise for each category and series and drag this to the "Drop
Data Items Here" area. The pivot chart will display automatically.
Page fields can be added to the top of the chart to switch between different sets of summary data. To choose a
different set of data, click on the drop-down arrow of the page field and choose the category. Click on OK to
display the new set of data.