CHAPTER 3 ■ BEST WAYS TO ENTER AND EDIT DATA

Double-clicking the line between the numbers for the selected rows adjusts the height of the row to
accommodate the tallest text or object in that row.
Another way to change the row height is to follow these steps:
1. Select the row or rows that you want to change
2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.
3. From the menu you can select Row Height or Autofit Row Height.
You can select all of the rows in a spreadsheet by clicking the Select All button. You can then adjust the
height of all rows by dragging up or down between any row headers. The Select All button is located to the
Left of the Column A header and above the row 1 header. See Figure 3-20.

Figure 3-20. Select All button

EXERCISE 3-5: CHANGING ROW HEIGHTS

This exercise uses the same spreadsheet you created for practicing changing column widths. If you
have closed the Chapter 3 workbook from the last practice, reopen it.
1. First we’ll create a copy of the Column Widths worksheet:
a. Right-click the Column Widths worksheet tab. Select Move or Copy.
b. In the Move or Copy dialog box, click (move to end) in the Before sheet list box.
c. Click the Create a Copy check box and then click the OK button.
d. Rename the Column Widths (2) worksheet tab to Row Heights.
2. Click Row Head 2. Hold down your CTRL key and click row heads 5, 6, 9, and 12. Put
your cursor between row heads 9 and 10 and drag down until the size is about 22.5.
3. Select cell A6. On the Ribbon, on the Home tab, in the Font group, type 22 in the
Font Size text box then press Enter. The name Adams, Mortisha is now partially
hidden. Double-click between column heads A and B. This performs an AutoFit
adjusting the column width to accommodate the longest text in the column.
4. Double-click between row heads 6 and 7. This performs an AutoFit adjusting the
row height to accommodate the tallest text in the row.
5. Click the Select All button. Put your cursor between any two row heads then drag down
until the height is 40.50. Double-click between any row head to make all rows AutoFit.
6. With all rows still selected, right-click any cell and select Row Height from the
menu. Enter 25 for the Row Height and then click OK.
7. Click any cell to unselect all of the rows.

8. Click the Save button on the Quick Access Toolbar.

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You’ve learned how to adjust cell sizes by changing row heights and column widths. Next, you will learn
how to correct data entry errors.

Correcting Typing Mistakes

Sometimes you make errors when entering data into a worksheet. If you do, it is easy to clear or correct what
you entered. There are several ways to clear or correct either some or all of the data from a cell. Let’s look
at how to remove or change specific characters in a cell, how to clear data (and restore a cell to its previous
state) before accepting your data entry, and how to clear a cell for which you have accepted the entry.

Changing Specific Characters

If you need to correct specific characters in a cell, you have a couple of options depending on which
characters they are and whether you have already accepted the data entry. First, you delete the character or
characters you want to change and then type in the correct characters if necessary. Here are several ways to
delete specific characters in a cell:
• While still entering data in a cell, you can delete the last character or characters you
entered by pressing the Backspace key.
• If you need to correct a character other than the last one(s) you typed, click just to
the right of that character and press Backspace.
• If you have already accepted the data in the cell, double-click in the cell to enter Edit
mode and then click to the right of the character you want to change or use the left
and right arrow keys to move the cursor to the character you want to delete.
You can correct typing mistakes by doing any of the following:
• Remove the latest characters that you entered by pressing the Backspace key.
• Clear an entry before it has been accepted by pressing the Esc(ape) key.
• Clear an entry before it has been accepted by clicking the Cancel button on the
formula bar.
• Clear the contents of a cell that has already been accepted by right-clicking a cell and
selecting Clear Contents.
If you only need to remove the latest characters that you entered, you can use the Backspace key.

Returning a Cell to Its Original Value

You can restore a cell to its original value if you have not yet accepted the data entry or if you have accepted it
but have not yet done anything else.
While you are still entering data in a cell, you can clear what you’ve entered and restore the cell to its
previous state. If it was an empty cell, you simply clear all the data. On the other hand, if you changed the
value in the cell, you clear the new entry and restore the cell’s original value. Use either of the following
techniques to restore a cell to its previous value before the new value has been accepted:
• Press the Esc(cape) key

• Click the Cancel button on the formula bar

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If you have already accepted the new data entry but have not yet done anything else in the workbook,
you can select the Undo button on the QAT (see Figure 3-21) or press Ctrl + Z, which restores the cell to its
previous state: empty or containing the previous value.

Figure 3-21. Undo button

Clearing the Contents of a Cell That Has Already Been Accepted

You can clear the contents of a cell by right-clicking the cell and then selecting Clear Contents. You can also
select Clear Contents by clicking the Ribbon’s Home tab and then selecting Clear > Clear Contents in the
Editing group.

EXERCISE 3-6: ENTERING AND EDITING DATA

In this exercise, you enter data in a new worksheet and then edit it. If you have closed the Chapter 3
workbook from the last practice, reopen it.
1. Add another worksheet and name it Edit Data.
2. Enter the data in Figure 3-22. For the date values in column C, let’s use three
different formats:
a. Enter the data in cell C2 as 10/15/1999.
b. Enter the data in cell C3 as 6-15-2001.
c. Enter the data in cell C4 as Jan 31, 2005.

Figure 3-22. Enter this data

3. Drag across column heads A, B, and C. Right-click one of the selected column
heads. Select Column Width. Enter 14. Click the OK button.
4. Double-click cell A2 to enter Edit mode. Change 300 to 550. Press Enter.

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5. Click cell B5. Press F2 to enter Edit mode. Change the word Rdige to Ridge. Press
Enter.
6. Double-click cell C2. Change the date in the formula bar to 10/15/2002. Click the
Enter button (check mark) in the formula bar to accept the change rather than
pressing Enter.
7. Double-click cell C3. Change the year to 1998 but don’t press Enter. You decide
you really didn’t want to make that change. Press the Escape key to return the cell
to its original value. Repeat this step again but instead of pressing the Esc key click
the Cancel button on the formula bar.
8. Right-click cell A6. Select Clear Contents from the menu.
9. Click cell B6. Click the Home tab. In the editing group select Clear > Clear Contents.

10. Click the Save button on the Quick Access Toolbar.

You have learned how to handle any keying errors that you have made. Now, you’ll look at Excel features
that not only prevent you from making data entry errors but at the same time increase the speed of entering
the data.

Shortcuts for Entering and Correcting Data

Excel provides the AutoComplete, Pick data from drop-down list, AutoFill, and AutoCorrect methods to
speed up data entry and ensure that your data has been entered without errors.

Using the AutoCorrect Feature

Excel’s AutoCorrect feature can speed data entry as well as help prevent errors from being entered into your
worksheet by automatically adjusting entries or by fixing common typing errors as they are being entered.
Excel’s AutoCorrect feature is useful for the four following situations:
• Correcting commonly misspelled words. If you spell the word “achieved” as
“acheived” Excel will automatically correct it.
• Entering special symbols that can’t be directly entered from your keyboard. If you type
(tm) Excel will automatically convert it to the trade symbol ™.
• Creating shortcuts for entering words or phrases that you enter often. You could enter
your initials and Excel would convert it to your full name.
• Misuse of capitalization. If you type monday, Excel corrects it to Monday.

■ Note Microsoft office applications share the same AutoCorrect Options as Excel; therefore any changes,
additions, or deletions you make to the AutoCorrect options in Excel will affect those in other Microsoft office
applications and vice versa.

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EXERCISE 3-7: USING AUTOCORRECT

In this exercise, you experience Excel’s default AutoCorrect functionality and then look at how you can
modify it for your own preferences. If you have closed the Chapter 3 workbook from the last practice,
reopen it.
1. Add another worksheet and name it AutoCorrect.
2. In cell A1 type abbout then press the Tab key. Excel corrects it to about
3. In cell B1 type (c) then press the Tab key. Excel converts (c) to a copyright symbol
4. In cell C1 type (r) then press the Tab key. Excel converts (r) to a registered symbol.
5. In cell D1 type your name starting with two capital letters such as DAvid and then
press the Tab key.
Your results should look similar to those in Figure 3-23.

Figure 3-23. Results of using AutoCorrect

Add Items to the AutoCorrect List

Now that you’ve seen how AutoCorrect works by default, you can add new items to AutoCorrect:
1. On the Ribbon click the File tab.
2. Click Options in the left pane. This opens Excel Options. See Figure 3-24.

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