Microsoft Excel: Clearing Cells

Information Technology – MS Excel
Microsoft Excel
Clearing cells
1. To select a single cell to be cleared, left click the pointer on the cell you want to clear. To select a range
of cells, left click on the upper-left corner of the range and hold the mouse button down while dragging the
pointer to the lower right corner of the range and then release it.
Fig 1.0 shows a text “Microsoft Excel” in cell B5
2. Click Edit on the Menu Bar.
Compiled By Emmanuel Buabin BSc (Hons) Computer Science & Statistics Page 1 of 15
Fig 2.0 shows Empty cell B5
3. Find and select Clear.
4. Select Contents to clear only the contents of the cell, or click All to clear the contents, formatting, and
notes of the cell.
Quick Way
1. Select the desired cell(s) as in step 1 above.
2. Press the Delete key to clear the cell contents.
Copy Using the Fill Handle

1. Select the cell that contains the formula, value or label that you want to copy. This is the active cell.
2. If there is more than one cell contents that needs to be copied, select the range by selecting the active cell
and dragging the pointer until the entire range of cells is selected.
3. Position the mouse pointer over the fill handle which is the small black square at the lower-right corner
of the active cell (s).
4. The pointer changes to a ' + ' sign.
5. Hold down the left mouse button and drag it to cover the entire range of target cells.
6. Release the left mouse button.
7. To deselect the range just click on any cell on the excel worksheet.
Quick Way
1. Highlight the cell or cells you want to copy and also the adjacent cells where it is to be copied.
2. In order to copy the selected column to the adjacent cells on the right, select the Edit Menu and click on
Fill and choose Right.
Alias: Use CTRL in the keyboard + R
3. To copy the selected first row into the adjacent cells below, select the Edit Menu and click on Fill and
choose Down .
Alias : Use CTRL in the keyboard + D
4. Similarly to copy the selected column to adjacent cells above use Fill - Up .
Alias : Use SHIFT in the keyboard + Fill-Down in the menubar.
5. Similarly to copy the selected column to adjacent cells on the left use Fill-Left .
Alias : Use SHIFT in the keyboard + Fill-RIght in the menubar.
Rename the Sheet

1. On the Menu Bar select Format.
2. Find and select Sheet.
Highlighted Sheet Name
Fig 3.0 before Renaming
3. In the submenu click Rename.
4. Type the new name and click OK.
New Sheet Name
Fig 4.0 after Renaming
Quick Way
1. Go to the Sheet tab in the bottom left corner of the worksheet.
2. Double click it.
3. Repeat step 4 as above.
Text, Values, Formulas, and Functions

In this lesson you will learn how Excel manipulates text, values, formulas, and functions. A worksheet
consists of rows, columns and cells. A row is a horizontal line of boxes. Columns are vertical lines of
boxes. A cell is one box in a worksheet. Cells can contain text, values, or a formula.
1. To enter text in a worksheet, click the cell where you want to enter the text, then type the text (example:
John Jones).
“John Jones”
Fig 5.0 shows text “John Jones” in cell B7
2. To enter a value, click the cell where you want to enter data. Then type the value (example: 304, 296).
Press Enter on your keyboard to move down one cell.
Fig 6.0 shows numeral 304 in cell B7
3. To enter a formula, begin by typing an equal sign (=) on a cell. Then use cell references (example:
=c4+d4) instead of actual data (example: =304+296) whenever possible. Then Press Enter on your
keyboard.
Formulae
Result
Parameter 1 Parameter 2
Fig 7.0 shows addition of two numbers c4:d4 and stores result in E4
4. To enter a function, click the cell where you want to enter it, then click the function icon on the tool bar
or type the function name (example: =Average(c4:d4) on the cell. The Paste function dialog box appears.
Click the category that contains the function you want to use, then click OK. A dialog box appears. Then
enter the cell locations (example, c4, d4) of the data, then click OK.
Changing Column Width

1. Select the column(s) that need to be resized by clicking on any cell in the column(s).
Selected Column
Fig 8.0 shows a selected Column
2. Select Format on the Menu Bar, then find and select Column.
Fig 9.0 a) shows column width 50.
3. If you desire to Autofit the column, find and select Autofit.
Or, if you desire to specify the column width:
4. After the above step 2, in the new submenu select Width.
5. In the column width dialog box, enter the new column width.
Fig 9.0 a) Column width
Column width = 50
Fig 9.0 b) Column B enlarged
Quick Way
1. Position the pointer on the right edge of the column heading area. The pointer changes to the resize
handle +.
2. Click and drag the resize handle to
increase or decrease the column width.
3. Release the mouse button.
4. If you wish to Autofit the column, once you obtain the resize handle, double-click it.
Inserting Rows and Columns

1. Select the cell(s) close to which you want to insert a Row or Column. Remember that Rows will be
inserted above that point and Columns will be inserted to the left of it.
2. Select Insert on the Menu Bar, then find and select Row or Column depending on what you need.
Entering Formulas
1. Click on your chosen cell to begin.
2. Type "=" to begin all formulas.
3. Choose from the following for the appropriate arithmetic operation for the formula.
 Addition Example =A1+A2
 Subtraction Example =A1-A2
 Multiplication Example =A1*A2
 Division Example =A1/A2
 Exponetiation Example =A1^A2
4. Type the formula in the cell where the result should appear.
5. Press Enter to compute the formula.
Autosum
1. Highlight the cell in which you want to put the sum.
Fig 10.0
2. Click Function Wizard/Paste Function icon on the Tool Bar. .
Fig 11.0 shows the Insert Function dialog box
3. Select Sum from the Function Name.
4. Click Next/OK.
Fig 12.0 shows Function Arguments dialog box
5. Enter the range of cells (the first and the last cell) in number 1 box, separated by a colon.
6. Click Finish
Result
Fig 13.0 shows result of B9 and B10
Quick Way
Method a:
1. To put the sum immediately next to the range of cells, select the range of cells of which you want the
sum.
2. Click Autosum icon from the Tool bar or enter Alt + = from the key board.
Method b:
1. To put the sum elsewhere in the worksheet, highlight that cell.
2. In the Formula bar or in the cell in which you want to enter the sum, type "=" to begin the function.
3. Type SUM or sum, immediately followed by an opening parenthesis "( ". Remember not to put a space
in between.
4. Enter the range of cells (the first and the last cell), or drag the pointer to highlight the cells you want to
sum.
5. Close the parenthesis and hit the Enter key.
Relative Cell References in Copying a Formula

1. Consider for example that the contents in cell C3 are a result of application of the formula (A3+B3)*C3 .
2. Click the left mouse button on the cell C3 .
3. Notice the formula bar. The formula in step 1 appears there.
4. Using one of the copy commands copy the contents in cell C3 to C4 (in this case you are copying the
formula) .
5. Then click on cell C4. Notice the formula bar. The formula that appears in the formula bar shows
(A4+B4)*C4 .
6. Thus it is clear that Excel has adjusted the cell references to suit the new locations.
Adding Headers and Footers

1. On the File menu, click Page Setup.
Fig 14.0 shows the Page setup dialog box
2. Click the Header/Footer tab.
3. Click Custom Header or Custom Footer.
Fig 15.0 Customizing Footer
4. Click in the Left section, Center section, or Right section box. You can click on the buttons above to
insert header or footer information, such as the date or time, that you want to appear in the section. You can
also insert additional text in any section box. Click OK.
Fig 16.0 Customized Page Setup
5. Click OK finally
Quick Way
1. Click on the Print Preview Icon on the shortcut keyboard.
2. Click Setup, then click on Header/Footer tab.
3. Click Custom Header or Custom Footer.
4. Click in the Left section, Center section, or Right section box. You can click on the buttons above to
insert header or footer information, such as the date or time, that you want to appear in the section. You can
also insert additional text in any section box.

Microsoft Excel: Clearing Cells

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Microsoft Excel: Clearing Cells

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Information Technology – MS Excel

Fig 1.0 shows a text “Microsoft Excel” in cell B5

2. Click Edit on the Menu Bar.

Fig 2.0 shows Empty cell B5

3. Find and select Clear.

1. Select the desired cell(s) as in step 1 above.

2. Press the Delete key to clear the cell contents.

Copy Using the Fill Handle

4. The pointer changes to a ' + ' sign.

6. Release the left mouse button.

Rename the Sheet

2. Find and select Sheet.

Highlighted Sheet Name

Fig 3.0 before Renaming

3. In the submenu click Rename.

4. Type the new name and click OK.

New Sheet Name

Fig 4.0 after Renaming

2. Double click it.

3. Repeat step 4 as above.

Text, Values, Formulas, and Functions

Fig 5.0 shows text “John Jones” in cell B7

Fig 6.0 shows numeral 304 in cell B7

Changing Column Width

Fig 8.0 shows a selected Column

Fig 9.0 a) shows column width 50.

3. If you desire to Autofit the column, find and select Autofit.

Or, if you desire to specify the column width:

4. After the above step 2, in the new submenu select Width.

Fig 9.0 a) Column width

Fig 9.0 b) Column B enlarged

2. Click and drag the resize handle to

increase or decrease the column width.

3. Release the mouse button.

Inserting Rows and Columns

2. Type "=" to begin all formulas.

 Addition Example =A1+A2

 Subtraction Example =A1-A2

 Multiplication Example =A1*A2

 Division Example =A1/A2

 Exponetiation Example =A1^A2

5. Press Enter to compute the formula.

2. Click Function Wizard/Paste Function icon on the Tool Bar. .

Fig 11.0 shows the Insert Function dialog box

3. Select Sum from the Function Name.

Fig 12.0 shows Function Arguments dialog box

Fig 13.0 shows result of B9 and B10

1. To put the sum elsewhere in the worksheet, highlight that cell.

5. Close the parenthesis and hit the Enter key.

Relative Cell References in Copying a Formula

2. Click the left mouse button on the cell C3 .

3. Notice the formula bar. The formula in step 1 appears there.

Adding Headers and Footers

Fig 14.0 shows the Page setup dialog box

2. Click the Header/Footer tab.

3. Click Custom Header or Custom Footer.

Fig 15.0 Customizing Footer

Fig 16.0 Customized Page Setup

1. Click on the Print Preview Icon on the shortcut keyboard.

2. Click Setup, then click on Header/Footer tab.

3. Click Custom Header or Custom Footer.

You might also like