Excel Basics 2: Excel's Golden Rule for Formulas,

Formula Inputs, & Charts

1) Format Cells Dialog Box
i. Keyboard = Ctrl + 1
1. Format Cells Dialog Box allows us to add formatting to the cells
-when we open Format Cells Dialog Box the options available are:
2. Number
3. Alignment
4. Font
5. Border
6. Fill
7. Protection

3) Excel’s Golden Rule:

i. If a formula input can change, put it into a separate cell and refer to it in the formula with a
cell reference.(Cell B7 in excel sheet Excel 02 Practice file # 14 is a reference cell)
ii. If a formula input will NOT change, you can type it directly in the cell of formula (like 12
months in a year or 7 days in a week).
iii. Always label your formula inputs so that the formula input can be clearly understood by
any user of the spreadsheet solution

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4) The complete Net Income Projections Table and Chart looks like this:
Can also see the Practice file if not getting it from here

The numbers
we see in Cell
C2 is created
with Formula
by multiplying
B$2 * $B$8

This is Cell
referencing

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5) Charts
i. Insert Ribbon tab > Charts Group >
ii. Chart Junk
1. Anything in chart that does not help to deliver message.(3D Charts are chart Junks)
iii. To tweak chart > Click Plus ( + ) symbol

1.

iv. Drag chart edge while holding Alt key > “snaps CHART to cell edge”:
v. To Open Format Chart Task Pane > Ctrl + 1
1. You can click on individual Chart elements to modify different Formatting Options
for different elements.

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You can link the Chart Title to a cell:
2. Click on Chart Label and make sure it shows a solid line (not a dashed line)
3. Click in Formula Bar
4. Type Equal sign
5. Click on a cell in worksheet that has label you want to use
6. Hit Enter
6) Page Setup:
i. Keyboard = Alt, P, S, P

New Keyboard Shortcut:

i. Ctrl + 1 = Format Cells dialog box of a Cell
ii. Open Format Chart Element Task Pane: Click on Chart Element and use: Ctrl + 1
iii. Ctrl + * = Highlight current Table (Current Region)

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