Summary – Excel training level 1

You have learned to work with formulas and large data sets. The summary below follows the structure
of the training.

WORKING WITH BIG DATASETS

Navigate

• Ctrl + Arrow keys -> navigates to the last filled cell in a row or column
• Shift + Arrow keys -> Shift selects cells and with the arrow keys you can change the range (also
works for text in Work or Outlook)
• Ctrl + Shift + Arrow keys -> Select a range up to the last filled cell in a row or column

Freeze title row

You can pin rows and columns, so they always remain in view. Go to the navigation menu and click on:
VIEW -> FREEZE PANES

For example, if you want to freeze rows 1 and 2 and the first column A; select cell B3. Excel freezes
everything to the left and above the cell you selected.

General tips

Don't try to put totals and formulas at the bottom of a large dataset!

Preferably, do this to the right of the source data or ideally on another worksheet (we have done this in
"School report"). Large data sets become longer and longer.

Tip: use whole columns in formulas

Work dynamically! Select whole columns in your formulas instead of a specific selection. If your source
data (dataset) changes (becomes bigger) you do not have to adjust the formulas. In addition, the
information you want to see is always shown.

FORMULAS

How do I write a formula?

 1. Start with the “=”-sign. Then type the first letters of a formula
2. Double click on the formula name that appears or hit TAB
3. Go to the fx menu to the left of the formula bar
4. Follow the instructions of the function arguments screen
5. Check your formula with F2 (it is also possible to double click on a cell)

Discussed formulas:

SUM / NUMBER / AVERAGE / LARGE

Avoid using hard values in formulas and calculations (numbers or text)

Instead of using hard values (entering numbers manually) within a formula, work with input cells or
references

FIX CELL REFERENCES ($-signs)

Use of dollar signs $

References to input cells are fixed by double dollar signs in the cell in which reference is made.

You can type dollar signs for the column letter and / or the row digit or use the F4 key.

The pinned cell looks like this: ($ G $ 15). This means that the reference to cell G15 is fixed and will not
change / jump when copying and pasting a formula cell to other cells in the worksheet.

CREATE REPORTS

When you create a report, make sure the report is clear so that others can work well with it. Tips:

• Put a general title at the top of the report

• Use clear and short titles
• Nice looking layout with calm colors
• Input cells above a report in other colors
• Note the format of cells with numbers (decimals, EUR, numbers, percentages)

Printing (2nd training)

What does it look like when you print it out and show it to someone? Always make sure to save your
report in a print-friendly way. This means that the entire report is printed on 1 page. You can do this by
following the next steps:

1. Select what you want to print with your mouse

 2. From the navigation menu, click on PAGE LAYOUT -> PRINT AREA -> SET PRINT AREA
3. In the middle of PAGE LAYOUT, you see Width and Height. Select “1 page” in the drop-down
menu
4. Press Ctrl + P to go directly to the print menu

CALCULATIONS

General tips

In Excel, you can calculate with the calculation signs: +, -, / or *. Use references and input cells in a
calculation and do not use hard values.

Calculate difference in percentage or growth between years

Option 1: (new year/old year) – 1 or Option 2: (new year – old year)/old year

Example: 2017 revenue 134, 2016 revenue 100

Option 1: (134/100) – 1 = 34% or

Option 2: (134-100)/100 = 34% (or 0,34 but you can format that as a percentage)

DATA TYPES AND FORMAT

There are different data types and options for formatting a number.

You can format a number as a number, percentage or a date. The number 1 can also be 100% or 1-1-
1900. A text is a different data type than a number - the number 1 as text is not the same as the number
1. Other data types are error messages, formulas, True / False cells.