Learning Excel

Basics

Class Outline Prepared By

Christine Frey

Table Of Contents

Getting Started

Introduction to Spreadsheets

What is a Spreadsheet?

How big is a Spreadsheet?

Mouse Basics

Four Mouse Movements
	Click:	Also called "click on" and "just click." A simple click is always, always the left¹ mouse button. Used to select an object. Used to position the insertion point.
	Right-Click:	Place the pointer on the object or area you want to affect. Press the right button. Right clicks are used to open Quick Menus.
	Double-Click:	Press the left button twice, quickly. Don’t move around between clicks, or the computer will register two separate left clicks.
	Drag and Drop:	Place the pointer on the object. Hold down the left mouse button and drag the object to its new location.
	^{1The primary mouse button. Left-handed people can reverse the mouse by opening the Control Panel and changing the mouse settings. The primary mouse button is clicked with the index finger, while the secondary mouse button, known as the right-click, is pressed with the middle finger.}

Starting Excel

Start > Programs > Microsoft Excel

Columns, Rows and Cells

Spreadsheets are divided into columns and rows.

Find the A column.

Find Row 1.

Notice the A1 written in the rectangle above the cell. This is the name of the selected cell.

The area where you see the cell address written is called the Name Box.

You can type the address into the Name Box to go to a cell.

You can type a Descriptive Name into the Name Box. This names the cell or range you are pointing to.

Exercise:

Click in the Name Box.

Type the address of the cell you want to go to.

Examples: C12, F125, AA10, BF910, HZ200

Select cell B10. (Click in the cell.)

Type SpecialCell in the Name box. (No spaces, and I have used capitals only to make the words readable.)

Click in Cell F11.

Click in the Name Box and type SpecialCell. You will go to cell B10.

Name the range C21:F23 SpecialRange.

Click in Cell G26

Type SpecialRange into the Name Box. You will go back to the C21:F23 range.

The Active Cell is the one...

where your insertion point sits.

with the dark lines around it.

where you can enter data.

Your mouse pointer...

looks like a cross, an arrow, a plus sign…

Floats around the page, until you click.

Is used to select cells, commands, tools, etc.

Selecting Cells

A Single Cell:

Move the mouse to the cell. Click.

Multiple Cells:

Click and drag across the cells.

If you click again, you will deselect the cells. But don't ever worry about deselecting. As soon as you start to work on another area, the previous area is automatically deselected.

Rows:

Click on the number of the row. The entire row will turn black. This means it is selected. Whatever you do to the row will be done to the entire row.

Columns:

Click on the letter at the top of the column. The entire column will turn black. This means the entire column is selected and can be formatted.

A range:

Click and drag from one corner of the range.

Drag to the last cell you want to select.

OR

Click at one corner of the range.

Hold down the shift key.

Click at the other corner of the range.

It is easier to use the "click-shift-click" method when you are selecting ranges that are too large to see on the screen all at once.

Non-Contiguous Cells:

Click on the first cell, or select the first group of cells.

Hold down the control key.

Select the next cell, or group of cells.

Continue until all the groups of cells needed are selected.

Scrolling Through a Worksheet

Arrows on the Scroll Bars:

move you one cell at a time in the direction indicated.

Moving the button:

Moves you through the sheet quickly.

The Current Row and Column will be displayed in the Name box.

Clicking on the scrollbars (not the button.)

Moves you one full screen, in the direction indicated.

Notice that dialog boxes also have scroll bars.

Help

Click Help on the Menu bar.

Click the Index Tab

Type the first letters of the topic you need help with.

Edit your Worksheets
Enter Data

Just click and type:

Click in the cell where the data should go.

Then type.

When you are done:

Press Enter -- you will move down to the next row.

Or press an arrow key. You will move in the direction of the arrow.

Or click the check mark.

Or click in another cell.

You have to "enter" the data before you go on to any other activities.

If the entry is too long for the column width, it will be displayed and printed unless there is an entry in the next cell.

Size the column by dragging the divider between column letters.

Edit/Delete Data

If you click on a cell that has data and just type, the old data will be replaced.

Complete A Series

A series is:

1, 2, 3... March, April, May... 1995, 1996, 1997...

Numbered labels. Increments -- 5, 10, 15, 20...

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th... Thing 1 and Thing 2.

Months must have full names, or only the first three letters. "Sept" won’t work.

To complete a series:

Enter the first, or the first two labels or numbers.

Select the cells to fill with the series.

Use the Copy Block to select the cells.

Undo Changes

Using Undo:

Ctrl-Z

Click the Undo Icon

Use the Menu Bar > Edit > Undo

Excel can undo only one action.

Move Data

Click on, or select the cells to be moved.

Point to the frame of the cells.

Click and drag.

Don’t confuse the drag arrow with the + used for dragging the copy block.

Copy Data

Click on, or select the cells to be copied.

Use any Copy key -

Edit > Copy

The Copy Icon

Ctrl - C

Ctrl-Drag

Right-click > Copy

Use any Paste key -

Edit > Paste

The Paste Icon

Ctrl - V

Ctrl-Drag/Drop

Right-click > Paste

A copied element can be pasted as many times as you like.

Check Spelling

Move to the beginning of the sheet -

Click A1.

Press Ctrl > Home.

Type A1 into the Name box.

Click the Spelling Icon.

Make the choices, as needed. (Pg 35)

Exercises and Skills Practice 1

Introducing Basic Skills that will be used in all future lessons.

Create the following tables

A

B

C

1

Grocery List

2

Bread

1.89

3

Milk

2.35

4

Cheese

4.95

5

Dog food

15.98

6

Butter

2.98

7

Eggs

2.45

8

A

B

C

D

Christmas List

Person

Gift

Price

Sub-Total

Mom

Sweater

Perfume

Bath robe

Dad

Tie

Slippers

Baby June

Rattle

Little Ricky

Bongo drums

Bruno

Bone

Daisy

Hair bow

A

B

C

D

1

Student

Exam 1

Exam 2

Exam 3

2

Amanda Dofunny

87

95

88

3

Lily Tomlin

95

76

86

4

Ethel Mertz

68

63

75

5

Charley Chan

78

79

84

6

Spike Jones

82

91

89

7

Practice Exercises

Create Three Tables

Table 1: Grocery List

Put 20 items on the list.

Type prices.

Format prices to $.

Use AutoSum to find the totals.

Table 2:

Christmas List

Some people on your list should get more than one gift!

Can you find subtotals for their gifts?

Table 3:

Grades

You have 10 students in your class. They have had 3 exams. Create a table that keeps track of their grades.

Moving cells

Click and drag

Move the data in the grocery list into new positions.

Point to the frame of the selected cells with the arrow cursor.

Autofill

Click and drag

Open a new worksheet.

Make 4 columns, headed Numbers, Months, Days, and Series.

Complete Autofill functions for each of these columns.

Drag the copy block with the cross cursor.

Auto Sum

Create a table showing the prices of three items of clothing.

Use the AutoSum (Sigma) feature to total columns and rows.

Selecting Multiple Blocks Of Cells

Click and drag — with the control key.

Some common Shortcut Keys

(Basic Windows)

Spreadsheets are divided into columns and rows.
	Find the A column.
	Find Row 1.
	Notice the A1 written in the rectangle above the cell. This is the name of the selected cell. The area where you see the cell address written is called the Name Box. You can type the address into the Name Box to go to a cell. You can type a Descriptive Name into the Name Box. This names the cell or range you are pointing to.
Exercise:	Click in the Name Box.
	Type the address of the cell you want to go to.
	Examples: C12, F125, AA10, BF910, HZ200
	Select cell B10. (Click in the cell.) Type SpecialCell in the Name box. (No spaces, and I have used capitals only to make the words readable.) Click in Cell F11. Click in the Name Box and type SpecialCell. You will go to cell B10. Name the range C21:F23 SpecialRange. Click in Cell G26 Type SpecialRange into the Name Box. You will go back to the C21:F23 range.

	A Single Cell:	Move the mouse to the cell. Click.
	Multiple Cells:	Click and drag across the cells.
If you click again, you will deselect the cells. But don't ever worry about deselecting. As soon as you start to work on another area, the previous area is automatically deselected.
	Rows:	Click on the number of the row. The entire row will turn black. This means it is selected. Whatever you do to the row will be done to the entire row.
	Columns:	Click on the letter at the top of the column. The entire column will turn black. This means the entire column is selected and can be formatted.
	A range:	Click and drag from one corner of the range. Drag to the last cell you want to select. OR Click at one corner of the range. Hold down the shift key. Click at the other corner of the range. It is easier to use the "click-shift-click" method when you are selecting ranges that are too large to see on the screen all at once.
	Non-Contiguous Cells:	Click on the first cell, or select the first group of cells. Hold down the control key. Select the next cell, or group of cells. Continue until all the groups of cells needed are selected.

	Arrows on the Scroll Bars:	move you one cell at a time in the direction indicated.
	Moving the button:	Moves you through the sheet quickly. The Current Row and Column will be displayed in the Name box.
	Clicking on the scrollbars (not the button.)	Moves you one full screen, in the direction indicated.
Notice that dialog boxes also have scroll bars.

	Just click and type:	Click in the cell where the data should go. Then type.
	When you are done:	Press Enter -- you will move down to the next row. Or press an arrow key. You will move in the direction of the arrow.
		Or click the check mark. Or click in another cell.
You have to "enter" the data before you go on to any other activities. If the entry is too long for the column width, it will be displayed and printed unless there is an entry in the next cell. Size the column by dragging the divider between column letters.


If you click on a cell that has data and just type, the old data will be replaced.

	A series is:	1, 2, 3... March, April, May... 1995, 1996, 1997...
		Numbered labels. Increments -- 5, 10, 15, 20...
		1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th... Thing 1 and Thing 2.
Months must have full names, or only the first three letters. "Sept" won’t work.
	To complete a series:	Enter the first, or the first two labels or numbers. Select the cells to fill with the series.
Use the Copy Block to select the cells.

	Using Undo:	Ctrl-Z
		Click the Undo Icon
		Use the Menu Bar > Edit > Undo
Excel can undo only one action.

		Click on, or select the cells to be moved.
		Point to the frame of the cells.
		Click and drag.
Don’t confuse the drag arrow with the + used for dragging the copy block.

		Click on, or select the cells to be copied.
		Use any Copy key - Edit > Copy The Copy Icon Ctrl - C Ctrl-Drag Right-click > Copy
		Use any Paste key - Edit > Paste The Paste Icon Ctrl - V Ctrl-Drag/Drop Right-click > Paste
A copied element can be pasted as many times as you like.

		Move to the beginning of the sheet - Click A1. Press Ctrl > Home. Type A1 into the Name box.
		Click the Spelling Icon.
		Make the choices, as needed. (Pg 35)

Create the following tables
	A	B	C
1	Grocery List
2		Bread	1.89
3		Milk	2.35
4		Cheese	4.95
5		Dog food	15.98
6		Butter	2.98
7		Eggs	2.45
8

A	B		C		D
Christmas List
Person	Gift	Price		Sub-Total
Mom	Sweater
	Perfume
	Bath robe
Dad	Tie
	Slippers
Baby June	Rattle
Little Ricky	Bongo drums
Bruno	Bone
Daisy	Hair bow

	A	B	C		D
1	Student	Exam 1		Exam 2	Exam 3
2	Amanda Dofunny	87	95		88
3	Lily Tomlin	95	76		86
4	Ethel Mertz	68	63		75
5	Charley Chan	78	79		84
6	Spike Jones	82	91		89
7

Practice Exercises		Create Three Tables
	Table 1: Grocery List	Put 20 items on the list. Type prices. Format prices to $. Use AutoSum to find the totals.
	Table 2: Christmas List	Some people on your list should get more than one gift! Can you find subtotals for their gifts?
	Table 3: Grades	You have 10 students in your class. They have had 3 exams. Create a table that keeps track of their grades.
Moving cells	Click and drag	Move the data in the grocery list into new positions.	Point to the frame of the selected cells with the arrow cursor.
Autofill	Click and drag	Open a new worksheet. Make 4 columns, headed Numbers, Months, Days, and Series. Complete Autofill functions for each of these columns.	Drag the copy block with the cross cursor.
Auto Sum	Create a table showing the prices of three items of clothing.	Use the AutoSum (Sigma) feature to total columns and rows.
Selecting Multiple Blocks Of Cells	Click and drag — with the control key.
Some common Shortcut Keys (Basic Windows)