easy EXCEL use

Course Code: IT-2302
Course Title: Computer Application in Business

Department of Business Administration
International Islamic University Chittagong

Prepared by:

Engr. Abdul Kadar Muhammad Masum
Assistant Professor of IT
Department of Business Administration
International Islamic University Chittagong
(Dhaka Campus)
Email: akmmasum@yahoo.com

Engr.Abdul Kadar Muhammad Masum/Assist.Prof.of IT/ IIUC (Dhaka Campus). Page number - 1

Microsoft Excel
The Excel Window

Many items you see on the Excel XP screen are standard in most other Microsoft software
programs like Word, PowerPoint and previous versions of Excel. Some elements are specific to
Excel XP.

Workbook
Also called a spreadsheet, the Workbook is a unique file created by Excel XP.

Title bar

The Title bar displays both the name of the application and the name of the spreadsheet.

Menu bar

The Menu bar displays all the menus available for use in Excel XP. The contents of any menu
can be displayed by clicking on the menu name with the left mouse button.

Toolbar
Some commands in the menus have pictures or icons associated with them. These pictures may
also appear as shortcuts in the Toolbar.


Column Headings

Each Excel spreadsheet contains 256 columns. Each column is named by a letter or combination
of letters.

Row Headings

Each spreadsheet contains 65,536 rows. Each row is named by a number.

Name Box

Shows the address of the current selection or active cell.

Formula Bar

Displays information entered-or being entered as you type-in the current or active cell. The
contents of a cell can also be edited in the Formula bar.

Cell

A cell is an intersection of a column and row. Each cell has a unique cell address. In the
picture above, the cell address of the selected cell is B3. The heavy border around the
selected cell is called the cell pointer.


Navigation Buttons and Sheet Tabs

Navigation buttons allow you to move to another worksheet in an Excel workbook. Used to
display the first, previous, next or last worksheets in the workbook. A Workbook must contain at
least one worksheet.

Workbooks and Worksheets

A Workbook automatically shows in the workspace when you open Microsoft Excel XP. Each
workbook contains three worksheets. A worksheet is a grid of cells, consisting of 65,536 rows
by 256 columns. Spreadsheet information--text, numbers or mathematical formulas--is entered in
the different cells.

Column headings are referenced by alphabetic characters in the gray boxes that run across the
Excel screen, beginning with the Column A and ending with Column IV.

Rows are referenced by numbers that appear on the left and then run down the Excel screen. The
first row is named Row 1 and the last row is named 65536.

The Cell

An Excel worksheet is made up of columns and rows. Where these columns and rows intersect,
they form little boxes called cells. The active cell, or the cell that can be acted upon, reveals a
dark border. All other cells reveal a light gray border. Each cell has a name. Its name is
comprised of two parts: the column letter and the row number.

In the following picture the cell C3, formed by the intersection of column C and row 3,
contains the dark border. It is the active cell.


Important Terms

• Each cell has a unique cell address composed of a cell's column and row.
• The active cell is the cell that receives the data or command you give it.
• A darkened border, called the cell pointer, identifies it.

Moving around the worksheet
To Move the Cell Pointer:

• To activate any cell, point to a cell with the mouse and click.
• To move the pointer one cell to the left, right, up, or down, use the keyboard arrow keys.

To Scroll Through the worksheet:
The vertical scroll bar located along the right edge of the screen is used to move up or down the
spreadsheet. The horizontal scroll bar located at the bottom of the screen is used to move left or
right across the spreadsheet.

The PageUp and PageDown keys on the keyboard are used to move the cursor up or down one
screen at a time. Other keys that move the active cell are Home, which moves to the first column
on the current row, and Ctrl+Home, which moves the cursor to the top left corner of the
spreadsheet or cell A1.


To Move between worksheets

As mentioned, each Workbook defaults to three worksheets. These worksheets are represented
by tabs-named Sheet1, Sheet2 and Sheet3-that appear at the bottom of the Excel window.

To Move from one worksheet to another worksheet:

• Click on the sheet tab (Sheet1, Sheet2 or Sheet 3) that you want to display

Understanding File Terms

The File menu contains all the operations that we will discuss in this module: New, Open, Close,
Save and Save As.

New
Used to create a new Workbook.

Open
Used to open an existing file from a floppy disk or hard drive of your computer.

Close
Used to close a spreadsheet.

Save As
Used when to save a new file for the first time or save an existing file with a different name.

Save
Used to save a file that has had changes made to it. If you close the workbook without saving
then any changes made will be lost.

Creating a workbook

A blank workbook is displayed when Microsoft Excel XP is first opened. You can type
information or design a layout directly in this blank workbook.


To Create an Excel XP Workbook:

• Choose File New from the menu bar.

• The New Workbook task pane opens on the right side of the screen.

• Choose Blank Workbook under the New category heading.
• A blank workbook opens in the Excel window. The New Workbook task pane is
closed.

To Save a new Workbook:
Choose File Save As from the menu bar.
The Save As Dialog Box appears.
Click on the Save In: dropdown menu and locate where the file will be saved. Choose 3
1/2 Floppy (A:) to save the file to a floppy disk or Local Disk (C:) to save the file to your
computer.
Type a name for your file in the File Name: box.


Click the Save button.

To Save Changes Made to an Existing Workbook:

• Choose File Save from the menu bar, or

Click the Save button on the Standard toolbar.

To Enter Data into a Cell:

• Click the cell where you want to type information.
• Type the data. An insertion point appears in the cell as the data is typed.

• The data can be typed in either the cell or the Formula bar.

• Data being typed appears in the both active cell and in the formula bar.


• Notice the Cancel and Enter buttons in the formula bar.

• Click the Enter button to end the entry and turn off the formula bar buttons.

To Edit Information in a Cell:
Direct Cell Editing

• Double-click on the cell that contains the information to be changed.
• The cell is opened for direct editing.

• Make the necessary corrections.
• Press Enter or click the Enter button on the Formula bar to complete the entry.

Deleting Information in a Cell
To Delete Data that Already Appears in a Cell:

• Right-click and choose Clear Contents from the shortcut menu.


To Undo Recent Actions (typing, formatting, etc), One at a Time:

• Click the Undo button.

To Undo Several Recent Actions at Once:

• Click the arrow next to the Undo button.
• Select the desired Undo operation(s) from the list.

• Microsoft Excel reverses the selected action and all actions that appear in the list
above it.

An Undo operation can be cancelled by applying a Redo. This is useful when an Undo operation
was mistakenly applied. Remember, a Redo is possible only if you have not changed an Excel
spreadsheet since the last Undo operation was completed:

To Redo an Undo Operation:

• Press the Redo button.

To Redo several recent Undo actions at once:

• Click the arrow next to Redo button.
• Select the desired Redo operation from the list.
• Microsoft Excel reverses the Undo operation.

To Select a Range of Cells:

• Move to the first cell in the range.
• The mouse pointer becomes a large cross.


• Click-and-hold the left mouse button and drag left or right, up or down to the last
cell you want to select.
• Release the mouse button.
• The cells you selected are shaded.

To Select All Cells in a Column or Row:

• Click the gray Column heading to select the entire column. (Click and drag the
cursor across other column headings to select those columns).

• Click the gray Row heading to select the entire row. (Click and drag the cursor
down through the row headings select those rows).

To Copy and Paste:

• Select a cell or cells to be duplicated.
• Click on the Copy button on the standard toolbar.
• The border of the copied cell(s) takes on the appearance of marching ants.


• Click on the cell where you want to place the duplicated information. The cell will
be highlighted. If you are copying contents into more than one cell, click the
firstcell where you want to place the duplicated information.

• Press the Enter key. Your information is copied to the new location.

The Cut, Copy and Paste operations can also be performed through shortcut keys:

Cut Ctrl+X
Copy Ctrl+C
Paste Ctrl+V

To Use Drag and Drop:

• Highlight and select the cell(s) you want to move to a new location.
• Position the mouse pointer near one of the outside edges of the selected cell(s). The
mouse pointer changes from a large, white cross and becomes a slender, black cross
with arrows at all ends.


• Keep the mouse pointer on the outer edge of the selected cell, click and hold the left
mouse button and drag the cell(s) to a new location.

• Release the mouse button to move the information to its new location.

About Formulas

The following table illustrates the mathematical operators learned in school and those
represented in Excel XP.

School Excel XP
Addition + +
Subtraction - -
Multiplication X *
Division / /
Equals = =

To Create a Simple Formula that Adds the Contents of Two Cells:

• Type the numbers you want to calculate in separate cells (for example, type 128 in
cell B2 and 345 in cell B3).
• Click the cell where the answer will appear (B4, for example).
• Type the equal sign (=) to let Excel know a formula is being defined.
• Type the cell number that contains the first number to be added (B2, for example).
• Type the addition sign (+) to let Excel know that an add operation is to be
performed.
• Type the cell number that contains the first number to be added (B3, for example).
• Press Enter or click the Enter button on the Formula bar to complete the formula.

To Create a Simple Formula using the Point and Click Method:



• Click on the first cell to be included in the formula (B3, for example).
• Type the subtraction sign (-) to let Excel know that a subtraction operation is to be
performed.
• Click on the next cell in the formula (B2, for example).
• If you include multiple cells in the formula, repeat steps 4 and 5 until the entire
formula is entered.

To Create a Simple Formula that Multiplies the Contents of Two Cells:

• Type =
• Type a mathematical operator (Ex: the multiplication symbol *). The operator
displays in the cell and Formula bar.
formula is entered.

To Create a Simple Formula that Divides One Cell by Another:

• Type a mathematical operator (Ex: the division symbol /). The operator displays in
the cell and Formula bar.


formula is entered.
• Very Important: Press Enter or click the Enter button on the Formula bar. This
step ends the formula.

Complex Formulas Defined

The order of operations is:

1. Operations enclosed in parenthesis
2. Exponential calculations (to the power of)
3. Multiplication and division, whichever comes first
4. Addition and subtraction, whichever comes first

Using this order, let us see how the formula 120/(8-5)*4-2 is calculated in the following
picture:

Let's take a look at another example:

2*(6-4) =?


Is the answer 8 or 4? Well, if you ignored the parentheses and calculated in the order in
which the numbers appear, 2*6-4, you'd get the wrong answer, 8. You must follow the order
of operations to get the correct answer.

Creating Complex Formulas

If we wanted to add the contents of cell B2 and cell B3, for example, and then take that answer
and multiply it by the data in cell A4, then we would need to define the following formula:
=(B2+B3)*A4.

• Enter the numbers you want to calculate.
• Click the cell where you want the formula result to appear.
• Type an open parenthesis, or (
• Click on the first cell to be included in the formula (cell B2, for example).
• Type the addition sign (+) to let Excel know that an add operation is to be
performed.
• Click on the second cell in the formula. The reference B3 displays where you want
your result.
• End the B2+B3 operation by adding the close parenthesis, or )
• Type the next mathematical operator, or the multiplication symbol (*) to let Excel
know that an multiply operation is to be performed.
• Click on the third cell to be included in the formula, cell A4.
• Very Important: Press Enter or click the Enter button on the Formula bar.
This step ends the formula.

Copy and Paste Formulas
To Copy and Paste a Formula:

• Select the cell that contains the formula to be copied.
• Click the Copy button. Marching "ants" appear around the copied cell(s).


• Select the cell where the copied formula is to be pasted.
• Press the Enter key. The formula is copied to the new location.

Using Functions

A function is a pre-defined formula that helps perform common mathematical functions.
Functions save you the time of writing lengthy formulas. You could use an Excel function called
Average, for example, to quickly find the average of range of numbers. Or you could use the
Sum function to find the sum of a cell range. Excel XP contains many different functions.

Each function has a specific order, called syntax, which must be strictly followed for the
function to work correctly.

Syntax Order:

1. All functions begin with the = sign.
2. After the = sign define the function name (e.g., Sum).
3. One or more arguments-numbers, text or cell references-enclosed by parentheses. If
there is more than one argument, separate each by a comma.

An example of a function with one argument that adds a range of cells, B3 through B10:

An example of a function with more than one argument that calculates the average of numbers
in a range of cells, B3 through B10, and C3 through C10:


Excel literally has hundreds of different functions to assist with your calculations. Building
formulas can be difficult and time-consuming. Excel's functions can save you a lot of time and
headaches.

Excel's Different Functions
Statistical Functions:

• SUM - summation adds a range of cells together.
• AVERAGE - average calculates the average of a range of cells.
• COUNT - counts the number of chosen data in a range of cells.
• MAX - identifies the largest number in a range of cells.
• MIN - identifies the smallest number in a range of cells.

Financial Functions:

• Interest Rates
• Loan Payments
• Depreciation Amounts

Date and Time functions:

• DATE - Converts a serial number to a day of the month
• Day of Week
• DAYS360 - Calculates the number of days between two dates based on a 360-day
year
• TIME - Returns the serial number of a particular time
• HOUR - Converts a serial number to an hour
• MINUTE - Converts a serial number to a minute
• TODAY - Returns the serial number of today's date
• MONTH - Converts a serial number to a month
• YEAR - Converts a serial number to a year

Finding the Sum of a Range of Data

The AutoSum function allows you to create a formula that includes a cell range-many cells in a
column, for example, or many cells in a row.


To Calculate the AutoSum of a Range of Data:

• Type the numbers to be included in the formula in separate cells of column B (Ex:
type 128 in cell B2, 345 in cell B3, 243 in cell B4, 97 in cell B5 and 187 cell B6).
• Click on the first cell (B2) to be included in the formula.
• Using the point-click-drag method, drag the mouse to define a cell range from cell
B2 through cell B6.
• On the Standard toolbar, click the Sum button.
• The sum of the numbers is added to cell B7, or the cell immediately beneath the
defined range of numbers.
• Notice the formula, =SUM(B2:B6), has been defined to cell B7.

Finding the Average of a Range of Numbers

The Average function calculates the average of a range of numbers. The Average function
can be selected from the AutoSum drop-down menu.

To Calculate the Average of a Range of Data:

• Type the numbers to be included in the formula in separate cells of column B (Ex:
type 128 in cell B2, 345 in cell B3, 243 in cell B4, 97 in cell B5 and 187 cell B6).
• Click on the first cell (B2) to be included in the formula.
• Using the point-click-drag method, drag the mouse to define a cell range from cell
B2 through cell B6.
• On the Standard toolbar, click on the drop-down part of the AutoSum button.


• Select the Average function from the drop-down Functions list.

• The average of the numbers is added to cell B7, or the cell immediately beneath the
defined range of numbers.
• Notice the formula, =AVERAGE(B2:B6), has been defined to cell B7.

Accessing Excel XP Functions
To Access Other Functions in Excel:

• Using the point-click-drag method, select a cell range to be included in the formula.
• On the Standard toolbar, click on the drop-down part of the AutoSum button.
• If you don't see the function you want to use (Sum, Average, Count, Max, Min), display
additional functions by selecting More Functions.The Paste Function dialog box opens.

• There are three ways to locate a function in the Insert Function dialog box:


To Name a Worksheet:

• Double-click the sheet tab to select it. The text is highlighted by a black box.

• Type a new name for the worksheet.

• Press the Enter key.
• The worksheet now assumes the descriptive name defined.

Inserting Worksheets

By default, each new workbook in Excel XP defaults to three worksheets named Sheet1, Sheet2
and Sheet3. You have the ability to insert new worksheets if needed or delete others you no
longer want.

To Insert a New Worksheet:

• Choose Insert Worksheet from the menu bar.


• A new worksheet tab is added to the bottom of the screen. It will be named Sheet4,
Sheet5 or whatever the next sequential sheet number may be in the workbook.

Deleting Worksheets

Any worksheet can be deleted from a workbook, including those that have data in it. Remember,
a workbook must contain at least one worksheet.

To Delete One or More Worksheets:

• Click on the sheet(s) you want to delete.
• Choose Edit Delete Sheet from the menu bar.

• The following dialog box appears if the sheet being deleted contains information on
it.


• Click the Delete button to remove the worksheet and all the data in it.

Another way to delete or insert a worksheet is to right-click on the sheet to be deleted and
then select Delete or Insert from the shortcut menu.

Inserting a row
To Insert a Row:

• Click anywhere in the row below where you want to insert the new row.
• Choose Insert Rows from the menu bar.

A new row is inserted above the cell(s) you originally selected. OR
Click anywhere in the row below where you want to insert the new row.
Right-click and choose Insert from the shortcut menu.


• The Insert dialog box opens.

• Choose the Entire Row radio button.
• Click the OK button.
• A new row is inserted above the cell(s) you originally selected.

Inserting a column.
To Insert a Column:
Click anywhere in the column where you want to insert a new column.


Choose Insert Columns from the menu bar.

• A new column is inserted to the left of the existing column. OR

• Click anywhere in the column where you want to insert a new column.
• Right-click and choose Insert from the shortcut menu.


• The Insert dialog box opens.

• Click the Entire Column radio button in the Insert dialog box.
• A new column is inserted to the left of the existing column.

Deleting columns and rows
To Delete a Row and All Information in It:

• Select a cell in the row to be deleted.
• Choose Edit Delete from the menu bar.
• Click the Entire Row radio button in the Delete dialog box.


To Delete a Column and All Information in it:


• Select a cell in the column to be deleted.
• Choose Edit Delete from the menu bar.
• Click the Entire Column radio button in the Delete dialog box.


To Manually Adjust a Column Width:

• Place your mouse pointer to the right side of the gray column header.
• The mouse pointer changes to the adjustment tool (double-headed arrow).

• Drag the Adjustment tool left or right to the desired width and release the mouse
button.

To Adjust Row Height of a Single Row:

• Place your mouse pointer to the lower edge of the row heading you want to adjust.
• The mouse pointer changes to the adjustment tool (double-headed arrow).


• Drag the Adjustment tool up or down to the desired height and release the mouse
button.

Merging cells

In Excel XP, you have another alignment option available to you: merge and center. This is
performed when you want to select one or more cells and merge them into a larger cell. The
contents will be centered across the new merged cell.

The picture below shows why we might want to merge two cells. The spreadsheet presents
Last Month and This Month Sales and Expenses for Sally. Notice that Sally's name appears
above the Last Month column. To evenly center Sally's name across the two cells we would
perform a merge and center.

To Merge Two Cells Into One:

• Select the cells that you want to merge. It can be cells in a column, row or both
columns and rows.
• Click the Merge and Center button on the standard toolbar.


• The two cells are now merged into one.

Using the Standard Toolbar to Align Text and Numbers in Cells

You've probably noticed by now that Excel XP left-aligns text (labels) and right-aligns
numbers (values). This makes data easier to read.

You do not have to leave the defaults. Text and numbers can be defined as left-aligned, right-
aligned or centered in Excel XP. The picture below shows the difference between these
alignment types when applied to labels.


Text and numbers may be aligned using the left-align, center and right-align buttons of the
Formatting toolbar:

To Align Text or Numbers in a Cell:

• Select a cell or range of cells
• Click on either the Left-Align, Center or Right-Align buttons in the standard
toolbar.
• The text or numbers in the cell(s) take on the selected alignment treatment

Changing Horizontal Cell Alignment

We've previously seen how to align text or numbers using the left-align, center and right-align
buttons in the standard toolbar. You can also define alignment in the Alignment tab of the
Format Cells dialog box.

The Horizontal section features a drop-down that contains the same left, center, and
right alignment options in the picture above and several more:

Fill

"Fills" the cell with the current contents by repeating the contents for the width of the cell.

Justify

If the text is larger than the cell width, Justify wraps the text in the cell and adjusts the spacing
within each line so that all lines are as wide as the cell.


Center Across Selection

Contents of the cell furthest to the left are centered across the selection of cells. Similar to merge
and center, except the cells are not merged.

To Change Horizontal Alignment using the Format Cells Dialog Box:

• Select a cell or range of cells.
• Choose Format Cells from the menu bar.

(You could also right-click and choose Format Cells from the shortcut menu.)
• The Format Cells dialog box opens.
• Click the Alignment tab.

• Click the Horizontal drop-down menu and select a horizontal alignment treatment.


• Click OK to apply the horizontal alignment to the selected cell(s).

Changing Vertical Cell Alignment

You can also define vertical alignment in a cell, similar to how it is done for horizontal
alignment. In Vertical alignment, information in a cell can be located at the top of the cell,
middle of the cell or bottom of the cell. The default is bottom.

To Change Vertical Alignment using the Format Cells Dialog Box:

(You could also right-click and choose Format Cells from the shortcut menu.)

• Click the Vertical drop-down menu and select a vertical alignment treatment.
• Click OK to apply the vertical alignment to the selected cell(s).

Changing Text Orientation

The fourth type of cell alignment in the Format Cells dialog box is Text Orientation, which
allows text to be oriented 90 degrees in either direction up or down.


To Change Text Orientation using the Format Cells Dialog Box:

• Select a cell or cell range to be subject to text control alignment.
• Increase or decrease the number shown in the Degrees field or spin box.

Selecting a Font Typeface:

The amount of typefaces available for use varies depending on the software installed on your
computer.

To Apply a Typeface to Information in a Cell:

• Click on the down arrow to the right of the Font Name list box on the Formatting
toolbar.

• A drop-down list of available fonts appears.

• Click on the Typeface of your choice.
• The selection list closes and the new font is applied to the selected cells.

Change font type, size and color
To Apply a Font Size to Information in a Cell:

• Click on the down arrow to the right of the font size list box on the Formatting
toolbar.

• A drop down list of available font sizes appears.

• Click on the Font Size of your choice.

• The selection list closes and the new font size is applied to the selected cells.

Change font type, size and color (continued)
To Apply Color to Information in Cells:

• Click on the down arrow to the right of the font color list box.


• A drop-down list of available colors appear.

• Click on the color of your choice.
• The selection list closes and the new font color is applied to the selected cells.

Underline, italics and bold

In addition to the typeface, size and color, you can also apply Bold, italics, and/or underline font
style attributes to any text or numbers in cells.

To Select a Font Style:

• Click on any of the following options on the Formatting toolbar.

• Bold button (Ctrl + B).
• Italics button (Ctrl + I).
• Underline button (Ctrl + U).

• The attribute(s) selected (bold, italics, or underline) are applied to the font.


Adding a border to cells

Borders can be applied to cells in your worksheet in order to emphasize important data or assign
names to columns or rows.

To Add a Border to a Cell or Cell Range:

• Click on the down arrow next to the Borders button.
• The Border drop-down appears.

• Choose a borderline style from the Border drop-down menu.


• The selected cells display the chosen border.

Component of Chart:

Source Data
The range of cells that make up a chart. The chart is updated automatically whenever the
information in these cells change.
Title
The title of the chart.
Legend
The chart key, which identifies each color on the chart represents.
Axis
The vertical and horizontal parts of a chart. The vertical axis is often referred to as the Y axis,
and the horizontal axis is referred to as the X axis.
Data Series
The actual charted values, usually rows or columns of the source data.
Value Axis
The axis that represents the values or units of the source data.
Category Axis
The axis identifying each data series.

To Change the Margins in the Page Setup Dialog Box:

• Select the correct worksheet.


• Choose File Page Setup from the menu bar.

• Select the Margins tab.

• Use the spin box controls to define the settings for each page margin-Top, Bottom,
Left, Right, Header and Footer.
• Click the OK button to change the margin settings.

Changing the Page Orientation and Paper Size

The Page tab of the Page Setup dialog box lets you change page orientation (portrait or
landscape) or paper size (e.g., letter size or legal size). The default paper size in Excel XP is 8.5
X 11 inches, with a portrait orientation (prints up and down on the long side of the page). A
landscape orientation, on the other hand, prints up and down on the short side of the page.

To Change Page Orientation:

• Select the correct worksheet.
• Choose File Page Setup from the menu bar.
• Click on the Page tab.


• Choose an Orientation (Portrait or Landscape) for the worksheet.
• Select a Paper Size from the list of available paper size options that appear in the
list box.
• Click on the paper size.
• Click the OK button to accept the page settings.

To protect the Excel using password:
Select tool menu from menu bar
Select option and click
Select Security
Write your password at “Password to open” and click ok.


Write the same password at “Confirm password” and click OK.


easy EXCEL use

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