WebCT at Westfield State College

CIT Integrating Technology in the Classroom

The center for Instructional Technology at Westfield State College Wilson Hall, Room 114A

CIT Basic Excel Training Workshop

What is Excel?

Powerful spreadsheet software (program) that allows you to organize data, complete calculations, make decisions, graph data, develop professional looking reports, publish organized data to the web, and access real-time data from Web sites.

Excel is often thought of as having four major parts:

1. Worksheets Worksheets allow you to enter, calculate, manipulate, and analyze data such as numbers and text. The terms worksheet and spreadsheets are used interchangeably.

2. Charts Charts pictorially represent data. Excel can draw a variety of two-dimensional and three-dimension charts.

3. Databases Databases manage data. Excel can sort, search for specific data, and select data that satisfy a criteria.

4. Web Support Web support allows Excel to be saved as HTML format so the worksheet can be viewed and manipulated using browser. You can also access real-time data (such as stock quotes) using Web queries.

Objectives:

Improve your effectiveness using Excel
Increase your efficiency
Introduce you to the different screens used in Excel
Introduce the menu and toolbars
Explain the nomenclature used in Excel
Provide you with necessary concept material to begin designing your worksheets

Professor Gary Merlo
Department of Economics and Management

Identify Areas of a Worksheet:

Working with the menu:

Working with the Status Bar and Language Bar:

Basic Excel Notes:

Identify a Worksheet:
  Author
  Date Created
  Description of what the workbook accomplishes

Entering Column Titles
  Edit
  Text Alignment within cell
  Changing Column Widths
  Changing Row Heights

Entering Numbers

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 + - ( ) , / . $ % Ee

Arithmetic Operator	Meaning	Example of Usage	Meaning
-	Negation	-95	Negative 95
%	Percentage	=65%	Multiples 65 by 0.01
^	Exponentiation	=3^4	Raises 3 to the fourth power, which in this example is equal to 81
*	Multiplication	+12.4*D5	Multiplies content of cell D5 by 12.4
/	Division	=J2/J4	Divides contents of cell J2 by the contents of cell J4
+	Addition	=2 + 6	Adds 2 and 6
-	Subtraction	=H12 - 29	Subtracts 29 from the contents of cell H12

Calculating a Sum
AutoSum button on Toolbar
Typing =Sum(B5:D15)

Formatting   Centering across section button
  Centering using right button
    Highlight cells you want to center over
    With mouse pointer on highlighted area press right button on mouse (context sensitive menu
    Alignment
    Horizontal
    Center across section

Bolding and other enhancements on formatting toolbar
Change Font Size
Changing Color of a Cell
Changing Font Color in a Cell
Using AutoFormat
  Select area
  Format
  AutoFormat (select format you want)

Name Box
Type cell location in Name Box

Adding a 3-D Column Chart
  Embedded Chart (chart contained in same sheet as data)
  Vertical axis (y-axis)
  Horizontal axis (x-axis)

To create chart   Select area to graph
  Select Chart Wizard button
    First screen you will see requires selection of chart type
      After selection of chart type select the next button at bottom of screen
    Second screen previews chart
    Third screen permits the addition of titles
    Fourth screen is placement of chart
      1.On sheet with data
      2.On new sheet

Saving a Workbook
  File Save As (used for first save)
    Default folder
    File name
    File type
    Dialog Toolbar Buttons
      1. Display contents of next level up folder
      2.Search the web
      3.Delete selected file or folder
      4.Creates a new folder
      5.Views
      6.Tools (lists commands to print or modify file names and folders)

Saving a file the second time

Printing (hard copy or printout)
Print Button

More sophisticated printing
File
Page Setup

  Portrait/Landscape
  Scaling
    Fit to page
  Margins
  Header/Footer
  Sheet
  Print Preview
  Options
Selecting Print

Editing
Edit Mode
Double Click (range finder)

Clearing a Cell or Range of Cells
  Never use space bar
  Right button mouse
  Edit menu
    Clear

Quit Excel
Order of Operation

When more than one operator is involved in a formula, Excel follows the same basic order as that used in algebra.

Moving from left to right
  1.Negation -
  2.Percentages %
  3.Exponentiations ^
  4.Multiplications *
  5.Divisions
  6.And finally additions + and then subtractions -

Parentheses are used to override the order of operation
5 * 6 - 2 equals 28
5 *(6 - 2) equals 20, excel performs what is inside parentheses first

Entering Formulas using the Point Mode
  1.Select cell location for formula
  2.Enter =
  3.Point to first cell in formula
  4.Type mathematical operator
  5.Select next cell in formula
  6.Repeat steps 4 and 5 until formula is entered
  7.Press enter key

Copy Formulas Using the Fill Handle
  Enter formula in source cell
  Select lower right corner of source cell
  Click and hold left button, drag across area that you want the formula in
  Release mouse button (formula is replicated in destination cells)

Determining Percentages

Using more functions (finding functions)
  Average
  Max
  Min

Formatting Column Titles
  Fill Color
  Borders
  Shading

Changing Sheet Names

E-Mailing a Workbook using Outlook
  File
  Send To
  Mail Recipient (as Attachment)
    Complete email requirements
      To
      Subject
      Attach.. (filled in by excel)
      Message