Microsoft Excel

What is Microsoft Excel?

Excel is an electronic spreadsheet program that can be used for storing, organizing and manipulating data.

• When you look at the Excel screen (refer to the example on this page) you see a rectangular table or grid of rows and columns. The horizontal rows are identified by numbers (1,2,3) and the vertical columns with letters of the alphabet (A,B,C). 
• For columns beyond 26, columns are identified by two or more letters such as AA, AB, AC.

•  The intersection point between a column and a row is a small rectangular box known as a cell. A cell is the basic unit for storing data in the spreadsheet. 
• Because an Excel spreadsheet contains thousands of these cells, each is given a cell reference or address to identify it.

• The cell reference is a combination of the column letter and the row number such as A3, B6, AA345. 

Uses

The types of data that a cell can hold include numbers, text or formulas. Just as in math class, formulas are used for calculations usually involving data contained in other cells. Excel and other electronic spreadsheets include a number of built in formulas used for common tasks known as functions.

Spreadsheets are often used to store financial data. Formulas and functions that are used on this type of data include:

• Performing basic mathematical operations such as summing columns and rows of figures.
• Finding values such as profit or loss.
• Calculating repayment plans for loans or mortgages.
• Finding the average, maximum, or minimum values in a specified range of data.

Excel's Other Uses

Other common operations that Excel can be used for include:

• graphing or charting data to assist users in identifying data trends.
• sorting and filtering data to find specific information.

The information garnered in a spreadsheet can easily be incorporated into electronic presentations, web pages, or printed off in report form.

 

 How to Use Excel?

Entering Data in Excel:

1. Plan your spreadsheet- Before you start to type
   
   
2. How to enter data into a spreadsheet - Doing the Excel three - step
   
   
3. Cells and cell reference in Excel's - Keeping track of where your data is going
   
   
4. Using AutoComplete to Enter Data  - Getting help from Excel
   
   
5. Types of data in Excel's - Text and Numbers
   
   
6. Getting around your spreadsheet quickly - Shortcut keys
7. Editing Data in Cell - Updating data and fixing those mistakes

Basic calculations in Excel Spreadsheet

Why use formulas in Excel?


Excel formulas are one of the most useful features of the program. Formulas can be as simple as adding two numbers or can be complex calculations needed for high end business projections. Once you learn the basic format of creating a formula, Excel does all the calculations for you.

Excel 2003 Chart Wizard

 

Overview Of Excel 2003 Chart Wizard 

Excel 2003 Chart Wizard

• The quickest and easiest way to create a graph, or a chart is to use the Excel Chart Wizard.

• A chart often makes it easier to understand the data in a worksheet because users can easily pick out patterns and trends illustrated in the chart that are otherwise difficult to see.

• This tutorial covers how to use the Excel 2003 Chart Wizard to create a column chart. This tutorial guides you through the most commonly used features of the Chart Wizard.