USING MICROSOFT EXCEL

(Spreadsheets, Charts and Graphs)

Alphabetize

·        to put items in alphabetical order, highlight the cells to be sorted

·        select Data

·        select Sort

·        identify which column you want to sort by as the first set of criteria

·        SPECIAL NOTE   if you more than one column of information and only select one column to sort, you must expand the selection in order to keep you rows of data intact

·        If you only want to sort a selected column of data and disregard any associated data in the row, select Data and Sort, and indicate “Continue with the current selection”

Borders

·        In order to create borders around a cell or group of cells,

·        first highlight the cell or cells to be affected

·        select Format

·        select Cells

·        select Borders

·        click on the borders as an outline (this will put a border around the highlighted area) and if you want borders on the internal cells, click on inside

Calculations

·        To ADD a column of numbers

·        Click on the cell in which you want your total to be found

·        Click on the equal sign in the text box

·        Type sum and a left parenthesis

·        Click on the icon to close the wizard box

·        Click and highlight the cells to be added and hit enter, then click Okay on the wizard

·        To SUBTRACT a column of numbers

·        Click on the cell in which you want your total to be found

·        Click on the equal sign in the text box

·        Click on the icon to close the wizard box cell

·        Type a left parenthesis

·        Type the indicator for the first cell  (such as C3) and a minus sign

·        Type the indicator for the cell to be subtracted  (such as C4)

·        Type a right parenthesis and hit enter

·        To AVERAGE a column of numbers

·        Click on the cell in which you want your average to be found

·        Click on the equal sign in the text box

·        Type average and a left parenthesis

·        Click and highlight the cells to be averaged and click enter

Or

·        Select the cell where the total will be

·        Select Insert

·        Select Function

·        Follow directions according to the Wizard, inserting all information

Charts and Graphs

·        To add a chart or a graph, highlight the information to be graphed

·        Select Insert

·        Select Chart

·        Follow the chart wizard steps

·        To change the names in the legend, select Series

·        To change the name of the chart and/or axis, select Titles (step 3)

·        To change the chart title or name of the legend or axis after the wizard is used

·        Click on the mouse with the RIGHT button

·        Select Chart Options

·        To change the type of chart

·        Click on the mouse with the RIGHT button

·        Select chart type

Column width, row height

·        To change the column width, click in the letters on the top of the column

·        Move the cursor until you see a "crosshair"

·        Drag the crosshair to the desired width

·        To change the row height, click in the numbers on the left of the columns

·        Move the cursor until you see a "crosshair"

·        Drag the crosshair to the desired height

OR

·        Highlight the rows or columns to be affected

·        Select Format

·        Select Column or Row

·        Indicate the appropriate size of the cell  (you may have to experiment to get the desired size)

Copy or move a sheet

·        Select Edit

·        Select Move or Copy Sheet

·        To move, indicate the desired location of your new sheet

·        To copy, click in the box indicated create a copy

·        Select okay and rename you sheet

Currency

  • When using currency figures in a cell, select Format
  • Select Cells
  • Select Currency and follow the options given

Decimal points, place values

·        Select the column, row, or cells to add or delete decimal points

·        On the format toolbar, find the icon that indicates decimal points

·        Click on the appropriate icon to add or delete decimal points

Delete a column or row

·        To delete a column, click on the letter on the top where of the column you want to delete

·        Select Edit

·        Select delete

·        To delete a row, click on the number in the left column of the row you want to delete

·        Select Edit

·        Select delete

·        To delete a selected series of cells

·        Highlight the cells to be deleted

·        Select Edit

·        Select delete

·        Indicate if you want all cells or rows to shift up and/or left  (this will eliminate blank spaces in you cells)

·        If you want to leave those cells blank, select Clear instead of Delete

Font

·        any changes with fonts are done by selecting Format cells

·        select Fonts and proceed as you would with a Word document

Header/Footer

·        To add a header or footer

·        Select View

·        Select Header and Footer

·        Select custom header (or footer)

·        Type in your desired text

·        To change the font, size or type, click on the “A” icon

·        Select the Print Preview on the File menu in order to view your header (or footer)

Insert a column or row

·        To insert a column, click on the letter on the top where you want to insert a column

·        Select Insert

·        Select column

·        To insert a row, click on the number on the left column where you want to insert a row

·        Select Insert and Select row

Name or Re-name a sheet

·        Locate the sheet 1/sheet2/sheet 3/ on the lower left page

·        Use the RIGHT click button on the mouse

·        Select rename

·        Click on the LEFT click button on the mouse

·        Type the name for your sheet

·        Click enter

OR

·        Select format

·        Select sheet

·        Select rename

Numbers, Dates, Currency

·        Select the cell or cells to be affected

·        Select Format

·        Select Cells

·        Select Number and highlight the appropriate changes to be made

Printing

·        To print a worksheet, follow normal print operations

·        If you want to print ALL worksheets in a document, select Print Entire Workbook

Protection/Password

·        To protect calculations and information in your cells, you can add a password

·        Select Tools

·        Select protection, then select protect sheet and add a password

Shading

·        Highlight the cell or cells to be affected

·        Select format

·        Select cells

·        Select patterns

Text

·        to “float” text in a cell or place at the bottom or top of the cell, highlight the cell or cells

·        select Format

·        select Alignment

·        choose horizontal and/or vertical alignment

·        to change the direction of text to portrait, highlight the cell or cells

·        select Format

·        select Alignment

·        select Orientation and move the “clock” shaped graph to the direction you want your text to lay

Word Search

·        To create a  word search, highlight how big you want you word search to be

·        An example is maybe 20 rows across and 30 rows down

·        Go to Format and select borders

·        Place a border in all blocks (this will look like graph paper)

·        Print out your blocks and fill in the words with one letter per block

·        You will want to write down the words as you go so you don’t forget them

·        After all of your words are placed on the graph, fill in the empty squares with random letters

·        Return to your worksheet and type in the appropriate letters in each block

·        List your words on the page (you can use the Sort feature to alphabetize)

·        Select the entire worksheet, go to Format and Borders, and remove all of the borders

·        You will now have a word search and the words you need to find on the page