Create and use
Spreadsheets
BSBITU212
Create and use
Spreadsheets
BSBITU212

This unit describes the skills and knowledge
required to correctly create and use
spreadsheets and charts using both cloudbased and non-cloud based spreadsheet
applications.

It applies to individuals who perform a
range of routine tasks in the workplace

Spreadsheets are an essential tool in the
hospitality industry where they are used for
various different essential functions such as
rostering, ordering, preparation lists, menu
costing
By the end of this unit students will be able
to:

1. Prepare and produce basic spreadsheets

2. Produce simple charts

3. Finalise and present Spreadsheets
Introduction
A spreadsheet program is a software application that organises information (data)
into a grid or table of columns and rows.
The information can then be analysed using mathematical formula that relates one
‘cell’ to another ‘cell’ or group of cells. The information can also be sorted, filtered and
copied.
Creating a spreadsheet document is viewed as a basic skill that all workers are now
expected to have.
https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/
https://www.ergonomicsnow.com.au/image/data/14/officewise.pdf
1. Making a Basic Spreadsheet in Excel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W_933RnCXM
1. Basic Excel Formulas - Add, Subtract, Divide, Multiply:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1naiWCWfSt4
1. Excel 2016: Charts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Wu7jYTr1Pk
1. How to Make a Weekly Timesheet Calculator in Microsoft Excel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooo4WoT0wns
2. How to Solve 4 Frustrating Time Calculations in MS Excel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiuY1PGL_I4
Purpose of the spreadsheet
Spreadsheets might be used for:
•Version control documents.
•Sales records.
•Accounting.
•Minutes of a meeting.
•Statistical analysis.
•Sports results.
•Price lists.
•Test results.
•Personal information or a group.
•Currency transactions.
•Calendar.
•Share registers.
•Mathematical calculations.
•Lists and checklists.
•Create charts.
•Organise data.
•Analyse data.
Safe work practices
Ergonomics
Ergonomics is the study of the interactions between humans and the devices and
equipment they use.
From the workplace point of view it is about designing the workplace and equipment
in the workplace to ‘Fit’ people better.
Many people work at a desk and input data into a computer; how the desk and
computer are set up to be the safest, most comfortable and efficient way to work is
ergonomics.
The bell curve
In the study of ergonomics they take lots of measurements and
create lots of statistics.
One of the factors that will affect how your desk and computer
station are set up is how tall you are.
Most things like a desk, chair or computer monitor are designed
to fit most people, but not all people.
Setting up your screen based
workstation
•Desk
•Chair
•Keyboard
•Mouse
•Monitor
•Document holders
•Lighting
Desk set up
Back Support
Elbows close to body
Eyes in line with the top
of the screen
Leg clearance
under desk
Adjustable chair
with castor wheels
Feet flat on the floor or use
a footrest
Discussion 1
1. From the information you have about the ergonomic setup of a desk
and computer in an office. Look at the set up that you work with at work
or at home and explain the good points and bad points from an
ergonomic point of view.
Work organisation
Advantages of varying your work:
•Give your eyes a rest from intense reading and typing
•Makes your job more interesting and enjoyable
•Swaps around the parts of your body and muscles that you use
•Gets you up out of the chair and moving around the office which
exercises your body.
•Helps avoid headaches and eye strain.
•You become more productive in your work
Rest periods
Having a break can actually help you with productivity and you can get
more work done because your mind and body are refreshed and ready
to start a new task again.
If rest periods are not taken then both your mind and body get tired
and you start to make mistakes and slow down.
Activity
Carefully complete the exercise
activities on the next slide.
If it is safe for you to do so !!
Exercise
Environment
Paper
By closely looking at your work practices an office can dramatically
reduce the amount of paper they use which is not only cheaper for the
business it is better for the environment.
•Print on both sides of the paper.
•Use scrap paper for printing where possible (internal use only).
•Purchases recycled paper for the printers.
•Use shredded paper for packing items for postage.
Electricity
•Turn off appliances at the wall socket as most equipment still uses
electricity in standby mode.
•Turn off computers at night when not in use.
•Take energy consumption into account when purchasing equipment.
•Use low energy light bulbs.
•Monitor use of air conditioning and cooling, do not just leave on the
lowest temperature setting, a higher temperature setting will use less
energy.
•Install a roof solar electric system if it is possible at your building.
Green energy
This energy has been produced by sustainable means such as wind,
solar, landfill gas, hydro and bio gas.
Customers can choose how much of their energy comes from these
sources such as 10%, 20% or even 100% depending upon their
budget.
Green energy
This energy has been produced by sustainable means such as wind,
solar, landfill gas, hydro and bio gas.
Customers can choose how much of their energy comes from these
sources such as 10%, 20% or even 100% depending upon their
budget.
Separating waste
Waste that can be recycled:
•Aluminium scrap
•Paper
•Cardboard
•Glass bottles
•Plastic bottles
•Garden waste
•Steel
•Mobile phones
•Computer equipment
•Printer cartridges
•Electronic equipment
•Other plastic products
Computer Recycling – E waste
Computers and electronic equipment have presented a special
challenge in the past to recycle these items.
There are companies that specialise in recycling electronic equipment
but you will probably need to pay for that service.
Typical business uses of spreadsheets
•A salesman might use a spreadsheet to keep track of sales.
•A teacher might use a spreadsheet to record student results.
•An engineer would use spreadsheets to perform complex mathematical
calculations.
•Managers and accountants use spreadsheets to track and manage finances.
•Spreadsheets could be used as a product list for a store or company.
•A spreadsheet could be used to perform budget calculations and model
different budget scenarios.
•A spreadsheet can be used to analyse data and present data as a
graph or chart.
•A spreadsheet can be used to create a table that could be inserted
into another document such as a report or business plan.
•A spreadsheet could be used to calculate and analyse the results of
market research.
•Spreadsheets are widely used to manage stock and perform
stocktakes
•A spreadsheet could be used to record and track the value of a
portfolio of shares.
Discussion 3
1. What does your workplace or business use spreadsheets for? If you
are not currently employed then what have you used spreadsheets for
in the past?
Audience and purpose
The audience for a business document may include:
•Customers – Welcome letter, quote.
•Work colleagues – Share information.
•The managers or owners of the business – Share information.
•Government – Compliance areas such as tax, licensing or safety.
•Public – Press release or marketing materials.
The purpose of a business document may include:
•Marketing, sales and quotes
•Discuss and project or task
•Record information – sales, meeting minutes, decisions
•Share, record or seek information
•Arrange a meeting
•Give directions of work to a colleague
•Introduce new plans, actions or colleagues
•Government compliance – licenses, tax
•Submit a report
•Maintain relationships
Spreadsheets
Formula
Bar
Work
Area
Ribbon
containing
various
functions
Menu tabs
Scroll bars
Microsoft sidebar
Current versions of Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office
programs use a hidden sidebar menu for some functions such as new,
open, print, save, save as, options and a few other miscellaneous
features.
Microsoft ribbon
As you click on each menu item, the options on the ‘Ribbon’ below the
menu change to show the features pertaining to that menu item.
•Home
•Insert
•Page layout
•Formula
•Date
•Review
•View
Creating spreadsheets
Cell naming
On the horizontal axis we can see that each vertical
‘Column’ has been named A, B, C, D, E, F and so on. We
can also see on the vertical axis that each horizontal ‘Row’
has been labelled 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc.
Cell adjustments
Adjustments include:
•The height and width of cells
•The font used in the cell
•Font options like size, bold, italic, style and colour
•Cell colour
•Cell data style
•Text alignment
Microsoft Excel also has an option of preset cell styles for you to
choose from which can be applied to individual cells, rows or columns
Cell formatting can be applied to individual cells, whole rows or whole
columns. To apply formatting to a whole row or column, highlight that
whole row or column by clicking on the tab for that row or column and
then select the formatting you want.
Cell size
You can adjust the size of individual columns or rows by placing the
cursor in between two columns or rows. The cursor will change shape
and you can drag the column or row to make it bigger
Cell address
The address of the cell that you are currently in is in the upper left
corner just below the ribbon and to the left of the formula bar.
Adding a column or row
To add a column or row, place the cursor in between the two rows or
columns at the side or top of the grid (where the cells are named), right
hand click on the mouse and then click insert.
The column or row will be inserted before the row or column in the grid.
Discussion 4
Open Microsoft Excel or your spreadsheet program and start a new
workbook.
Complete the following exercises:
1. Adjust the width of the columns.
2. Adjust the height of the rows.
3. Adjust the colours of the cells using the style settings.
4. Enter the numbers 1 to 20 in the cells A1 to E4.
5. Add an extra column between A and B.
6. Add an extra row between 1 and 2.
Layout and design
General principles of business spreadsheets:
•The format should be clear and clean with important information
highlighted by the use of headings.
•Use an appropriate font and avoid fancy script fonts.
•Ensure all the information is accurate.
•Accurate formula.
•Correct spelling and grammar.
•Appropriate use of graphs and charts.
•Protected by a password if the information is confidential.
•Respectful and abiding by copyright laws.
•Your own work and no plagiarism.
Consistency
•Use the same style charts or graphs
•Use the same font for the main body of the spreadsheet and the same
fonts for headings and subheadings in the spreadsheets of the same
group or that are related to each other.
•Use the same theme and colours.
•Have the same margins.
•Use the same headers and footers.
•Use the same style of tables, text boxes and borders as part of the
same design.
•Have the company logo in the same place.
•Similar type graphs and charts so they can be compared
Corporate brand
By having the same design elements in business documents that
design and style becomes part of the ‘Corporate Brand’
Background
An image can be displayed as the background for a workbook if you
feel that it is appropriate under the circumstances and purpose of the
workbook.
Choose ‘Background’ in the Page Layout tab of the ribbon.
Spreadsheet templates
Styles
Sheets
You can create a number of different ‘Worksheets’ in the same file by
using the ‘Sheet’ tabs at the bottom of the work area.
Opening a new sheet is like opening a new spreadsheet but contained
within the same file.
Freeze panes
The standard spreadsheet work area is one pane of cells.
When working with a large spreadsheet of data as the cells move
down or across the viewing area you tend to loose the headings in
each column or row and that makes it harder to work with. However,
there is a way to create extra viewing panes that hold the headings in
place and make the workbook easier to use
This gives a
viewing pane here
to hold the row
headings in place
Main viewing pane
and work area
This gives a viewing pane
here to hold the column
headings in place
Discussion 5
Open Microsoft Excel or your spreadsheet program and then:
Complete the following exercises:
1. Create two new workbooks using different templates.
2. Adjust the viewing panes to add an extra column pane and an extra
row pane.
3. Stat a new workbook using sheet 2 rather than starting a new
document.
Entering data
To enter data, use the mouse to highlight the cell you wish to enter the
data into and type.
The data will appear in the cell and also in the toolbar above; as we
see below in the data being entered into cell A4.
Types of data
When entering data we need to ask.
What kind of data are we entering as data can take many formats.
•Dates
•Currency
•Text
•Times
•Numbers
•Fractions
•Percentages
Data entry tips
To enter data:
•Allow columns and rows for your headings
•Allow a row above the headings for the title of the data
•Try to keep all the information in adjacent columns and rows and
avoid empty spaces
Formatting data
You can format the data that you are entering by the cell, the whole
column, the whole row or just your highlighted area.
You may need to format the cells because you may want the data
displayed in a particular way.
Headings
When entering or formatting data, use one row and one column for the
headings of the data, in some cases you may need more than one.
Headers and footers
A header and footer can be added to the printed pages by using the header and
footer function in the ‘Insert’ tab.
Comments
A comment can be added to a cell that is not part of the data but can
be used to explain the data in a short comment.
Right hand click on the cell that you would like to insert the comment
into.
Discussion 6
Open Microsoft Excel or your spreadsheet program and then:
Complete the following exercises:
1. Create a new workbook using a template.
2. Add a header to the page.
3. Add a footer to the page.
4. Add comments to a cell.
5. Enter data as a date, time, percentage, fraction and text.
Automatic functions
•Auto correct
•Auto date
•Print titles
•Page numbers / number of pages
•Headers and footers
Formula
Formula use the following signs to show the basic maths calculations
•+ (plus sign) for attrition
•- (minus sign) for subtraction
•/ (slash) for division
•* (asterisk) for multiplication
•^ (caret) for raising to an exponential power
We use the address of each cell in the formula and then the program
uses the value that is in that cell to make the calculation.
C3 = A3 + B3
123 = 45 + 78
Addition
To enter the formula we place the cursor on the cell where we want the
answer.
Then we use the = sign to show we are inserting a formula and then
follow with the formula.
= A3 + B3 (the program already knows which cell you want the answer
in)
Auto sum
All spreadsheet programs will have an ‘Auto Sum’ feature which is
represented by the symbol ‘Ʃ.
By placing the cursor in the cell directly below or beside a series of
data the Auto Sum function should automatically find the data that you
want to add up.
Discussion 7
Complete the following activities on a spreadsheet.
1. Enter a series of ten numbers and use Auto Sum to add up the
numbers
2. Adjust the cell sizes of columns A, B , C D to make them wider
3. Enter a series of five dates and show in an Australian date format
4. Use a formula to add together a currency value in 3 cells
Multiplication
The table below shows a list of book sales that is used to calculate the
income from the sales. Column B has the number of books sold and
column C has the prices they were sold at.
The formula = B2 * C2 is used to calculate the total income from each
book.
Discussion 8
1. What is the formula to calculate the value of cell D2 in the above
screen?
Division
The table below shows a list of staff Christmas bonuses that is used to
calculate the bonus for each staff member.
Column B has the total bonus per department and column C has the
number of staff in each department
The formula = B2/C2 is used to calculate the per person bonus.
Average
To use the same table and calculate the ‘Average’ staff bonus we can
choose the AVERAGE function from the formula tab.
By placing the cursor in the cell below the data the program will
automatically choose the data above the cell to use in the calculation.
The formula becomes =AVERAGE(D2:D8)
Maximum and minimum
To use the same table and calculate the ‘Maximum’ staff bonus we can
choose the MAX function from the formula tab.
By placing the cursor in the cell below the data the program will
automatically choose the data above the cell to use in the calculation.
The formula becomes =MAX(D2:D8)
Complex formula
Microsoft Excel has many complex formulas that can be used to
perform complex calculations in specialist areas, such as:
•Auto sum
•Recently used
•Financial
•Logical
•Text
•Date and time
•Look up and reference
•Maths and trigonometry
•More
Accuracy
A common problem with spreadsheets that lead to inaccurate data is
making a mistake when entering the formula.
A slight error entering the formula can result in decisions being made
based on incorrect data.
Strings of formula
Once you have entered a formula into a cell then than formula can be
used in other cells in one of two ways.
1) Use the exact formula
2) 2) Use the same formula but change the cells it applied to as you
move down or backcross the series of data.
Discussion 9
1. Enter a series of numbers in Column A and Column B and then
enter a formula to add the value of A and B together in cell C1. Drag
that formula down as a string to add up all the numbers down the
column.
Help
So how do we learn and where do we get help?
•Ask an experienced office colleague
•Use the help button of the program
•Use a reference book such as ‘Excel for dummies’
•Online help forums
•Attend a short training course
•Play and experiment with the program
Chart types
•Column chart
•Line chart
•Pie chart
•Bar chart
•Area chart
•Scatter chart
•Doughnut chart
•Bubble chart
•Surface chart
•Stock chart
•Radar chart
Create instant charts
X and Y Axis
Many Charts have two sets of data to chart and these are called the ‘X
Axis’ data and the ‘Y Axis’ data. X is the horizontal data and Y is the
vertical data.
Y Axis
Legend
X Axis
Adding data labels and adjustments
to a chart
•Chart title
•Axis titles
•Legend
•Data labels
•Data table
•Axis
•Gridlines
Select data source
On a large spreadsheet, the source of the data for the chart could be
spread out in the work area rather than in one neat package together
in a small table.
You may need to select the cells that are used as the data source for
the chart or areas of the chart.
Edit series name in chart
Format plot area
Format chart area
Insert picture / image
Proof reading questions
Here are a number of things to look at when proof reading a
spreadsheet:
•Is the information in the spreadsheet accurate?
•Have you updated the version number?
•Has the data been approved by your manager or supervisor?
•Are the dates and names correct?
•Have you addressed any security concerns regarding the document?
•Is the formula correct?
•Do the graphs clearly convey the message?
•Do the graphs look good?
• Have you saved and backed up the document?
•Does the document contain copyrighted material? Do you have the
right to use that copyrighted material?
•Are the style and layout appropriate for the business you work in?
•Are the calculations accurate?
Finalise the document
Once you have done all the checking you are ready to finalise the
document
•Remove the ‘Draft’ label on the document.
•Label the document as final if appropriate.
•Send the document for approval if appropriate.
•Put the appropriate date and version numbers on the document.
•Print the document and give it one final look over before you send the
document.
Timelines
•Printing deadlines.
•Approval deadlines.
•Compliance deadlines.
•Normal business time management.
•Agreed timelines.
•Your boss wants the document.
Generating documents files and
records
Each business will have its own standard system for managing and
storing files; some systems will be electronic and other systems will be
paper based.
Most businesses would use a combination of the two systems. Above
all learn and follow the system where you work.
Document names
Over a period of time you will save and accumulate many documents
in your files, folders and on storage devices.
When looking for a file it helps to have some sort of system in place
that the name of the file and the location of the file tell you about the
contents of the document.
Save and Save As
When saving a document there are generally two options:
Save
Save as
PDF
PDF stands for ‘Portable Document Format’ and is used as a common
format to send documents to others.
The idea was that a pdf document was locked and that the data could
not be changed and that it was in a format that everybody could
access
Back up data
Backup systems may include:
•Upload data to an internet based backup storage area (cloud)
•Make a CD copy of the data
•Copy data to a USB memory stick
•Back up to the company or business server
•Some software programs such as accounting software have their own
built in backup system
Discussion 10
1. How is the data backed up at your business or school?
Store files
A portable storage device such as a Flash Drive can be used to back
up or store your document file.
Cloud storage
These include Onedrive, Google drive, , iCloud, Dropbox, Adrive,
SugarSync and many more.
Print
To gain access to the print menu in Microsoft Word uses the ‘Microsoft
Office Button’ in the top right hand corner of the screen then scroll
down to the print menu.
From this menu you will be able to ‘Print Preview’ or ‘Print’.
Print preview
In a large spreadsheet it can be difficult to know just how the
spreadsheet will look when printed. How much data fits onto a page?
When using the Print Preview function and then reverting back to the
workbook you will see dotted lines on the workbook to show the
printing area of each page.
Print options
As we previously discussed the printing options available to you will
depend on your printer but they may include:
•Print the whole document
•Print the current page or a range of pages
•Double sided printing
•Number of copies
•Stapling
•Colour or black and white
•Draft mode (to save ink)
•Watermark
•Collate pages (1,1,1 , 2, 2, 2, 3,3, 3) or (1, 2, 3, 1,2 ,3 1, 2, 3)
Present documents
•Data projector
•Ring Binder
•Thermal binding
•Spiral binding