Lesson 12
Spreadsheets
Computer Concepts
BASICS 4th Edition
1
Wells
Objectives
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Lesson 12
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Understand the purpose and function of a
spreadsheet
Identify the parts of a spreadsheet window
Enter labels, values, formulas, and functions in a
spreadsheet
Use the AutoSum feature to enter the SUM function
Understand relative and absolute cell references
Change column width and row height
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Objectives (continued)
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Lesson 12
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Format data in a spreadsheet
Insert and delete cells, rows, and columns.
Save and print a spreadsheet
Add headers and footers in a spreadsheet.
Sort data in a spreadsheet
Insert clip art in a spreadsheet
Create a chart from spreadsheet data
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Wells
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Computer Concepts BASICS
Vocabulary
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Lesson 12
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absolute reference
active cell
cell
cell reference
chart
footer
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formula
formula prefix
function
header
label
order of evaluation
Computer Concepts BASICS
Vocabulary (continued)
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Lesson 12
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5
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range
relative cell
reference
spreadsheet
theme
Wells
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value
workbook
worksheet
Computer Concepts BASICS
Spreadsheet Software Defined
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Lesson 12
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A spreadsheet is a row and column arrangement of
data
Electronic spreadsheet software, such as Microsoft
Office Excel 2007, is used to evaluate, calculate,
manipulate, analyze, and present numeric data
Calculations are updated automatically, which
makes this type of software very effective for
numerous applications, such as preparing budgets,
financial statements, and sales reports
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Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
The Anatomy of a Spreadsheet
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Lesson 12
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A spreadsheet looks like a grid of columns and rows.
In Excel the grid is referred to as a worksheet. The
terms spreadsheet and worksheet are used
interchangeably.
Columns are identified by letters and rows are
identified by numbers. The point at which a column
and a row intersect or meet is called a cell. Each cell
has a name, called the cell reference (or cell
address), which is represented by the column letter
and the row number.
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
The Anatomy of a Spreadsheet
(continued)
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Lesson 12
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The active cell is the cell in which a user is working
currently and is surrounded by a thick border.
By default, a workbook contains three worksheets
named Sheet1, Sheet2, and Sheet3, as shown on
the sheet tabs at the bottom of the window.
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Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Selecting Cells
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Lesson 12
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To select a cell with the mouse, point to the cell and
click. You can select a group of cells by clicking the
first cell and dragging the mouse to the last cell of
the group or by using keyboard shortcuts.
When selecting a group of cells, the group is called a
range. It is identified by the address of the cell in the
upper-left corner, followed by a colon, and then the
cell in the lower-right corner; for example, A1:D5
identifies all the cells from cell A1 through cell D5.
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Selecting Cells (continued)
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Lesson 12
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You can select an entire column by clicking the
column letter at the top of the spreadsheet or an
entire row by clicking the row number.
To select a cell that is not visible on the screen, you
can use the vertical and horizontal scroll bars or
scroll boxes to display the area of the spreadsheet
that contains the cell(s) you want to select.
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Entering Data in a Spreadsheet
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The data that is entered in a spreadsheet will be one
of four types—a label, a value, a formula, or a
function.
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A label is alphabetical text and aligns at the left side of the
cell. It also can contain numerical data not used in
calculations, such as zip codes, telephone numbers, dates,
and so on.
A value is a number and aligns at the right side of the cell.
A formula is an equation that performs a calculation.
A function is a built-in formula that is a shortcut for common
calculations, such as finding totals or averages.
Computer Concepts BASICS
Entering Data in a Spreadsheet
(continued)
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Lesson 12
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When you press Enter, the next cell down in the
column becomes the active cell. You can also press
the Tab key to enter the data and move to the next
cell in the row.
You can edit data in a cell by selecting the cell and
then typing the new data. You also can double-click
the cell and then move the insertion point to where
you want to edit the data. Use the Delete or
Backspace keys or retype the data as desired.
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Entering Formulas and Functions
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Lesson 12
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A formula performs calculations, such as adding,
subtracting, averaging, and multiplying.
To enter a formula in a cell, first type an equal sign
(=). This symbol, called the formula prefix, identifies
the data as a formula and not a label.
For the formula, you can enter cell references,
arithmetic operators, and/or functions.
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Entering Formulas and Functions
(continued)
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Formulas that contain more than one operator are
called complex formulas. The order of evaluation
determines the sequence of calculation.
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Multiplication and division are performed before addition
and subtraction
Calculations are performed from the left side of the formula
to the right side
Change the order of evaluation by using parentheses.
Calculations enclosed in parentheses are performed first
For more complex calculations, use a function which
is a prewritten formula that automatically calculates a
value based on data you insert.
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Entering Formulas and Functions
(continued)
Examples of order of evaluation
Lesson 12
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Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Entering Formulas and Functions
(continued)
Lesson 12
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To enter a function, type the equal sign (=), the
name of the function (such as SUM), an opening
parenthesis, the value(s), cell, or range of cells to be
calculated in the function (referred to as the
argument), and then the closing parenthesis.
You can use the AutoSum feature, which is located
in the Editing group on the Home tab, as a shortcut
for entering the SUM function.
To copy data, you can use the Copy and Paste
commands, the drag-and-drop method, or the fill
handle.
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Entering Formulas and Functions
(continued)
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Lesson 12
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Relative and Absolute Cell References:
When you copy cells that contain formulas, the cell
references change to accommodate the new
location. This is called a relative cell reference.
If you want the value of a cell referenced in a
formula to remain constant when copied, then you
need to make it an absolute cell reference. This
means that the content of the cell will not change
when copied to another cell.
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Wells
To create an absolute cell reference, type a $ before the
column letter and a $ before the row number in the cell
reference to remain the same. For example, $A$4 is an
absolute cell reference for cell A4.
Computer Concepts BASICS
Formatting a Spreadsheet
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Lesson 12
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Changing Column Width and Row Height:
The appearance of the spreadsheet is almost as
important as the accuracy of the data that it contains.
To adjust column width: Position the pointer on the
vertical line between the column letters at the top of the
worksheet. Click and drag to adjust width. You can also
double-click to adjust the column width to its best fit.
To adjust row height: Position the pointer on the line
between the row numbers at the left of the worksheet.
Click and drag to adjust height. You can also double-click
to adjust the row height to its best fit.
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Formatting a Spreadsheet (continued)
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Formatting Data:
Following is a list of some of the formatting tools,
located on the Home tab:
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Alignment: By default, text is aligned to the left in a cell and
numeric data is aligned to the right. You can change
alignment using the buttons in the Alignment group.
Orientation and wrapping: Data in cells can be rotated or
wrapped to fit the cell.
Font: You can change the font, font size, font style, and font
color of data just as you would in a word-processing
document.
Format Painter: The Format Painter provides a time-saving
way to apply formats consistently throughout a worksheet.
Computer Concepts BASICS
Formatting a Spreadsheet (continued)
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Lesson 12
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To insert a cell, rows, or columns, click Insert in the
Cells group on the Home tab. The Insert gallery is
displayed with options to Insert Cells, Rows, Columns,
and Sheets.
You can delete cells, rows, and columns by selecting
them and pressing the Delete key.
You can format numbers to have a set number of
decimal places, to have a comma, or to be displayed
as a percentage. Some of the more commonly used
formats can be applied using buttons in the Number
group on the Home tab.
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Formatting a Spreadsheet (continued)
Formatting numbers
Lesson 12
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Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Formatting a Spreadsheet (continued)
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Lesson 12
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Excel cell styles allow users to quickly apply
professional-looking formatting to a cell or a group of
cells. A style is a collection of formatting selections,
such as cell color, font, and font size.
To give a worksheet a more professional look, you can
apply a theme. A theme is a predefined set of
attributes, including fonts, colors, chart styles, cell
styles, and fill effects.
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Printing a Spreadsheet
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Lesson 12
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To preview a spreadsheet, click the Office button,
point to Print, and then click Print Preview.
In portrait orientation, the page is oriented toward the
short side of the paper. In landscape orientation, the
page is oriented toward the long side of the paper.
You can define the part they want to print by selecting
it first.
To print the entire spreadsheet as is, click the Office
button, point to Print, and then click Quick Print. To
clear the selected Print area, click the Print Area
button and then click Clear Print Area.
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Working with Other Spreadsheet Tools
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Lesson 12
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You can make spreadsheets more useful and
attractive by inserting headers, footers, and other
objects such as clip art.
You can also sort the data in a spreadsheet
according to a specified column or columns. You
also can hide data.
Use headers and footers to place information at the
top or bottom of the spreadsheet. If a spreadsheet is
more than one page long, the header and footer
information will appear on every page.
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Working with Other Spreadsheet
Tools (continued)
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Lesson 12
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Sorting Spreadsheet Data:
Sorting is organizing or rearranging data in either
ascending or descending order.
When you sort data in ascending order, the
alphabetic information is arranged in A to Z order
and numeric information sorts from the lowest to the
highest number.
When you sort data in descending order, alphabetic
information is sorted from Z to A and numbers from
highest to lowest.
You can sort data in a worksheet according to the
data in one column or more than one column.
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Working with Other Spreadsheet
Tools (continued)
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Lesson 12
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Adding Objects to a Spreadsheet:
You can add clip art, photos, and other objects to a
spreadsheet to enhance its appearance.
You can use tools in the Illustrations group on the
Insert tab to add objects, such as Pictures, Clip Art,
Shapes, and SmartArt graphics.
SmartArt is a collection of professionally created
diagrams.
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Creating Charts
Lesson 12
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A chart is a visual
representation of
spreadsheet data.
The chart type
selected will depend
on the data to be
represented.
Chart added to worksheet
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Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Summary
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Lesson 12
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The primary use of Excel spreadsheets is to enter,
calculate, manipulate, and analyze numbers.
Columns in spreadsheets are identified by letters,
and rows are identified by numbers.
The point at which a row and a column intersect is a
cell.
A cell that has been selected (highlighted or outlined
with a black border) is referred to as the active cell.
A range of cells is a group of closely situated cells.
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Summary (continued)
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Lesson 12
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Alphabetic text information in cells is referred to as
labels; numeric information in cells that can be
calculated is referred to as values.
A formula is a type of data that performs a
calculation. To enter a formula in a cell, you must
first type an equal sign.
A function is a built-in formula that performs
calculations ranging from simple to complex.
You can copy data by using the Copy and Paste
commands or the fill handle.
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS
Summary (continued)
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Lesson 12
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A relative cell reference refers to cells that change when they
are copied into other locations. An absolute cell reference
refers to cells that do not change when they are copied into
other locations.
The AutoSum feature enables you to quickly add a range of
cells.
You can change the appearance of data by using a variety of
formatting tools and options or by applying one of the Excel cell
styles.
Selected data in a spreadsheet can be hidden so it will not be
displayed or printed.
The contents of a spreadsheet can be displayed in chart format.
A chart displays the spreadsheet data visually so that data can
be understood more easily.
Wells
Computer Concepts BASICS