Directions for Making Excel Spreadsheets
Key Vocabulary:
Workbook: This is the name of an Excel document when you open it. Before
you name your file, it will be called Book 1.
Sheet: At the bottom of the workbook are three tabbed sections. These
sections are called sheets.
Ribbon: This is a new feature of Microsoft Office 2007®. This is where you will find
all of the commands that you need to edit your sheet.
Cells: Each area that looks like a block on the sheet is called a cell.
Setting up the spreadsheet
When you first open Excel, you have a blank workbook that looks like this:
The first tabbed sheet, sheet one, is highlighted. Everything you do will only
affect sheet one. Any other changes you make will need to be made to the
other sheets if you choose to use them.
Changing Column Width and Row Height
If you need to change the size of the cells, you control this using the format tab
on the home section of the ribbon.
Click on format, then column width or row height. Adjust these settings until you
have the width and height that you need to fit your information.
You do not
have to
change row
height. If you
would like you
can select the
cells and
change the
font size, the
sheet’s cells
will
automatically
change in
height.
Column width is something I change frequently as I am working. I will often type
things in that do not fit. The type will spill into the next cell and still show up. You
can leave it that way if you like. I change it simply because it looks neater if
everything fits into the cell grids.
I am going to take a spreadsheet now and walk through turning it into a grade
book. You can apply these steps to any kind of spreadsheet you would like to
make.
Step one: Change sheet names
Right click on the sheet tab.
Highlight rename.
Name the sheet anything you would like.
I have named my first tab math. I am going to do this for the remaining tabs for
each subject. When I need new tabs, click on the last tab and one will be
created for you.
Step 2 (optional): Change tab colors
Tab colors can be changed to make each one easier to see.
Right click on the tab.
Choose tab color.
After the color pallet comes up, choose the color you would like.
Continue this for each tab.
Step 3: Enter student names.
Step 4: Copy this information into other sheets. Simply highlight the information
you would like to copy. Shortcut – after cells have been selected, press CTRL +
C. To paste on the intended sheet, select where you would like the information
to begin and press CTRL + V.
Adding Gridlines
Gridlines can help make the information in each cell easier to see because they
are separated from each other more clearly.
Step 1: Select the cells that you would like to use.
Step 2: Choose format tab. Then select format cells.
Step 3: Choose border tab.
Step 4: Choose the thickness of line you would like to use. Click on all of the
border lines. You do not have to use all of them. Simply look at the preview until
you have what you want. Click ok.
Changing Text Direction
You can change the direction the text is written in. This is especially helpful for
assignments.
Step 1: Select the cells you would like to change.
Step 2: Choose format cells tab.
Step 3: Select format cells.
Step 4: Choose the alignment tab.
Click Here
Step 5: Click on the red diamond next to the word text.
Step 6: Pull the line from a horizontal direction to vertical. The degree box will
read 90 degrees.
Step 7: Click o.k.
Averaging Grades
Excel will perform averages for each student quite easily. Just enter the formula
for average into a cell and tell the sheet what cells to average.
Click on the formula tab on the ribbon.
A new menu appears.
Select the first cell that you would like to place an average in.
Choose insert function and select average.
Select the cells that you would like to be in the average. You can
either do this by typing in the box or dragging the mouse and
selecting.
You do not need to do this for every cell. You can copy and paste
the formula to other boxes and Excel will adjust the cell numbers.
Copy the cell you just placed the average in.
Select the other cells you would like to include an average in.
Click the arrow under paste.
Choose formula. Excel will only paste the formula – not the value in
the cell.
Conditional Formatting
You can set parameters and have the cells change color based on what you
have decided. I often have failing averages change color to draw my
attention to grades that are slipping.
Select the cells that contain averages.
Choose the conditional formatting tab.
Choose highlight cell rules.
Select the menu that you need. I use between and below. For example,
60 and 69 could be colored yellow. Below 60 could be colored red.
Where it says light red fill with dark red text – choose custom format.
Choose the fill tab.
Select the color you would like.
Choose o.k.
Whenever grades fall to that level, the entire cell block will change color.
You may need to select the same cells and do this process for each
parameter you would like to set.
That’s it. You’ve just created an excel grade book. Remember, you can use
these tips to create data spreadsheets or any other kind of spreadsheet you
would like to create.