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Creating a Worksheet
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What’s Inside and on the CD?
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 Essentials of creating a worksheet with
OpenOffice.org Calc (spreadsheet software)
• Set of tools for simple/complex calculations (e.g., creating a
budget, estimating expenses, creating income and expense
projection)
• Functions like a visual calculator
 Place number needed for calculation into a cell of the grid
 Enter formulas (e.g., add, subtract) to manipulate the numbers
 Spreadsheet software automatically performs calculations and
displays results
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What’s in the Calc window?
Worksheet
(or sheet)
 Consists of a grid of columns
(labeled with letters) and rows
(labeled with numbers)
Workbook
 Contains one or more worksheets,
each represented by a tab
 Rectangle formed by intersection
of a column and row
Worksheet cell
(or cell)
 Each has a unique name (e.g., B3)
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What’s in the Calc window?
(continued)
Active cell
 The cell you can currently edit or modify
 Change by clicking another cell or
pressing arrow keys
Range
 Series of cells (e.g., D3:D6)
 Select a range by clicking cell in top-left
corner of the range and dragging the
mouse to bottom-right cell in the range
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What’s in the Calc window?
(continued)
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How do I enter labels?
 Label
• Any text entered into a cell of the worksheet
• Use to describe numbers you’ve entered in other
cells and for text data (e.g., names of people)
• Any “number” data not intended for use in a
calculation should be entered as a label (e.g.,
telephone number)
 Click cell and enter label
• Text extends into neighboring cells if too long
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How do I enter labels? (continued)
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How do I enter labels? (continued)
To make a long
label “wrap”
 Select cell(s), click Format
 Click Cells on menu bar to display Format
Cells dialog box
 Click Alignment tab, then click Wrap text
automatically check box
To edit a label after
pressing Enter
 Click cell, click Input line in Formula Bar
 Use left/right arrow keys to move insertion
point, and Backspace and Delete keys to
delete characters
To edit a label
inside a cell
 Double-click cell to activate
 Edit contents using arrow, Backspace,
and Delete keys
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How do I enter values?
 Value
• Number intended to be used in a calculation
 Click a cell to make it active, and enter the
(unformatted) value into the cell
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How do I enter values? (continued)
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How do I enter values? (continued)
To indicate a negative
value
 Type a minus sign before
the number
To specifically enter a
number as a label
 Type an apostrophe before
the number
To enter values
automatically
 Use fill handle and
drag-and-fill technique
 Use Fill option on Edit menu
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How do I enter formulas?
 Formula
• Specifies how to add, subtract, multiply, divide, or
otherwise calculate values in worksheet cells
• Always begins with a equal sign
• Can use cell references (column and row location)
that point to contents of other cells
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How do I enter formulas?
(continued)
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 Most common arithmetic operators
• Subtraction –
• Addition +
• Multiplication *
• Division /
• Percent %
• Exponent ^
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How do I enter formulas?
(continued)
 Use the pointer method (easiest way)
• Click cell where results should appear, type “=”
• Click cell that contains first number to reference in
the formula
• Type an arithmetic operator, then click the next
cell to reference
• Continue until formula is complete
 Type formula directly into cell
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How do I enter formulas?
(continued)
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How do I create complex
formulas?
 Use arithmetic operators, parentheses, and a
mixture of values and cell references to
calculate statistical, financial, and
mathematical equations
 Use parentheses to specify order for
calculation
 Be aware: cell references in formulas can
lead to unexpected results when formulas are
copied or moved
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How do I create complex
formulas? (continued)
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How do I use functions?
 Function: predefined formula
 Calc includes more than 250 functions –
financial, mathematical and trigonometric,
statistical – including Sum, Average, Minimum,
Maximum, and Payment
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How do I use functions?
(continued)
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 Verify that formulas and functions reference
correct cells and data
• Avoid circular references
 Formulas can include multiple functions
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How do I use functions?
(continued)
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 Use Function Wizard button to select a
function from a list
 Specify arguments (values or cell references
used to calculate result of function)
• Click top-left cell containing data to use in the
function, then drag down to bottom-right cell
• Release mouse button to display selected range
of cells in dialog box
• Click OK button to calculate
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How do I use functions?
(continued)
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How do I use functions?
(continued)
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How do I use functions?
(continued)
 Some functions use more than one argument,
and those arguments may be required or
optional
 Be careful using functions you don’t fully
understand
 Check results with a calculator to make sure
the function is working as expected
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How do I use the Sum button?
 Quickly creates a function to calculate the
total of a column or row of cells
 Calc examines cells to left of and above
current cell to determine cells to include in
total
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How do I use the Sum button?
(continued)
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How do I use the Sum button?
(continued)
 Cells included in Sum function are displayed
as a range or as a series of adjacent cells
 Sum works best if every cell in the row or
column of cells contains a value
 Check the marquee to ensure that the correct
range of cells is selected before pressing
Enter
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How do I use the Sum button?
(continued)
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 If Sum button does not automatically select
the correct cells:
• Press Esc key to remove the function and create
the Sum fraction manually
• Drag across the correct range of cells to select
them; press Enter to complete the function
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Summary
 The Calc window
 How to enter labels, values, and formulas
 How to create complex formulas
 Ho to use functions
 How to use the Sum button
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