Spreadsheet - is the computerized equivalent of a general ledger.

It has taken the place of the pencil,

paper, and calculator.

Spreadsheet programs - were first developed for accountants but have now been adopted by anyone
wanting to prepare a budget, forecast sales data, create profit and loss statements, compare financial
alternatives and any other mathematical applications requiring calculations.

Electronic spreadsheet - is laid out similar to the paper ledger sheet in that it is divided into columns
and rows. Any task that can be done on paper can be performed on an electronic spreadsheet faster and
more accurately.

The problem with manual sheets is that if any error is found within the data, all answers must be
erased and recalculated manually. With the computerized spreadsheet, formulas can be written that
are automatically updated whenever the data are changed.

What can a spreadsheet do?

Word processor - manipulates text

Spreadsheet - manipulates numerical data and text; using this, one can create budgets, analyze data,
produce financial plans, and perform various other simple and complex numerical applications.

By having formulas that automatically recalculate, either built by you, the user, or the built-in math
functions, you can play with the numbers to see how the result is affected.

“What-if?” analysis – using this, you can see what affect changing a data value or calculation can
have on your monitoring program.

Spreadsheets can also be used for graphing data points, reporting data analysis, and organizing
and storing data.

1. Opening Excel

Using Windows 7

1. Click on the Start Button.

2. In the Search Program and Files box type Excel.

3. Click on Excel 2013 from the Program results.

4. The Microsoft Excel 2013 program will open.

Using Windows 8

1. Press the Windows key on the keyboard.

2. Type Excel.
 3. Click on Excel 2013 under the Apps results

Using iOS 7

1. Click on Launchpad.

2. Select Microsoft Excel.

2. Getting Started

When you open Excel 2013 for the first time, the Excel Start Screen will appear. From here, you'll
be able to create a new workbook, choose a template, and access your recently edited workbooks.

1. From the Excel Start Screen, locate and select Blank workbook to access the Excel interface.

2. Click Open Other Workbooks to work on an existing workbook.

To set up Excel so it automatically opens a new workbook

1. Click File then Options.

2. On the General tab, under Start up options, uncheck the Show the Start screen when this
application starts box.

3. The next time you start Excel, it opens a blank workbook automatically similar to older versions
of Excel.

2.1. The Excel Interface

After starting Excel, you will see two windows - one within the other. The outer

window is the Application Window and the inner window is the Workbook Window.

When maximized, the Excel Workbook Window blends in with the Application Window.

2.1.1 The Application Window

The Application Window provides the space for your worksheets and workbook elements
such as charts. The components of the Application Window are described below.

• The Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar lets you access common commands no matter which tab is
selected. By default, it includes the Save, Undo, and Repeat commands. You can add other commands
depending on your preference.
To add commands to the Quick Access toolbar

1. Click the drop-down arrow to the right of the Quick Access toolbar.

2. Select the command you wish to add from the drop-down menu. To choose from more
commands, select More Commands.

3. The command will be added to the Quick Access toolbar.

The Ribbon

Excel 2013 uses a tabbed Ribbon system instead of traditional menus. The

Ribbon contains multiple tabs, each with several groups of commands. You will

use these tabs to perform the most common tasks in Excel.

To minimize and maximize the Ribbon

The Ribbon is designed to respond to your current task, but you can choose

to minimize it if you find that it takes up too much screen space.

1. Click the Ribbon Display Options arrow in the upper-right corner of the Ribbon.

2. Select the desired minimizing option from the drop-down menu:

Auto-hide Ribbon:

 Auto-hide displays your workbook in full-screen mode and completely hides

the Ribbon.
 Expand Ribbon – shows the hidden ribbon; command at the top of screen.

To Customize the Ribbon in Excel 2013

You can customize the Ribbon by creating your own tabs with whichever commands you
want. Commands are always housed within a group, and you can create as many groups as you want
in order to keep your tab organized. If you want, you can even add commands to any of the default tabs,
as long as you create a custom group in the tab.

1. Right click the Ribbon and select Customize the ribbon from the drop-down menu.

2. The Excel Options dialog box will appear. Locate and select New Tab.

3. Make sure the New Group is selected, select a command, and then click Add. You can also
drag commands directly into a group.

4. When you are done adding commands, click OK. The commands will be added to the Ribbon.
• The Formula Bar

In the formula bar, you can enter or edit data, a formula, or a function that will appear in a specific
cell.

• The Name Box

The Name box displays the location, or "name" of a selected cell.

• The Backstage View (The File Menu)

Click the File tab on the Ribbon. Backstage view will appear.

• The Worksheet Views

Excel 2013 has a variety of viewing options that change how your workbook is displayed. You
can choose to view any workbook in Normal view, Page Layout view, or Page Break view. These
views can be useful for various tasks, especially if you're planning to print the spreadsheet.

To change worksheet views, locate and select the desired worksheet view command in the
bottom-right corner of the Excel window.

Zoom Control

To use the Zoom control, click and drag the slider. The number to the right of the slider reflects
the zoom percentage.
The Workbook Window

Workbook - is a file that contains one or more worksheets to help you organize data.

In Excel 2013, when you open up a new workbook it now contains only 1 worksheet. There can
be a max of 1,048,576 rows and 16,384 columns in an excel work sheet.

The Worksheet

Excel files are called workbooks. Each workbook holds one or more worksheets (also known as
"spreadsheets").

A Worksheet is a collection of cells organized in rows and columns

Whenever you create a new Excel workbook, it will contain one worksheet named Sheet1.

A worksheet is a grid of columns and rows where columns are designated by letters running
across the top of the worksheet and rows are designated by numbers running down the left side of the
worksheet.

When working with a large amount of data, you can create multiple worksheets to help organize
your workbook and make it easier to find content. You can also group worksheets to quickly add
information to multiple worksheets at the same time.
To rename a worksheet

Whenever you create a new Excel workbook, it will contain one worksheet named Sheet1. You
can rename a worksheet to better reflect its content.

1. Right-click the worksheet you wish to rename, then select Rename from the worksheet menu.

2. Type the desired name for the worksheet.

3. Click anywhere outside of the worksheet, or press Enter on your keyboard. The worksheet will
be renamed.

To insert a new worksheet

1. Locate and select the New sheet button.

2. A new, blank worksheet will appear.

TIP: To change the default number of worksheets, navigate to Backstage view, click Options, and
then choose the desired number of worksheets to include in each new workbook.

To delete a worksheet

1. Right-click the worksheet you wish to delete, then select Delete from the worksheet menu.

2. The worksheet will be deleted from your workbook. Alternatively, from the Home Tab in the
Cells Group click on Delete and select Delete Sheet.

Warning: The Undo button will not undo the deletion of a worksheet.

To copy a worksheet

If you need to duplicate the content of one worksheet to another, Excel allows you to copy an
existing worksheet.

1. Right-click the worksheet you want to copy, then select Move or Copy from the worksheet
menu.

2. The Move or Copy dialog box will appear. Choose where the sheet will appear in the Before
sheet: field. In our example, we'll choose (move to end) to place the worksheet to the right of the existing
worksheet.

3. Check the box next to Create a copy, then click OK.

4. The worksheet will be copied. It will have the same title as the original worksheet, as well as a
version number.
 TIP: You can also copy a worksheet to an entirely different workbook. You can select any
workbook that is currently open from the To book: drop-down menu.

To move a worksheet

Sometimes you may want to move a worksheet to rearrange your workbook.

1. Select the worksheet you wish to move. The cursor will become a small worksheet icon.

2. Hold and drag the mouse until a small black arrow appears above the desired location.

3. Release the mouse. The worksheet will be moved.

To change the worksheet color

You can change a worksheet's color to help organize your worksheets and make your workbook
easier to navigate.

1. Right-click the desired worksheet, and hover the mouse over Tab Color. The Color menu will
appear.

2. Select the desired color. A live preview of the new worksheet color will appear as you hover the
mouse over different options. In our example, we'll choose Red.

The worksheet color is considerably less noticeable when the worksheet is selected. Select
another worksheet to see how the color will appear when the worksheet is not selected.

The Scrolling Buttons

These buttons scroll the display of sheet tabs one at a time or to display the first and last
grouping of sheet tabs and are located to the left of the sheet tabs.

The Scroll Bars

Your spreadsheet may frequently have more data than you can see on the screen at once. Click,
hold and drag the vertical or horizontal scroll bar depending on what part of the page you want to see.

Creating and Opening Workbooks

 Excel files are called workbooks. Whenever you start a new project in Excel, you'll need to
create a new workbook. There are several ways to start working with a workbook in Excel 2013. You can
choose to create a new workbook—either with a blank workbook or a predesigned template—or
open an existing workbook.

Create a new blank workbook

1. Select the File tab. Backstage view will appear.

2. Select New, then click Blank workbook.

3. A new blank workbook will appear.

Open an existing workbook

In addition to creating new workbooks, you'll often need to open a workbook that was previously
saved.

1. Navigate to Backstage view, then click Open.

2. Select Computer, and then click Browse.

3. The Open dialog box will appear. Locate and select your workbook, then click Open.

TIP: If you've opened the desired workbook recently, you can browse your Recent
Workbooks rather than searching for the file.

To pin a workbook

If you frequently work with the same workbook, you can pin it to Backstage view for quick access.

1. Navigate to Backstage view and then click Open. Your recently edited workbooks will appear.

2. Hover the mouse over the workbook you wish to pin. A pushpin icon will appear next to the
workbook. Click the pushpin icon.

3. The workbook will stay in Recent Workbooks. To unpin a workbook, simply click the pushpin
icon again.

TIP: You can also pin folders to Backstage view for quick access. From Backstage view,
click Open, then locate the folder you wish to pin and click the pushpin icon.
Compatibility mode

Sometimes you may need to work with workbooks that were created in earlier versions of
Microsoft Excel, such as Excel 2003 or Excel 2000. When you open these kinds of workbooks, they will
appear in Compatibility mode.

Compatibility mode disables certain features, so you'll only be able to access commands found
in the program that was used to create the workbook. For example, if you open a workbook created in
Excel 2003, you can only use tabs and commands found in Excel 2003.

In order to exit Compatibility mode, you'll need to convert the workbook to the current version
type. However, if you're collaborating with others who only have access to an earlier version of Excel, it's
best to leave the workbook in Compatibility mode so the format will not change.

To convert a workbook

Note that converting a file may cause some changes to the original layout of the workbook.

1. Click the File tab to access Backstage view.

2. Locate and select Convert command.

3. The Save As dialog box will appear. Select the location where you wish to save the workbook,
enter a file name for the presentation, and click Save.

4. The workbook will be converted to the newest file type.

Saving and Sharing Workbooks

Whenever you create a new workbook in Excel, you'll need to know how to save it in order to
access and edit it later. As with previous versions of Excel, you can save files locally to your computer.
But unlike older versions, Excel 2013 also lets you save a workbook to the cloud using OneDrive. You
can also export and share workbooks with others directly from Excel.

Save and Save As

Excel offers two ways to save a file: Save and Save As. These options work in similar ways, with
a few important differences:

• Save: When you create or edit a workbook, you'll use the Save command to save your
changes. You'll use this command most of the time. When you save a file, you'll only need to choose a
file name and location the first time. After that, you can just click the Save command to save it with the
same name and location.
 • Save As: You'll use this command to create a copy of a workbook while keeping the
original. When you use Save As, you'll need to choose a different name and/or location for the copied
version.

To save a workbook

It's important to save your workbook whenever you start a new project or make changes to an
existing one. Saving early and often can prevent your work from being lost. You'll also need to pay close
attention to where you save the workbook so it will be easy to find later.

1. Locate and select the Save command on the Quick Access Toolbar.

2. If you're saving the file for the first time, the Save As pane will appear in Backstage view.

3. You'll then need to choose where to save the file and give it a file name. To save the workbook
to your computer, select Computer, then click Browse. Alternatively, you can click OneDrive to save the
file to your OneDrive.

4. The Save As dialog box will appear. Select the location where you wish to save the workbook.

5. Enter a file name for the workbook, then click Save.

6. The workbook will be saved. You can click the Save command again to save your changes as
you modify the workbook.

Using Save As to make a copy

If you want to save a different version of a workbook while keeping the original, you can create a
copy. For example, if you have a file named "Sales Data" you could save it as "Sales Data 2" so you'll be
able to edit the new file and still refer back to the original version. To do this, you'll click the Save As
command in Backstage view. Just like when saving a file for the first time, you'll need to choose where to
save the file and give it a new file name.

AutoRecover

Excel automatically saves your workbooks to a temporary folder while you are working on them. If
you forget to save your changes, or if Excel crashes, you can restore the file using AutoRecover.

To use AutoRecover

1. Open Excel 2013. If auto-saved versions of a file are found, the Document Recovery pane will
appear.

2. Click to open an available file. The workbook will be recovered.

 TIP: By default, Excel autosaves every 10 minutes. If you are editing a workbook for less than 10
minutes, Excel may not create an autosaved version. If you don't see the file you need, you can browse
all autosaved files from Backstage view. Just select the File tab, click Manage Versions, and then choose
Recover Unsaved Workbooks.

Exporting workbooks

By default, Excel workbooks are saved in the .xlsx file type. However, there may be times when
you need to use another file type, such as a PDF or Excel 97-2003 workbook. It's easy to export your
workbook from Excel in a variety of file types.

To export a workbook as a PDF file

Exporting your workbook as an Adobe Acrobat document, commonly known as a PDF file, can
be especially useful if sharing a workbook with someone who does not have Excel. A PDF will make it
possible for recipients to view, but not edit, the content of your workbook.

1. Click the File tab to access Backstage view.

2. Click Export, and then select Create PDF/XPS.

3. The Save As dialog box will appear. Select the location where you wish to export the
workbook, enter a file name, and then click Publish.

TIP: By default, Excel will only export the active worksheet. If you have multiple
worksheets and want to save all of them in the same PDF file, click Options in the Save as dialog
box. The Options dialog box will appear. Select Entire workbook, then click OK.

To export a workbook in other file types

You may also find it helpful to export your workbook in other file types, such as an Excel 97-2003
Workbook if you need to share with people using an older version of Excel, or a .CSV file if you need
a plain-text version of your workbook.

1. Click the File tab to access Backstage view.

2. Click Export and then select Change File Type.

3. Select a common file type and then click Save As.

4. The Save As dialog box will appear. Select the location where you wish to export the
workbook, enter a file name, and then click Save.
Cell Basics

Every worksheet is made up of thousands of rectangles, which are called cells.

A cell is the intersection of a row and a column. Columns are identified by letters (A, B, C),
while rows are identified by numbers (1, 2, 3).

Whenever you work with Google sheets, you'll enter information, or content, into cells. Cells are
the basic building blocks of a worksheet. You'll need to learn the basics of cells and cell content to
calculate, analyze, and organize data in Google sheets.

Each cell has its own name, or cell address, based on its column and row.

You can also select multiple cells at the same time. A group of cells is known as a cell range.
Rather than a single cell address, you will refer to a cell range using the cell addresses of the first and last
cells in the cell range, separated by a colon. For example, a cell range that included cells A1, A2, A3, A4,
and A5 would be written as A1:A5.

To select a cell range

Sometimes you may want to select a larger group of cells, or a cell range.

1. Click, hold, and drag the mouse until all of the adjoining cells you wish to select are highlighted.

2. Release the mouse to select the desired cell range. The cells will remain selected until you
click another cell in the worksheet.

Cell Content - Any information you enter into a spreadsheet will be stored in a cell. Each cell can
contain several different kinds of content, including text, formatting, formulas, and functions.

Text - Cells can contain text, such as letters, numbers, and dates.

Formatting Attributes

Cells can contain formatting attributes that change the way letters, numbers, and dates are
displayed. For example, percentages can appear as 0.15 or 15%. You can even change a cell's
background color.

Formulas and Functions - Cells can contain formulas and functions that calculate cell values. In our
example, SUM(B4:B7) adds the value of each cell in cell range B4:B7 and displays the total in cell B8.

To insert content

1. Click a cell to select it.

 2. Type content into the selected cell, then press Enter on your keyboard. The content will appear
in the cell and the formula bar. You can also input and edit cell content in the formula bar.

To delete cell content

1. Select the cell with content you wish to delete.

2. Press the Delete or Backspace key on your keyboard. The cell's contents will be deleted.

To delete cells

There is an important difference between deleting the content of a cell and deleting the cell itself.
If you delete the entire cell, the cells below it will shift up and replace the deleted cells.

1. Select the cell(s) you wish to delete.

2. Select the Delete command from the Home tab on the Ribbon.

3. The cells below will shift up.

To copy and paste cell content

Google sheets allows you to copy content that is already entered into your spreadsheet and paste
that content to other cells, which can save you time and effort.

1. Select the cell(s) you wish to copy.

2. Click the Copy command on the Home tab, or press Ctrl+C on your keyboard.

3. Select the cell(s) where you wish to paste the content. The copied cells will now have a dashed
box around them.

4. Click the Paste command on the Home tab, or press Ctrl+V on your keyboard.

5. The content will be pasted into the selected cells.

To access more paste options

You can also access additional paste options, which are especially convenient when working with
cells that contain formulas or formatting. To access more paste options, click the drop-down arrow on the
Paste command.

TIP: Rather than choosing commands from the Ribbon, you can access commands quickly by
right- clicking. Simply select the cell(s) you wish to format, then right-click the mouse. A drop-down menu
will appear, where you'll find several commands that are also located on the Ribbon.
To drag and drop cells

Rather than cutting, copying, and pasting, you can drag and drop cells to move their contents.

1. Select the cell(s) you wish to move.

2. Hover the mouse over the border of the selected cell(s) until the cursor changes from a white
cross to a black cross with four arrows.

3. Click, hold, and drag the cells to the desired location.

4. Release the mouse, and the cells will be dropped in the selected location.

To use the fill handle

There may be times when you need to copy the content of one cell to several other cells in your
worksheet. You could copy and paste the content into each cell, but this method would be very time
consuming. Instead, you can use the fill handle to quickly copy and paste content to adjacent cells in the
same row or column.

1. Select the cell(s) containing the content you wish to use. The fill handle will appear as a small
square in the bottom- right corner of the selected cell(s).

2. Click, hold, and drag the fill handle until all of the cells you wish to fill are selected.

3. Release the mouse to fill the selected cells.

To continue a series with the fill handle

The fill handle can also be used to continue a series. Whenever the content of a row or
column follows a sequential order, like numbers (1, 2, 3) or days (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday), the fill
handle can guess what should come next in the series. In many cases, you may need to select multiple
cells before using the fill handle to help Google sheets determine the series order. In our example below,
the fill handle is used to extend a series of dates in a column.

Find and Replace

When working with a lot of data in Google sheets, it can be difficult and time consuming to locate
specific information. You can easily search your workbook using the Find feature, which also allows
you to modify content using the Replace feature.

To find content

1. From the Home tab, click the EDIT command, then the Find and Replace dialog box will
appear. Enter the content you wish to find.
 2. Click Find Next. If the content is found, the cell containing that content will be selected.

3. Click Find Next to find further instances or Find All to see every instance of the search term.

4. When you are finished, click Close to exit the Find and Replace dialog box.

TIP: You can also access the Find command by pressing Ctrl+F on your keyboard or Ctrl + H for
find and replace.

To replace cell content

At times, you may discover that you've repeatedly made a mistake throughout your workbook
(such as misspelling someone's name), or that you need to exchange a particular word or phrase for
another. You can use Google sheets's Find and Replace feature to make quick revisions.

1. From the Home tab, click the Find and Select command, then select Replace... from the drop-
down menu.

2. The Find and Replace dialog box will appear. Type the text you wish to find in the Find what:
field.

3. Type the text you wish to replace it with in the Replace with: field, then click Find Next.

4. If the content is found, the cell containing that content will be selected.

5. Review the text to make sure you want to replace it.

6. If you wish to replace it, select one of the replace options:

• Replace will replace individual instances.

• Replace All will replace every instance of the text throughout the workbook. In our
example, we'll choose this option to save time.

7. A dialog box will appear, confirming the number of replacements made. Click OK to continue.

8. When you are finished, click Close to exit the Find and Replace dialog box.

Formatting Cells

All cell content uses the same formatting by default, which can make it difficult to read a
workbook with a lot of information. Basic formatting can customize the look and feel of your
workbook, allowing you to draw attention to specific sections and making your content easier to
view and understand. You can also apply number formatting to tell Google sheets exactly what type
of data you’re using in the workbook, such as percentages (%), currency ($), and so on.
Font Formatting - To change the font size. Modifying the font size can help call attention to important
cells and make them easier to read.

To change the font:

Choosing a different font can help to further separate certain parts of your spreadsheet—like the
header cells— from the rest of your information.

Text alignment - By default, any text entered into your spreadsheet will be aligned to the bottom-left of
a cell. Any numbers will be aligned to the bottom-right of a cell. Changing the alignment of your cell
content allows you to choose where the content will appear.

Cell borders and background colors - make it easy to create clear and defined boundaries for
different sections of your spreadsheet.

Cell styles - a quick way to include professional formatting for different parts of your workbook,
such as titles and headers.

To apply a cell style

1. Select the cell(s) you wish to modify.

2. Click the Cell Styles command on the Home tab, then choose the desired style from the drop-
down menu.

3. The selected cell style will appear.

TIP: Applying a cell style will replace any existing cell formatting except for text alignment. You

may not want to use cell styles if you've already added a lot of formatting to your workbook.

Understanding Number Formats

What are number formats?

Whenever you're working with a spreadsheet, it's a good idea to use appropriate number
formats for your data. Number formats tell your spreadsheet exactly what type of
data you're using, like percentages (%), currency ($), times, dates, and so on.
 Why use number formats?

Number formats don't just make your spreadsheet easier to read—they also make it
easier to use. When you apply a number format, you're telling your spreadsheet exactly
what types of values are stored in a cell. For example, the date format tells the
spreadsheet that you're entering specific calendar dates. This allows the spreadsheet to
better understand your data, which can help ensure that your data remains consistent
and that your formulas are calculated correctly.

***If you don't need to use a specific number format, the spreadsheet will usually apply the
automatic format by default. However, the automatic format may apply some small formatting changes to
your data.

Applying number formats

Just like other types of formatting, such as changing the font color, you'll apply number formats by
selecting cells and choosing the desired formatting option. There are two main ways to choose a number
format:

Using number formats correctly

There's more to number formatting than selecting cells and applying a format. Spreadsheets can
actually apply a lot of number formatting automatically based on the way you enter data. This means
you'll need to enter data in a way the program can understand, then ensure that these cells are using the
proper number format.

Percentage formats

One of the most helpful number formats is the percentage (%) format. It displays values as
percentages, like 20% or 55%. This is especially helpful when calculating things like the cost of sales tax
or a tip. When you type a percent sign (%) after a number, the percentage number format will be be
applied to that cell automatically.

As you may remember from math class, a percentage can also be written as a decimal. So 15%
is the same thing as 0.15, 7.5% is 0.075, 20% is 0.20, 55% is 0.55, and so on. There are many times
when percentage formatting will be useful.

Date formats

Whenever you're working with dates, you'll want to use a date format to tell the spreadsheet that
you're referring to specific calendar dates, such as July 15, 2016. Date formats also allow you to work
with a powerful set of date functions that use time and date information to calculate an answer.

Spreadsheets don't understand information the same way a person would. For instance, if you
type October into a cell, the spreadsheet won't know you're entering a date so it will treat it like any other
text. Instead, when you enter a date, you'll need to use a specific format your spreadsheet understands,
such as month/day/year (or day/month/year depending on which country you're in). In the example below,
we'll type 10/12/2016 for October 12, 2016. Our spreadsheet will then automatically apply the date
number format for the cell.

Now that we have our date correctly formatted, we can do different things with this data. If the
date formatting isn't applied automatically, it means the spreadsheet did not understand the data you
entered. In the example below, we've typed March 15th. The spreadsheet did not understand that we
were referring to a date, so the automatic format is treating this cell as text. On the other hand, if we type
March 15 (without the "th"), the spreadsheet will recognize it as a date. Because it doesn't include a year,
the spreadsheet will automatically add the current year so the date will have all of the necessary
information. We could also type the date several other ways, such as 3/15, 3/15/2016, or March 15 2016,
and the spreadsheet would still recognize it as a date.

Increasing and decreasing decimals

The Increase decimal places and Decrease decimal places commands allow you to control how
many decimal places are displayed in a cell. These commands don't change the value of the cell; instead,
they display the value to a set number of decimal places.

Decreasing the decimal will display the value rounded to that decimal place, but the actual value
in the cell will still be displayed in the formula bar. The Increase/Decrease decimal places commands
don't work with some number formats, like Date and Fraction.

The Increase/Decrease decimal places commands don't work with some number formats, like
Date and Fraction.

Modifying Columns, Rows, and Cells

By default, every row and column of a new workbook is always set to the same height and width.
Excel allows you to modify column width and row height in different ways, including wrapping text and
merging cells.

To modify column width

1. Position the mouse over the column line in the column heading so the white cross becomes a
double arrow

2. Click, hold, and drag the mouse to increase or decrease the column width.

3. Release the mouse. The column width will be changed.

TIP: If you see pound signs (#######) in a cell, it means that the column is not wide enough to
display the cell content. Simply increase the column width to show the cell content.
To AutoFit column width

The AutoFit feature will allow you to set a column's width to fit its content automatically.

1. Position the mouse over the column line in the column heading so the white cross becomes a
double arrow.

2. Double-click the mouse. The column width will be changed automatically to fit the content.

TIP: You can also AutoFit the width for several columns at the same time. Simply select the columns you
would like to AutoFit, then select the AutoFit Column Width command from the Format dropdown menu
on the Home tab. This method can also be used for Row height.

To modify row height

1. Position the cursor over the row line so the white cross becomes a double arrow

2. Click, hold, and drag the mouse to increase or decrease the row height.

3. Release the mouse. The height of the selected row will be changed.

To modify all rows or columns

Rather than resizing rows and columns individually, you can modify the height and width
of every row and column at the same time. This method allows you to set a uniform size for every
row and column in your worksheet.

1. Locate and click the Select All button just below the formula bar to select every cell in the
worksheet.

2. Position the mouse over a row line so the white cross becomes a double arrow .

3. Click, hold, and drag the mouse to increase or decrease the row height.

4. Release the mouse when you are satisfied with the new row height for the worksheet.
Inserting, deleting, moving, and hiding rows and columns

After you have been working with a workbook for a while, you may find that you want to insert
new columns or rows, delete certain rows or columns, move them to a different location in the worksheet,
or even hide them.

To insert rows

1. Select the row heading below where you want the new row to appear.

2. Click the Insert command on the Home tab.

3. The new row will appear above the selected row.

TIP: When inserting new rows, columns, or cells, you will see the Insert Options button next to the
inserted cells. This button allows you to choose how Excel formats these cells. By default,

Excel formats inserted rows with the same formatting as the cells in the row above. To access
more options, hover your mouse over the Insert Options button, then click the drop down arrow.
To insert columns

1. Select the column heading to the right of where you want the new column to appear.

2. Click the Insert command on the Home tab.

Excel formats inserted rows with the same formatting as the cells in the row above. To access more
options, hover your mouse over the Insert Options button, then click the drop-down arrow.

To insert columns

1. Select the column heading to the right of where you want the new column to appear.

2. Click the Insert command on the Home tab.

Excel formats inserted rows with the same formatting as the cells in the row above. To access more
options, hover your mouse over the Insert Options button, then click the drop down arrow.

To insert columns

1. Select the column heading to the right of where you want the new column to appear.

2. Click the Insert command on the Home tab.

To delete columns

1. Select the columns(s) you want to delete.

2. Click the Delete command on the Home tab.

3. The selected columns(s) will be deleted, and the columns to the right will shift left.

TIP: It's important to understand the difference between deleting a row or column and simply clearing its
contents. If you want to remove the content of a row or column without causing others to shift, right-click a
heading, then select Clear Contents from the drop-down menu.

To move a row or column

Sometimes you may want to move a column or row to rearrange the content of your worksheet.

1. Select the desired column heading for the column you wish to move, then click the Cut
command on the Home tab or press Ctrl+X on your keyboard.

2. Select the column heading to the right of where you want to move the column. For example, if
you want to move a column between columns B and C, select column C.

3. Click the Insert command on the Home tab, then select Insert Cut Cells from the drop-down
menu.

4. The column will be moved to the selected location, and the columns to the right will shift right.

TIP: You can also access the Cut and Insert commands by right-clicking the mouse and then selecting
the desired commands from the drop-down menu.
To hide and unhide a row or column

At times, you may want to compare certain rows or columns without changing the organization of
your worksheet. Excel allows you to hide rows and columns as needed.

1. Select the column(s) you wish to hide, right-click the mouse, then select Hide from the
formatting menu.

2. The columns will be hidden. The green column line indicates the location of the hidden
columns.

3. To unhide the columns, select the columns to the left and right of the hidden columns (in other
words, the columns on both sides of the hidden columns)

4. Right-click the mouse, then select Unhide from the formatting menu. The hidden columns will
reappear.

Wrapping text and merging cells

Whenever you have too much cell content to be displayed in a single cell, you may decide to wrap the
text or merge the cell rather than resizing a column. Wrapping the text will automatically modify a
cell's row height, allowing cell contents to be displayed on multiple lines. Merging allows you to
combine a cell with adjacent, empty cells to create one large cell.

1. Select the cells you wish to wrap.

2. Select the Wrap Text command on the Home tab.

3. The text in the selected cells will be wrapped.

TIP: Click the Wrap Text command again to unwrap the text.

To merge cells using the Merge & Center command

1. Select the cell range you want to merge together.

2. Select the Merge & Center command on the Home tab.

3. The selected cells will be merged, and the text will be centered.

To access more merge options

Click the drop-down arrow next to the Merge & Center command on the Home tab. The
Merge drop-down menu will appear. From here, you can choose to:

• Merge & Center: Merges the selected cells into one cell and centers the text

• Merge Across: Merges the selected cells into larger cells while keeping each row separate

• Merge Cells: Merges the selected cells into one cell, but does not center the text

• Unmerge Cells: Unmerges selected cells