Week 7

Introduction to Excel
Objectives:

1. Select Cells with the Cursor 5. Delete a row/column

2. Cell Information: address, cell contents, 6. Use the Office Assistant to explain a Button
formatting, and formula bar contents. 7. Merge and Center Button: Center data
3. Adjust the width of a column or a row horizontally over many columns
4. Add a new row/column 8. Format Painter Button

In Class Activities:

Open your lab/homework file yourname-favorites.xls

CELL INFORMATION:

Each cell of the spreadsheet has at least three and often four types of information attached to it. Even a
simple spreadsheet is a complex set of information related by the cell addresses.
To select cells—with the white plus cursor, click and hold and drag to highlight/select the cells you
want. Try it!

1. The Address--The column letter and the row number that identify the current location of
the information.
Click on Cell A2 of the Favorites worksheet. That means Column A and Row 2

2. The Cell Contents visible in the cell--The data that can be seen on the screen in the cell.
You should see part or all of “ID Number”
Column A has a width that determines how much data can be seen in the cell.
3. The Formatting of the Cell Contents--The instructions for formatting the data in the cell.
“ID Number” has formatting that determines it’s font size and face and any
special emphasis.
In the Example file the formatting is Font size = 10, Font Face = Ariel, Emphasis =
Bold Locate the information on the Formatting Toolbar that shows this formatting.

4. The Cell Contents in the Formula Bar—The data including formulas that is located by the
cell address.
Locate the Formula Bar to the right of the equal sign (=), above the column
headings (A,B,C…)
The Formula Bar will show all the content, even if the cell itself did not. You should see
ID Number.
The Formula Bar will show any formulas that were used to get the information in the cell.
Arithmetic formulas: = 5+2
Formulas using Addresses: = B1+B2 +B3 = Sum(B1:B3)
Formulas using Addresses for linked data—not in Introduction to Excel.
Formulas using Names Ranges—not in Introduction to Excel
5. Examples of other types of information: Comments—
Session 5 of Introduction to Excel Macros—
Session 5 of Advanced Excel

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WIDTH AND HEIGHT OF CELLS:

There are several ways to adjust the size of cells.

• AutoAdjust with the SIZING CURSOR
• In the same file, move the cursor till it is on the line between A and B, column labels.
• The cursor will change from the white plus to a double arrow.
• Double click and Excel will auto adjust the column width to fit the widest entry.
• Changing the width of Columns--Using the SIZING CURSOR
• In the same file, move the cursor till it is on the line between B and C, column labels.
• Click, hold the button down, and drag to increase the width of the column.
• Changing the height of Rows--Using the SIZING CURSOR
• Move the cursor on the line between 1 and 2, row labels, to get the same double
arrowed cursor.
• Click, hold the button down, and drag to increase the height of the row.
• Changing the width of Columns-- Using the Format Menu
• From the Format menu, Choose Format Column Width and type in a number to change the
width.
• Changing the height of Rows--Using the Format Menu
• From the Format menu, Choose Format Row Height and type in a number to change
the height.

Introduction to Excel: Lab work

INSERTING COLUMNS/ROWS

Decide where you want to add the row or column.

Click on a cell to the right of the new place for the column, or below the new place for the row.

From the Insert Menu, choose column or row.

The column will be added to the left and the row above your selected cell.
Insert Columns and Rows in the sample file, in your own FAVORITES file.
• Add a column to the left of the Ratings column.
• In the file Examples-Favorites.xls: Add a label “Color of the Fruit”
• Fill in the fruit colors.
• If you are using your own file, add a label that fits your list, and the data in that column.
• Add two rows to the middle of your table.
• In the file Examples-Favorites.xls: Fill in information for three more fruits.
If you are using your own file, add rows that fits your list.
• You will need to use AutoFill to redo the ID Numbers.
• You will need to redo the Ratings

DELETING COLUMNS/ROWS

• Decide where you want to DELETE the row or column.

• Click on the Letter of the column or the Number of the row that you want deleted.
• From the Edit menu, choose Delete (NOT delete sheet!!)
• You can undo the delete using the Undo button.
• Practice deleting rows and columns.

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USING HELP

“What’s This” to EXPLORE BUTTONS: With the mouse pointer, click on the Help menu, scroll
down and click on “What’s This?” The cursor will become a Question Mark and you can click
on any part of the toolbars. Use this to learn about two buttons: Merge and Center, and
Format Painter.

Merge and Center:

The button looks like a small table with 3 rows: 2cells, 1 cell, and then 2 cells.
There is an “a” in the middle row. When you move the White Pointer cursor on the button
it will tell you it’s name. When you move the Question Mark cursor on the button and
click, Excel will tell you how to use the button.
Use Merge and Center on the Title of the Table in Examples-Favorites.xls
Click and hold on the cell that contains the title, “My Favorite Fruits”
Drag to select the four top cells of the table columns.
After the cells are selected, click on the Merge and Center Button
The cells will be combined and the text centered.
NOTE: Use Undo if you want to do it over. In Session 3 we will learn to clear
formatting.
Use Merge and Center on the Title of the Table in your Favorites file.

Format Painter:
The button looks like a paintbrush—you may already know it from Word.
Use What’s this to help you learn how to use it.
Change the formatting on one of the column labels in the Table of Fruits.
• Double click on Format Painter -- use it to change the formatting on the
other column labels.
• Format Painter does not change case.
• Format Painter does not copy margins—or at least not consistently!
• Format Painter does change alignment, font face, font size, and emphasis

Change formatting in your Favorites file and use Format Painter to copy the formatting.

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