Information Technology

MS Excel 2007
Users Guide

Excel 2007
Basics

IT Training & Development

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Table of Contents

Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1
Overview ................................................................................................................................ 1
What is a Spreadsheet Program?....................................................................................... 1
Microsoft Excel 2007 .......................................................................................................... 2
Excelling at Work with Excel 2007 ...................................................................................... 2
Launching Your Excel Application ...................................................................................... 2
The New Look In Office 2007 ................................................................................................. 3
The New Look and Feel in Office 2007............................................................................... 3
Changes to Note ................................................................................................................ 3
Tools & Function .................................................................................................................... 4
Ribbons, Tabs and Toolbar ................................................................................................ 4
Terms and Function......................................................................................................... 4
The Workbook Window ................................................................................................... 5
Using the Ribbon ............................................................................................................. 6
Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar ........................................................................... 6
Getting Started ....................................................................................................................... 8
Understanding the Excel Environment................................................................................ 8
Navigating in a Workbook................................................................................................... 9
Selecting a Range (or Block of Cells) .............................................................................10
Entering Data Into Excel........................................................................................................10
Entering Data and Using Formulas ....................................................................................10
Entering a Label (Text) or a Value (Number) .....................................................................10
Editing Cell Contents .............................................................................................................11
In-Cell Editing ....................................................................................................................11
Function Bar Editing ..........................................................................................................11
Copying and Pasting Cell Contents .......................................................................................12
Using the Ribbon Toolbar ..................................................................................................12
Using the Right-Click Button on Your Mouse ..................................................................12
Moving Cell Contents ............................................................................................................13
Deleting Cell and Range Contents ........................................................................................13

Excel 2007 - Basics Page ii

 Delete Unwanted Information from a Range of Cells .........................................................13
Using Autofill .........................................................................................................................14
Copying a Formula to Other Cells Using AutoFill ...............................................................14
Inserting & Deleting Rows and Columns ...............................................................................14
Inserting a Blank Row or Column ......................................................................................14
Deleting a Row or Column.................................................................................................15
Changing Row Heights or Column Widths.............................................................................17
Changing Row Heights of Column Widths .........................................................................17
Changing Column Width.................................................................................................17
Changing Row Height.....................................................................................................17
Formatting with Borders ........................................................................................................18
Inserting Borders ...............................................................................................................18
Inserting Borders ............................................................................................................18
Font and Fill Coloring ............................................................................................................19
Font Color .........................................................................................................................19
Fill Color ............................................................................................................................20
Making Changes to the Sheet Tab ........................................................................................20
Changing the Name of the Worksheet ...............................................................................20
Colorizing the Worksheet Tab ...........................................................................................21
Inserting Additional Worksheets ........................................................................................22
Understanding Formula Basics .............................................................................................22
Creating a Formula............................................................................................................22
Benefits of Using Formulas ...............................................................................................23
Formula Operators ............................................................................................................23
Arithmetic Operators.......................................................................................................24
How to Enter a Formula.....................................................................................................24
Worksheet Functions.........................................................................................................25
Adding a Range Using the AutoSum Function ................................................................26
Page Setup ...........................................................................................................................27
Saving and Printing ...............................................................................................................28
Saving a Worksheet ..........................................................................................................28
Printing the Entire Worksheet ................................................................................................28
Printing a Section of a Worksheet .........................................................................................29

Excel 2007 - Basics Page iii

 Closing and Exiting Excel ......................................................................................................30
Exiting Excel .........................................................................................................................30
Learn More About Excel ........................................................................................................31
Microsoft on the Web ........................................................................................................31
For Beginning Excel 2007 Users ......................................................................................31
On-line Training Tutorial for Excel 2007 Beginners .........................................................31
Worksheet design strategy .............................................................................................31
Get up to speed with Excel 2007 ....................................................................................31
Training and Support .............................................................................................................31
IT Training .........................................................................................................................31

Excel 2007 - Basics Page iv

INTRODUCTION

Excel 2007 is a very powerful and capable program; however, unless you understand the basics
of using Excel, you won’t get much out of it.

This guide introduces you to the basics of Excel so that you can begin to make use of this
popular spreadsheet program. The important elements of the Excel screen are shown to you so
that you can get a quick idea of what’s going on. Then it will show you how to create a simple
spreadsheet, move around in Excel, edit your data, enhance the look of your spreadsheet, and
use some of Excels great features.

The following pages present a brief introduction to selected features in Excel 2007. Those who
use an Apple Macintosh computer for Excel can also utilize this documentation. There is little
difference between platforms once the application is open besides the new ribbon (toolbars) in
2007. Just remember that this document is written for Excel 2007 and may contain updated
features that may not exist in other versions. Note that the document is not intended to cover all
ways in which the basic features can be used or accessed.

Have fun Excelling at work and remember that with practice, this program will become very
simple to use.

OVERVIEW

When you start a new learning experience, the first task is to learn the language. You need to
know what the basic elements are and where to find them. This document will help you learn the
language of Microsoft Excel 2007 by understanding the basics of spreadsheet functions,
capabilities, and the tools necessary.

What is a Spreadsheet Program?

A spreadsheet program uses worksheets and workbooks. A worksheet is like a traditional

accounting ledger. It is divided into a grid of columns and rows. You can use an array of
numbers and text on a worksheet. Spreadsheet programs have the ability to perform an
assortment of functions. They are popular because they represent a better alternative to
manually computing mathematical calculations and can be more accurate and time saving. In
addition, with Excel numerical data in a spreadsheet can be converted easily into a chart for
graphical presentation of the data.

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 1 of 32

Microsoft Excel 2007

Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet program that allows you to perform various calculations,
estimations, and formulations with data. Excel 2007 is designed to work with texts and numbers
by storing them in columns and rows. It makes core spreadsheet functionality more accessible
to all users. Formula creation, printing, and formatting allow easy access to the basic operations
of the program.

Excel 2007 permits:

• A wide selection of fonts and options to be used in the creation of worksheets and allows
you to create an impressive spreadsheet presentation.
• Microsoft Excel includes a varied library of chart types that can be incorporated into
spreadsheets to visually display data.
• Has a basic database capability. Databases can be used in conjunction with
spreadsheets. Simple databases can be constructed directly in the Excel program.

The primary focus of this document is on Excel’s spreadsheet capabilities and functions and the
basics about using Excel 2007.

Excelling at Work with Excel 2007

As a guide to Excel 2007 basics, this document presents an overview that will help a beginner
build a simple worksheet and understand the basics of Excel 2007. The Excel application has a
complete and useful on-line help available through the Help menu as well.

This document assumes:

• You have a working knowledge of the Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT or XP environment
including the use of a mouse.
• For our Macintosh users, this document can be utilized for MS Excel 98 through 2004 for
the basics of Excel. There is relatively little difference in the platforms and the versions
at the basic level.

Launching Your Excel Application

1. Select the Start button on the Taskbar at the bottom left corner of your screen.
2. Point to All Programs.
3. Select Microsoft Office 2007 from the submenu, and then select Microsoft Excel.

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 2 of 32

THE NEW LOOK IN OFFICE 2007

The New Look and Feel in Office 2007

The Office 2007 suite of software, which includes Excel, Word, Access and PowerPoint, now
has a new look and feel to the layout of the menus and toolbars.

• The traditional toolbars as we know them in previous versions have been reorganized
into a Ribbon.
• The tools that you are familiar with in previous versions are now displayed in tabs on the
ribbon rather than in menus on the toolbar.
• A Microsoft logo has been added to the upper left hand corner of each window. This
logo is an active File menu. When the button is clicked, it will display a menu list to
perform common functions like Open, Save, Print, Close.

This documentation will orient you to the new terminology used and where to locate necessary
elements.

Changes to Note

Office 2007 uses a new format when saving documents. This new format IS NOT Backwards
compatible. This means that if you share a document you have created in 2007 with someone
who is using an earlier version of MS Office applications, they will not be able to open your
document.

What Are Your Options?

a) Save to an earlier version of Word. Do a “Save As” and in the Save as type field,
choose MS Office for 97-2003.
o This will allow users with versions other than 2007, to open and work in your
document.
b) Users, who are working with an earlier version of MS Office, can download and
install a compatibility pack. This will enable them to open a document saved in
2007 format without you having to remember to save it as an earlier version. This
link provides a bit more information:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=941B3470-3AE9-
4AEE-8F43-C6BB74CD1466&displaylang=en

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 3 of 32

TOOLS & FUNCTION

Ribbons, Tabs and Toolbar

Terms and Function

Figure 1 – The New Look of the Toolbar

1. Microsoft Office Button – Replaces the File menu. Commands found:

o Open
o Save
o Print

Note: It contains these common file and system commands and more (see Figure 2).

Figure 2 – Microsoft Office Button Menu Options

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 4 of 32

2. Quick Access Toolbar – Contains shortcuts for the tools more commonly used. This can
be customized to contain shortcuts that you use the most. By default, this toolbar will
contain:

o Undo
o Redo

3. Tab Bar – Replaces the menus traditionally used in prior versions. The Tab bar contains
tabs. Each tab when selected displays groups of tools and commands in the ribbon
associated with the tab (see Figure 3).For example, the Home tab contains the following
commands:
o Font Formatting
o Alignment
o Number Formatting
o Styles

Figure 3 – Tab Bar

4. Ribbon – when a tab is selected, the ribbon displays a grouping of tools for that tab (see
Figure 4).

The Workbook Window

The workbook window displays the Active Excel worksheet. It is comprised of rows and
columns. The columns are labeled with the letters of the alphabet, i.e. A, B, C, etc. The rows
are numbered down the left side. Rows and columns intersect to form cells. Each cell can be
referenced via its column name followed by its row number. For example, the intersection of
row 2 and column B is cell B2 (see Figure 4).

Figure 4 – The Excel Workbook Window

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 5 of 32

1. Worksheet Area – Displays the current worksheet.
2. Sheet Tabs – Displays tabs for the sheets in the current workbook.
3. Status Bar – Contains worksheet information and shortcuts.

Using the Ribbon

The ribbon contains commands grouped by task.

Figure 5 – The Ribbon

• The Tab Bar – Contains tabs that display tools and commands in the ribbon. Each tab
displays different functions.
• The Command Button – is the short-cut icon on the ribbon, used to perform a specific
function.
• The Group – contains functions related to that specific grouping,

• The Launcher – The launcher opens a dialog box which contains more options for
the selected group (see Figure 6).

Figure 6 – Using the Launcher to open a group dialog box

Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar can be customized to meet your personal needs.

1. Select the Customize Quick Access Toolbar icon (see Figure 7).

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 6 of 32

Figure 7 – The Quick Access Toolbar Icon

2. A menu box opens (see Figure 8).

Figure 8 – Quick Access Toolbar Menu

3. Select More Commands from the resulting menu.

4. The Quick Access Toolbar Excel Options Dialog box appears (see Figure 9).

Figure 9 – Quick Access Toolbar (Excel Options Dialog Box)

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 7 of 32

5. Select the drop-down arrow on the Choose commands from field box and select a category from
the resulting menu.

6. Select the command you want to add from the left-hand side and then select the Add
button. This adds the command to the right. The commands that appear on the right are the
ones that will appear in the Quick Access Toolbar.

7. To remove a command from the toolbar, go to the right, select the command that you want
to remove, and then select the Remove button.

8. Select the OK button when you are finished.

Note: To quickly add a default command button to the Quick Access Toolbar, click the
Customize Quick Access Toolbar button and select a command from the resulting menu
(see Figure 8).

GETTING STARTED

Understanding the Excel Environment

What is a Workbook?

A workbook is a file that contains worksheets. It is the electronic equivalent of a three ring
binder. A single workbook can contain many, many worksheets. It is the normal document or
file type in Excel.

What is a Worksheet?

Think of a worksheet as a page within a binder. A worksheet is divided into a grid of columns
and rows in which you input your data.

The Workbook Window

An Excel workbook window is shown in Figure 1.

The Worksheet Window

The worksheet window displays the Excel worksheet. It is comprised of rows and columns. The
columns are labeled with the letters of the alphabet, i.e., A, B, C, etc. The rows are numbered
down the left side. Rows and columns intersect to form cells. Each cell can be referenced via its
column name followed by its row number. For example, the intersection of row 2 and column B
is cell B2.

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 8 of 32

 Figure 1 – The Excel Workbook Window

1. Workbook File Title Bar – when the workbook is saved for the first time, the file name
will appear in the title bar.
2. Microsoft Office Button – contains common file system commands.
3. Tab Bar – contains tabs that display tools and commands in the ribbon.
4. Ribbon – contains groups of tools for use with Excel 2007.
5. Worksheet Area – displays the current worksheet.
6. Workbook Sheet Tabs – displays tabs for the sheets in the current workbook.
7. Status Bar – contains worksheet information and short-cuts.

Navigating in a Workbook

• At the bottom of the workbook window (where the sheet tabs are located) are a
number of controls you can use to move from worksheet to worksheet within a
workbook.

• Use the four tab scrolling arrow buttons in the lower, left corner only when you have
more worksheets in a workbook than can be displayed at once.

• The tab split box can be dragged to change the number of sheet tabs displayed. To
reset the tab display, simply double-click the tab split box.

• The scroll bars located to the right of the worksheet is another way to navigate in a
worksheet.

• The down arrows allow you to move forward and backward in your document.

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 9 of 32

Figure 2 – Workbook Navigation Options

Selecting a Range (or Block of Cells)

1. Select the first cell you want to include in the range.
2. While holding the mouse button down, drag the mouse to include all cells you want to
include in the range.
3. Release the mouse button. The range is selected.

ENTERING DATA INTO EXCEL

Entering Data and Using Formulas

There are three kinds of data you can enter into your Excel worksheet:

1. Text (a label).
2. A number (a value)
3. A formula.

Entering a Label (Text) or a Value (Number)

1. Select the cell where you want to enter a label or a value (see Figure 1, below).
2. Type a label (text) or a value (number). A label can include uppercase and lowercase
letters, spaces, punctuation, and numbers. When typing values, do so without commas and
dollar signs. You can format them later using the Format menu.
3. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.

Figure 1 – Worksheet Window

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 10 of 32

EDITING CELL CONTENTS

There are several ways Excel allows you to edit cell content.

1. In-Cell Editing
2. Function Bar Editing

In-Cell Editing

In-Cell editing allows you to edit the information right in the cell itself. To do this:

1. Select the cell you wish to edit by double-clicking on it. The insertion point appears
within the cell.
2. Make Corrections. You may use the mouse pointer or the arrows. Home and End keys
to position the insertion point. You may also use the Backspace and Delete keys to
erase unwanted characters.
3. Type new characters if necessary.
4. Press the Enter key on your keyboard to accept the edit, or press ESC to cancel it.

Function Bar Editing

Edits can also be performed right in the function bar. The function bar is located in the toolbar
section.

Figure 1 – Function Bar

1. Select the cell you wish to edit.

2. Single-click within the function bar. The insertion point appears within the bar.
3. Make necessary corrections or additions.
4. Press the Enter key on your keyboard to accept the edit.

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 11 of 32

COPYING AND PASTING CELL CONTENTS

The Microsoft Office software allows for many ways to copy cell contents. The command
buttons on the Ribbon and using the right click of your mouse are just a few. Which way you
choose is your personal preference.

Using the Ribbon Toolbar

1. Select the cell or the range that contains the data you want to copy.

2. Select the Copy con on the Ribbon toolbar (see Figure 1, below). An outline of the
selected cells, called a marquee (looks like scrolling lines around the selected range of
cells), shows the boundary of the selected cells.

Figure 1 – Clipboard Group on Ribbon

3. Select the first cell where you want to paste the data.
4. Select the Paste button on the Ribbon toolbar.

Using the Right-Click Button on Your Mouse

1. Select the cell or the range that contains the data you want to copy.
2. Right-click your mouse. A pop-up shortcut menu appears along with a formatting toolbar
(see Figure 1).

Figure 1 – Right-Click Shortcut Menu

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 12 of 32

3. Select Copy.
4. Select the cell where you want to paste the data.
5. Right-click again.
6. Click Paste.

MOVING CELL CONTENTS

You can avoid retyping information by using the Move feature in Excel. It is very simple to
perform and can save you many keystrokes.

Start by:

1. Highlight the cell or the range that contains the data you want to move.
2. Move your mouse cursor to one of the thick black outside lines surrounding your
selection. Your cursor will change from a white plus sign to a black arrow.
3. Press and hold your mouse button down and drag the selected range of data to where
you want to relocate it.
4. Release the mouse button.

Note: Excel has moved the entire contents of the cell as well as any formatting that was applied
to the cell or range of cells.

DELETING CELL AND RANGE CONTENTS

Excel allows you to delete the contents of a single cell or the contents of a range of cells at one
time.

Delete Unwanted Information from a Range of Cells

1. Select the cell or range in which you wish to delete the information (see Figure 1, below).

Figure 1 – Selecting a Range of Cells

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 13 of 32

2. Right-click the mouse button anywhere in the boundary of the highlighted range.

3. Select Clear Contents in the pop-up shortcut menu that appears.

The contents of the cell or cells selected are now cleared.

USING AUTOFILL

Copying a Formula to Other Cells Using AutoFill

The AutoFill function will allow you to quickly and easily continue a formula down and across a
range of cells relative in a worksheet. This function can save a lot of time where you would have
to manually input the formula otherwise.

1. Select the cell that contains the formula you want to copy or continue.
2. Move the mouse pointer over the small black box, call the Fill Handle (see Figure 1, below),
located in the lower, right corner of the active cell. The mouse pointer will turn into a black
plus sign when you are properly over the handle.

Figure 1 – AutoFill Handle

3. Select and hold the mouse button down while dragging the Fill handle to highlight the range
you want to copy the formula to.
4. Release the mouse button. The formula is copied into the selected range of cells.

INSERTING & DELETING ROWS AND COLUMNS

Inserting a Blank Row or Column

Sometimes when setting up a worksheet you realize that you do not have a row where you need
it or you have a need for an additional column after you create your worksheet.

To insert a blank row or column into your worksheet:

1. Move the mouse pointer to the row or column heading where you want to insert the blank
row or column. The row or column heading area is the gray area where the row numbers are
to the left, or the column headings A, B, C are located at the top of the worksheet. The
mouse pointer will turn to a black arrow pointing down the row or column (see Figure,
below).

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 14 of 32

Figure 1 – Mouse Pointer Changes to an Arrow

2. Select on the row or column heading.

3. The row or column will highlight (see Figure 2 and 3).

Note: Inserting a blank column uses the same steps as inserting a blank row with the exception
of selecting the column where you want to insert and selecting Columns from the Insert menu.

Figure 2 – Column Insert Figure 3 – Row Insert

4. Select Insert on the Menu bar, and then select Rows or Columns on the sub-menu.
• For Rows – a blank row will be inserted about the selected row.
• For Columns – a blank column will be inserted to the left of the column.

Note: Multiple rows or columns can be inserted in the same steps when highlighting the range
of rows or columns you want to insert. For example, if you highlight a range of 3 rows, then
proceed with the Insert Rows command; Excel will insert 3 blank rows.

Deleting a Row or Column

Any row or column can be deleted from a worksheet. When a row or column is deleted, all the
information that was contained in the row or column is also deleted. To delete rows or columns
follow these steps:

1. In the row or column headings, highlight the range of rows or columns to clear (see Figure 4,
below).

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 15 of 32

Figure 4 – Selecting a Column

2. Right-click within the highlighted range and select Delete from the submenu. The rows or
columns that were selected will be deleted.

Figure 5 – Right-Click Menu

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 16 of 32

CHANGING ROW HEIGHTS OR COLUMN WIDTHS

Changing Row Heights of Column Widths

Sometimes, you may need to manually adjust a column or row’s width or height in order to
accommodate the information within the row or column.

There are several ways to change the width of a column(s) or height of a row(s). Select the
range of rows or columns that you want to change. It could be one or ten or more rows/columns.

Figure 1 – Selecting a Range of Columns

Changing Column Width

1. While holding the left mouse button down, drag the right-column border (the vertical line
break between the columns) with the mouse until the column is the desired width.

OR

Double-click the right border of the column header to set the column width automatically to
the widest entry in the column.

Changing Row Height

Excel adjusts row heights automatically to accommodate the tallest font in the row. However,
you can set the row height manually by using several techniques. As with columns, you can
select multiple rows.

1. Drag the lower row border with the mouse until the row is the desired height.

OR

Double-click the bottom border of the row to set the row height automatically to the tallest
entry in the row.

To select multiple rows, either select and drag in the row header or press the Ctrl key while you
individually6 select the rows.

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 17 of 32

FORMATTING WITH BORDERS

Borders are lines that go from cell boundary to cell boundary as opposed to underlining which
only underlines the content of the cell.

Inserting Borders

To insert a border line in a selected range of cells, rows or columns:

Inserting Borders
To insert a border line in a selected range of cells, rows or columns:

1. Select or highlight the range of cells to apply the border.

2. From the Home tab, select the drop-down arrow beside the Border Command button on
the Ribbon (see Figure 1).

Figure 1 – Border Command Button

3. From the resulting menu, select More Borders.

4. The Format Cells dialog box displays (see Figure 2).

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 18 of 32

Figure 2 – Format Cells Dialog Box

5. The selected border style can be applied by selecting any of the three options under the
Presets category or by selecting any of the Border options.

6. Select the OK button.

FONT AND FILL COLORING

Color can be very effective. It can be used to emphasize a point, or it can also be used to help
remind you of certain points in a worksheet. With Excel, you can colorize the text, or the
background color of a cell.

Font Color

It is very simple to colorize the text in your worksheet. Just follow these steps:

1. Select the cell or range of cells.

2. Select the Font Color command button on the Formatting toolbar (see Figure 1).

Figure 1 – Font Color Command Button

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 19 of 32

3. Select the small, black drop-down arrow, to the right of the icon.
4. Excel displays a color palette (see Figure 2). Select the desired color.

Figure 2 – Color Palette

Fill Color

Colorizing the background of a cell or range of cells can help make items stand out. The steps
are similar to those of font colorizing.

1. Select the cell or range of cells.

2. Select the Fill Color command button on the Ribbon (see Figure 3).

Figure 3 – Fill Color Command Button

3. Select the small, black drop-down arrow to the right of the icon.

4. A color palette displays. Select the desired color.

MAKING CHANGES TO THE SHEET TAB

Changing the Name of the Worksheet

Excel uses a default naming convention for its worksheets, such as Sheet1, Sheet2, and so on.
This naming default is not very helpful or descriptive. It makes more sense to name your sheet
something that is applicable to its contents, especially when you have multiple sheets in a
workbook. Excel gives us the ability to rename worksheets.

To change a sheet’s name:

1. Double-click the sheet tab you want to change.

2. The sheet tab is highlighted (see Figure 1, below).

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 20 of 32

Figure 1 – Workbook Sheet Tabs

3. Type the new name.

4. Select the Enter key.

Colorizing the Worksheet Tab

With Excel’s XP version and up, the colorizing sheet tab feature has been added. Colorizing can
be very useful for organizational purposes. To colorize your worksheet tabs follow this simple
step:

1. Right-click on the sheet tab.

2. Select Tab Color from the pop-up menu (see Figure 2).

3. The color palette displays. Select a color.

Figure 2 – Colorizing the Worksheet Tab

Note: The active sheet tab is now underlined with the desired color. However, once the tab is
inactive, the entire tab will be the desired color.

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 21 of 32

Inserting Additional Worksheets

Excel provides three (3) worksheets by default in a workbook. Excel allows you to insert as
many worksheets in the workbook, as the memory of your computer will allow.

To insert a new worksheet, do one of the following:

1. To quickly insert a new worksheet at the end of the existing worksheets, select the Insert
Worksheet tab at the bottom of the screen (see Figure 3).

Figure 3 – Insert Worksheet Tab

2. To insert a new worksheet before an existing worksheet, select that worksheet, and then on
the Home tab, in the Cells group, select Insert, and then select Insert Sheet.

Figure 4 – Insert Worksheet Command

Note: You can also right-click the tab of an existing worksheet, and then click Insert. From the
Insert Dialog box on the General tab, click Worksheet, and then click OK.

UNDERSTANDING FORMULA BASICS

Formulas make spreadsheets useful. Formulas are used to calculate results from the data
stored in the worksheet. When the data changes, formulas produce updated results without
extra effort on your part.

To add a formula to a worksheet, enter it into a cell. You can delete, move or copy formulas
just like any other item of data. Formulas use arithmetic operators to work with values, text,
worksheet functions, and other formulas to calculate a value in the cell.

Creating a Formula

A formula entered into a cell can consist of any of these elements:

• Operators such as + for addition and * for multiplication.

• Cell references, including named cells and ranges.
• Values or text.
• Worksheet functions such as SUM or AVERAGE.

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 22 of 32

Benefits of Using Formulas

When using a formula in your spreadsheet, (a cell containing a formula that references other
cells), the sum will automatically change as other cell values referenced in the formula change.
This feature is very valuable when editing or adding information to your worksheet. You do not
have to remember to update other cells that rely on that cell’s information.

A formula always begins with an equal sign (=) followed by some combination of numbers, text,
cell references, and operators. If a formula is entered incorrectly, an ERROR IN FORMULA
message appears.

Formula Operators

An operator is a symbol that represents a mathematical or a logical operation. The most

commonly used operators are addition, subtraction, multiplication or division. However,
there are many more operators that can be used. Tables 1 and 2 (below) list the operators
that can be used in Excel formulas and functions.

Figure 1 – Operator Tables (Logical & Arithmetic)

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 23 of 32

Arithmetic Operators
Arithmetic operators are used in conjunction with numbers to create mathematical formulas.
An example of a simple mathematical formula in Excel would be =23+5. When this formula is
entered into a cell in the worksheet, the contents of the cell will read 28, while the Formula Bar
will show the formula as =23+5. If the operator is changed to read =23-5, the cell contents
changes to 18.

Cell references may also be used in formulas. For instance, assume you want the content of
cell C5 to be the sum of values in cells A5 and B5. Instead of entering the values contained in
cells A5 and B5 (and changing the formula each time those values change) you can enter the
formula as =A5+B5. Excel will automatically take the values of A5 and B5 and enter them into
the formula. The benefit of using cell references in your formula is that as the values change in
the cells you reference in your formula, the value in C5 will automatically change to reflect the
correct answer.

How to Enter a Formula

1. Select the cell you want to work with.

2. Type the = (equal sign) to begin the formula.

3. Type the first argument. An argument can be a number or a cell reference. You can type in
the number, or if referencing a cell, you can single-click on the cell location, to have the cell
reference automatically included in your formula.

4. Next, type an arithmetic operator (see Figure 1, above).

5. Enter the next argument.

6. Steps 4 and 5 can be repeated as many times as needed.

7. Press the Enter key. The result of the formula appears in the cell while the formula itself
appears in the Formula Bar.

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 24 of 32

Figure 2 – Worksheet Window and Formula Bar

Worksheet Functions

Some formulas may be simplified by using worksheet functions. A worksheet function is a pre-
written formula, a keyword that tells Excel what to do. For example, instead of typing
=A1+A2+A3+A4+A5, you may type =SUM(A1:A5). (The colon indicates the range from A1 to
A5.) In this example, SUM is a function that Excel knows about. It is important to use the
correct syntax and format of a function for correct results.

To enter a function, do the following:

1. Select the cell you want to work with.

2. Type = (equal sign), then type the name of the function, followed by an open parenthesis.

3. Select the cell you want to insert the function in.

4. Press the Enter key on your keyboard. Excel automatically adds the closing parenthesis to
complete the function and displays the results in the cell.

Parentheses are used to separate different parts of a formula. For example, in the formula
=SUM(A1:A5), the parentheses separate the worksheet function from the cell references that
the function is referring to. This is particularly important in longer or more complicated functions,
e.g., =((A2/4)+(A5-B3))*5. If a mistake is made and the parentheses in a formula do not match,
an error message appears.

The parts of a formula contained inside parenthesis are calculated first. Otherwise the order of
operation is as shown in Table 3 (see Figure 3). If there are operators of equal precedence,
the order of operation is from left to right.

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 25 of 32

Figure 3 – Order of Operation

Adding a Range Using the AutoSum Function

The AutoSum function is a great tool to use when you want to quickly add contents of a range
of cells. It allows you to add cell content without having to manually input the formula or
function.

1. Select the cell where you want the total to appear (usually the last cell in the column or row
of cells that you want to add. The cell must be blank).

2. Select the AutoSum command button on the Home tab of the Ribbon. AutoSum
inserts a formula that uses the SUM function. It displays a moving border that looks like
scrolling lines around the selected range of cells. This is called a Marquee. Excel puts this
around the range of cells it thinks you want to add, and inserts the range reference in the
formula.

3. If this is the correct range, press the Enter key on your keyboard. If not, type or highlight the
correct range and press Enter.

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 26 of 32

PAGE SETUP

The page setup is very important to the layout and printing of your worksheet. You may wish to
perform the Page Setup function first, prior to inputting data on your worksheet.

There are several ways to approach the page set-up functions. The simplest is to:

1. Select the Print Titles command button on the Page Layout tab of the Ribbon.

2. The Page Setup dialog box appears (see Figure 1).

3. Use the Page tab to adjust the page orientation, paper size and print scaling.

4. Use the Margins tab to adjust the top, bottom, left and right margins as well as the
header and footer margins.

5. Use the Header/Footer tab to create a custom header or footer.

6. Use the Sheet tab to print a selected area of the worksheet, repeat rows to print or
print the gridlines.

Figure 1 – Page Setup Dialog Box

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 27 of 32

7. Select the OK button when finished.

Note: The Page Layout tab on the Ribbon contains many command buttons to define your
page set-up as well.

SAVING AND PRINTING

Saving a Worksheet

1. Select the Save icon on the Quick Access toolbar.

Figure 1 – Quick Access Toolbar

2. If you want to save the worksheet to a different folder (optional), select the Microsoft
Office button and select Save As.

3. The Save As dialog box appears.

4. From the Save As dialog box, type the new workbook name in the File Name field.

5. In the Save As type field, select the appropriate document type.

6. Select the Save button. The new name displays in the Title bar. Remember, the Title bar is
the bar at the very top of the application window.

PRINTING THE ENTIRE WORKSHEET

To print an entire spreadsheet quickly:

1. Select the Microsoft Office button.

2. Select Print from the menu (see Figure 1).

3. From the Preview and print the document menu, select the appropriate option.

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 28 of 32

Figure 1 – Print Options

PRINTING A SECTION OF A WORKSHEET

1. Highlight the range you wish to print.

2. Select File from the Menu bar and select Print to display the Print dialog box.
3. Under the Print What section, in the lower, left of the dialog box, select Selection. Make
sure the circle is filled in.
4. Select the OK button.
Figure 1 – Print Dialog Box

Note: You may select other options in the Print window before you print your spreadsheet. For
instance, you may print certain pages of your spreadsheet by filling the From: and To: boxes in
the Print range area. You may also print several copies of your worksheet by selecting the
Number of copies: option in the Print dialog box.

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 29 of 32

CLOSING AND EXITING EXCEL

There are multiple ways to close a worksheet:

1. Select the Microsoft Office button on the Menu bar.

2. From the menu, select Close (see Figure, below).

Figure 1 – Closing a Worksheet Using the MS Office Button

Alternatively, you can click the Close button (X) located in the upper, right-hand corner of the
worksheet window, this is the lower and smaller of the two buttons (see Figure 2).

Figure 2 – The Close Button

EXITING EXCEL

To exit the program:

1. Click the Close button (X), located in the upper, right-hand corner of the worksheet window,
this is the lower and smaller of the two buttons.

Note: If there are any open files that have not been saved since you last changed the
worksheet, a dialog box will ask if you want to save the changes. Click Yes to save or No to
ignore any changes you might have made. If no files are open or have been saved, Excel will
close automatically.

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 30 of 32

LEARN MORE ABOUT EXCEL

Microsoft on the Web

Microsoft on the Web provides a wealth of on-line training. You can further your Excel
knowledge by visiting Mircosoft.com. It is a great source for learning. You need Internet
connectivity and a Web browser in order to make use of this feature.

For Beginning Excel 2007 Users

On-line Training Tutorial for Excel 2007 Beginners

http://office.microsoft.com/training/training.aspx?AssetID=RC100766511033

Quick Reference Card for Excel 2007 Beginners

http://office.microsoft.com/training/Training.aspx?AssetID=RP100766581033&CTT=6&O
rigin=RC100766511033
Worksheet design strategy
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/HA011082671033.aspx

Get up to speed with Excel 2007

http://office.microsoft.com/training/training.aspx?AssetID=RC100620751033

Quick Reference Card for Get up to speed with Excel 2007

http://office.microsoft.com/training/Training.aspx?AsetID=RP100766581033&CTT=6&Ori
gin=RC100766511033

TRAINING AND SUPPORT

IT Training

Contact Us:
IT Training & Development
Phone: (818) 677-1700 or x1700 (on campus)
Email: [email protected]

Troubleshooting and Support

If you experience problems getting started with Office 2007 contact the Help Center at x1400 or
[email protected].

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 31 of 32

 NOTES

Excel 2007 – Basics Page 32 of 32

IT’s technology training guides are the property of California State University, Northridge. They are
intended for non-profit educational use only. Please do not use this material without citing the source.

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