Peace Support Operations Training Centre

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Peace Support Operations NCO Staff Course

Microsoft
Excel 2007

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 Contents
Introduction to Excel ................................................................................................................. 3
1: Setting Up Your Excel Environment ............................................................................................ 3
2: Starting a Workbook ....................................................................................................................... 7
3: Modifying Columns, Rows, & Cells ............................................................................................ 11
4: Formatting Text ............................................................................................................................. 15
5: Creating Simple Formulas ........................................................................................................... 19
6: Working with Cells ........................................................................................................................ 22
7: Printing Workbooks ...................................................................................................................... 26

Excel Basics ........................................................................................................................... 32

8: Creating Complex Formulas ....................................................................................................... 32
9: Working with Basic Functions ..................................................................................................... 37
10: Sorting, Grouping, and Filtering Cells ..................................................................................... 43
11: Formatting Tables....................................................................................................................... 49
12: Aligning Text................................................................................................................................ 52
13: Working with Worksheets .......................................................................................................... 54

Doing More with Excel............................................................................................................ 60

14: Using Templates ......................................................................................................................... 60
15: Using What-If Analysis............................................................................................................... 62
16: Working with Charts ................................................................................................................... 66
17: Using Conditional Formatting ................................................................................................... 70
18: Creating Pivot Tables................................................................................................................. 75

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 Introduction to Excel
1: Setting Up Your Excel Environment

Before you begin creating spreadsheets in Excel, you may want to set up your Excel
environment and become familiar with a few key tasks and features such as how to
minimize and maximize the Ribbon, configure the Quick Access toolbar, switch page views,
and access your Excel options.

The tabbed Ribbon menu system is how you navigate through Excel and access the
various Excel commands. If you have used previous versions of Excel, the Ribbon system
replaces the traditional menus. Above the Ribbon in the upper-left corner is the Microsoft
Office Button. From here, you can access important options such as New, Save, Save As,
and Print. By default the Quick Access Toolbar is pinned next to the Microsoft Office Button,
and includes commands such as Undo and Redo.

At the bottom, left area of the spreadsheet, you will find worksheet tabs. By default, three
worksheet tabs appear each time you create a new workbook. On the bottom, right area of
the spreadsheet you will find page view commands, the zoom tool, and the horizontal
scrolling bar.

To Zoom In and Out:

Locate the zoom bar in the bottom, right corner.

Left-click the slider and drag it to the left to zoom in and to the right to zoom out.

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To Scroll Horizontally in a Worksheet:
Locate the horizontal scroll bar in the bottom, right corner.
Left-click the bar and move it from left to right.
To Change Page Views
Locate the Page View options in the bottom, right corner. The Page View options are
Normal, Page Layout, and Page Break.
Left-click an option to select it.
The default is Normal View.

To Add Commands to the Quick Access Toolbar:

Click the arrow to the right of the Quick Access toolbar.
Select the command you wish to add from the drop-down list. It will appear in the
Quick Access toolbar.
OR
Select More Commands from the menu and a dialog box appears.
Select the command you wish to add.
Click the Add button.

Click OK.

The Save, Undo, and Redo commands appear by default in the Quick Access toolbar. You
may wish to add other commands to make using specific Excel features more convenient for
you.

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To Minimize and Maximize the Ribbon:
Click the drop-down arrow next to the Quick Access toolbar.
Select Minimize Ribbon from the list. The Ribbon disappears.
To maximize the ribbon, click the arrow again and select Minimize the Ribbon to
toggle the feature off.

You can also minimize and maximize the Ribbon by right-clicking anywhere in the main menu
and selecting Minimize the Ribbon in the menu that appears.

The new, tabbed Ribbon system replaces traditional menus in Excel 2007. It is designed to
be responsive to your current task and easy to use; however, you can choose to minimize
the Ribbon if you would prefer to use different menus or keyboard shortcuts.

The Microsoft Office Button

The Microsoft Office Button appears at the top of the Excel window. When you left-click the
button, a menu appears. From this menu you can create a new spreadsheet, open existing
files, save files in a variety of ways, and print. You can also add security features, send,
publish, and close files.

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To Change the Default Excel Options:
Click the Excel Options button. A dialog box will appear.
Select a category on the left to access different Excel options.

Modify any of the default settings.

Click OK.

As you learn more about Excel and become proficient at using it, you may want to modify
some of the settings. As a beginning user, it is usually best to leave the default settings.

Challenge!
Open Excel.
Practice using the Zoom tool.
Minimize and maximize the Ribbon.
Click the Microsoft Office Button and review the menu options.
Add two commands to the Quick Access toolbar.
Continue to explore the Excel environment.

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2: Starting a Workbook

You will need to know how to insert text and numbers into
Excel workbooks to be able to use it to calculate, analyze, and
organize data. In this lesson, you will learn how to create a
new workbook, insert and delete text, navigate a worksheet,
and save an Excel workbook.

To Create a New, Blank Workbook:

Left-click the Microsoft Office Button.
Select New. The New Workbook dialog box opens and Blank Workbook is highlighted
by default.

Click Create. A new, blank workbook appears in the window.

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When you first open Excel, the software opens to a new, blank workbook.

To Insert Text:
Left-click a cell to select it. Each rectangle in the worksheet is called a cell. As you
select a cell, the cell address appears in the Name Box.

Enter text into the cell using your keyboard. The text appears in the cell and in the
formula bar.

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Each cell has a name, or a cell address based on the column and row it is in. For example,
this cell is C3 since it is where column C and row 3 intersect.

To Edit or Delete Text:

Select the cell.
Press the Backspace key on your keyboard to delete text and make a correction.
Press the Delete key to delete the entire contents of a cell.

You can also make changes to and delete text from the formula bar. Just select the cell and
place your insertion point in the formula bar.

To Move Through a Worksheet Using the Keyboard:

Press the Tab key to move to the right of the selected cell.
Press the Shift key and then the Tab key to move to the left of the selected cell.
Use the Page Up and Page Down keys to navigate the worksheet.
Use the arrow keys.
To Save the Workbook:
Left-click the Microsoft Office Button.
Select Save or Save As.

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 o Save As allows you to name the file and choose a location to save the
spreadsheet. Choose Save As if you'd like to save the file for the first time or if
you'd like to save the file as a different name.
o Select Save if the file has already been named.

You can save a workbook in many ways, but the two most common are as an Excel
Workbook, which saves it with a 2007 file extension, and as an Excel 97-2003 Workbook,
which saves the file in a compatible format so people who have earlier versions of Excel can
open the file.

Challenge!
Open Excel.
Create a new, blank workbook.
Practice entering text into cells.
Practice deleting text using the Backspace and Delete keys.
Navigate through the sheet using the Tab key.
Save the spreadsheet

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3: Modifying Columns, Rows, & Cells

When you open a new, blank workbook, the cells, columns, and rows are set to a default
size. You do have the ability to change the size of each, and to insert new columns, rows,
and cells, as needed. In this lesson, you will learn various methods to modify the column

To Modify Column Width:

Position the cursor over the column line in the column heading and a double arrow
will appear.

Left-click the mouse and drag the cursor to the right to increase the column width or
to the left to decrease the column width.
Release the mouse button.

OR

Left-click the column heading of a column you'd like to modify. The entire column will
appear highlighted.

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 Click the Format command in the Cells group on the Home tab. A menu will appear.

Select Column Width to enter a specific column measurement.

Select AutoFit Column Width to adjust the column so all the text will fit.
To Modify the Row Height:
Position the cursor over the row line you want to modify and a double arrow will
appear.

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 Left-click the mouse and drag the cursor upward to decrease the row height or
downward to increase the row height.
Release the mouse button.

OR

Click the Format command in the Cells group on the Home tab. A menu will appear.

Select Row Height to enter a specific row measurement.

Select AutoFit Row Height to adjust the row so all the text will fit.
To Insert Rows:
Select the row below where you want the new row to appear.
Click the Insert command in the Cells group on the Home tab. The row will appear.

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The new row always appears above the selected row.

Make sure that you select the entire row below where you want the new row to appear and
not just the cell. If you select just the cell and then click Insert, only a new cell will appear.

To Insert Columns:
Select the column to the right of where you want the column to appear.
Click the Insert command in the Cells group on the Home tab. The column will appear.

The new column always appears to the left of the selected column. For example, if you want
to insert a column between September and October, select the October column and click the
Insert command.

Make sure that you select the entire column to the right of where you want the new column
to appear and not just the cell. If you select just the cell and then click Insert, only a new cell
will appear.

To Delete Rows and Columns:

Select the row or column you’d like to delete.
Click the Delete command in the Cells group on the Home tab.

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Challenge!

Use the Budget or any Excel workbook you choose to complete this challenge.

Open a workbook.
Insert a column.
Insert a row.
Delete a column.
Change the width of a column using AutoAdjust.
Change the height of a row.
Close and save the file.
4: Formatting Text

Once you have entered information into a spreadsheet, you will need to be able to format it.
In this lesson, you will learn how to use the bold, italic, and underline commands; modify the
font style, size, and color; and apply borders and fill colors.

To Format Text in Bold or Italics:

Left-click a cell to select it or drag your cursor over the text in the formula bar to select
it.
Click the Bold or Italics command.

You can select entire columns and rows, or specific cells. To select the entire column, just
left-click the column heading and the entire column will appear as selected. To select specific
cells, just left-click a cell and drag your mouse to select the other cells. Then, release the
mouse button.

To Format Text as Underlined:

Select the cell or cells you want to format.
Click the drop-down arrow next to the Underline command.
Select the Single Underline or Double Underline option.

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To Change the Font Style
Select the cell or cells you want to format.
Left-click the drop-down arrow next to the Font Style box on the Home tab.
Select a font style from the list.

As you move over the font list, the Live Preview feature previews the font for you in the
spreadsheet.

To Change the Font Size:

Select the cell or cells you want to format.
Left-click the drop-down arrow next to the Font Size box on the Home tab.
Select a font size from the list.

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To Change the Text Color:
Select the cell or cells you want to format.
Left-click the drop-down arrow next to the Text Color command. A color palette will
appear.
Select a color from the palette.

OR

Select More Colors. A dialog box will appear.

Select a color.
Click OK
To Add a Border:
Select the cell or cells you want to format.
Click the drop-down arrow next to the Borders command on the Home tab. A menu
will appear with border options.

Left-click an option from the list to select it.

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You can change the line style and color of the border.

To add a Fill Color:

Select the cell or cells you want to format.
Click the Fill command. A color palette will appear.
Select a color.

OR
Select More Colors. A dialog box will appear.
Select a color.
Click OK.

You can use the fill color feature to format columns and rows, and format a worksheet so
that it is easier to read.

To Format Numbers and Dates:

Select the cell or cells you want to format.
Left-click the drop-down arrow next to the Number Format box.
Select one of the options for formatting numbers.

By default, the numbers appear in the General category, which means there is no special
formatting.

In the Number group, you have some other options. For example, you can change the U.S.
dollar sign to another currency format, numbers to percents, add commas, and change the
decimal location.

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Challenge!

Use the Budget or any Excel workbook you choose to complete this challenge.

Select a cell and format the text or numbers in it so that they appear bolded.
Select two or more cells and format the text or numbers so that they appear in italics.
Change fill color of two or more cells.
Add a border to a row.
5: Creating Simple Formulas

Excel can be used to calculate and analyze numerical information; however, you will need to
know how to write formulas to maximize Excel's capabilities. A formula is an equation that
performs a calculation using values in the worksheet. In this lesson you will learn how to
create simple formulas using mathematical operators such as the addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division signs.

To Create a Simple Formula that Adds Two Numbers:

Click the cell where the formula will be defined (C5, for example).
Type the equal sign (=) to let Excel know a formula is being defined.
Type the first number to be added (e.g., 1500)
Type the addition sign (+) to let Excel know that an add operation is to be performed.
Type the second number to be added (e.g., 200)
Press Enter or click the Enter button on the Formula bar to complete the formula.

To Create a Simple Formula that Adds the Contents of Two Cells:

Click the cell where the answer will appear (C5, for example).
Type the equal sign (=) to let Excel know a formula is being defined.
Type the cell number that contains the first number to be added (C3, for example).
Type the addition sign (+) to let Excel know that an add operation is to be performed.
Type the cell address that contains the second number to be added (C4, for example).
Press Enter or click the Enter button on the Formula bar to complete the formula.

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To Create a Simple Formula using the Point and Click Method:
Click the cell where the answer will appear (C30, for example).
Type the equal sign (=) to let Excel know a formula is being defined.
Click on the first cell to be included in the formula (C5, for example).
Type the subtraction sign (-) to let Excel know that a subtraction operation is to be
performed.
Click on the next cell in the formula (C29, for example).

Press Enter or click the Enter button on the Formula bar to complete the formula.

To Create a Simple Formula that Multiplies the Contents of Two Cells:

Select the cell where the answer will appear (E32, for example).
Type the equal sign (=) to let Excel know a formula is being defined.
Click on the first cell to be included in the formula (C9, for example) or type a number.
Type the multiplication symbol (*) by pressing the Shift key and then the number 8 key.
The operator displays in the cell and Formula bar.

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 Click on the next cell in the formula or type a number (12, for example).
Press Enter or click the Enter button on the Formula bar to complete the formula.
.

To Create a Simple Formula that Divides One Cell by Another:

Click the cell where the answer will appear.
Type the equal sign (=) to let Excel know a formula is being defined.
Click on the first cell to be included in the formula.
Type a division symbol. The operator displays in the cell and Formula bar.
Click on the next cell in the formula.
Enter or click the Enter button on the Formula bar to complete the formula.
Using Cell References

As you can see, there are many ways to create a simple formula in Excel. Most likely you will
choose one of the methods that enters the cell address into the formula, rather than an actual
number. The cell address is basically the name of the cell and can be found in the Name Box.

The following example uses actual numbers in the formula in C5.

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When a cell address is used as part of a formula, this is called a cell reference. It is called a
cell reference because instead of entering specific numbers into a formula, the cell address
refers to a specific cell. The following example uses cell references in the formula in C30.

Challenge!

Use the Budget or any Excel workbook you choose to complete this challenge.

Write a simple addition formula.

Write a simple subtraction formula using the point and click method.
Write a simple multiplication formula using cell references.
Write a simple division formula.
6: Working with Cells

It is important to know how to move information from one cell to another in Excel. Learning
the various ways will save you time and make working with Excel easier. Certain methods
are more appropriate depending on how much information you need to move and where it will
reside on the spreadsheet. In this lesson you will learn how to cut, copy, and paste, as well
as drag and drop information.

To Copy and Paste Cell Contents:

Select the cell or cells you wish to copy.
Click the Copy command in the Clipboard group on the Home tab. The border of the
selected cells will change appearance.

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 Select the cell or cells where you want to paste the information.
Click the Paste command. The copied information will now appear in the new cells.

To select more than one adjoining cell, left-click one of the cells, drag the cursor until all the
cells are selected, and release the mouse button.

The copied cell will stay selected until you perform your next task, or you can double-click
the cell to deselect it.

To Cut and Paste Cell Contents:

Select the cell or cells you wish to copy.
Click the Cut command in the Clipboard group on the Home tab. The border of the
selected cells will change appearance.

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 Select the cell or cells where you want to paste the information.
Click the Paste command. The cut information will be removed from the original cells
and now appear in the new cells.

The keyboard shortcut for Paste is the Control Key and the V key.

To Drag and Drop Information:

Select the cell or cells you wish to move.
Position your mouse pointer near one of the outside edges of the selected cells. The
mouse pointer changes from a large, white cross to a black cross with 4 arrows.

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 Left-click and hold the mouse button and drag the cells to the new location.

Release the mouse button and the information appears in the new location.

To Use the Fill Handle to Fill Cells:

Position your cursor over the fill handle until the large white cross becomes a thin,
black cross.

Left-click your mouse and drag it until all the cells you want to fill are highlighted.

Release the mouse button and all the selected cells are filled with the information from
the original cell.

The fill handle doesn't always copy information from one cell directly into another cell.
Depending on the data entered in the cell, it may fill the data in other ways. For example, if I
have the formula =A1+B1 in cell C1, and I use the fill handle to fill the formula into cell C2, the

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formula doesn't appear the same in C2 as it does in C1. Instead of =A1+B1, you will see
=A2+B2.

You can use the fill handle to fill cells horizontally or vertically.

7: Printing Workbooks

In Excel, there are many things you can do to prepare your workbook for printing. Many of
these tasks make it easier to format the spreadsheet for the printed page.

In this lesson you will learn how to view the spreadsheet in print preview, modify margins,
change the page orientation, use the scale to fit feature, use the Print Titles command, insert
breaks, and more.

To View the Spreadsheet in Print Preview:

Left-click the Microsoft Office Button.
Select Print.
Select Print Preview. The spreadsheet will appear in Print Preview view.

Click the Close Print Preview button to return to the Normal View.

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To make previewing your spreadsheet easier, add the Print Preview command to the Quick
Access toolbar.

Exploring Print Preview:

Once you are in Print Preview, you can access many of the same features that you can from
the Ribbon; however, in Print Preview you can see how the spreadsheet will appear in printed
format.

To Modify Margins, Column Width, or Row Height While in Print Preview:

Click the Print Preview command on the Quick Access toolbar, or select Print Preview
from the Microsoft Office Button menu. The spreadsheet opens in print preview mode.
Hover your cursor over one of the black margin markers until a double arrow
appears.

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 Left-click and drag the marker to the desired location. The change will be reflected in
the spreadsheet.

To Modify Margins:
Select the Page Layout tab.
Left-click the Margins command.
Choose one of the predefined settings or enter custom margins.

To Change Page Orientation:

Select the Page Layout tab.
Left-click the Orientation command.
Select either Portrait or Landscape.

Portrait orients the page vertically, while Landscape orients the page horizontally.

To Use Scale to Fit:

Select the Page Layout tab.
Locate the Scale to Fit group.

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 Enter a specific height and width, or use the percentage field to decrease the
spreadsheet by a specific percent.

Scale to Fit is a useful feature that can help you format spreadsheets to fit on a page. Be
careful with how small you scale the information -- it can become difficult to read!

To Change the Paper Size:

Select the Page Layout tab.
Click the Size command.
Select a size option from the list.
To Define a Print Area:
Left-click and drag your mouse to select the cells you wish to print.
Click the Print Area command.
Choose Set Print Area.

Now, only the selected cells will print. You can confirm this by viewing the spreadsheet in
Print Preview.

To return to the default setting, which is the entire worksheet, click the Print Area command
and select Clear Print Area.

To Insert a Break:
Select a cell below where you want the break to appear.
Select the Breaks command.
Select Insert Break.

Click Print Preview to confirm the break appears in the correct place in your spreadsheet.

To Use the Print Titles command:

This is an important command to be familiar with if you intend to print your worksheets. It
allows you to select specific rows and/or columns to appear on each printed sheet. Imagine
how difficult it would be to read page 48 of a printed spreadsheet if the column and row
headings only appeared on the first page.

Select the Page Layout tab.

Click the Print Titles command. The Page Setup dialog box appears.
Click the icon at the end of the field.

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 Select the first row in the spreadsheet that you want to appear on each printed page.

Repeat for the column, if necessary.

Click OK.
To Print from the Microsoft Office Button:
Left-click the Microsoft Office Button.
Select Print Print. The Print dialog box appears.

Select a printer if you wish to use a printer other than the default setting.
Click Properties to change any necessary settings.

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 Choose whether you want to print specific pages, all of the worksheet, a selected area,
the active sheet, or the entire workbook.
Select the number of copies you'd like to print.
Click OK.

You can select Quick Print to bypass the Print dialog box.

Challenge!

Use the Budget or any Excel workbook you choose to complete this challenge.

View the spreadsheet in Print Preview.

Change a column width in Print Preview.
Insert a break.
Use the Print Tiles command to print a specific row or column on each printed page.
Use Print Preview to verify how this will appear.
Print the spreadsheet.
Explore the other commands discussed in this lesson

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 Excel Basics
8: Creating Complex Formulas

Excel is a spreadsheet application and is intended to be used to calculate and analyze

numerical information such as household budgets, company finances, inventory, and more.
To do this, you need to understand formulas.

In this lesson, we’ll discuss complex formulas that use multiple mathematical operators, and
that use absolute and relative references.

Complex Formulas Defined

Simple formulas have one mathematical operation. Complex formulas involve more than
one mathematical operation.

Simple Formula: =2+2

Complex Formula: =2+2*8

To calculate complex formulas correctly, you must perform certain operations before others.
This is defined in the order of operations.

The Order of Operations

The order of mathematical operations is very important. If you enter a formula that contains
several operations, Excel knows to work those operations in a specific order. The order of
operations is:

1. Operations enclosed in parenthesis

2. Exponential calculations (to the power of)
3. Multiplication and division, whichever comes first
4. Addition and subtraction, whichever comes first

A mnemonic that can help you remember this is Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally
(P.E.M.D.A.S).

Example 1

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Using this order, let us see how the formula 20/(8-4)*8-2 is calculated in the following
breakdown:

Example 2

3+3*2=?

Is the answer 12 or 9? Well, if you calculated in the order in which the numbers appear,
3+3*2, you'd get the wrong answer, 12. You must follow the order of operations to get the
correct answer.

To Calculate the Correct Answer:

1. Calculate 3*2 first because multiplication comes before addition in the order of
operations. The answer is 6.
2. Add the answer obtained in step #1, which is 6, to the number 3 that opened the
equation. In other words, add 3 + 6.
3. The answer is 9.

4. Before moving on, let's explore some more formulas to make sure you understand
the order of operations by which Excel calculates the answer.

4*2/4 Multiply 4*2 before performing the

division operation because the
multiplication sign comes before
the division sign. The answer is 2.

4/2*4 Divide 4 by 2 before performing

the multiplication operation

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 because the division sign comes
before the multiplication sign. The
answer is 8.

4/(2*4) Perform the operation in

parentheses (2*4) first and divide
4 by this result. The answer is 0.5.

4-2*4 Multiply 2*4 before performing the

subtraction operation because the
multiplication sign is of a higher
order than the subtraction sign.
The answer is -4.

Excel automatically follows a standard order of operations in a complex formula. If you

want a certain portion of the formula to be calculated first, put it in parentheses.

Example of How to Write a Complex Formula:

Click the cell where you want the formula result to appear. In this example, H6.
Type the equal sign (=) to let Excel know a formula is being defined.
Type an open parenthesis, or (
Click on the first cell to be included in the formula (G6, for example).
Type the addition sign (+) to let Excel know that an add operation is to be performed.
Click on the second cell in the formula (G7, for example)
Type a close parentheses ).

Type the next mathematical operator, or the division symbol (/) to let Excel know that
a division operation is to be performed.
Type an open parenthesis, or (
Click on the third cell to be included in the formula (D6, for example).
Type the addition sign (+) to let Excel know that an add operation is to be performed.
Click on the fourth cell to be included in formula. (D7, for example).
Type a close parentheses ).

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 Very Important: Press Enter or click the Enter button on the Formula bar. This step
ends the formula.

To show fewer decimal places, you can just click the Decrease Decimal place command on
the Home tab.

What is an Absolute Reference?

In earlier lessons we saw how cell references in formulas automatically adjust to new
locations when the formula is pasted into different cells. This is called a relative reference.

Sometimes, when you copy and paste a formula, you don't want one or more cell references
to change. Absolute reference solves this problem. Absolute cell references in a formula
always refer to the same cell or cell range in a formula. If a formula is copied to a different
location, the absolute reference remains the same.

An absolute reference is designated in the formula by the addition of a dollar sign ($). It can
precede the column reference or the row reference, or both. Examples of absolute
referencing include:

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To Create an Absolute Reference:
Select the cell where you wish to write the formula (in this example, H2)
Type the equal sign (=) to let Excel know a formula is being defined.
Click on the first cell to be included in the formula (F2, for example).
Enter a mathematical operator (use the multiplication symbol for this example).
Click on the second cell in the formula (C2, for example).
Add a $ sign before the C and a $ sign before the 2 to create an absolute reference.

Copy the formula into H3. The new formula should read =F3*$C$2. The F2 reference
changed to F3 since it is a relative reference, but C2 remained constant since you
created an absolute reference by inserting the dollar signs.

Challenge!

Use the Inventory or any Excel workbook you choose to complete this challenge.

Create at least one complex formula that uses the addition and division operations.
Create at least one complex formula that uses parentheses and a multiplication
operation.
Create a formula that uses an absolute reference.

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9: Working with Basic Functions

A function is a predefined formula that performs calculations using specific values in a

particular order. While you may think of formulas as being short mathematical equations, like
2 + 2 or F2 * C2, they can actually be very lengthy and involve complex mathematical
calculations.

One of the key benefits of functions is that they can save you time since you do not have to
write the formula yourself. For example, you could use an Excel function called Average to
quickly find the average of a range of numbers or the Sum function to find the sum of a cell
range.

In this lesson, you will learn how to use basic functions such as SUM and AVG, use functions
with more than one argument, and how to access the other Excel 2007 functions.

The Parts of a Function:

Each function has a specific order, called syntax, which must be strictly followed for the
function to work correctly.

Syntax Order:

1. All functions begin with the = sign.

2. After the = sign define the function name (e.g., Sum).
3. Then there will be an argument. An argument is the cell range or cell references that
are enclosed by parentheses. If there is more than one argument, separate each by a
comma.

An example of a function with one argument that adds a range of cells, A3 through A9:

An example of a function with more than one argument that calculates the sum of two cell
ranges:

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Excel literally has hundreds of different functions to assist with your calculations. Building
formulas can be difficult and time-consuming. Excel's functions can save you a lot of time and
headaches

Excel's Different Functions

There are many different functions in Excel 2007. Some of the more common functions
include:

Statistical Functions:
SUM - summation adds a range of cells together.
AVERAGE - average calculates the average of a range of cells.
COUNT - counts the number of chosen data in a range of cells.
MAX - identifies the largest number in a range of cells.
MIN - identifies the smallest number in a range of cells.
Financial Functions:
Interest Rates
Loan Payments
Depreciation Amounts
Date and Time functions:
DATE - Converts a serial number to a day of the month
Day of Week
DAYS360 - Calculates the number of days between two dates based on a 360-day
year
TIME - Returns the serial number of a particular time
HOUR - Converts a serial number to an hour
MINUTE - Converts a serial number to a minute
TODAY - Returns the serial number of today's date
MONTH - Converts a serial number to a month
YEAR - Converts a serial number to a year

You don't have to memorize the functions but should have an idea of what each can do for
you.

To Calculate the Sum of a Range of Data Using AutoSum:

Select the Formulas tab.
Locate the Function Library group. From here, you can access all the available
functions.
Select the cell where you want the function to appear. In this example, select G42.
Select the drop-down arrow next to the AutoSum command.

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 Select Sum. A formula will appear in the selected cell, G42.
o This formula, =SUM(G2:G41), is called a function. AutoSum command
automatically selects the range of cells from G2 to G41, based on where you
inserted the function. You can alter the cell range, if necessary.

Press the Enter key or Enter button on the formula bar. The total will appear.
To Edit a Function:
Select the cell where the function is defined.
Insert the cursor in the formula bar.
Edit the range by deleting and changing necessary cell numbers.

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 Click the Enter icon.
To Calculate the Sum of Two Arguments:
Select the cell where you want the function to appear. In this example, G44.
Click the Insert Function command on the Formulas tab. A dialog box appears.
SUM is selected by default.

Click OK and the Function Arguments dialog box appears so that you can enter the
range of cells for the function.

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 Insert the cursor in the Number 1 field.
In the spreadsheet, select the first range of cells. In this example, G21 through G26.
The argument appears in the Number 1 field.
o To select the cells, left-click cell G21 and drag the cursor to G26, and then
release the mouse button.
Insert the cursor in the Number 2 field.

In the spreadsheet, select the second range of cells. In this example, G40 through
G41. The argument appears in the Number 2 field.
Notice that both arguments appear in the function in cell G44 and the formula bar when
G44 is selected.

Click OK in the dialog box and the sum of the two ranges is calculated.
To Calculate the Average of a Range of Data:
Select the cell where you want the function to appear.
Click the drop-down arrow next to the AutoSum command.

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 Select Average.
Click on the first cell (in this example, C8) to be included in the formula.
Left-click and drag the mouse to define a cell range (C8 through cell C20, in this
example).
Click the Enter icon to calculate the average.
Accessing Excel 2007 Functions
To Access Other Functions in Excel:
Using the point-click-drag method, select a cell range to be included in the formula.
On the Formulas tab, click on the drop-down part of the AutoSum button.
If you don't see the function you want to use (Sum, Average, Count, Max, Min), display
additional functions by selecting More Functions.
The Insert Function dialog box opens.
There are three ways to locate a function in the Insert Function dialog box:

You can type a question in the Search for a function box and click GO, or

You can scroll through the alphabetical list of functions in the Select a function field, or

You can select a function category in the Select a category drop-down list and review the
corresponding function names in the Select a function field.

Select the function you want to use and then click the OK button.
Challenge!

Use the Inventory workbook or any workbook you choose to complete this challenge.

Use a SUM function to calculate the sum of one argument.

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 Use the AVG function to calculate the sum of a range of cells.
Explore the other Excel 2007 functions.

10: Sorting, Grouping, and Filtering Cells

A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet can contain a great deal of information. With more rows and
columns than previous versions, Excel 2007 gives you the ability to analyze and work with an
enormous amount of data. To most effectively use this data, you may need to manipulate
this data in different ways.

In this lesson, you will learn how to sort, group, and filter data in various ways that will
enable you to most effectively and efficiently use spreadsheets to locate and analyze
information.

A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet can contain a great deal of information. Sometimes you may
find that you need to reorder or sort that information, create groups, or filter information to be
able to use it most effectively.

Sorting

Sorting lists is a common spreadsheet task that allows you to easily reorder your data. The
most common type of sorting is alphabetical ordering, which you can do in ascending or
descending order.

To Sort in Alphabetical Order:

Select a cell in the column you want to sort (In this example, we choose a cell in
column A).
Click the Sort & Filter command in the Editing group on the Home tab.
Select Sort A to Z. Now the information in the Category column is organized in
alphabetical order.

You can search in reverse alphabetical order by choosing Sort Z to A in the list.

To Sort from Smallest to Largest:

Select a cell in the column you want to sort (a column with numbers).
Click the Sort & Filter command in the Editing group on the Home tab.

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 Select From Smallest to Largest. Now the information is organized from the smallest
to largest amount.

You can sort in reverse numerical order by choosing From Largest to Smallest in the list.

To Sort Multiple Levels:

Click the Sort & Filter command in the Editing group on the Home tab.
Select Custom Sort from the list to open the dialog box.

OR

Select the Data tab.

Locate the Sort and Filter group.
Click the Sort command to open the Custom Sort dialog box. From here, you can sort
by one item, or multiple items.

Click the drop-down arrow in the Column Sort by field, and choose one of the options.
In this example, Category.

Choose what to sort on. In this example, we'll leave the default as Value.
Choose how to order the results. Leave it as A to Z so it is organized alphabetically.
Click Add Level to add another item to sort by.

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 Select an option in the Column Then by field. In this example, we chose Unit Cost.
Choose what to sort on. In this example, we'll leave the default as Value.
Choose how to order the results. Leave it as smallest to largest.
Click OK.

The spreadsheet has been sorted. All the categories are organized in alphabetical order, and
within each category, the unit cost is arranged from smallest to largest.

Remember all of the information and data is still here. It's just in a different order.

Grouping Cells Using the Subtotal Command

Grouping is a really useful Excel feature that gives you control over how the information is
displayed. You must sort before you can group. In this section we will learn how to create
groups using the Subtotal command.

To Create Groups with Subtotals:

Select any cell with information in it.

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 Click the Subtotal command. The information in your spreadsheet is automatically
selected and the Subtotal dialog box appears.

Decide how you want things grouped. In this example, we will organize by Category.
Select a function. In this example, we will leave the SUM function selected.
Select the column you want the Subtotal to appear. In this example, Total Cost is
selected by default.
Click OK. The selected cells are organized into groups with subtotals.

To Collapse or Display the Group:

Click the black minus sign, which is the hide detail icon, to collapse the group.
Click the black plus sign, which is the show detail icon, to expand the group.
Use the Show Details and Hide Details commands in the Outline group to collapse
and display the group, as well.

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To Ungroup Select Cells:
Select the cells you want to remove from the group.
Click the Ungroup command.
Select Ungroup from the list. A dialog box will appear.
Click OK.
To Ungroup the Entire Worksheet:
Select all the cells with grouping.
Click Clear Outline from the menu.
Filtering Cells

Filtering, or temporarily hiding, data in a spreadsheet very easy. This allows you to focus on
specific spreadsheet entries.

To Filter Data:
Click the Filter command on the Data tab. Drop-down arrows will appear beside each
column heading.

Click the drop-down arrow next to the heading you would like to filter. For example, if
you would like to only view data regarding Flavors, click the drop-down arrow next to
Category.

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 Uncheck Select All.
Choose Flavor.
Click OK. All other data will be filtered, or hidden, and only the Flavor data is visible.
To Clear One Filter:
Select one of the drop-down arrows next to a filtered column.
Choose Clear Filter From....

To remove all filters, click the Filter command.

Filtering may look a little like grouping, but the difference is that now I can filter on another
field, if I want to. For example, let’s say I want to see only the Vanilla-related flavors. I can
click the drop-down arrow next to Item, and select Text Filters. From the menu, I’ll choose
Contains because I want to find any entry that has the word vanilla in it. A dialog box
appears. We’ll type Vanilla, and then click OK. Now we can see that the data has been
filtered again and that only the Vanilla-related flavors appear.

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Challenge!

Use the Inventory workbook or any workbook you choose to complete this challenge.

Use the Sort command to sort data alphabetically.

Use the Sort command to sort data numerically from smallest to largest.
Create groups using the Subtotal command.
Practice using the Filter command.

11: Formatting Tables

Once you have entered information into a spreadsheet, you may want to format it. Formatting
your spreadsheet can not only make it look nicer, but make it easier to use. In a previous
lesson we discussed many manual formatting options such as bold and italics. In this lesson,

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you will learn how to use the predefined tables styles in Excel 2007 and some of the Table
Tools on the Design tab.

To Format Information as a Table:

Select any cell that contains information.
Click the Format as Table command in the Styles group on the Home tab. A list of
predefined tables will appear.

Left-click a table style to select it.

A dialog box will appear. Excel has automatically selected the cells for your table.
The cells will appear selected in the spreadsheet and the range will appear in the
dialog box.

Change the range listed in the field, if necessary.

Verify the box is selected to indicate your table has headings, if it does. Deselect this
box if your table does not have column headings.
Click OK. The table will appear formatted in the style you chose.

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By default, the table will be set up with the drop-down arrows in the header so that you can
filter the table, if you wish.

In addition to using the Format as Table command, you can also select the Insert tab, and
click the Table command to insert a table.

To Modify a Table:
Select any cell in the table. The Table Tools Design tab will become active. From here
you can modify the table in many ways.

You can:
Select a different table in the Table Styles Options group. Click the More drop-down
arrow to see more table styles.
Delete or add a Header Row in the Table Styles Options group.
Insert a Total Row in the Table Styles Options group.
Remove or add banded rows or columns.
Make the first and last columns bold.
Name your table in the Properties group.
Change the cells that make up the table by clicking Resize Table.

When you apply a table style, filtering arrows automatically appear. To turn off filtering,
select the Home tab, click the Sort & Filter command, and select Filter from the list.

Challenge!

Use the Inventory workbook or any workbook you choose to complete this challenge.

Format the information in a worksheet as a table.

Format the first column in bold.
Name the table.
Change the table style.
Practice using the other features discussed in this lesson to modify the table in
various ways.

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12: Aligning Text

Worksheets that have not been formatted are often very difficult to read. Fortunately, Excel
gives you many tools that allow you to format text and tables in various ways. One of the
ways you can format your worksheet so that it is easier to work with is to apply different types
of alignment to text.

In this lesson, you will learn how to left, center, and right align text, merge and center cells,
vertically align text, and apply different types of text control.

Aligning Text

Excel 2007 left-aligns text (labels) and right-aligns numbers (values). This makes data
easier to read, but you do not have to use these defaults. Text and numbers can be defined
as left-aligned, right-aligned or centered in Excel.

To Align Text or Numbers in a Cell:

Select a cell or range of cells
Click on either the Align Left, Center or Align Right commands on the Home tab.

The text or numbers in the cell(s) take on the selected alignment treatment.

Left-click a column label to select the entire column, or a row label to select an entire row.

Changing Vertical Cell Alignment

You can also define vertical alignment in a cell. In Vertical alignment, information in a cell
can be located at the top of the cell, middle of the cell or bottom of the cell. The default is
bottom.

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To Change Vertical Alignment from the Alignment Group:
Select a cell or range of cells.
Click the Top Align, Center, or Bottom Align command.

Changing Text Control

Text Control allows you to control the way Excel 2007 presents information in a cell. There
are two common types of Text control: Wrapped Text and Merge Cells.

The Wrapped Text wraps the contents of a cell across several lines if it's too large than the
column width. It increases the height of the cell as well.

Merge Cells can also be applied by using the Merge and Center button on the Home tab.

To Change Text Control:

Select a cell or range of cells.
Select the Home tab.

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 Click the Wrap Text command or the Merge and Center command.

If you change your mind, click the drop-down arrow next to the command, and choose
Unmerge cells.

Challenge!

Use the Inventory workbook or any workbook you choose to complete this challenge.

Insert a row and center-align the text.

Insert a column and left-align the text.
Use the merge and center command to add a title row.
Apply the wrapped text command to the entire table.
Practice using the other features discussed in this lesson.
13: Working with Worksheets

It is important that you know how to effectively manage your worksheets. By default, three
worksheets appear in each new workbook. In this lesson, you will learn how to name, add.
delete, group, and ungroup worksheets. Additionally, you will learn how to freeze specific
parts of the worksheet so they are always visible.

Naming Worksheets

When you open an Excel workbook, there are three sheets by default and the default name
on the tabs are Sheet1, Sheet2 and Sheet3. These are not very informative names. Excel
2007 allows you to define a meaningful name for each worksheet in a workbook so you can
quickly locate information.

To Name a Worksheet:
Right-click the sheet tab to select it.
Choose Rename from the menu that appears. The text is highlighted by a black box.

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 Type a new name for the worksheet.

Click off the tab. The worksheet now assumes the descriptive name defined.
OR

Click the Format command in the Cells group on the Home tab.

Select Rename Sheet. The text is highlighted by a black box.

Type a new name for the worksheet.
Click off the tab. The worksheet now assumes the descriptive name defined.
Inserting Worksheets

You can change the default number of sheets that appear by clicking the Microsoft Office
Button and choosing Excel Options. You also have the ability to insert new worksheets if
needed, while you are working.

To Insert a New Worksheet:

Left-click the Insert Worksheet icon. A new sheet will appear. It will be named Sheet4,
Sheet5 or whatever the next sequential sheet number may be in the workbook.

OR

Press the Shift and the F11 keys on your keyboard.

.

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Deleting Worksheets

Any worksheet can be deleted from a workbook, including those that have data in it.
Remember, a workbook must contain at least one worksheet.

To Delete One or More Worksheets:

Click on the sheet(s) you want to delete.
Right-click the sheet(s) and a menu appears.
Select Delete.

OR

Select the sheet you want to remove.

Click the drop-down arrow next to Delete in the Cells group on the Home tab.
From the menu that appears, select Delete Sheet.
Grouping and Ungrouping Worksheets

A workbook is a multi-page Excel document that contains multiple worksheets. Sometimes

you will want to work with the worksheets one at a time as if each is a single unit. Other
times, the same information or formatting may need to be added to every worksheet.

Worksheets can be combined together into a group. Grouping worksheets allows you to
apply identical formulas and/or formatting across all the worksheets in the group. When you
group worksheets, any changes made to one worksheet will also be changed in any other
worksheets in the group.

To Group Contiguous Worksheets:

Select the first sheet you want to group.
Press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard.
Click the last sheet you want to group.

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 Release the Shift key.
The sheets are now grouped. All the sheets between the first sheet and last sheet
selected are part of the group. The sheet tabs will appear white for the grouped sheets.

Make any changes to one sheet and the changes will appear in all the grouped sheets.

To Group Non-Contiguous Sheets:

Select the first sheet you want to group.
Press and hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard.
Click the next sheet you want to group.
Continuing clicking the sheets you want to group.
Release the Control key.
The sheets are now grouped. The sheet tabs will appear white for the grouped sheets.
Only the sheets selected are part of the group.
Make any changes to one sheet and the changes will appear in all the grouped sheets.
To Ungroup Worksheets:
Right-click one of the sheets.
Select Ungroup from the list.
Freezing Worksheet Panes

The ability to freeze, or lock, specific rows or columns in your spreadsheet is a really useful
feature in Excel. It is called freezing panes. When you freeze panes, you select rows or
columns that will remain visible all the time, even as you are scrolling. This is particularly
useful when working with large spreadsheets.

To Freeze a Row:
Select the row below the one that you want frozen. For example, if you want row 1 & 2
to appear at the top even as you scroll, then select row 3.

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 Click the View tab.
Click the Freeze Pane command in the Window group.

Choose Freeze Panes. A thin, black line appears below everything that is frozen in
place.

Scroll down in the worksheet to see the pinned rows.

To Unfreeze a Pane:
Click the Freeze Pane command.
Select the Unfreeze command.

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To Freeze a Column:
Select the column to the right of the column(s) you want frozen. For example, if you
want columns A & B to always appear on the left, just select column C.
Click the View tab.
Click the Freeze Pane command in the Window group.
Choose Freeze Pane. A thin, black line appears to the right of the frozen area.
Scroll across in the worksheet to see the pinned columns.
Challenge!

Use the Inventory workbook or any workbook you choose to complete this challenge.

Rename Sheet1 to January, Sheet2 to February and Sheet3 to March.

Insert two worksheets and name them April and May.
If necessary, move the April and May worksheets so they are immediately following the
March sheet.
Use the Grouping feature so that all the sheets contain the same information as the
January sheet.
Delete the May sheet.
Freeze rows 1 and 2 on the January sheet.

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 Doing More with Excel
14: Using Templates

In Excel 2007, you have many templates that can save you a lot of time. A template is a pre-
designed spreadsheet that you can use to create new spreadsheets with the same
formatting and predefined formulas. With templates, you don't need to know how to do the
math, or even how to write formulas -- these are already integrated into the spreadsheet.

In this lesson, you will learn how to create a new workbook with a template, as well as basic
information about how templates work in Excel 2007.

Excel allows you to create new workbooks using templates, or a predefined pattern.
Several templates are preloaded in Excel and others are located on Microsoft Office Online.

To Create New Workbooks Using Templates On Your Computer:

Open Excel.
Click the Microsoft Office Button.
Select New. The New Workbook Dialog Box appears.

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 Click Installed Templates. Thumbnail images of the templates that are installed on
your computer appear in the center of the dialog box.

Select a template from the center area of the dialog box. A slightly larger image of the
template appears on the right side of the dialog box.
Click Create. The template will appear in the Excel window.
To Create New Workbooks Using Templates on Office Online:
Open Excel.
Click Microsoft Office Button.
Select New. The New Workbook Dialog Box appears.
Select a category under the Microsoft Office Online heading on the left. Thumbnail
images of the templates in that category that are available through Microsoft Office
Online appear in the center of the dialog box.

Select a template. A slightly larger image of the template appears on the right side of
the dialog box.

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 Click Download. The download process will begin.
Challenge!
Open Excel.
View the templates on your computer.
View several of the template categories on Microsoft Office Online.
Select a template.
Download the template.
Enter your data into the template.
Save and close the workbook.
15: Using What-If Analysis

The real power in Excel comes in its ability to perform multiple mathematical calculations for
you. One of the tools in Excel that you can use to perform these calculations is a Data tool
called What-If Analysis. What-If analysis allows you to see the effect that different values
have in formulas. Have you ever thought, "What interest rate do I need to qualify for to have a
car payment of $400 on the car I want?" This question can be answered using What-If
Analysis.

In this lesson, you will learn how to use a What-If Analysis tool called Goal Seek.

Example

You need a loan to buy a new car. You know how much money you want to borrow, how long
of a period you want to take to pay off the loan (the term), and what payment you can afford
to make each month. But, what you need to know is what interest rate you to qualify for to
make the payment $400 a month. In the image below, you can see that if you didn’t have
interest and just divided this $20,000 into 60 monthly payments, you would pay $333.33 a
month. The What-If Analysis tool will allow you to easily calculate the interest rate.

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Where Did the Formula Come From?

The formula that appears in cell B5 in the example image is a function. It isn't part of the
What-if Analysis tool, so you will need to understand functions thoroughly before you use
What-if Analysis. For the example scenario described above, you need a formula that will
calculate the monthly payment. Instead of writing the formula yourself, you can insert a
function to do the calculation for you.

To Insert a Payment Function:

Select the Formula tab.
Click the Insert Function command. A dialog box appears.
Select PMT.
Click OK. A dialog box appears.
Insert your cursor in the first field. A description about the needed information appears
at the bottom of the dialog box.

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 Select the cell in the spreadsheet with the needed information.
Insert your cursor in the next field. A description about the needed information
appears at the bottom of the dialog box.
Select the cell in the spreadsheet with the needed information.
Repeat the last two steps until all the necessary information is entered in the dialog
box.
Click OK.

What-If Analysis Tools

There are three What-If analysis tools that you can use. To access these, select the Data tab,
and locate the What-If Analysis command. If you click this command, a menu with three
options appears.

Goal seek is useful if you know the needed result, but need to find the input value that will
give you the desired result. In this example, we know the desired result (a $400 monthly
payment), and are seeking the input value (the interest rate).

To Use Goal Seek to Determine an Interest Rate:

Select the Data tab.
Locate the Data Tools group.
Click the What-If Analysis command. A list of three options appears.

Select Goal Seek. A small dialog box appears.

Select the cell that you what to set to a specific value. In this example, we want to set
B5, the Payment cell.

Insert the cursor in the next field.

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 Enter a value in the value field. In this example, type -$400. Since we’re making a
payment that will be subtracted from our loan amount, we have to enter the payment
as a negative number.

Insert the cursor in the next field.

Select the cell that you want to change. This will be the cell that tries various input
values. In this example, select cell B4, which is the interest rate.

Click OK.
Then, click OK again. The interest rate appears in the cell. This indicates that a 7%
interest rate will give us a $400 a month payment on a $20,000 loan that is paid off
over 5 years, or 60 months.

Challenge!

Use the Car Loan workbook to complete this challenge.

Use Goal Seek to solve the problem described in the text and video lessons.

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 Create a problem of your own that you might use Goal Seek to solve. Try it.

16: Working with Charts

A chart is a tool you can use in Excel to communicate your data graphically. Charts allow
your audience to more easily see the meaning behind the numbers in the spreadsheet, and
make showing comparisons and trends a lot easier. In this lesson, you will learn how to insert
and modify Excel charts and see how they can be an effective tool for communicating
information.

Creating a Chart

Charts can be a useful way to communicate data. When you insert a chart in Excel, it appears
in the selected worksheet with the source data, by default.

To Create a Chart:
Select the worksheet you want to work with. In this example, we use the Summary
worksheet.
Select the cells that you want to chart, including the column titles and the row labels.
Click the Insert tab.
Hover over each Chart option in the Charts group to learn more about it.
Select one of the Chart options. In this example, we use the Columns command.
Select a type of chart from the list that appears. For this example, we use a 2-D
Clustered Column. The chart appears in the worksheet.

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Identifying the Parts of a Chart

Have you ever read something you didn't fully understand but when you saw a chart or graph,
the concept became clear and understandable? Charts are a visual representation of data
in a worksheet. Charts make it easy to see comparisons, patterns, and trends in the data.

Source Data

The range of cells that make up a chart. The chart is updated automatically whenever the
information in these cells change.

Title

The title of the chart.

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Legend

The chart key, which identifies each color on the chart represents.

Axis

The vertical and horizontal parts of a chart. The vertical axis is often referred to as the Y axis,
and the horizontal axis is referred to as the X axis.

Data Series

The actual charted values, usually rows or columns of the source data.

Value Axis

The axis that represents the values or units of the source data.

Category Axis

The axis identifying each data series.

Chart Tools

Once you insert a chart, a new set of Chart Tools, arranged into 3 tabs, will appear above
the Ribbon. These are only visible when the chart is selected.

To Change the Chart Type:

Select the Design tab.
Click the Change Chart Type command. A dialog box appears.

Select another chart type.

Click OK.

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The chart in the example compares each salesperson's monthly sales to his/her other month's
sales; however you can change what is being compared. Just click the Switch Row/Column
Data command, which will rotate the data displayed on the x and y axes. To return to the
original view, click the Switch Row/Column command again.

To Change Chart Layout:

Select the Design tab.
Locate the Chart Layouts group.
Click the More arrow to view all your layout options.

Left-click a layout to select it.

If your new layout includes chart titles, axes, or legend labels, just insert your cursor into the
text and begin typing to add your own text.

To Change Chart Style:

Select the Design tab.
Locate the Chart Style group.
Click the More arrow to view all your style options.
Left-click a style to select it.

To Move the Chart to a Different Worksheet:

Select the Design tab.

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 Click the Move Chart command. A dialog box appears. The current location of the
chart is selected.
Select the desired location for the chart (i.e., choose an existing worksheet, or select
New Sheet and name it).

Challenge!

Use the Company Sales workbook or any other workbook to complete this challenge.

Use worksheet data to create a chart.

Change the chart layout.
Apply a chart style.
Move the chart to a separate worksheet.
17: Using Conditional Formatting
Using Conditional Formatting

Imagine you have a spreadsheet with thousands of rows of data.

It would be extremely difficult to see patterns and trends just from examining the raw data.
Excel gives us several tools that will make this task easier. One of these tools is called
conditional formatting. With conditional formatting, you can apply formatting to one or more
cells based on the value of the cell. You can highlight interesting or unusual cell values, and
visualize the data using formatting such as data bars.

In this lesson, you will learn how to apply, modify, and delete conditional formatting rules.

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The Conditional Formatting Options

You have many conditional formatting rules, or options, that you can apply to cells in your
spreadsheet. Each rule will affect selected cells differently. Before you choose a formatting
rule, you need to identify what questions you are trying to answer. For example, in a sales
spreadsheet, you might want to identify the salespeople with lower than average sales. To do
this, you need to choose a conditional formatting rule that will show you this answer. Not all of
the options will provide you with this information.

Some of the Conditional Formatting Options Include:

Highlight Cell Rules: This rule highlights specific cells based on your option choice.
For example, you can choose for Excel to highlight cells that are greater than, less
than, or equal to a number, and between two numbers. Also, you can choose for Excel
to highlight cells that contain specific text, including a specific date. If you choose this
option, a dialog box will appear, and you will have to specify the cells to highlight, and
the color you would like to highlight the cells.

Top/Bottom Rules: This conditional formatting option highlights cell values that meet
specific criteria, such as top or bottom 10%, above average, and below average. If you
choose this option, a dialog box will appear, and you will have to specify the cells to
highlight, and the color you would like to highlight the cells.

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 Data Bars: This is an interesting option that formats the selected cells with colored
bars. The length of the data bar represents the value in the cell. The longer the bar, the
higher the value.

Color Scales: This option applies a two or three color gradient to the cells. Different
shades and colors represent specific values.

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To Apply Conditional Formatting:
Select the cells you would like to format.
Select the Home tab.
Locate the Styles group.
Click the Conditional Formatting command. A menu will appear with your formatting
options.

Select one of the options to apply it to the selected cells. A cascading menu will
appear.

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 An additional dialog box may appear, depending on the option you choose.
If so, make the necessary choices, and click OK.
To Remove Conditional Formatting Rules:
Click the Conditional Formatting command.
Select Clear Rules. A cascading menu appears.
Choose to clear rules from the entire worksheet or the selected cells.
To Manage Conditional Formatting Rules:
Click the Conditional Formatting command.
Select Manage Rules from the menu. The Conditional Formatting Rules Manager
dialog box will appear.

From here you can edit a rule, delete a rule, or change the order of rules.

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Challenge!

Use the Company Sales workbook to complete this challenge.

Apply conditional formatting to a range of cells with numerical values.

Apply a second conditional formatting rule to the same set of cells.
Apply a conditional formatting rule to a range of cells with text.
Explore the Conditional Formatting Rules Manager dialog box.
Clear all conditional formatting rules from the worksheet.
18: Creating Pivot Tables

Creating Pivot Tables

Pivot table reports, or pivot tables as they are often called, can
help you answer questions about your spreadsheet by analyzing the numerical information in
various ways. If you work with spreadsheets with a lot of data, pivot tables can be an
extremely useful tool. Pivot table reports give you power because you can quickly find the
answer to many different questions, and manipulate your data in many different ways.

In this lesson, you will learn the basics of inserting and working with pivot table reports.

Why are They Named Pivot Tables?

You may be wondering why it is called a pivot table. Basically, pivot tables allow you to pivot,
or move, data so that you can produce answers to questions. Once you create a pivot table,
you can very easily see what effect pivoting the data has on the spreadsheet information.

To Create a Pivot Table Report (Part I):

Select the cells in your spreadsheet that you want to use in the pivot table report.
Select the Insert tab.
Click the PivotTable command.
Click PivotTable again. Excel selects cells in the actual spreadsheet and the Create
PivotTable dialog box opens.
o Select a table or range is already selected and the Table/Range field shows
the range of the selected data. New Worksheet is also selected by default as
the place where the report will be placed.

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 Click Existing Worksheet and select a worksheet, if you do not want the pivot table to
appear in a new worksheet.
Click OK.
Creating a Pivot Table Report

If you use the sample spreadsheet to create a pivot table, you can see that the column
headings are salesperson, region, account, order amount, and month. When you create a
pivot table, each column label in your data becomes a field that can be used in the report.
The Field List appears on the right side of the report, while the layout area appears on the
left.

To Create a Pivot Table Report (Part 2):

Determine what question you want your pivot table report to answer. For example,
using the sample spreadsheet, you might want to know which salesperson sold the
greatest dollar amount.
Determine the fields that are necessary to answer this question. In this example,
salesperson and order amount.
Select the check box next to the Salesperson field in the PivotTable Field List. The
field will appear in the drag and drop area at the bottom of the field list and in the layout
area. The order amount data appears on the right. This is a default setting in Excel –
data with numbers will always appear on the right.
Select the check box next to the Order Amount field in the PivotTable Field List. The
field will appear in the drag and drop area at the bottom of the field list and in the layout
area. All of the salesperson data appears on the left side as rows.

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 You can now see the answer to your question in the report on the left.

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To Add a Report Filter:
Select a field in the Field List. In this example, choose Region. By default, it will
appear in the Row Labels group.
Click and drag Region into the Report Filter section.
Release the mouse button. The region appears at the top of the report as a filter.
The arrow by the Region fields shows (All). To show just the data for a specific
region, click the drop-down arrow and select the region. To see multiple regions,
click the Multiple Regions box, select the regions to display, and then, click OK.
Moving, or Pivoting Data:

Click and drag a field from one area to another.

Release the mouse button to drop the field in the new area. In this example, we move
Region from Report Filter to Column Label. The pivot table report will change.

OR

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 Right-click one of the rows. A menu will appear.
Select Move and then select a move option.

To Create a PivotChart
Select the Pivot Chart command from the Options tab. The Insert Chart dialog box
appears.

Select the chart you’d like to insert.

Click OK. The chart will now appear on the same sheet as the Pivot Table.

The information in the chart includes the information in the pivot table, rather than all the
original source data.

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Challenge!

Use the Company Sales workbook to complete this challenge.

Create a pivot table report that calculates the amount each salesperson sold.
Filter the report by region.
View the data for the salespeople in the North and West region.
Who sold the greatest dollar amount in those two regions?

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