TECH TUTOR

Microsoft Excel 2013

LEVEL 3

kcls.org/techtutor
Microsoft Excel 2013 Level 3 Manual
Rev 6/2014
[email protected]
Microsoft Excel 2013 – Level 3
The KCLS Tech Tutor Program offers free One-on-One Computer Help and Computer Classes. Go to
kcls.org/techtutor for upcoming Tech Tutor sessions, learning online and class manuals.
This manual is for Microsoft Excel 2013 – Level 3 classes held on KCLS computers running Windows 7.

Contents!
Signing In to Library Computers ..................................................................................................................................... 1!
In this class, you will….......................................................................................................................................................... 2!
More Helpful Tools in Excel 2013 .................................................................................................................................... 2!
Converting Text to Columns............................................................................................................................................. 2!
Conditional Formatting ...................................................................................................................................................... 3!
Using Count & Countif Functions ................................................................................................................................... 3!
Removing Duplicates .......................................................................................................................................................... 5!
Sheet Protection ................................................................................................................................................................... 6!
The Excel Table Feature ...................................................................................................................................................... 6!
Pivot Tables................................................................................................................................................................................ 7!
Create a Pivot Table ............................................................................................................................................................. 7!
Using the Pivot Table .......................................................................................................................................................... 9!
More Computer Learning from KCLS .......................................................................................................................... 11!

Signing In to Library Computers

For personal use of library computers, sign in with your library card number and Personal ID number.
For a computer class, sign in with these codes:
627837
1212
Note: Be careful not to type the letter “O” for a zero (0) or the letter “l” for a one (1).

1 | Microsoft Excel 2013 Level 3

In this class, you will…
! Learn more helpful tools and functions in Excel 2013
! Begin working with Pivot Tables
You may review Excel 2013 basics at kcls.org/techtutor: select Excel Level 1 or Level 2 from the drop-
down menu of classes and click “Manual”, explore learning online resources, or both.

More Helpful Tools in Excel 2013

Converting Text to Columns
Converting text to columns is very useful in Excel. For example, if you have a list with first and last
names in a single cell, separating the names into separate cells will make the data easier to work with
when searching, filtering or editing. Let’s learn to use the text to columns command in the data tab:
To get the training exercise file:
1. Go to kcls.org/techtutor
2. Click “select a class” button under “English”
3. Select Excel Level 3 from the drop-down menu
4. Click “Training Exercise” to open
5. Click “Absolute” tab at bottom of workbook

Here’s how to use the convert text

to columns wizard (Figure 1):
1. Click Text.Columns tab in the Excel Level 3
workbook (bottom tabs)
2. Insert a blank column
a. Click column C label
b. Right-click in column C
c. Click Insert to insert a blank column
3. Select source column
a. Click the column B label
4. Click Data tab in the Ribbon
5. Click Text to Columns command
Figure 1 – Convert Text To Columns Wizard walks you through the steps.
6. Select “Delimited,” click next
7. Select delimiter (e.g., space), click Next
8. Confirm Data Preview
9. Click Finish
10. Click OK

Now try converting the text in the City/State column. Follow all previous steps, but step 7 will require
multiple delimiters. Which additional delimiter must you use to separate “City/State”?

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Conditional Formatting
Conditional formatting is great for formatting a cell(s)—like, changing font or fill color—based on
criteria or rules you set. For example, an employee at a construction company had a $9800 monthly
budget for purchases last year. Her boss wants to know how many months last year she went over
budget. Using conditional formatting in Excel makes it easy to show this information.

Here’s how to create a new rule for

conditional formatting (Figure 2):
1. Click Conditional Formatting tab in the Excel
Level 3 workbook (bottom tabs)
2. Select cell range B1:B12
3. From the Home tab, under Styles group,
click the Conditional Formatting command
4. Click “New Rule”
5. Select “Format only cells that contain”
6. Select “greater than” from the second drop
down menu
7. Type 9800 in the blank field to the right
8. Format fill color
a. Click format button in dialog box Figure 2 – Select Rule Type and Edit the Rule Description in this dialog box.
b. Click Fill tab in dialog box
c. Choose desired color
d. Click OK
9. Click OK in New Formatting Rule dialog box
Now use conditional formatting to find out which weeks during first quarter (January through March)
she spent under (less than) her $2450 weekly budget. Reminder: select multiple cells and cell ranges
by pressing the Ctrl key while clicking cells.

Using Count & Countif Functions

The Count function in Excel is used for reliably
counting entries in a selected range of cells,
usually a column. This function saves time and
prevents errors from manually counting items.
For example, the shipping department of ABC
Company needs to know how many customer
orders have required delivery dates (Figure 3,
column K) to prioritize workflow and assure
timely delivery. We will use the count function
Figure 3 – The count function counts how many cells, like in column K,
to find this answer.
have a value. The countif function counts how many cells, like in column H,
meet criteria such as contain “WA”.

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Here’s how to use the COUNT function:
1. Click the Count Filter tab in the Excel Level 3
workbook (bottom tabs)
2. From the View tab, click the Freeze Panes
command and choose “Freeze Top Row”
3. Click into cell K89 Figure 4 – Type the cell range for the count function in the Value 1 field.
4. From the Formulas tab, click Insert Function
5. Select COUNT function, then click OK
6. In the Value 1 field, type the cell range you
want to count; in this case K2:K88 (Figure 4)
7. Click OK

The cell will display the number of orders that have required delivery date.

The COUNTIF function is great for counting an entry if it meets certain criteria. For example, the
shipping company is short on drivers in Washington and must determine how many orders are for
delivery in that state. We’ll count orders only if they are to be delivered in “WA” (Figure 3, column H).

Here’s how to use the COUNTIF function:

1. Click into cell H89
2. From the Formulas tab, click Insert Function
3. Type “countif“ in the search box (Figure 5),
then click Go
Figure 5 – Search for any function, like countif, in the function search box.
4. Make sure COUNTIF is selected in list, then
click OK
5. Type the cell range you want to count—in this
case H2:H88 (Figure 6)
6. Type “WA” (with quote marks) in the Criteria
box (Figure 6), then click OK Figure 6 – Function arguments for countif include cell range and criteria.

The cell will display the number of orders thatmatch the “WA” criteria in column H.

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Removing Duplicates
Sometimes a large spreadsheet may have duplicate rows. This usually occurs when more than one
person enters data into a shared worksheet. It would be very tedious to manually find and remove
duplicates from a couple hundred rows. Let’s learn about using the Remove Duplicates command.
Here’s how to use the Remove Duplicates command:
1. Click the Duplicates tab in the Excel Level 3 workbook (bottom tabs)
2. Select Data tab
3. Highlight all data in table
4. Click “Remove Duplicates”
5. Confirm “My data has headers” is checked (Figure 9)
6. Click “Select All” button (Figure 9)
7. Click OK

Figure 9 – Check My data has headers box and select all columns in this box.

Figure 9.5 – a dialog box will indicate how many values were found and will be removed, and how many unique values remain.

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Sheet Protection
Password protect your worksheets so your
work is not modified by unauthorized persons.

Here’s how to protect a sheet:

1. Click the January tab in the Excel Level 3
workbook (look toward bottom tabs)
2. Select Review tab in the Ribbon
3. Click Protect Sheet (Figure 10)
4. Enter password 123, then click OK
5. Re-type your password to confirm
6. Try to change cell B7 to 30,000
Note: To remove protection, click Unprotect
Sheet in the Review tab and enter password.

Figure 10 – Create a password in the Protect Sheet dialog box.

The Excel Table Feature

The Excel 2013 table feature converts a list of data into a formatted table. Tables are used for sorting
and filtering data, and help organize and view information easily. An Excel table is an excellent tool for
a pivot table, which allows you to quickly summarize and analyze large amounts of data, and easily
extract information without using formulas.

Before creating an Excel table, and especially for a pivot table, it is important to adhere to the
following standards (Figure 11):
! Organize data in rows and columns in a spreadsheet
! Apply one type of data for each row and column
! Include a unique, descriptive header in the top row of the table for each column
! For each row, include one unique record of data about a particular entity or transaction
! Avoid blank rows or columns, including first row after header
! Use a zero instead of a blank cell in the table
! Keep list of data
contained in
its own worksheet

Figure 11 – A well-formatted list of data has clear headers and information in neat rows and columns.

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Here’s how to create an Excel table:
1. Click the Excel table tab in the Excel Level 3
workbook (bottom tabs)
2. Click into any cell in your list of data
3. Click Insert tab in the Ribbon
4. Click the Table command
5. Confirm cell range and “My table has
headers” box is checked in Create Table
dialog box (Figure 12)
6. Click OK Figure 12 – Confirm cell range in Create Table dialog box to create a table.

The worksheet is now an Excel table. Here are some useful tips for using tables:
! The heading cells have drop down arrows for sorting or filtering data (see Filter Function, p. 3)
! Any time you click within the table, the Table Tools Design tab appears at the end of the Ribbon
! Change table styles in the Table Tools Design tab
! Rename your table in the Properties group of the Table Tools Design tab
! Click Convert to Range command in Table Tools Design tab to revert to a normal range of data

Pivot Tables
A pivot table is an interactive table that allows you to group and summarize large amounts of data in
a concise table. Sort, hide, count and add data to reveal patterns and trends and make data reporting
and analysis easier. In this section, we will learn how to create a pivot table and some important terms.

Create a Pivot Table

1. Click the Sales List tab1 in the Excel Level 3
workbook (bottom tabs)
2. Click into any cell in the worksheet
3. On the Insert tab click the Pivot Table
command
Note: A Create Pivot Table dialog box
appears (Figure 13). Excel identifies table
range by finding the worksheet edge (blank
row and column). Do not change the
default setting, “New Worksheet”.
4. Click OK
Figure 13 – Confirm cell range in Create PivotTable dialog box.

1
From The Spreadsheet Page:
http://spreadsheetpage.com/index.php/file/pivot
_table_demo_workbook

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A skeleton structure of your pivot table appears
in a new worksheet (Figure 14). The three main
areas in the structure are the actual pivot table
area (A); the pivot table Field List area (B), which
A. B.
is a listing of all the fields in the worksheet; and
the pivot table Layout Areas (C), individual
components that make up the pivot table
(Report Filter, Column Labels, Row Labels, and
Values).

To build a pivot table report, you will need to

drag a field name from the top of the pivot
table field list to one of the drop areas at the
bottom of the pivot table field list. Each field has C.
a check mark control to its left to help you add
column data to the pivot table or remove it.
You need at least 2 fields in a pivot table report
(a row/data field and a data field), but using 3
fields (a row field, a column field, and a data
field) is popular.

Figure 14 – The pivot table skeleton is A) pivot table area, B) pivot

table field list area, and C) pivot table layout area.

Important pivot table terms to know:

Data field: A field from the source worksheet that contains values to be summarized. For example,
Sum of Sales is a data field.
Report filter: Data fields in this area act as filters for the pivot table report. For example, if you add the
Year field from a table as a report filter, you can display data by all or individual years in the table.
Column labels: Data fields in this area determine the arrangement of data shown in the columns of
the pivot table.
Row labels: Data fields in this area determine the arrangement of data shown in the rows of the pivot
table.
Values: Data fields in this area determine which data are presented in the cells of the pivot table—
they are the values that are summarized in its last column (totaled by default).
Page field: A field from the source data that you assign to a page (or filter) orientation in a pivot table
report.
Column field: A field from the source data that you assign to a column orientation in a pivot table
report. For example, Type is a column field.
Item: A subcategory of a row, column, or page field.
Row field: A field from the source data that you assign to a row orientation in a pivot table report. For
example, Region and Salesperson are row fields.
Data area: The cells in a pivot table report that contain summarized data.
8 | Microsoft Excel 2013 Level 3
Using the Pivot Table
When you create a pivot table, worksheet column headers become movable data fields. It is important
to understand what the headers represent to work with the data fields in the pivot table report. The
worksheet we used to create a pivot table, Sales List, shows information on an individual’s referral sales
in 2009 (Figure 15). The product line header describes the type of product or category; item name is
the actual name of the product; price is the retail price; referral fee rate is the percentage of the price the
individual earns for each unit sold; and referral fee rate2 describes how many times the rate is applied
based on number of units sold.

Figure 15 – One row from the Sales List worksheet showing sales data for 2009.

We will use the pivot table to find out which product line had the most units sold, in 2009.

Here’s how to find out which item type had

the most units sold in 2009:
1. Click into Sheet 1 in the Excel Level 4
workbook (bottom tabs)
2. Check box next to Product Line in the pivot
table field list area (Figure 14) first
Note: If you check the box for a text field,
the pivot table automatically adds that field
to the Rows Labels drop area (Figure 16).
3. Check box next to Item Name
4. Check box next to Referral Fee Rate2 item
Note: If you check the box for a numeric
field, pivot table automatically sums that
field in the Values drop area (Figure 16).

You now have your first pivot table report

(Figure 17). Remember, when we clicked
referral fee rate2 in the pivot table field list the
sum of that field was automatically added to
the Values drop area (Figure 16). So the sums
in that column correspond to the row labels,
which are product line, or item type, broken Figure 16 – Data fields are automatically added to drop areas, but
can be rearranged by clicking and dragging as needed.
down into individual item name. We need to
further modify the pivot table report to more
easily get the answer to our question.

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We only need the sum of the Product Line, or
item type to know which item type had the
most units sold in 2009, so we will collapse the
entire row label field (Figure 18).

Here’s how to collapse the row label field:

1. Right click on a Product Line (notice the
minus sign to the left of the name)
2. Move cursor over “Expand/Collapse”
without clicking
3. Move into sub menu Figure 17 – Pivot table report with product line and item name as row
4. Click “Collapse Entire Field” labels, sum of referral rate2 as a value.

The pivot table report appears like Figure 19.

It’s easier to read and answer our questions of
which Product Line (row label) has the highest
value in the sum of referral rate2 column. This
answers our question of which product line
had the most units sold in 2009 because referral
fee rate2 column describes how many times the
rate was applied based on number of units sold
(Figure 15).
Figure 18 – Pivot table report with product line and item name as row
labels, sum of referral rate2 as a value.
Note: Alternatively, we could have achieved
the same pivot table report view by excluding
the item name field in the row label drop area
(Figure 16). This exercise also gives overall
familiarity to the mechanics of pivot tables.

TIP: If you click outside the pivot table, the

pivot table Field List is hidden. When you
click into the pivot table, the pivot table
Field List is again displayed. You may turn
off the display of the pivot table Field List by
clicking the X in the upper right-hand
corner. You can redisplay it by clicking the
Options tab in the pivot table Tools ribbon
menu and selecting the Field List command
in the Show/Hide group.

Figure 19 – Collapsed row label view of pivot table report.

10 | Microsoft Excel 2013 Level 3
More Computer Learning from KCLS
The KCLS Tech Tutor Program offers free One-on-One Computer Help and Computer Classes. Go to
kcls.org/techtutor for upcoming Tech Tutor sessions, computer learning online courses through
premium databases and class manuals. This manual has been for Microsoft Excel 2013 – Level 3 class
held on library computers running Windows 7.
Please visit kcls.org/usingthelibrary/computers/ to learn more about using KCLS library computers.

—END—

11 | Microsoft Excel 2013 Level 3