SPREADSHEETS

A spreadsheet is a computer program that can capture, display and manipulate data arranged in rows
and columns. Spreadsheets are among the most popular tools available for computer users.

A spreadsheet is generally designed to hold numerical data and short text strings. In a spreadsheet
program, spaces that hold items of data are called spreadsheet cells. Cells can be renamed to reflect the
data they hold and can be cross-referenced through row numbers and column letters.
A single spreadsheet can serve as a worksheet to compile data for a purpose. Multiple sheets can be combined
to create a workbook.

A worksheet in Microsoft Excel is a single document comprising a grid of cells organized into rows and
columns. In worksheets, you can enter and manipulate data. The cells in an Excel worksheet can contain text,
numbers, dates, or formulas.

In Excel, a workbook refers to a document containing one or more worksheets. This is called a workbook
because it is a group of worksheets that may be treated as the pages of a book. Within the different
worksheets, you can have different types of Excel data types, but all combine to make one workbook.
 Uses of spreadsheets
The list of uses for spreadsheet software is endless. However here is a short list of uses:
 Modelling and Planning
 Household Finance Planning
 Business Accounts and Budgeting
 Invoices
 Wages
 Predictions / Simulations
 Calculations e.g. Adding, Subtracting, etc.
 Break even analysis
 Statistical analysis
 Creating Graphs e.g. bar chart, pie chart.
 Collect data from different sources e.g. phone number, prices.
 Explore and interpret data in order to draw conclusions for business
 Commonly used spreadsheet features

1. Quick fill adjacent cells. To automatically populate data series such as numbers, type two or three values into their
respective cells. Select the cells with the data just entered, then grab the Fill Handle, a small black handle located in the
right corner of the cell, and drag it through the cells you want populated.

2. Create custom lists. Custom lists can be imported from other spreadsheets or Word documents. Type the names in
adjacent cells in a single row or column. Select the cells using the Custom tab, in the Tools menu under Options. After
selecting Import, your list can be added by selecting an adjacent cell and dragging the Fill Handle.

3. Sort data. When sorting data, select the entire spreadsheet first to maintain the integrity of the data cells. Then go to
the Data menu to execute the Sort function. Whether or not your data has a header row, choose the column to sort and
click OK.

4. Copy Excel data into Word documents. Highlight the cells you want to copy from the spreadsheet and press
Control-C. In the Word document, press Control-V to paste in the data.

5. Create graphs and charts. Select the data and their labels, then click the Chart Wizard icon and choose the type of
chart. You can view a sample by clicking the Press and Hold to View Sample button. The wizard lets you add titles and
enables you to save the chart as an object in the worksheet or as a separate sheet.
Commonly used spreadsheet features (cntd)

6. Insert graphs and charts into Word documents. Use Control-A to select all on the chart page, then Control-C to copy
the chart. In Word, use Control-V to paste in the chart. Click on the chart to select it and resize it to fit by dragging its
corners.

7. Add graphics. Place your cursor in the cell where you want the graphic to go. Pull down the Insert menu and point to
Picture. The menu lets you insert a picture from Clip Art or from a stored file.

8. Perform calculations. Place your cursor in the cell where you want to make the calculation. To get the sum of a range of
cells, click the Autosum button, highlight the cells you want added and press Enter. Calculate an average by pulling down
the Insert menu and selecting Function. From the Insert Function dialog box, pick Statistical under Select a Category. From
the Select a Function list, choose Average and click OK. In the next dialog box make sure the correct range of cells is
selected, then click OK again.

9. Conduct a “what-if” analysis. After creating your spreadsheet and the formulae for your data, you can enter other data
in the same cells to see how it would affect the results.

10. Add comments to cells. Add comments to cells by right clicking on the cell and selecting Insert Comment. Click
outside the comment box when done. The comment appears when you move your mouse over the cell.
Common spreadsheet applications

Examples of commonly used spreadsheet software programs include the following:

•Google Sheets is part of Google's web-based application suite, Google Workspace. Google Sheets is free
and available as a desktop application for Google Chrome OS and mobile Oses, such as Android and
iOS.
Common spreadsheet applications (Cntd)

•LibreOffice Calc is a full-featured spreadsheet app released in 2011 as part of The Document
Foundation's free LibreOffice suite. LibreOffice and ApacheOpen office trace their roots to the
same codebase, hence the same name for their spreadsheet applications.

•Microsoft Excel is part of the Microsoft Office suite and cloud-based subscription service
Microsoft 365. Excel spreadsheets are available for Apple macOS and iOS, Google Android and
Microsoft Windows OSes.

•Thinkfree Office was developed by Thinkfree Inc. as a free productivity suite with spreadsheet
software specifically designed to provide a consistent experience across different devices. Each
application in Thinkfree is compatible with the corresponding Microsoft Office application. An
online spreadsheet version is available with cloud storage.