Microsoft Excel 2000 Manual

Excel is a spreadsheet program that organizes and keeps track of data, which can be used
to create charts, worksheets, and databases. Excel is frequently used for its ability to
perform mathematical calculations with large volumes of data. It also produces graphs
and charts with ease. This manual aims to help people of any experience level become
familiar with working in Excel and to provide direction in employing some of Excel’s
more sophisticated features.

Basics ................................................................................................................. 1
The Excel Environment ................................................................................................... 1
Managing Workbooks...................................................................................................... 2
Entering Data ................................................................................................................... 3
Modifying Workbooks ..................................................................................... 4
Cell Manipulation ............................................................................................................ 4
Worksheet Manipulation.................................................................................................. 4
Formatting Cells............................................................................................... 5
Cell References ................................................................................................. 6
Formulas............................................................................................................ 5
Functions ........................................................................................................... 6
Chart Wizard.................................................................................................... 8
Pictures .............................................................................................................. 9
Headers and Footers ........................................................................................ 9
Tools................................................................................................................. 10
Please send feedback to [email protected].

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Basics
To open Excel from the UM computer labs, click on the Start button in the lower-left corner of the
screen and select PROGRAMS > MS OFFICE > MICROSOFT EXCEL. You should see a screen that
looks similar to this:

Name Box
Formula Bar
Selected Cell Formatting Toolbar
Column Standard Toolbar
Headings
Menubar
Title Bar
Row Headings
Worksheet Area

Scrollbars
Worksheet Tabs

The Excel Environment

At the top of the window is a blue bar called the title bar. The title bar contains the name of the
application, Microsoft Excel, and the name of the workbook you are working in, which Excel
automatically calls Book1 until you name it otherwise. A workbook is the file in which you work and
store your data. The title bar also contains the minimize button, the maximize/restore button, and the
close button.

The largest portion of the screen is taken up by a view of the worksheet area. Worksheets are used to
list and analyze data. At the bottom left of the screen are worksheet tabs that indicate the active
worksheet. By default, new workbooks contain three worksheets.

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At the bottom and right of the screen are scrollbars, which can be used to view parts of the worksheet
that are off screen.

Along the left and top of the worksheet area are row headings and column headings. Rows are denoted
by numbers and columns are denoted by letters.

The thick black rectangle indicates the selected cell. A cell is the intersection of a row and a column.
The selected cell’s reference, A1, appears in the name box. The cell reference is composed of the
column letter followed by the row number.

To the right of the name box is the formula bar, which is where text and formulas are entered and
edited for each cell.

Below the title bar is the menu bar, containing lists of commands you use to give Excel instructions.

The standard toolbar resides below the menu bar, and contains buttons with images that correspond to
some frequently-used menu commands.

The formatting toolbar is usually located below or next to the standard toolbar.* It contains buttons
that correspond to several commands for formatting cells.

Managing Workbooks
The most effective menu for managing your workbooks is the FILE menu,
under which you will find the following useful commands:
NEW – asks what type of new workbook you want to create
OPEN – brings up a dialog box so you can select an already-existing
workbook to work with
CLOSE – closes the workbook you are currently working in
SAVE – saves current workbook under the name it has already been
given**
SAVE AS – brings up a dialog box so you can enter a name and location
for the workbook
PAGE SETUP – allows you to adjust page settings, margins, the header
and footer, titles, and other print options
PRINT AREA – sets the selected cells as the only area to be printed
PRINT PREVIEW – displays the workbook as it will appear on paper
PRINT – brings up a dialog box asking which printer to send workbook to
EXIT – closes all workbooks and exits Excel

Although there are additional options under the FILE menu, the ones
discussed in this manual are those which you will probably find yourself
using the most.

*
Toolbars may be moved by clicking on their “handles” (located in their uppermost left corner) and dragging them to other
locations. If a toolbar is in its own window, it can be relocated by clicking and dragging its title bar.
**
If the workbook has not been saved before, Excel automatically brings up the Save As dialog box.
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Entering Data
Cells can contain text, numerical values, formulas, or functions. To enter data into a cell, select the cell
by clicking on it, and begin typing. The text will appear in the formula bar. When the entry is complete,
press Enter. If the text does not fit in the cell, it will overlap if the adjacent cells are empty. If the
adjacent cells are not empty, part of the entry remains covered, and the complete entry must be viewed
from the formula bar. This can be resolved by resizing the column width (see Cell Manipulation below).
Text is automatically left aligned, whereas numerical values are right aligned.

The EDIT menu contains commands that you may find helpful when changing information in cells.
UNDO – reverses your last command or deletes typing
REPEAT – repeats your last command, if possible
CUT – removes selected text and temporarily saves it on the clipboard
COPY – places a copy of selected text on the clipboard
PASTE – inserts contents of clipboard at insertion point
PASTE SPECIAL – pastes the contents of clipboard in format you specify
FILL – see AutoFill, below
CLEAR – removes the specified data without placing it on the clipboard
DELETE – removes selected data
DELETE SHEET – removes entire spreadsheet from the workbook
MOVE OR COPY SHEET – moves/copies an entire spreadsheet within a workbook
FIND – searches for text/formatting you specify
REPLACE – finds and replaces specified text/formatting

AutoFill: Excel can use initial values in a few cells to create a logical list of entries, like numbers
following a pattern, words (such as the days of the week), or alpha-numeric entries. For example, if you
wanted to create a list of even numbers, enter “2” in one cell, “4” in the next cell, then select both cells.
Click on the lower right-hand corner of the selection rectangle. The pointer will become a black cross.
Drag for as long as you want your list. Excel will fill in the data it assumes you want.

Another feature that may be helpful when working with data is Sort. Cells can have their values
specifically sorted by selecting the group of cells to sort then choosing DATA > SORT. This feature can
be used to put lists into alphabetical, chronological, or numerical order.

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Modifying Workbooks
Excel allows you to alter the sizes and locations of rows, columns, and cells in a spreadsheet. You can
also add, remove, and reorganize worksheets in your workbook to create an accommodating workbook.

Cell Manipulation
• Adding/Removing: A cell may be added or removed by using:
o The mouse by right-clicking on the desired cell then choosing:
ΠInsert: An additional cell, row or column will be added before the corresponding
selection. If a cell is inserted an additional options will appear asking in which
direction to shift the existing cells.
ΠDelete: The selected cell, column or row will be removed along with all values and
formulas existing in it.
o The INSERT menu option and choosing Cells/Rows/Columns: An additional cell, row or
column will be added before the corresponding selection. If a cell is inserted an additional
options will appear asking in which direction to shift the existing cells.
• Merging: Two or more adjacent cells may be merged by selecting the desired cells then clicking the
Merge and Center button on the formatting toolbar.
• Resizing: A cell may be resized by adjusting the width of the column or the height of the row using:
o The mouse to left-click on the appropriate divider in the row or column label and then
dragging it to the desired size.
o The FORMAT menu option and choosing:
ΠSize: A manual setting for the desired height or width.
ΠAutoFit: An automatic adjustment to fit the largest item
in the selected row or column.
• Freeze Pane/Split Screen: Creates a portion of the worksheet that remains on the screen while the
rest of the worksheet scrolls. This is useful when you have a long list and want to simultaneously
view the headings and the values that are toward the end of the list. To use Freeze Pane/Split Screen
select the desired row, column or cell(s) and then choose WINDOW > FREEZE PANE or
WINDOW > SPLIT. The difference between Freeze Pane and Split Screen is that Freeze Pane keeps
all the data in one window whereas Split Screen creates smaller separate windows for each split data.

Worksheet Manipulation
• Renaming: An worksheet may be renamed by:
o Right-clicking on the desired worksheet tab and selecting Rename, or
o Double-clicking on the worksheet name and typing in a new one.
• Adding: Additional worksheets may be added by:
o Choosing INSERT > WORKSHEET, or
o Right-clicking on the worksheet tabs and selecting Insert.
• Removing: A worksheet may be removed by:
o Choosing EDIT > DELETE SHEET, or
o Right-clicking on the worksheet tabs and selecting Delete.

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• Reorganizing: The order in which the worksheets are arranged can be changed by:
o Left-clicking on the desired worksheet tab and dragging it to the new
location in the worksheet order, or
o Right-clicking on the worksheet tab and selecting Move or Copy…,
then choose a location
• Copying: A worksheet may be copied by:
o Choosing EDIT > MOVE OR COPY SHEET and checking “Create a
copy” in the dialog box
o Right-clicking the worksheet tab, selecting Move or Copy…, and
checking “Create a copy”

Formatting Cells
The appearance of cells can be formatted to create an attractive workbook. Cells may be formatted using
various pre-defined options that Excel provides. To format cells, first select the desired cells, then either:
• right-click on the selection and choose Format Cells… or
• choose FORMAT > CELLS from the menu bar.

The Format Cells dialog box contains options Excel provides for cell formatting are:
• Number: displays numerical values in a specific format using
symbols, decimal places or other commonly used formats.
• Alignment: controls the vertical and horizontal positioning of the
text, as well as the way text appears in cells
• Font: controls the font sizes, colors and styles cell(s).
• Borders: controls if borders will exist around the selected cell(s) and
how the borders will be displayed.
• Patterns: controls the background colors or for giving a background
pattern to the selected cell(s).

The formatting toolbar provides an easy way to apply some of the same formatting:

Font Size
Left Align

Borders
Increase Decimal

Fill Color
Italics

Merge and Center

Center Align

Comma Style
Bold

Underline

Right Align

Currency Style
Percent Style

Decrease Decimal

Font Color
Decrease Indent

Increase Indent

Formulas
A formula can be used to calculate a value for a specific cell based on the values
of any other number of cells. All formulas begin with the equal sign (=). Formulas
appear in the formula bar, but their results are displayed in the cell. Formulas
often refer to other cells. For example, if the formula =A1+A2+A3 were entered
into cell A4, then the value “16” would be displayed in A4.

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Cell References
A reference identifies a cell or a range of cells
on a worksheet, for use in a formula. Excel
refers to columns with letters and to rows with
numbers. To refer to a cell, enter the column
letter followed by the row number. For example,
D5 refers to the cell at the intersection of
column D and row 5.

To refer to a range of cells, enter the reference

for the cell in the upper-left corner of the range,
a colon (:), and then the reference to the cell in
the lower-right corner of the range. In the
diagram, the selected range can be referred to as
B3:D5.

When copying and pasting cell references, it is helpful to recognize the difference between relative and
absolute references. If you were to paste the formula =A1+A2+A3 into cell B4, the formula would be
pasted as =B1+B2+B3 because the cell references are relative, meaning Excel changes the cell
references depending on their location. Because the formula was pasted in column B, Excel changed the
A’s in the formula to B’s.

The dollar sign ($) is used to indicate absolute references. The formula =$A$1+$A$2+$A$3 would
return the same value as =A1+A2+A3. The difference is that it could be pasted anywhere in the
worksheet and it would still be pasted as =$A$1+$A$2+$A$3, because the dollar signs indicate that the
row and column references are absolute – they will not be changed by Excel.

To enter cell references in a formula, you can type them in manually or click on the cells you want in the
formula. That is, type an equals sign, then click on a cell and Excel will enter the cell reference into the
formula. You can even refer to cells in other worksheets and other workbooks this way.

When creating formulas keep in mind:

• Excel performs the operations from left to right according to the order of operator precedence.
• Use parentheses to control the order of operations by grouping operations you want performed first.
• You may use arithmetic and logic operators from the “Calculation operators in formulas” handout.
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Functions
Functions are predefined formulas. The SUM function could be used to return the same value as the
formula =A1+A2+A3 by entering =SUM(A1,A2,A3). An abbreviated way would be to use a range. So,
=SUM(A1:A3) would also return “16” in the cell that the function was entered into.

Excel already has a wide variety of

functions. See if one of those will
accomplish your task before creating
your own formula. Choose
INSERT > FUNCTION or click
the function button on the
standard toolbar, and select the
function you want to use. Excel will
then ask you to fill in information that
you want used in its calculations. You can either enter cell references or click on the cells you want to
use, or type in additional information manually.

Here is a list of some common functions that

you may find useful:
AVERAGE displays the arithmetic mean of
the cells referred to in parentheses.
COUNT displays the number of numerical
values in the cells referred to in parentheses.
COUNTA displays the number of non-
empty cells among those referred to in
parentheses.
MAX displays the highest value among the
cells referred to in parentheses.
MIN displays the lowest value among the
cells referred to in parentheses.
RAND displays a random value that is at
least zero but less than 1.
ROUND displays the value in cell D7
rounded to the number of decimal places
after the comma in the parentheses (4).
SUM displays the sum of the values in the cells referred to in parentheses.
TODAY displays the current date.

Remember that functions, like formulas, must begin with an equals sign (=) and must be followed by
parentheses, even if no reference is required between the parentheses (as in the RAND and TODAY
functions). If you enter a function without a preceding equals sign, Excel treats it as text and will not
perform any calculations.

There are hundreds of other functions in Excel which may help you accomplish your purpose, but if all
else fails, you can just create your own formula from scratch.

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Chart Wizard
A graphical depiction of a worksheet can be created using the Chart Wizard. To use the chart wizard
choose INSERT > CHART or left-click on the Chart Wizard button on the toolbar.

Menu Item Option Description

Step 1 of 4 “Chart Type”
Chart Type Select which type of chart to use
Chart Sub-Type Select variations of the Chart Type
Custom Types Select from more Chart types
View Sample Used to preview Chart Type using values from the selected cells
Next > Move on to the next step
Step 2 of 4 “Chart Source Data”
< Back Go back to the previous step
Data Range Specify or modify the source of the data in the chart
Series in: Rows Use selected cells for series in rows
Columns Use selected cells for series in columns
Add Add another row or column of values to the chart
Remove Remove the selected series from the chart
Name Enter the name to use for the series
Category (X) axis labels: Enter a label to use for each value in the X-axis
Next > Go to the next step
Step 3 of 4 “Chart Options”
< Back Go back to the previous step
Titles, Axes, Gridlines, Add titles, labels, choose whether gridlines, legends, labels, data
Legend, Data Labels, table should appear
Data Table
Next > Go to the next step
Step 4 of 4 “Chart Location”
< Back Go back to the previous step
Place chart:
As a new sheet: Place the chart into an its own separate sheet
As object in: Place the chart into the selected sheet
Finish Inserts chart

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Pictures
• Inserting: An image may be imported into a
spreadsheet for display. Choose INSERT > PICTURE
> CLIP ART – to select a picture from clip art gallery
> FROM FILE – to select a picture saved on your
computer
> AUTOSHAPES – to bring up the AutoShapes
toolbar and insert shapes which can contain text
> ORGANIZATION CHART – to chart an
organizational hierarchy
> WORDART – to create text effects using the
WordArt toolbar on words you enter.
• Resizing: Once an image is inserted into a
spreadsheet it may be resized by:
o Left-clicking on the border of the image and dragging it to change the size.
o Right-clicking on the image and selecting Format Picture.
• Floating: When an image is inserted into a spreadsheet it
“floats” above the data instead of occupying a cell. To
move the image simply click on it then drag it around.
• Format Picture: Format Picture provides a few simple
options for editing the appearance of an inserted image.
o Colors and Lines allow you to change the picture’s
fill color and the appearance of borders
o Size alters the size and angle of the picture
o Picture crops picture and alters brightness/contrast
o Protection locks picture from being altered if the
spreadsheet is protected (see Tools)
o Properties controls how the position is changed
o Web displays alternative text while picture loads

Headers and Footers

To add headers and footers (information that
repeats at the top and bottom of every page),
choose either VIEW > HEADERS AND
FOOTERS or FILE > PAGE SETUP and
choose the Header/Footer tab. You can select a
preset one or customize your own. When
customizing your own headers and footers, text
can be positioned on the left, center, and right of
the page. Some of the fields you can insert
include page number, date, time, filename, or
tab name. These will be updated automatically
when you print.

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Tools
There are a few options under the TOOLS menu which you may find useful under certain
circumstances. They include:
• Protection: Restricts others from changing values and formulas of selected cell(s) or spreadsheet.
• Goal Seek: Determines what value a cell must be changed to in order to produce a desired result in
another cell. For example, if you spend $50 per week, your Excel chart indicates that you will spend
$300 before you go home for the semester. If you only have $250 available for spending, you can
use Goal Seek to figure out how much you should spend per week before going into debt. It turns
out you need to spend $42 per week rather than $50.

• Scenarios: Allows you to change the values of several cells and save the results as a scenario within
the same workbook. Excel will ask you to enter the new values for the changing cells. You can view
other scenarios by selecting one and clicking Show.

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