GE Syllabus

INTRODUCTION TO SPREADSHEETS AND DATA VISUALIZATION USING EXCEL

No. of
Unit Content
Hours
1 Basics of Spreadsheets
1. Creating and Navigating worksheets
2. Adding information to worksheets
3. Types of data, entering different types of data such as texts, numbers, dates,
functions.
4. Importing data from different sources
5. Quick way to add data Autocomplete, Autocorrect, Auto fill, Auto fit.
6. Undo and Redo.
7. Moving data
8. Contiguous and Non-contiguous selections
9. Selecting with keyboard
10. Cut-Copy, Paste 15
11. Adding and moving columns or rows
12. Inserting columns and rows.
13. Find and replace values
14. Spell check.
15. Formatting cells, Numbers, Date, Times, Font, Colours, Borders, Fills.
16. Adding, removing, hiding, and renaming worksheets.
17. Add headers/Footers to a Workbook
18. Page breaks and Preview.
19. Creating formulas, Inserting functions
20. Cell references: Absolute, Relative

2 Multiple Spreadsheets & Functions

1. Creating and using templates, using predefined templates, Adding protection
option.
2. Creating and Linking Multiple Spreadsheets.
3. Using formulas and logical operators.
4. Creating and using named ranges.
5. Creating Formulas that use reference to cells in different worksheets.
6. Financial functions: FV, PV, PMT, PPMT, IPMT, NPER, RATE
7. Mathematical functions: ROUND, ROUNDDOWN, ROUNDUP, CEILING,
FLOOR, INT, MAX, MIN, MOD, SQRT, ABS, SUM, COUNT 15
8. Database Functions LOOKUP, VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP
9. Boolean Functions: AND, OR, NOT
10. Conditional Logic functions IF, Nested IF, COUNTIF, SUMIF, AVERAGEIF
11. String functions LEFT, RIGHT, MID, LEN, UPPER, LOWER, PROPER,
TRIM, FIXED
12. Date functions TODAY, NOW, DATE, TIME, DAY, MONTH, YEAR,
WEEKDAY, DAYS360
13. Statistical Functions COUNTA, COUNTBLANK, LARGE, SMALL,
AVERAGE, CORREL, STDEV, MEDIAN, MODE
 Unit 1 - Basics of Spreadsheets

1.1 Creating and Navigating worksheets

When you open an Excel workbook, there are three worksheets by default. The default names on
the worksheet tabs are Sheet1, Sheet2, and Sheet3. To organize your workbook and make it easier
to navigate, you can rename and even color code the worksheet tabs. Additionally, you can insert,
delete, move, and copy worksheets.

Creating a Basic Worksheet

When you first launch Excel, it starts
you off with a new, blank worksheet.
A worksheet is the grid of cells
where you type your information and
formulas; it takes up most of the
window. It’s where you’ll perform
all your work, such as entering data,
writing formulas, and reviewing the
results.

 The grid divides your worksheet

into rows and columns. Columns
are identified with letters (A, B, C
… ), while rows are identified
with numbers (1, 2, 3 … ).
 The smallest unit in your
worksheet is the cell . Cells are
identified by column and row. For example, C6 is the address of a cell in column C (the third
column), and row 6 (the sixth row). Figure 1-2 shows this cell, which looks like a rectangular
box. Incidentally, an Excel cell can hold up to 32,000 characters.

Here, the current cell is C6.

You can recognize the
current (or active) cell based
on its heavy black border.
You’ll also notice that the
corresponding column letter
(C) and row number (6) are
highlighted at the edges of
the worksheet. Just above the worksheet, on the left side of the window, the formula bar tells you
the active cell address.
Starting a New Workbook
When you fire up Excel, it opens a
fresh workbook file. If you’ve
already got Excel open and you want
to create another workbook, just
select file button → New. This step
pops up the New Workbook
window.

Navigating in Excel
To move from cell to cell, you have two basic choices:
 Use the arrow keys on the keyboard. Keystrokes move you one cell at a time in any direction.
 Click the cell with the mouse. A mouse click jumps you directly to the cell you’ve clicked.
As you move from cell to cell, you see the black focus box move to highlight the currently
active cell.

Key
Combination Result
→ (or Tab) Moves one cell to the right.
← (or Moves one cell to the left.
Shift+Tab)
↑ Moves one cell up.
↓ (or Enter) Moves one cell down.
Page Up Moves up one screen. Thus, if the grid shows 10 cells at a time, this key moves to
a cell in the same column, 10 rows up (unless you are already at the top of the
worksheet).
Page Down Moves down one screen. Thus, if the grid shows 10 cells at a time, this key moves
to a cell in the same column, 10 rows down.
Home Moves to the first cell (column A) of the current row.
Ctrl+Home Moves to the first cell in the top row, which is A1.
Ctrl+End (or Moves to the last column of the last occupied row. This cell is at the bottom-right
End, Home) edge of your data.

1.2 Adding information to worksheets

Enter text or a number in a cell
1. On the worksheet, click a cell.
2. Type the numbers or text that you want to enter, and then press ENTER or TAB.
To enter data on a new line within a cell, enter a line break by pressing ALT+ENTER.

Enter a number that has a fixed decimal point

1. On the File tab, click Options.
2. Click Advanced, and then under Editing options, select the Automatically insert a decimal
point check box.
3. In the Places box, enter a positive number for digits to the right of the decimal point or a
negative number for digits to the left of the decimal point.
For example, if you enter 3 in the Places box and then type 2834 in a cell, the value will
appear as 2.834. If you enter -3 in the Places box and then type 283, the value will be 283000.
4. On the worksheet, click a cell, and then enter the number that you want.
Data that you typed in cells before selecting the Fixed decimal option is not affected.
To temporarily override the Fixed decimal option, type a decimal point when you enter the
number.

Enter a date or a time in a cell

1. On the worksheet, click a cell.
2. Type a date or time as follows:
 To enter a date, use a slash mark or a hyphen to separate the parts of a date; for example,
type 9/5/2002 or 5-Sep-2002.
 To enter a time that is based on the 12-hour clock, enter the time followed by a space, and then
type a or p after the time; for example, 9:00 p. Otherwise, Excel enters the time as AM.
 To enter a date or time that stays current when you reopen a worksheet, you can use
the TODAY and NOW functions.

1.3 Types of data, entering different types of data such as texts, numbers, dates, functions.
To determine the data type in Excel, right-click on any cell or a range of cells and
choose Format Cells. The Number tab here will display the available data types, such
as Number, Date, or Text

Alternatively, you can go to the Number group from the Home tab and see the data types.
Different Data Types in Excel
Data types help you insert data into the document correctly. If there are incorrect data types within
the dataset, the data can be misrepresented and cause calculation errors. So, knowing what data
types are suitable for datasets is important.
Common data types in Excel:
Number data
Number data can be any value, including large numbers, small fractions, or qualitative data. Keep
in mind, there are subtle differences. For example, in a case where one cell has financial data and
another has a date, Excel registers them both as Numeric, yet they are not identical.
The Currency data type works with financial data. It formats monetary values and ensures that
financial data is accurately represented by appropriate currency symbols and decimal places.
Here’s how you can apply the currency data type. Here we will convert numbers into currency.
 Select the range of cells you want to change.
 Right-click.
 Select the Format cell option, and a dialog box will appear.
 Go to the Number tab.
 Select the Currency data type and format your values.

All the selected columns have been converted to the currency data type. You can modify the
currency symbol and decimal placement according to your preferences.
Date and Time
Date and Time data types store dates and times in different formats. These formats help with
chronological data analysis, scheduling, and time-sensitive calculations.
Let's take a look at the example of how to convert a Text into a Date. For time formatting, follow
these steps and select the Time data type instead.
 First, select the cell you want to change.
 Right-click on the cell.
 Select the Format cells option.
 Go to the Number tab.
 Select the Date data type and format your values.
Depending on your goal, there might be additional steps:.
 If you want to write the current time, simply write =NOW().
 To convert the date to Text, all you have to do is apply =TEXT(Cell number,
"MM/DD/YYYY").

Percentage
The Percentage data type converts numbers into percentages, making it easier to read and
interpret ratio data and proportional values.
Here’s how you can convert numbers to percentages:
 Select the range of cells you want to change.
  Right-click on it.
 Select the Format cell option, and a dialog box will appear.
 Go to the Number tab.
 Select the Percentage data type and format your values.
 Adjust the decimal places.

Fractions
You can use the Fraction data type to display your value in fractions instead of decimals.
You can convert decimal numbers to fractions.
 Select the range of cells you want to change.
 Right-click on it.
 Select the Format cell option, and a dialog box will appear.
 Go to the Number tab.
 Select the Fraction data type and format your values.
 Adjust your fractional type.

Selecting the Custom data type. Source: Image by author

Text data
Text data is the basic type that allows you to input characters, including alphabetical, numerical,
and special symbols.
Unlike number data, symbols inputted as Text do not support calculations. That’s why you can
manually manage Text and Number data according to your needs.
However, by default, Excel interprets figures it does not understand as text data.
To convert Numbers to Text, here’s what you have to do:
 Highlight the cells or columns with text data you wish to change.
 Right-click on the selected cells.
 Click Format cells.
 Go to the Number tab.
 Select the Text data type.

Verifying whether the data has been changed or not.

1.4 Importing data from different sources

Excel can import data from external
data sources including other files,
databases, or web pages.
1. Click the Data tab on the
Ribbon..
2. Click the Get Data button.
Some data sources may
require special security
access, and the connection
process can often be very
complex. Enlist the help of
your organization’s technical
support staff for assistance.
3. Select From File.
4. Select From Text/CSV.
If you have data to import from Access, the web, or another source, select one of those
options in the Get External Data group instead.
5. Select the file you want to import.
6. Click Import.
 If, while importing external data, a security notice appears saying that it is connecting to
an external source that may not be safe, click OK.

7. Verify the preview looks correct.

Because we've specified the data is separated by commas, the delimiter is already set. If
you need to change it, it can be done from this menu.
8. Click Load.

1.5 Quick way to add data Auto complete, Autocorrect, Auto fill, Auto fit.
Autocomplete
You can turn automatic completion of cell entries on or off
Excel completes text entries that you start to type in a column of data — if
the first few letters that you type match an existing entry in that column. If
you want to stop automatic completion, you can turn this option off.
1. Click File > Options.
2. Click Advanced, and then under Editing options, select or clear
the Enable AutoComplete for cell values check box to turn this
option on or off.
It's supposed to work as per below, so because Apple is already in my list when I type A it comes
up.

Autocorrect
Autocorrect is a feature that corrects common misspellings and typing errors as you type. It's
more focused on improving your typing accuracy. For example, if you type "teh" by mistake,
Autocorrect will automatically change it to "the."
To edit Autocorrect options in Excel:
o Go to "File" > "Options."
o In the Excel Options dialog box, select "Proofing."
o Click the "AutoCorrect Options" button.
o In the AutoCorrect dialog, you can add, modify, or delete entries.
Autofill
Autofill is a feature in Excel that helps you quickly fill cells with patterns, series, or data from a
source cell. It's used to extend a series of values or fill cells based on a pattern. It's handy for
copying a formula, data series, or dates.
To use Autofill:
o Select the cell(s) with the data or formula you want to replicate.
o Hover your cursor over the small square in the bottom-right corner of the selection (this is
called the "fill handle").
o Click and drag the fill handle to the desired range, and Excel will fill the cells based on the
pattern or data source.
As you know, Excel has a certain row and column width by default. But in some cases, we might
need to write something that can occupy more space, at that time we have to adjust the row or
column width so that our text will not spill out from the cell and remain within the cell.

Autofit
We can set column width and row height manually as per our
requirement by clicking on column width or row height in
the Format option in the cells group on the Home tab.
When adjusting the size of cells in Excel, whether it’s done
automatically or manually, it’s important to keep in mind
certain limits regarding the maximum dimensions of columns
and rows.
Follow the below steps to use Autofit feature in Excel via the
Ribbon:
Step 1: Select the column or columns that you want to change.
Step 2: On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.
Step 3: Under Cell Size, click AutoFit Column Width to adjust
column width. (To adjust row height, click on Autofit Row
height)
See the changes (Content is adjusted in the column).

Another method is
For Columns, Step 1:Hover the mouse on the right border
of the column heading. A Double- Headed arrow will
appear.
Step 2: Double-Click to Autofit the selected columns.

Using Shortcut Keys

 AutoFit Row Height: ALT > H > O > A
 AutoFit Columne Width: ALT > H > O > I

1.6 Undo and Redo.

To undo an action press Ctrl+Z on your keyboard, or select Undo on the Quick Access Toolbar.
You can press Undo (or Ctrl+Z) repeatedly if you want to undo multiple steps.
You can't undo some actions, such as selecting commands on the File tab or saving a file. To
undo several actions at the same time, select the arrow next to Undo , select the actions in the
list that you want to undo, and then select the list.

Redo
To redo something you've undone, press
Ctrl+Y or F4. (If F4 doesn't seem to work,
you may need to press the F-Lock
key or Fn Key, then F4) on your keyboard,
or select Redo on the Quick Access
toolbar. (The Redo button only appears
after you've undone an action.)

1.7 Moving data

 Right click the name of the worksheet you would like to move
 Click "Move or Copy"
 If you would like to move the worksheet to another position in the same workbook, click the
name of the worksheet before which you would like to move it
 If you would like to move the worksheet to another workbook, select the new workbook from
the "To book:" menu, then click the name of the worksheet before which you would like to
move it
 Bear in mind that if you move a worksheet to another workbook, it will be erased from the
current workbook Press "OK"

1.8 Contiguous and Non-contiguous selections

Select multiple cells (contiguous range) in Excel
The most common way to select multiple cells in Excel is by using a mouse. To select a
contiguous range of cells, this is what you need to do:
1. Click on the cell from where you want to start the selection.
2. With the left mouse button pressed, drag the cursor to the cell where you want to end the
selection.
3. The selected cells are highlighted as you drag the mouse.
Select non-adjacent (Non-contiguous) cells in Excel
If you need to select non-adjacent cells that are not in a contiguous range, you can do so using
the Ctrl key:
1. Click on the first cell you want to select.
2. Hold down the Ctrl key (or Command key on Mac).
3. Click on each individual cell to be selected.
4. When done, release the Ctrl key.
This method is useful for selecting specific cells scattered throughout the worksheet.

You can select nonadjacent ranges by holding down the Ctrl key (or Command key on a Mac)
while selecting individual ranges using the mouse. This method allows you to highlight multiple
separate areas within a worksheet.

1.9 Selecting with keyboard

To quickly select a group of cells that are adjacent to each other, you can utilize the Shift key.
Here's how:

1. Click on the cell from where you want to start the selection.
2. Hold down the Shift key.
3. Click on the cell where you want the selection to end.
By following these steps, Excel will automatically select all the cells between the starting and
ending points. Alternatively, you can extend the selection in the desired direction by pressing the
arrow keys while holding the Shift key. The Shift key method is especially useful when dealing
with large datasets as it enables you to quickly select multiple cells without the need for manual
dragging

1.10 Cut-Copy, Paste

Cut
 Select the item or data you want to copy.
 Right-click and choose 'Copy', or press Ctrl + X.

Copy
 Select the item or data you want to copy.
 Right-click and choose 'Copy', or press Ctrl + C.

Paste
 Navigate to the location where you wish to paste the data.
 Right-click and select 'Paste', or press Ctrl + V.

1.11Adding and moving columns or rows

Move Rows in Excel
Suppose you have the following dataset and you want to move the highlighted row to the second
row (just below the headers):
Here are the steps to do this:
1. Select the row that you want to move.
2. Hold the Shift Key from your keyboard.
3. Move your cursor to the edge of the selection.
It would display the move icon (a four
directional arrow icon).
4. Click on the edge (with left mouse button)
while still holding the shift key.
5. Move it to the row where you want this row to be shifted
6. Leave the mouse button when you see a bold line right below the row where you want to
move this row.
7. Leave the Shift-key (remember to keep the Shift key pressed till the end)

Move Columns in Excel

The same technique can also be used to move columns
in Excel. Here are the steps:
1. Select the column (or contiguous columns) that
you want to move.
2. Hold the Shift Key from your keyboard.
3. Move your cursor to the edge of the selection.
It would display the move icon (a four
directional arrow icon).
 4. Click on the edge (with left mouse button) while still holding the shift key.
5. Move it to the column where you want this row to be shifted
6. Leave the mouse button when you see a bold line to the edge of the column where you
want to move this column.
7. Leave the Shift-key (remember to keep the Shift key pressed till the end).

1.12 Inserting columns and rows.

Insert a Row or Column to the Table
1. Click in a blank cell next to the
table.
2. Type a cell value.
3. Click anywhere outside the cell
or press the Enter key to add the
value.
The new row or column is added to
the table and the table formatting is
applied.
When a formula is entered in a blank
column of a table, the formula
automatically fills the rest of the
column, without using the AutoFill
feature. If rows are added to the
column, the formula appears in those
rows as well.

Insert a Row or Column within a Table

1. Select a cell in the table row or
column next to where you want to
add the row or column.
Insert options aren’t available if
you select a column header.
2. Click the Insert list arrow on the
Home tab.
3. Select an insert table option.
o Insert Table Rows
Above: Inserts a new row above
the select cell.
o Insert Table Columns to the
Left: Inserts a new column to the
left of the selected cell. Right-
click a row or column next to
where you want to add data, point to Insert in the menu, and select an insertion option.

1.13 Find and replace values

Find Text
The Find feature makes it very easy to find specific words and values in a worksheet.
1. Click the Find & Select button on the
Home tab.
2. Select Find. (OR Press Ctrl + F).
The Find tab of the Find and Replace dialog
box appears.
3. Type the text you want to find in the Find
what box.
4. Click Find Next.
Excel jumps to the first occurrence of the
word, phrase, or value that you entered.
5. Click the Find Next button again to
move on to other occurrences.
Click Find All to find the cell location of all
instances at once.
6. Click Close when you're finished.

Replace Text
Now, if you have a word that appears
throughout a spreadsheet and needs to be
updated, don't update it cell by cell, use
Replace instead.
1. Click the Find & Select button on the
Home tab.
2. Select Replace. Press Ctrl + H.
The Replace tab of the Find and Replace dialog
box appears.
3. Type the text you want to replace in
the Find what box.
4. Type the replacement text in the Replace
with box.
5. Click the Find Next button.
The first instance is selected.
6. Click any of the following:
o Replace All: Replace every occurrence of
the item.
o Replace: Replace the selected item.
o Find All: Find all instances of the item.
o Find Next: Find the next instance of the
item.
7. Click Close when you're finished.

1.14 Spell check

Spell check starts with the active cell and works down the spreadsheet.
1. Click the Review tab.
2. Click the Spelling button.
Press F7. The first spelling mistake appears, along with several recommendations of
how to fix it.
3. Select a Spelling and Grammar option:
o Ignore Once: Ignore this instance of the misspelled word.
o Ignore All: Ignore all instances of the misspelled word.
o Change: Replace the misspelling with the selected word.
o Change All: Replace all misspellings with the selected word.
o Add to Dictionary: Add the word to the dictionary if you know a word is correct
and you don't want it to come up in spell check in the future in any spreadsheets.
o Cancel: Stop spell check.

1.15 Formatting cells, Numbers, Date, Times, Font, Colors, Borders, Fills
Format a Number or Date
1. Select the cell(s) that contain values you want to format.
2. Click the Number Format list arrow from the Home tab.
3. Select the number or date format you want to apply.
 Number Description
Format
General General format cells have no specific number format applied.

Number Used to display general numbers that aren’t monetary values.

Currency Used to display general monetary values. Aligns the decimal points in a column.

Accounting Lines up the currency symbols and decimal points in a column.

Date & Time Display date and time serial numbers as date values. Formats that begin with an asterisk
(*) respond to changes in the date/time settings specified for the operating system.

Percentage Multiplies the cell value by 100 and displays the result with a percent symbol.

Fraction Displays numbers as actual fractions instead of decimal values.

Scientific Displays a number in exponential notation (e.g. 2.31E+8).

Advanced Number Formats

If the standard number formats don’t

meet your needs, there are additional
format options to select from.
1. Select the cell(s) that contain values
you want to format.
2. Click the Number Format list arrow
from the Home tab.
3. Select More Number Formats.
Right-click the cell(s) to be formatted and
select Format Cells from the contextual
menu.
A dialog box appears with number
formatting options.
4. Select a Category.
5. Specify the formatting options.
6. Click OK.

To change the font size:

1. Select the cell(s) you want to modify.
2. On the Home tab, click the drop-down arrow next
to the Font Size command, then select the
desired font size. In our example, we will
choose 24 to make the text larger.
3. The text will change to the selected font size.
You can also use the Increase Font Size and Decrease
Font Size commands or enter a custom font size using
your keyboard

To change the font:

By default, the font of each new workbook is set to
Calibri. However, Excel provides many other fonts you
can use to customize your cell text. In the example below,
we'll format our title cell to help distinguish it from the
rest of the worksheet.
1. Select the cell(s) you want to modify.
2. On the Home tab, click the drop-down arrow next to
the Font command, then select the desired font. In our
example, we'll choose Century Gothic.
3. The text will change to the selected font.

When creating a workbook in the workplace, you'll want to select a font that is easy to read.
Along with Calibri, standard reading fonts include Cambria, Times New Roman, and Arial.

To change the font color:

1. Select the cell(s) you want to modify.
2. On the Home tab, click the drop-down
arrow next to the Font Color command, then
select the desired font color. In our example, we'll
choose Green.
3. The text will change to the selected font color.

Select More Colors at the bottom of the menu to

access additional color options. We've changed the font color to a bright pink.

Cell borders and fill colors

Cell borders and fill colors allow you to create clear and defined boundaries for different
sections of your worksheet. Below, we'll add cell borders and fill color to our header cells to
help distinguish them from the rest of the worksheet.
To add a fill color:
1. Select the cell(s) you want to modify.
2. On the Home tab, click the drop-down arrow next to
the Fill Color command, then select the fill color you
want to use. In our example, we'll choose a dark gray.
3. The selected fill color will appear in the selected cells.
We've also changed the font color to white to make it
more readable with this dark fill color.

To add a border:
1. Select the cell(s) you want to modify.
2. On the Home tab, click the drop-down arrow next to
the Borders command, then select
the border style you want to use. In our example, we'll
choose to display All Borders.
3. The selected border style will appear.
You can draw borders and change the line
style and color of borders with the Draw Borders tools
at the bottom of the Borders drop-down menu.

1.16 Adding, removing, hiding, and renaming worksheets.

You can Insert, Delete, Rename, Move, Copy, or Hide a worksheet, as well as a few other features
(like changing the color of a worksheet tab).
Here are some more detailed instructions on accomplishing each of these tasks:
Add a worksheet
 Right click the name of any worksheet
tab
 Click "Insert..."
 Ensure "Worksheet" is selected and press
"OK"

Delete a worksheet
 Right click the name of the worksheet
you would like to delete Click "Delete"
 Rename a worksheet
 Right click the name of the worksheet
you would like to rename
 Click "Rename"
 Type the new name of the worksheet on your keyboard, then press Enter to commit.
Move a worksheet
 Right click the name of the worksheet you would like to move
 Click "Move or Copy"
 If you would like to move the worksheet to another position in the same workbook, click
the name of the worksheet before which you would like to move it
 If you would like to move the worksheet to another workbook, select the new workbook
from the "To book:" menu, then click the name of the worksheet before which you would
like to move it
 Bear in mind that if you move a worksheet to another workbook, it will be erased from the
current workbook Press "OK"
Copy a worksheet
 Right click the name of the worksheet you would like to copy
 Click "Move or Copy"
 If you would like to copy the worksheet to another position in the same workbook, click
the name of the worksheet before which you would like to copy it
 If you would like to copy the worksheet to another workbook, select the new workbook
from the "To book:" menu, then click the name of the worksheet before which you would
like to copy it Press "OK"

Hide a worksheet
 Right click the name of the worksheet you would like to hide
 Click "Hide"
 This will make the worksheet invisible and remove it from the tab list at the bottom of your
screen

Unhide a worksheet
 Right click the name of any worksheet
 Click "Unhide..."
 Select the name of the worksheet you would like to unhide, then press "OK"

1.17 Add headers/Footers to a Workbook

Add a Header or Footer
1. Click the Insert tab.
2. Click the Text button.
3. Select Header & Footer.
The Header & Footer view displays and the header
is active. You can also access the header and footer
by clicking the View tab and clicking the Page
Layout View button.
4. Click in the header section where you want to
add text.
5. Enter custom text or select a pre-defined header
from the Header & Footer Elements group or
Header menu.
6. To view the footer, click the Go to Footer button.
7. Click in the footer section where you want to add
text.
8. Enter custom text or select a pre-defined footer
from the Header & Footer Elements group or
Footer menu.
Headers and footers can be formatted using the
commands in the Font group on the Home tab.

1.18 Page breaks and Preview.

Excel automatically breaks up the page based on the margins and other page settings, but it’s
also possible to adjust these page breaks or add alternative breaks to divide a worksheet into
separate pages for printing.
Adjust Page Breaks
1. Click the View tab.
2. Click the Page Break Preview button on the
status bar.
The worksheet appears in Page Break
Preview view.
3. To move a page break, click and drag it to a
new location.
Dashed lines indicate automatic page breaks,
while solid lines represent page breaks that
you have changed or added.
1.19 Creating formulas, Inserting functions
Excel uses standard operators for equations, such as a plus sign for addition (+), minus
sign for subtraction (-), asterisk for multiplication (*), forward slash for division (/),
and caret (^) for exponents.
The key thing to remember when writing formulas for Excel is that all formulas must begin
with an equals sign (=).

To create a simple formula in Excel:

1. Select the cell where the answer will appear (B4, for example).
2. Type the equals sign (=).
3. Type in the formula you want Excel to calculate (75/250, for example).

4. Press Enter. The formula will be calculated, and the value will be displayed in the cell.

If the result of a formula is too large to be displayed in a cell, it may appear as pound
signs (#######) instead of a value. This means the column is not wide enough to
display the cell content. Simply increase the column width to show the cell content.

To create a formula using the point-and-click method:

1. Select the cell where the answer will appear (B4, for example).
2. Type the equals sign (=).
 3. Click the first cell to be included in the formula (A3, for example).

4. Type the operator you need for the formula. For example, type the multiplication sign
(*).
5. Click the next cell in the formula (B3, for example).

6. Press Enter. The formula will be calculated, and the value will be displayed in the cell.

Inserting Function
Excel has over 450 functions you can use to perform just
about any kind of calculation. If you're having trouble
finding the right function, the Insert Function command
lets you search for the function you want. It also guides
you through inserting the arguments, which is helpful
for complex functions.
1. Click the cell where you want to add a formula.
2. Click the Insert Function button.
3. Search for a function using one of these methods:
o Type a few keywords that describe the function you
want and click Go.
o Select a category from the list arrow menu.
4. Select the desired function.
5. Click OK.
The Function Arguments dialog box appears. Here
you need to specify the arguments for the function
you selected. In Excel, an argument can be a range
of data, a specified output, or other parameters.
6. Enter the formula arguments.
7. Click OK.
The dialog box closes and Excel displays the results of
the inserted formula.

1.20 Cell references: Absolute, Relative

Formulas can contain numbers, like 5 or 8, but more often they reference the contents of cells. A
cell reference tells Excel where to look for values you want to use in a formula. For example, the
formula =A5+A6 adds the values in cells A5 and A6.
Using cell references is useful because if you change the values in the referenced cells, the formula
result automatically updates using the new values. There are two types of cell references: relative
and absolute.

Relative References
Relative references refer to cells in relation to the
location of the cell that contains the formula. When the
formula is moved, it references new cells based on their
location. Relative references are the default type of
references in Excel.
1. Copy the formula in an existing cell that you want
to paste elsewhere in the worksheet.
2. Paste the formula in the desired cells.
3. Select a cell that contains the pasted formula. Use
the formula bar to verify the cell references have
updated relative to where the formula was pasted.
In the cell(s) where the formula was pasted, the cell
reference updates for the current row and/or column.

Absolute References
Absolute references always refer to the same cell, even
when the formula is copied and pasted. Absolute
references are indicated with dollar signs in formulas
(e.g. $A$1).
1. Select the cell that contains a cell reference you want to convert to an absolute reference.
2. In the formula bar, add dollar signs ($) to the reference you want to remain absolute.
o Absolute column and row reference ($A$1): The column and row remain constant no
matter where the formula is pasted.
 o Absolute column reference ($A1): The column remains absolute no matter where the
formula is pasted, but the row updates relatively.
o Absolute row reference (A$1): The row remains absolute no matter where the formula
is pasted, but the column updates relatively.
Click in any cell reference in the formula bar and press F4 to convert it to an absolute reference.
Continue to press F4 to change the type of absolute reference