Microsoft Excel

Course

Mary Ann Wallner

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Table of Contents

Getting to know Excel: Entering Formulas ............................................................................................................................ 5

Add, divide, multiply, and subtract ..................................................................................................................................... 5

Use cell references in formulas ........................................................................................................................................... 5

Add the values in a row or column ..................................................................................................................................... 5

Find the average, maximum, or minimum .......................................................................................................................... 6

Copy a formula ................................................................................................................................................................... 6

Print formulas ...................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Understand error values ...................................................................................................................................................... 7

Use more than one math operator in a formula ................................................................................................................... 7

Select the format for values to use in calculations .............................................................................................................. 8

Instructions for Creating Duplicate Worksheets ..................................................................................................................... 9

To Copy the Original Worksheet to another Worksheet ..................................................................................................... 9

Rules for Naming Tabs ..................................................................................................................................................... 10

Coloring the Tab ............................................................................................................................................................... 10

You can use the following functions in a 3-D reference ....................................................................................................... 11

Add a Command to the Quick Access Toolbar ..................................................................................................................... 12

Using the Customize Quick Access Toolbar option ......................................................................................................... 12

Directly from commands that are displayed on the different Ribbons ............................................................................. 12

Using the Excel Options from the File Tab ...................................................................................................................... 13

Keyboard shortcuts in the Office system .............................................................................................................................. 14

Keyboard shortcuts and the Ribbon .................................................................................................................................. 14

How to use Key Tips ......................................................................................................................................................... 14

Other ways to navigate the Ribbon ................................................................................................................................... 14

Combination keyboard shortcuts ...................................................................................................................................... 14

Other helpful keyboard tips and tricks .............................................................................................................................. 15

Select Cells, Ranges, Rows, or Columns .............................................................................................................................. 16

Auto Formatting and Calculating an Excel Tables ............................................................................................................... 18

Cell Styles ............................................................................................................................................................................. 18

Apply a cell style .................................................................................................................................................................. 18

Remove a cell style from data ............................................................................................................................................... 18

Working with Themes ........................................................................................................................................................... 19

Apply an Existing Theme ..................................................................................................................................................... 19

Select theme-specific or standard color ................................................................................................................................ 19

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Formatting as a Table ............................................................................................................................................................ 20

How to Format as a Table ..................................................................................................................................................... 20

Conditional Formatting ......................................................................................................................................................... 22

Applying Conditional Formatting ......................................................................................................................................... 23

What is a Sparkline? ............................................................................................................................................................. 25

How to create Sparklines in Excel 2010/16 ...................................................................................................................... 25

Types of Sparklines ........................................................................................................................................................... 25

There are 3 basic types of Sparklines in Excel. They are, ................................................................................................ 25

Sparkline Formatting and Options .................................................................................................................................... 26

Sparklines & Missing Data ............................................................................................................................................... 26

Sparklines in Tables & Pivot Tables ................................................................................................................................. 27

Sparkline Tips & Tricks .................................................................................................................................................... 27

Sparklines vs. Conditional Formatting .............................................................................................................................. 27

Sorting Instructions ............................................................................................................................................................... 28

Custom Sorting Instructions.................................................................................................................................................. 28

Filtering Instructions ............................................................................................................................................................. 29

Filter data by specifying conditions .................................................................................................................................. 29

Create a drop-down list ......................................................................................................................................................... 30

COUNTIF Function .............................................................................................................................................................. 33

Syntax: COUNTIF(range, criteria) .................................................................................................................................. 33

How to Create and Change Charts ........................................................................................................................................ 34

Change the layout or style of a chart ................................................................................................................................. 34

Apply a Predefined Chart Layout ..................................................................................................................................... 35

Apply a Predefined Chart Style ........................................................................................................................................ 35

Change the Layout of Chart Elements Manually .............................................................................................................. 35

Add or Remove Titles or Data Labels .............................................................................................................................. 36

Add a Chart Title .............................................................................................................................................................. 36

Add Axis Titles ................................................................................................................................................................. 36

Add Data Labels ............................................................................................................................................................... 37

Remove Titles or Data Labels From A Chart ................................................................................................................... 37

Show or hide a legend ....................................................................................................................................................... 37

What is a PivotTable report .................................................................................................................................................. 39

Here are some tips to keep in mind when you're building a pivot table report: ................................................................ 39

Instructions for creating a PivotTable from worksheet data ............................................................................................. 40

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Delete a PivotTable report ................................................................................................................................................ 41

Delete a PivotChart report................................................................................................................................................. 41

Analyze your data instantly................................................................................................................................................... 42

Which analysis feature should I use? ................................................................................................................................ 42

How to add Comments to a Cell ........................................................................................................................................... 44

Using the VLookup Function ................................................................................................................................................ 45

Concatenate Formula ............................................................................................................................................................ 46

Splitting Data into Multiple Columns ................................................................................................................................... 47

Subtotaling in Microsoft Excel ............................................................................................................................................. 49

How to Protect Cell Data ...................................................................................................................................................... 51

Recording a Macro ................................................................................................................................................................ 53

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Getting to know Excel: Entering Formulas

Add, divide, multiply, and subtract

Type an equal sign (=), use a math operator (+,-,*,/), and then press ENTER.

• =10+5 to add

• =10-5 to subtract

• =10*5 to multiply

• =10/5 to divide

Formulas are visible in the formula bar when you click a cell that contains a result. If the

formula bar is not visible, on the View tab on the Ribbon, in the Show/Hide group, select the Formula Bar

check box.

Use cell references in formulas

Entering cell references lets Microsoft® Excel® automatically update formula results if cell values are changed.

For example:

• Type =C4+C7 in a cell.

• Or type the equal sign (=), click cell C4, type the plus sign (+), and then click cell C7.

Cell references Refer to values in

A10 the cell in column A and row 10

A10,A20 cell A10 and cell A20

A10:A20 the range of cells in column A and rows 10 through 20

B15:E15 the range of cells in row 15 and columns B through E

A10:E20 the range of cells in columns A through E and rows 10 through 20

Note If results are not updated, on the Formulas tab, in the Calculation group, click Calculation Options.

Then click Automatic.

Add the values in a row or column

Use the SUM function, which is a prewritten formula, to add all the values in a row or column:

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1. Click a cell below the column of values or to the right of the row of values.

2. On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click the Sum button , and then press ENTER.

Tip The Sum button is also located on the Formulas tab, in the Function Library group.

To add some of the values in a column or row:

1. Type an equal sign, type SUM, and then type an opening parenthesis.

2. Type or select the cell references you want to add. A comma (,) separates individual arguments that tell

the function what to calculate.

3. Type a closing parenthesis, and then press ENTER.

For example: =SUM(B2:B4,B6) and =SUM(B2,B5,B7)

Find the average, maximum, or minimum

Use the AVERAGE, MAX, or MIN functions.

1. Click a cell below or to the right of values for which you want to find the average (arithmetic mean), the

maximum, or the minimum.

2. Click the arrow next to Sum on the Home tab, in the Editing group. Click Average, Max, or Min,

and then press ENTER.

To see more functions, click More Functions on the AutoSum list to open the Insert Function dialog

box. Or click the Formulas tab.

Tip You can also enter formulas and cell references by typing them in the formula bar

after selecting a cell.

Copy a formula

Into an adjacent cell using the fill handle:

1. Click in the cell that contains the formula, and then position the mouse pointer over the lower-right

corner of the cell until the black cross (+) appears.

2. Drag the fill handle over the cell or cells to which you want to copy the formula, and then release

the mouse button.

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Without using the fill handle:

1. Select the cell that contains the formula, and on the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Copy .

2. Select the cell or cells that you want to copy it to.

• To copy the formula and any formatting, on the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click the arrow

on Paste, and in the list, click Paste again.

• To copy the formula only, on the Home tab, click the arrow on Paste, and in the list click Formulas.

Print formulas

1. Display formulas on the worksheet. On the Formulas tab, in the Formula Auditing group, click Show

Formulas.

2. Click the File Tab in the upper left. Then click Print.

3. Hide the formulas on the worksheet by repeating step 1.

Tip You can also press CTRL+` (the ` key is next to the 1 key on most keyboards) to display or hide

formulas.

Understand error values

• # # # # # The column is not wide enough to display the content. Increase column width, shrink

contents to fit the column, or apply a different number format.

• #REF! A cell reference is not valid. Cells may have been deleted or pasted over.

• #NAME? You may have misspelled a function name.

Cells with errors such as #NAME? may display a color triangle. If you click the cell, an error button

appears to give you some error correction options. How to use the button is not covered in this course.

Use more than one math operator in a formula

If a formula has more than one operator, Excel follows the rules of operator precedence instead of just

calculating from left to right. Multiplication is done before addition: =11.97+3.99*2 is 19.95. Excel

multiplies 3.99 by 2, and then adds the result to 11.97.

Operations inside parentheses take place first: =(11.97+3.99)*2 is 31.92. Excel adds first and then multiplies

the result by 2.

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Excel does use operators from left to right if they have the same level of precedence. Multiplication and

division are on the same level. Lower than multiplication and division, addition and subtraction are on the

same level.

Select the format for values to use in calculations

The worksheets in the practice sessions were formatted to display two decimal place numbers by clicking

Increase Decimal in the Number group on the Home tab, until there were two decimal places.

© 2011 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

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Instructions for Creating Duplicate Worksheets

1. Create original worksheet making sure to format completely

a. Create Formulas

b. Margins

c. Number Type

d. Adding Color and Border

e. Worksheet Title

f. Etc.

2. Once you are finished creating the original worksheet, it is best to name each of the worksheets to make

it easier to recognition. To rename this worksheet:

a. Move the mouse down to the TAB titled “Sheet1” and double click the TAB and when it turns

black TYPE THE NEW NAME

3. Hit the ENTER key (this makes the name permanent)

To Copy the Original Worksheet to another Worksheet

1. Next, LEFT click the newly named TAB and a down point triangle and blank page should appear

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2. Now hold down the CTRL Key and a CROSS will appear in the blank page. It will look something

like this.

3. Once you see cross, keeping the CTRL Key down move the mouse to the right until you see the

TRIANGE & PAGE move to the next TAB and let go of both the MOUSE and CTRL Key

4. Notice that this new sheet will be named the name as the original sheet PLUS the number the #2

Example: today (2)

Rules for Naming Tabs

1. Tabs always must be named

2. Tabs can NEVER be named the same

Coloring the Tab

1. Right click the original TAB

2. A new option will appear, then click on Tab Color

3. Finally, click on one of the colors and OK button

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You can use the following functions in a 3-D reference

Function Description

SUM Adds numbers.

AVERAGE Calculates average (arithmetic mean) of numbers.

AVERAGEA Calculates average (arithmetic mean) of numbers; includes text and logicals.

COUNT Counts cells that contain numbers.

COUNTA Counts cells that are not empty.

MAX Finds largest value in a set of values.

MAXA Finds largest value in a set of values; includes text and logicals.

MIN Finds smallest value in a set of values.

MINA Finds smallest value in a set of values; includes text and logicals.

PRODUCT Multiplies numbers.

STDEV Calculates standard deviation based on a sample.

STDEVA Calculates standard deviation based on a sample; includes text and logicals.

STDEVP Calculates standard deviation of an entire population.

STDEVPA Calculates standard deviation of an entire population; includes text and logicals.

VAR Estimates variance based on a sample.

VARA Estimates variance based on a sample; includes text and logicals.

VARP Calculates variance for an entire population.

VARPA Calculates variance for an entire population; includes text and logicals.

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Add a Command to the Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar is a customizable toolbar that contains a set of commands that are independent

of the 7 tabs that are located across the top of the screen. When you start working in any of the Office

programs Microsoft has preset the Quick Access Toolbar to have Save, Undo, and Redo command buttons.

Therefore, to make it easier to use the different software programs you may want add commands to the

Quick Access Toolbar.

You can add commands in several different ways:

1. Using the Customize Quick Access Toolbar option

2. Directly from commands that are displayed on the different Ribbons.

3. Using the Options from the Office Button or File Tab (old Options command on the Tools menu)

Using the Customize Quick Access Toolbar option

1. To the right of the Quick Access Toolbar is the Customize Quick Access Toolbar option.

2. Click on the Customize Quick Access Toolbar option and then select each of the provided

command buttons such as:

• New

• Open

• Email

• Quick Print

• Print Preview

• Spelling and Grammar

• Draw Table

Directly from commands that are displayed on the

different Ribbons

1. On the Ribbon, click the appropriate tab or group to display the command that you want to add to

the Quick Access Toolbar

2. Right-click the Command, and then click Add to Quick Access Toolbar on the shortcut menu

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Using the Excel Options from the File Tab

1. From the File Tab click on Excel button

2. From the Excel Options window select Customize option

3. From the Customize the Quick Access Toolbar in the Choose commands from:

area click on the down-pointing arrow and choose All Commands

4. Scroll through all the Additional Command buttons until you locate the new button then double-

click on the button which will automatically to add it to your list on located on the right (or click on

command button and then click on Add) IN THE CLASSROOM EXERCISE WE ARE ADDING

THE FORM BUTTON

5. Then click on OK button located on bottom right of the dialog box

Notice the Move Up and Move Down buttons located on the right side of the customize window.

This will allow you to change the position of each of the buttons to fit your needs.

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Keyboard shortcuts in the Office system

Keyboard shortcuts and the Ribbon

In the Microsoft® Office system, some programs — Word, Excel®, PowerPoint®, Access, and parts of

Outlook® — have been redesigned for greater efficiency and ease of use. Along with the new look come

new keyboard shortcuts for accessing and executing commands.

Keyboard shortcuts called access keys relate directly to the tabs, commands, and other things that you see

on the screen. You use access keys by pressing the ALT key followed by another key or a sequence of other

keys.

Every single command on the Ribbon, the Microsoft Office Button/File Tab and the Quick Access

Toolbar has an access key, and every access key is assigned a Key Tip.

How to use Key Tips

1. Press the ALT key. Badges showing the Key Tips appear.

2. Press the Key for the tab or Quick Access Toolbar command you want.

If you press a tab Key Tip, you see the Key Tips for every command on that tab. If you press a

Quick Access Toolbar command Key Tip, the command is executed.

3. Press the key (or keys) for the tab command you want. Depending on what command you choose,

an action may be executed or a gallery or menu may open; in the latter case you can choose another

Key Tip.

Tip If the Key Tip badge shows two letters, press them one after the other.

Other ways to navigate the Ribbon

You can also move around the Ribbon by using the arrow or TAB keys.

1. Press the ALT key to move the focus to the Ribbon.

2. Move around the Ribbon:

o Move left, right, up, or down by pressing the relevant arrow key.

o Move from command to command within a group, then on to the next group, by pressing

the TAB key. Press SHIFT+TAB to move backwards through commands and groups.

Combination keyboard shortcuts

A key combination keyboard shortcut is a set of keystrokes that, when pressed together, initiate an action.

You can find the key combination for a command by resting the mouse pointer over it. If you're not using a

mouse, there are no on-screen reminders of the key combinations — you have to memorize the keys.

Practically all of these shortcuts work in exactly the same way as they did in previous versions of Microsoft

Office.

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Other helpful keyboard tips and tricks

• Use the TAB key and arrow keys to navigate a dialog box.

• Activate a command by pressing ENTER. In some cases, this opens a gallery or menu so you can

choose what you want and then activate it by pressing ENTER again. For some commands, like

the Font box, use the arrow keys to scroll through lists. Once you've got what you want, press

ENTER.

• CTRL+TAB cycles through the tabs in a dialog box.

• SPACEBAR selects and clears check boxes.

• SHIFT+F10 opens the shortcut menu, which opens when you right-click an item.

• ESC closes an open dialog box or shortcut menu. If nothing is open, it takes the focus away from

the Ribbon and back to the main document.

• To close a task pane, first press CTRL+SPACEBAR to open the task pane menu. Then press C to

select Close on the menu.

• ALT+F4 (pressed simultaneously) closes the active window.

• F1 opens the Help window.

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Select Cells, Ranges, Rows, or Columns

To select Do this

A single cell Click the cell, or press the arrow keys to move to the cell.

A range of cells Click the first cell in the range, and then drag to the last cell, or hold down SHIFT

while you press the arrow keys to extend the selection.

You can also select the first cell in the range, and then press F8 to extend the

selection by using the arrow keys. To stop extending the selection, press F8 again.

A large range of cells Click the first cell in the range, and then hold down SHIFT while you click the last

cell in the range. You can scroll to make the last cell visible.

All cells on a worksheet Click the Select All button.

To select the entire worksheet, you can also press CTRL+A.

NOTE If the worksheet contains data, CTRL+A selects the current region.

Pressing CTRL+A a second time selects the entire worksheet.

Nonadjacent cells or cell

ranges

Select the first cell or range of cells, and then hold down CTRL while you select

the other cells or ranges.

You can also select the first cell or range of cells, and then press SHIFT+F8 to add

another nonadjacent cell or range to the selection. To stop adding cells or ranges to

the selection, press SHIFT+F8 again.

NOTE You cannot cancel the selection of a cell or range of cells in a

nonadjacent selection without canceling the entire selection.

An entire row or column Click the row or column heading.

Row heading

Column heading

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You can also select cells in a row or column by selecting the first cell and then

pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ARROW key (RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW for

rows, UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW for columns).

NOTE If the row or column contains data, CTRL+SHIFT+ARROW key selects

the row or column to the last used cell. Pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ARROW key a

second time selects the entire row or column.

Adjacent rows or columns Drag across the row or column headings. Or select the first row or column; then

hold down SHIFT while you select the last row or column.

Nonadjacent rows or columns Click the column or row heading of the first row or column in your selection; then

hold down CTRL while you click the column or row headings of other rows or

columns that you want to add to the selection.

The first or last cell in a row

or column

Select a cell in the row or column, and then press CTRL+ARROW key (RIGHT

ARROW or LEFT ARROW for rows, UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW for

columns).

The first or last cell on a

worksheet or in a Microsoft

Office Excel table

Press CTRL+HOME to select the first cell on the worksheet or in an Excel list.

Press CTRL+END to select the last cell on the worksheet or in an Excel list that

contains data or formatting.

Cells to the last used cell on

the worksheet (lower-right

corner)

Select the first cell, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+END to extend the selection of

cells to the last used cell on the worksheet (lower-right corner).

Cells to the beginning of the

worksheet

Select the first cell, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+HOME to extend the selection

of cells to the beginning of the worksheet.

More or fewer cells than the

active selection

Hold down SHIFT while you click the last cell that you want to include in the new

selection. The rectangular range between the active cell and the cell that you click

becomes the new selection.

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Auto Formatting and Calculating an Excel Tables

This process can be accomplished through the use of:

• Cell Styles

• Formatting as a Table

Cell Styles

A cell style is a defined set of formatting characteristics, such as

fontsMicrosoft Office Excel has several built-in cell styles that you can

apply or modify. You can also modify or duplicate a cell style to create

your own, custom cell style.

Cell styles are based on the document theme that is applied to the whole

workbook. When you switch to another document theme, the cell styles are

updated to match the new document theme.

Apply a cell style

1. Select the cells that you want to format.

2. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, click Cell Styles.

TIP If you do not see the Cell Styles button, click Styles, and then click the More button next to

the cell styles box.

3. Click the cell style that you want to apply.

Remove a cell style from data

You can remove a cell style from data in selected cells without deleting the cell style.

1. Select the cells that are formatted with the cell style that you want to remove.

2. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, click Cell Styles.

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3. Under Good, Bad, and Neutral, click Normal.

If you do not see the Cell Styles button, click Styles, and then click the More button next to the cell

styles box.

Working with Themes

Themes are a set of unified design elements that provides a look for your document by using color, fonts,

and graphics. By default, Microsoft Excel applies the Office Theme to all workbooks.

Apply an Existing Theme

1. To apply an existing workbook theme, display the Page Layout tab

2. Then, in the Themes Group click the Themes command button

3. Then click the theme you want to apply to your workbook

Select theme-specific or standard color

s

You can change a theme’s colors, fonts, and graphic effects. If you like the combination you create, you can

save your changes as a new theme that will appear at the top of the themes gallery.

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Formatting as a Table

To make managing and analyzing a group of related data easier, you can turn a rangeof cells into a

Microsoft Office Excel table. A table typically contains related data in a series of worksheetrows and

columns that have been formatted as a table. By using the table features, you can then manage the data in

the table rows and columns independently from the data in other rows and columns on the worksheet.

How to Format as a Table

1. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, click Format as Table, and then select the format that you want

to use.

2. Click the More button and then under Light, Medium, or Dark, click the Table Style you want to

use.

When the Excel window is reduced in size, table styles will be available in the Table Quick Styles

gallery in the Table Styles group.

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3. After you create a table, the Table Tools become available, and a Design tab is displayed. You can use

the tools on the Design tab to customize or edit the table.

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Conditional Formatting

In business, Conditional Formatting is used to help you visually explore and analyze data, detect critical

issues, and identify patterns and trends.

Conditional Formatting helps to answer these questions by making it easy to highlight interesting cells or

ranges of cells, emphasize unusual values, and visualize data by using data bars, color scales, and icon sets.

A conditional format changes the appearance of a cell range based on a condition (or criteria). If the

condition is true, the cell range is formatted based on that condition; if the conditional is false, the cell range

is not formatted based on that condition.

The benefits of conditional formatting

Whenever you analyze data, you often ask yourself questions, such as:

• Where are the exceptions in a summary of profits over the past five years?

• What are the trends in a marketing opinion poll over the past two years?

• Who has sold more than $50,000 dollars this month?

• What is the overall age distribution of employees?

• Which products have greater than 10% revenue increases from year to year?

• Who are the highest performing and lowest performing students in the freshman class?

RULE TYPE DESCRIPTION

Cell value Identify specific numbers, dates, and text in a list of products

Cell value (with formula) Identify a dynamically changed number or text value in a list of products

Top/bottom values

Above/below average

Identify top, bottom, and above average values in a recent book tour report

Top/bottom values Determine who are the top two students in the class

Unique/duplicate Find duplicate rows in a list of customers

Icon set Quickly see revenue status and trends from one quarter to the next

Icon set Compare different product criteria by using a rating scale

Icon set Examine profit trends from month to month

Icon set Identify regional sales below $900,000

Data bars Compare heights of the tallest mountains

3 color scale Examine overall sales distributions in key product categories

Formula-based Shade alternate rows in a range

Formula-based Compare data in a cell outside the conditionally formatted range of cells

Formula-based Shade an entire row where several criteria must be true

Formula-based Shade an entire row if the row is a unique value

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Guidelines

1. Conditional Formatting is basically a format or group of formats.

• If you copy and paste the cell the Conditional Formatting is also there

2. You can have more than one RULE for a cell or range of cells

3. Rules at the top of the list take presence. Meaning which Rule is #1 takes over Rule #2

4. New Rules are added to the top of the list by default. You can change the order of the rules by clicking

the arrow buttons in the Rule Manager

5. If Rules don’t conflict then both Rules will be applies.

• If rules conflict, for example both Rules format the font color, then the preceding rule, (highest

in the list) is applied.

Applying Conditional Formatting

By applying conditional formatting to your data, you can quickly identify variances in a range of values

with a quick glance.

This graphic shows temperature data with conditional formatting that uses a color scale to differentiate high,

medium, and low values. The following procedure uses that data.

1. Select the data that you want to Conditionally Format

2. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, click the arrow next to Conditional Formatting, and then

click Color Scales.

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3. Hover over the Color Scale Icons to see a preview of the data with conditional formatting applied.

In a three-color scale

• The top color represents higher values

• The middle color represents medium values

• The bottom color represents lower values

4. Don’t forget to experiment with the Conditional Formatting

Next steps

After you have applied a style, select your data, click Conditional Formatting on the ribbon, and then click

Manage Rules to manually fine-tune your rules and formatting.

For more detailed information about getting started with conditional formatting, see Add, Change, Find,

Or Clear Conditional Formats.

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What is a Sparkline?

A Sparkline is a small chart that is aligned with rows of some tabular data and usually shows trend

information.

Here is an example of sparklines in a project team status report.

How to create Sparklines in Excel 2010/16

Creating Sparklines in Excel is very easy. You follow 3 very simple steps to get beautiful Sparklines in an

instant.

1. Select the data from which you want to make a Sparkline.

2. Go to Insert > Sparkline and select the type of Sparkline (you have 3 options – line, column and win-

loss chart)

3. Specify a target cell where you want the sparkline to be placed

4. Optional: Format the sparkline if you want.

Types of Sparklines

There are 3 basic types of Sparklines in Excel. They are,

1. Line chart

2. Column chart

3. Win-loss chart (useful for showing a bunch of wins & losses denoted by

1s and -1s)

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Sparkline Formatting and Options

In Excel 2010/13, you will find a new ribbon called as “Sparklines – Design” ribbon. This is where all the

formatting options for sparklines are included. Some of the key formatting / customizations you can do are,

• Change the sparkline type

• Change the source data / target cells of sparkline

• Set different colors for first point, last point, highest & lowest points (applicable for column and line

chart types)

• Set axis options (show / hide axis, set min and max value for vertical axis, set axis type to date axis etc.)

• Group / un-group a bunch of sparklines (you can change formatting options, axis settings en-masse

when you group sparklines)

• Remove sparklines

Sparklines & Missing Data

• If the sparkline source data contains non-numeric data, they are

neglected while plotting the sparklines.

• If data has some #NA values, they are neglected

• If data has blanks, sparkline shows blanks too

• If data has zeros, zero value is plotted

• If data has some hidden rows / columns, the values are

neglected

o Unless you enable “Show data in hidden cells” option

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Sparklines in Tables & Pivot Tables

You can add sparklines to tables and pivot tables too. Adding them to pivot tables is a bit tricky (I will write

about that when I master the trick) but adding sparklines to tables is fairly straightforward and scales nicely.

Sparkline Tips & Tricks

Here is a bunch of quick tips & tricks for those of you starting on sparklines.

• You can auto-fill sparklines. Select the first set of values and add a sparkline. Now copy and past

sparklines to auto-fill them based on data in adjacent cells.

• When you adjust row-height or column-width of the cell containing sparkline, the size of sparkline

changes too.

• Juxtapose sparklines with conditional formatting icons to create stunning charts and dashboards.

• If you want to copy a sparkline over to a ppt or document, you can use “copy as picture” option.

• The sparklines feature is disabled whenever you open a workbook in “compatibility mode”.

Sparklines vs. Conditional Formatting

In Excel, MS introduced a bunch of useful Conditional Formatting options like icons, heat maps that

effectively create small visualizations of underlying data. These features are further improved in Excel

2010/13. While conditional formatting based visualizations are easy to implement and scale very well, there

are only few options (a bunch of traffic lights, data bars etc.). This could leave you high and dry if you are

looking for rich visualization options. these new features require the actual data to be present in underlying

cells (which is a head-ache).

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Sorting Instructions

1. With the document open highlight the table, including the column titles.

2. From the Home Tab > Editing group click Sort & Filter command button. Click the "Sort by" drop-

down menu and choose the column that you wish to organize your data by.

3. Click the Sort On drop-down menu if you want to change this feature. "Values" will sort the data by

values, but you can also sort by "Cell Color," "Font Color" and "Cell Icon."

4. Click the "Order" drop-down menu and select the ordering for your document.

a. The phrasing for the type of ordering will change depending on data type. With numerical data it

will show "Largest to Smallest" and "Smallest to Largest," and with qualitative data it will show

"A to Z" and "Z to A."

5. Click OK to sort your data.

Custom Sorting Instructions

1. On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click Sort & Filter, and then click Custom Sort.

2. The Sort dialog box is displayed. (see below)

3. Make sure the “My data has headers” check mark is chosen.

4. Under Column, in the Sort by or Then by box, select the column that you want to sort by a custom list.

5. If necessary, under Order, select Custom List.

6. In the Custom Lists dialog box, select the list that you want.

7. Click OK.

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Filtering Instructions

1. Open the worksheet that you want to filter data from.

2. Click inside the data

3. On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click Sort & Filter

4. Then click the Filter button.

Each column in the worksheet now has a drop-down menu indicated by a button with a down-

facing arrow.

5. Click the button at the top of the column that you want to filter data from.

A drop-down menu appears containing all of the different values contained within the column.

Each value has a box with a check mark in it.

6. Remove the check from next to each value that you do not want to be displayed.

When this feature is used, rows containing the data that you filtered out will be hidden.

Alternatively, click Select All to remove the check from next to every value, then place a check

in the box next to each value that you want to be displayed.

7. Click OK.

The filter takes effect immediately.

Filter data by specifying conditions By specifying conditions, you can create custom filters that narrow down the data in the exact way that you

want. You do this by building a filter. If you've ever queried data in a database, this will look familiar to

you. You may then filter records with operators like > (greater then), < (less than), and = (equal to).

1. Point to either Number Filters or Text Filters in the list. A menu appears that allows you to filter

on various conditions.

2. Choose a condition and then select or enter criteria. Click the And button to combine criteria (that

is, two or more criteria that must both be met), and the Or button to require only one of multiple

conditions to be met.

3. Click OK to apply the filter and get the results you expect.

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Create a drop-down list

You can make a worksheet more efficient by providing drop-down lists. Someone using your worksheet clicks

an arrow, and then clicks an entry in the list.

1. On a new worksheet, type the entries that you want to appear in your drop-down list. The entries should

be in a single column or row without any blank cells, like this:

Tip Now is a good time to Sort our data in the order you want it to appear in your drop-down list.

2. Select all of your entries, right-click, and then click Define Name.

3. In the Name box, type a name for your entries, for example, ValidDepts, and then click OK. Be sure

your name doesn’t have any spaces in it. This name won’t show up in your list, but you need to name it

so you can link it to your drop-down list.

4. Click in the cell in the worksheet where you want the drop-down list.

5. Click Data >Data Validation.

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Tips Can’t click Data Validation? Here are a few reasons why that might happen.

o Drop-down lists can’t be added to tables that are linked to a SharePoint site. Unlink the table or

remove the table formatting, and then try step 5 again.

o The worksheet might be protected or shared. Remove the protection or stop sharing the

worksheet, and then try step 5 again.

6. On the Settings tab, in the Allow box, click List.

7. In the Source box, type and equal sign (=), immediately followed by the name you gave your list in step

3. For example, =ValidDepts.

8. Check the In-cell dropdown box.

9. If it’s OK for people to leave the cell empty, check the Ignore blank box.

10. Click the Input Message tab.

11. If you want a message to pop up when the cell is clicked, check the Show input message when cell is

selected box, and type a title and message in the boxes (up to 225 characters). If you don’t want a

message to show up, clear the check box.

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12. Click the Error Alert tab.

13. Check the Show error alert after invalid data is entered box, pick an option from the Style box, and

type a title and message. If you don’t want a message to show up, clear the check box.

Not sure which option to pick in the Style box?

o To show a message that doesn’t stop people from entering data that isn’t in the drop-down list,

click Information or Warning. Information will show a message with this icon and Warning

will show a message with this icon .

o To stop people from entering data that isn’t in the drop-down list, click Stop.

Note If you don't add a title or text, the title defaults to "Microsoft Excel" and the message to:

"The value you entered is not valid. A user has restricted values that can be entered into this

cell."

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COUNTIF Function

Use COUNTIF, one of the statistical functions, to count the number of cells that meet a criterion; for example, to count

the number of times a particular city appears in a customer list.

Syntax: COUNTIF(range, criteria)

For example:

• =COUNTIF(A2:A5,"apples")

• =COUNTIF(A2:A5,A4)

Argument name Description

range (required)

The group of cells you want to count. Range can contain numbers, arrays, or references that contain

numbers. Blank and text values are ignored.

Learn how to select ranges in a worksheet.

criteria (required)

A number, expression, cell reference, or text string that determines which cells will be counted.

For example, you can use a number like 32, a comparison like ">32", a cell like B4, or a word like

"apples".

COUNTIF uses only a single criteria. Use COUNTIFS if you want to use multiple criteria.

Examples To use these examples in Excel, copy the data in the table below, and paste it in cell A1 of a new worksheet.

Formula Description

=COUNTIF(A2:A5,"apples") Counts the number of cells with apples in cells A2 through A5.

The result is 2.

=COUNTIF(A2:A5,A4) Counts the number of cells with peaches (using criterion in A4) in

cells A2 through A5. The result is 1.

=COUNTIF(A2:A5,A3)+COUNTIF(A2:A5,A2)

Counts the number with oranges (using criterion in A3) and

apples (using criterion in A2) in cells A2 through A5. The result is

3.

=COUNTIF(B2:B5,">55") Counts the number of cells with a value greater than 55 in cells

B2 through B5. The result is 2.

=COUNTIF(B2:B5,"<>"&B4)

Counts the number of cells with a value not equal to 75 in cells B2

through B5. The ampersand (&) merges the comparison operator

for not equal to (<>) and the value in B4 to read

=COUNTIF(B2:B5,"<>75"). The result is 3.

=COUNTIF(B2:B5,">=32")-

COUNTIF(B2:B5,">85")

Counts the number of cells with a value greater than (>) or equal

to (=) 32 and less than (<) or equal to (=) 85 in cells B2 through

B5. The result is 3.

=COUNTIF(A2:A5,"*")

Counts the number of cells containing any text in cells A2 through

A5. The asterisk (*) is used as the wildcard character to match any

character. The result is 4.

=COUNTIF(A2:A5,"?????es") Counts the number of cells that have exactly 7 characters that end

with the letters "es" in cells A2 through A5. The question mark (?)

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is used as the wildcard character to match individual characters.

The result is 2.

How to Create and Change Charts

For most charts, such as column and bar charts, you can plot the data that you arrange in rows or columns

on a worksheet into a chart. However, some chart types (such as pie and bubble charts) require a specific

data arrangement.

1. On the worksheet, arrange the data that you want to plot in a chart.

2. Select the cells that contain the data that you want to use for the chart.

3. On the Insert tab, in the Charts group, do one of the following:

▪ Click the chart type, and then click a chart subtype that you want to use.

▪ To see all available chart types, click to launch the Insert Chart dialog box, and then click

the arrows to scroll through the chart types.

4. By default, the chart is placed on the worksheet as an embedded chart. If you want to place the chart

in a separate chart sheet, you can change its location by doing the following:

• Click anywhere in the embedded chart to activate it. This displays the Chart

Tools, adding the Design, Layout, and Format tabs.

• On the Design tab, in the Location group, click Move Chart.

• Under Choose where you want the chart to be placed, do one of the

following:

▪ To display the chart in a chart sheet, click New sheet.

▪ To display the chart as an embedded chart in a worksheet, click Object in, and then

click a worksheet in the Object in box.

Change the layout or style of a chart

After you create a chart, you can instantly change its look. Instead of manually adding or changing chart

elements or formatting the chart, you can quickly apply a predefined layout and style to your chart. Excel

provides a variety of useful predefined layouts and styles (or quick layouts and quick styles) that you can

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select from, but you can customize a layout or style as needed by manually changing the layout and format

of individual chart elements.

Apply a Predefined Chart Layout

1. Click anywhere in the chart that you want to format by using a predefined chart layout.

This displays the Chart Tools, adding the Design, Layout, and Format tabs.

2. On the Design tab, in the Chart Layouts group, click the chart layout that you want to use.

To see all available layouts, click More .

Apply a Predefined Chart Style

1. Click anywhere in the chart that you want to format by using a predefined chart style.

This displays the Chart Tools, adding the Design, Layout, and Format tabs.

2. On the Design tab, in the Chart Styles group, click the chart style that you want to use.

To see all predefined chart styles, click More .

Change the Layout of Chart Elements Manually

1. Click the chart element for which you want to change the layout, or do the following to select it

from a list of chart elements.

1. Click anywhere in the chart to display the Chart Tools.

2. On the Format tab, in the Current Selection group, click the arrow in the Chart Elements

box, and then click the chart element that you want.

2. On the Layout tab, in the Labels, Axes, or Background group, click the chart element button that

corresponds with the chart element that you selected, and then click the layout option that you want.

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Add or Remove Titles or Data Labels To make a chart easier to understand, you can add titles, such as a chart title and axis titles. Axis titles are

typically available for all axes that can be displayed in a chart, including depth axes in 3-D charts. Some

chart types have axes, but they cannot display axis titles. Chart types that do not have axes cannot display

axis titles either.

To quickly identify a data series in a chart, you can add data labels to the data points of the chart. By

default, the data labels are linked to values on the worksheet, and they update automatically when changes

are made to these values.

Add a Chart Title

1. Click anywhere in the chart to which you want to add a title.

This displays the Chart Tools, adding the Design, Layout, and Format tabs.

2. On the Layout tab, in the Labels group, click Chart Title.

3. Click Centered Overlay Title or Above Chart.

4. In the Chart Title text box that appears in the chart, type the text that you want.

5. To format the text, select it, and then click the formatting options that you want on the Mini

toolbar.

Add Axis Titles

1. Click anywhere in the chart to which you want to add axis titles.

This displays the Chart Tools, adding the Design, Layout, and Format tabs.

2. On the Layout tab, in the Labels group, click Axis Titles.

3. Do one or more of the following:

▪ To add a title to a primary horizontal (category) axis, click Primary Horizontal Axis Title,

and then click the option that you want.

▪ To add a title to primary vertical (value) axis, click Primary Vertical Axis Title, and then

click the option that you want.

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▪ To add a title to a depth (series) axis, click Depth Axis Title, and then click the option that you

want.

4. In the Axis Title text box that appears in the chart, type the text that you want.

5. To format the text, select it, and then click the formatting options that you want on the Mini

toolbar.

Add Data Labels

1. On a chart, do one of the following:

▪ To add a data label to all data points of all data series, click the chart area

▪ To add a data label to all data points of a data series, click anywhere in the data series that you

want to label.

▪ To add a data label to a single data point in a data series, click the data series that contains the

data point that you want to label, and then click the data point that you want to label.

This displays the Chart Tools, adding the Design, Layout, and Format tabs.

2. On the Layout tab, in the Labels group, click Data Labels, and then click the display option that

you want.

Remove Titles or Data Labels From A Chart

1. Click the chart.

This displays the Chart Tools, adding the Design, Layout, and Format tabs.

2. On the Layout tab, in the Labels group, do one of the following:

▪ To remove a chart title, click Chart Title, and then click None.

▪ To remove an axis title, click Axis Title, click the type of axis

title that you want to remove, and then click None.

▪ To remove data labels, click Data Labels, and then click None.

Show or hide a legend

When you create a chart, the legend appears, but you can hide the legend or change its location after you

create the chart.

1. Click the chart in which you want to show or hide a legend.

This displays the Chart Tools, adding the Design, Layout, and

Format tabs.

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2. On the Layout tab, in the Labels group, click Legend.

3. Do one of the following:

▪ To hide the legend, click None.

▪ To display a legend, click the display option that you want.

▪ For additional options, click More Legend Options, and then select the display option that

you want.

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What is a PivotTable report

A PivotTable report is an interactive way to quickly summarize large amounts of data. Use a PivotTable

report to analyze numerical data in detail and to answer unanticipated questions about your data. A

PivotTable report is especially designed for:

• Querying large amounts of data in many user-friendly ways.

• Subtotaling and aggregating numeric data, summarizing data by categories and subcategories, and

creating custom calculations and formulas.

• Expanding and collapsing levels of data to focus your results, and drilling down to details from the

summary data for areas of interest to you.

• Moving rows to columns or columns to rows (or "pivoting") to see different summaries of the source

data.

• Filtering, sorting, grouping, and conditionally formatting the most useful and interesting subset of data

to enable you to focus on the information that you want.

• Presenting concise, attractive, and annotated online or printed reports.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when you're building a pivot table

report:

• Always organize your data into columns with headers.

• Drag fields to other categories to change your data analysis quickly and easily.

• You can create multiple pivot table reports from the same set of data.

o Simply go back to the data source and create a new pivot table report. It will create a new pivot

table report on a separate sheet.

Source data, in this case, from a worksheet

The source values for Qtr3 Golf summary in the

PivotTable report

The entire PivotTable report

The summary of the source values in C2 and C8 from

the source data

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Instructions for creating a PivotTable from worksheet data

When you create a PivotTable report from worksheet data, that data becomes the source data for the

PivotTable report.

1. Do one of the following:

• To use worksheet data as the data source, click a cell in the range of cells that contains the data.

• To use data in an Excel table as the data source, click a cell inside the Excel table.

Make sure that the range has column headings or that headers are displayed in the table, and that

there are no blank rows in the range or table.

2. On the Insert tab, in the Tables group, click PivotTable, or click the arrow below PivotTable, and then

click PivotTable.

Excel displays the Create PivotTable dialog box.

To create a PivotTable and PivotChart report at the same time, on the Insert tab, in the Tables

group, click the arrow below PivotTable, and then click PivotChart. Excel displays the Create

PivotTable with PivotChart dialog box.

3. Under Choose the data that you want to analyze, make sure that Select a table or range is selected, and

then in the Table/Range box, verify the range of cells that you want to use as the underlying data.

You can also click Collapse Dialog to temporarily hide the dialog box, select the range on

the worksheet, and then click Expand Dialog .

4. Under Choose where you want the PivotTable report to be placed, specify a location by doing one of

the following:

• To place the PivotTable report in a new worksheet starting at cell A1, click New Worksheet.

• To place the PivotTable report in an existing worksheet, select Existing Worksheet, and then in the

Location box, specify the first cell in the range of cells where you want to position the PivotTable

report.

5. Click OK.

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Excel adds an empty PivotTable report to the specified location and displays the PivotTable Field

List so that you can add fields, create a layout, and customize the PivotTable report.

If you create a PivotChart report at the same time that you create a PivotTable report, Excel

displays the chart on top of the associated PivotTable report. A PivotChart report and its associated

PivotTable report must always be in the same workbook.

6. To add fields to the report, do one or more of the following:

• To place a field in the default area of the layout section, select the check box next to the field name

in the field section.

• To place a field in a specific area of the layout section, right-click the field name in the field section,

and then select Add to Report Filter, Add to Column Label, Add to Row Label, or Add to

Values.

• To drag a field to the area that you want, click and hold the field name in the field section, and then

drag it to an area in the layout section.

Delete a PivotTable report

1. Click anywhere in the PivotTable report that you want to delete.

This displays the PivotTable Tools, adding the Options and Design tabs.

2. On the Options tab, in the Actions group, click the arrow below Select, and then click Entire PivotTable.

3. Press Delete.

Deleting a PivotTable report that is associated with a PivotChart report turns that PivotChart report

into a standard chart that you can no longer pivot or update.

Delete a PivotChart report

1. Click anywhere in the PivotChart that you want to delete.

2. Press Delete.

Deleting a PivotChart report does not delete the associated PivotTable report.

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Analyze your data instantly

It used to take a bit of work to analyze your data, but now it only takes a few steps. You can instantly create

different types of charts, including line and column charts, or add miniature graphs (called sparklines). You

can also apply a table style, create PivotTables, quickly insert totals, and apply conditional formatting.

1. Select the cells that contain the data you want to analyze.

2. Click the Quick Analysis button that appears to the bottom right of your selected data (or press

CRTL + Q).

3. In the Quick Analysis gallery, select a tab you want. For example, choose Charts to see your data in a

chart.

4. Pick an option, or just point to each one to see a preview.

You might notice that the options you can choose from aren’t always the same. That’s because the

options change based on the type of data you have selected in your workbook.

Which analysis feature should I use?

If you’re not sure which analysis option to pick, here’s a quick overview.

Formatting lets you highlight parts of your data by adding things like data bars and colors. This lets you

quickly see high and low values, among other things.

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Charts Excel recommends different charts, based on the type of data you have selected. If you don’t see the

chart you want, click More Charts.

Totals let you calculate the numbers in columns and rows. For example, Running Total inserts a total that

grows as you add items to your data. Click the little black arrows on the right and left to see additional options.

Tables make it easy to filter and sort your data. If you don’t see the table style you want, click More.

Sparklines are like tiny graphs that you can show alongside your data. They provide a quick way to see trends.

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How to add Comments to a Cell

The first thing you’ll want to do is click on the cell where you want to insert the comment. In Excel, you can

add comments to a worksheet by going to the Review tab in the ribbon bar.

In the Comments group, click on New Comment. In the Excel spreadsheet a comment text box will appear

where you can type in your new comment.

Type in your comment and click outside of the text box when you are done. You’ll notice that there is a small

red arrow at the top right of the cell, indicating that this cell has a comment. Clicking on the cell automatically

brings up the comment.

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Using the VLookup Function

The Vlookup Function is a prewritten formula that takes a value or values, performs an operation, and returns a

value or values. It is used to simplify and shorten formulas on a worksheet, especially those that perform

lengthy or complex calculations. Yu can use the VLOOKUP Function to search the first column of a range of

cells, and then return a value from any cell on the same row of the range. The V in VLOOKUP stands for

vertical.

Syntax

VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])

The VLOOKUP function syntax has the following arguments:

• lookup_value Required. The value to search in the first column of the table or range. The lookup_value

argument can be a value or a reference. If the value you supply for the lookup_value argument is smaller

than the smallest value in the first column of the table_array argument, VLOOKUP returns the #N/A error

value.

• table_array Required. The range of cells that contains the data. You can use a reference to a range (for

example, A2:D8), or a range name. The values in the first column of table_array are the values searched by

lookup_value. These values can be text, numbers, or logical values. Uppercase and lowercase text are

equivalent.

• col_index_num - The column number in the table_array argument from which the matching value must be

returned.

A col_index_num argument of 1 returns the value in the first column in table_array; a col_index_num of

2 returns the value in the second column in table_array, and so on.

• range_lookup Optional. A logical value that specifies whether you want VLOOKUP to find an exact

match or an approximate match:

• If range_lookup is either TRUE or is omitted, an exact or approximate match is returned. If an exact

match is not found, the next largest value that is less than lookup_value is returned.

IMPORTANT If range_lookup is either TRUE or is omitted, the values in the first column of

table_array must be placed in ascending sort order; otherwise, VLOOKUP might not return the

correct value.

If range_lookup is FALSE, the values in the first column of table_array do not need to be sorted.

• If the range_lookup argument is FALSE, VLOOKUP will find only an exact match. If there are two or

more values in the first column of table_array that match the lookup_value, the first value found is used.

If an exact match is not found, the error value #N/A is returned.

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Concatenate Formula

Joins several text strings into one text string.

CONCATENATE (text1,text2,...)

Text1, text2, ... are 1 to 30 text items to be joined into a single text item. The text items can be text strings,

numbers, or single-cell references.

Example

The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank worksheet.

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Splitting Data into Multiple Columns

Use the Text to Columns Wizard in Excel when you need to split combined data into separate columns, such as

a first name and last name; or city, state, and zip code. This type of combined data often results when you open

or import files created in another application.

Instructions for Splitting Data

1. First, insert blank columns to the right of the cells you want to convert into multiple columns.

2. If you want your data in three columns, you must have three blank columns.

3. Select the entire column/s of cells you want to convert.

4. You can’t split empty cells, and you can’t split merged cells. You must first unmerge the cells.

5. On the Data tab, click the Text to Columns icon.

6. The Convert Text to Columns Wizard window appears.

7. Select the Original Data type that best suits your existing data. If you are not sure leave the default that

Excel chooses.

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8. For example, if you’re separating text that is variable in length such as a first name and last name, select

Delimited. The option you see next depends on which data type you selected in the previous step.

9. Click Next

10. If you selected Delimited, enter the character you use to separate your text. NOTE: If you text is separated

by comma, then put a check in the Comma box. If is separated by a space then put a check in the Space

box. The Data preview shows changes.

11. If you selected Fixed Width, click the ruler bar where you want the data to split.

12. Click Finish.

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Subtotaling in Microsoft Excel

You can use Excel the Subtotals feature to subtotal data in a sorted list. To subtotal a list, you first sort the list

on the field for which you want the subtotals, and then you designate the field that contains the values you want

summed — these don’t have to be the same fields in the list.

First you will need to sort the data so that the items to be subtotaled are grouped together.

• Subtotals are calculated with a summary function, such as Sum or Average, by using the SUBTOTAL

function. What makes Subtotals useful for most businesses it because you can display more than one

type of summary function for each column.

• Grand totals are derived from detail data, not from the values in the subtotals. For example, if you use

the Average summary function, the grand total row displays an average of all detail rows in the list, not

an average of the values in the subtotal rows.

Follow these steps to add subtotals to a list in a worksheet:

1. Sort the list on the field for which you want subtotals inserted.

2. Click the Subtotal button in the Outline group on the Data tab.

The Subtotal dialog box appears.

Use the Subtotal dialog box to specify the options for the subtotals.

3. Select the field for which the subtotals are to be calculated in the At Each Change In drop-down list.

4. Specify the type of totals you want to insert in the Use Function drop-down list.

When you use the Subtotals feature, you aren’t restricted to having the values in the designated field

added together with the SUM function. You can instead have Excel return the number of entries with the

COUNT function, the average of the entries with the AVERAGE function, the highest entry with the

MAX function, the lowest entry with the MIN function, or even the product of the entries with the

PRODUCT function.

5. Select the check boxes for the field(s) you want to total in the Add Subtotal To list box.

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6. Click OK.

Excel adds the subtotals to the worksheet.

The bottom of a list showing the subtotals and a grand total.

When you use the Subtotals command, Excel outlines the data at the same time that it adds the rows with the

departmental salary totals and the grand total. This means that you can collapse the data list down to just its

departmental subtotal rows or even just the grand total row simply by collapsing the outline down to the second

or first level.

In a large list, you may want Excel to insert page breaks every time data changes in the field on which the

list is being subtotaled (that is, the field designated in the At Each Change In drop-down list box). To do this,

you simply select the Page Break between Groups check box in the Subtotal dialog box before you click OK

to subtotal the list.

Click on each number (1, 2, or 3) to

see how it changes your data

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How to Protect Cell Data

After you finalize an Excel worksheet by reviewing formulas and proofing text, you should consider protecting

cells in the worksheet to guard against any unplanned changes. Each cell in the worksheet can be locked or

unlocked. By default, Excel locks all the cells in a protected worksheet and then you can specify which cells

you want to unlock for editing (if any).

Protecting cells

Follow these steps to protect cells in the worksheet:

1. Click the Protect Sheet command button in the Changes group on the Review tab.

Excel opens the Protect Sheet dialog box, where you select the options you want to be available when the

worksheet protection is enabled. By default, Excel selects the Protect Worksheet and Contents of Locked

Cells check box.

Select protection settings in the Protect Sheet dialog box.

2. (Optional) Select any of the check boxes in the Allow All Users of This Worksheet To list box (such

as Format Cells or Insert Columns) that you still want to be functional when the worksheet

protection is operational.

The Select Locked Cells and Select Unlocked Cells check boxes are selected by default, but you can

deselect either or both of these options if you prefer.

3. If you want to assign a password that must be supplied before you can remove the protection from

the worksheet, type the password in the Password to Unprotect Sheet text box.

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4. Click OK.

If you typed a password in Step 3, Excel opens the Confirm Password dialog box. Re-enter the password

exactly as you typed it previously and then click OK. Notice that if you try to edit a cell, Excel displays an

error message.

To remove worksheet protection, click the Unprotect Sheet button in the Changes group on the Review tab.

You'll be prompted to type the password if you previously set one.

Unlocking cells

Usually, your intention in protecting cells is not to prevent all changes but to prevent changes in certain areas of

the worksheet. For example, in a budget worksheet, you may want to allow changes only in the cells where you

enter the budgeted amounts. That way, you can't inadvertently wipe out a title or formula in the worksheet by

entering a value in the wrong column or row.

To unlock cells in a worksheet, follow these steps:

1. If the worksheet is protected, click the Unprotect Sheet button in the Changes group on the Review

tab (type the password, if prompted).

2. Select the cells you want to unlock.

These are the cells you want to allow users to edit when the worksheet is protected.

3. Press Ctrl+1 to open the Format Cells dialog box and click the Protection tab.

Use the Protection tab in the Format Cells dialog box to unlock cells.

4. Click the Locked check box on the Protection tab to remove its check mark.

5. Protect the worksheet (refer to the previous section).

All cells in the worksheet are now protected except the cells you unlocked.

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Recording a Macro

When you record a macro, Excel stores information about each step you take as you perform a series of

commands. You then, run the macro to repeat, or “play back” the commands.

✓ Before you can start, you have to enable the Developer tab, do the following to display it:

✓ Click the File Tab, and then click Excel Options.

✓ In the Popular category, under Top options for working with Excel, select the Show Developer

tab in the Ribbon check box, and then click OK.

• To set the security level temporarily to enable all macros, do the following: On the

Developer tab, in the Code group, click Macro Security.

• Under Macro Settings, click Enable all macros (not recommended, potentially

dangerous code can run), and then click OK.