Microsoft Microsoft ExcelExcel

Today’s TopicsToday’s Topics• Overview of the Excel Screen

• The Excel Menus: File, Edit, View, Insert, Format, Tools, Data, Window, Help

• Entering Formulas and Data

• Formatting Cells and Pages

• Creating Charts

• Printing

• Keyboard Shortcuts

• A Few Activities

Excel is a computer program used to create spreadsheets. Within Excel, users can organize and display data and text, create tables and charts, and perform many calculations.

Excel’s greatest attribute is its ability to quickly perform a variety of functions to very large data sets (sorting, adding,

averaging, graphing, etc.). Excel operates like other Microsoft (MS) Office programs and you will find that it has many of the same functions and shortcuts of other MS

programs, for example Microsoft Word.

Introduction to ExcelIntroduction to Excel

Educators can easily use spreadsheets to:

• Record, average, manipulate, graph, analyze, and print students’ scores and grades.

• Gather data for classroom projects, or from classroom experiments.

• Create your own worksheets and handouts.

• Log information over time.

Using Excel in the ClassroomUsing Excel in the Classroom

First Some Examples…First Some Examples…

Excel has so many features that it is impossible to cover them all in this short session.

Beyond the basics, I hope that you will leave this session with a better understanding of navigating Excel’s menus and help features.

It is not important that you remember exactly how to do something, but rather be able to find it in the menus. I hope to show you Excel’s top features, and where to find them.

Today’s GoalToday’s Goal

Overview of the Excel ScreenOverview of the Excel Screen• Microsoft Excel consists of workbooks. Within each workbook, there is an infinite number of worksheets. • Each worksheet contains columns and rows. • Where a column and a row intersect is called the cell. For example, cell B6 is located where column B and row 6 meet. You enter your data into the cells on the worksheet.

• The tabs at the bottom of the screen represent different worksheets within a workbook. You can use the scrolling buttons on the left to bring other worksheets into view.

Overview of the Excel ScreenOverview of the Excel Screen

• The Name Box indicates what cell you are in. This cell is

called the “active cell.” This cell is highlighted by a yellow box.

• The Formula Bar (“fx”) indicates the contents of the cell selected. If you have created a formula, then the formula will

appear in this space.

File MenuFile Menu

• When first opening Excel, a worksheet will automatically appear. However, if you desire to open a file that you previously worked on go to the “File” option located in the top left corner. Select “Open”.

• To create a new worksheet go to the “File” option and select “New Workbook”.

• To close an existing worksheet go to the “File” option and select “Close”.

• To save the work created go to the “File” option and select “Save”. (or use the Save shortcut button)

• All Printing options are also located in the “File” menu.

Edit MenuEdit MenuAmong the many functions, the Edit Menu allows you to make changes to any data that was entered. You can:

• Undo mistakes. (Excel allows you to undo up to the last 16 moves you made.)

• Cut, copy, or paste information.

• Clear and Delete data.

• Find and Replace information.

View MenuView MenuIn this menu you can…

•Change the Page Layout.

•Customize the Toolbars that you see.

•Insert Headers and Footers.

•Change the size of the viewable screen.

Insert MenuInsert Menu

The Insert Menu allows you to:

•Add new cells, rows, and columns to an existing worksheet.

•Insert charts, pictures, movies, and objects onto your worksheet.

Format MenuFormat Menu

You can change the colors, borders, sizes, alignment,

and font of a certain cell by going to the “Cell” option in the

Format Menu.

Tools MenuTools Menu

“Spelling…” is likely the only function you’ll ever

need to use from this menu.

(note that spell checker is not done automatically like

in MS Word)

Data MenuData Menu

The “Sort” feature in the Data menu may be the single most

useful function of Excel.

“Text to Columns…” is used when you input students’ grades from Schoolbook.

Windows MenuWindows Menu

You will mainly use this menu to toggle between multiple workbooks that

you have open.

Help MenuHelp Menu

• The Help Menu is used to search for answers to common Excel questions. (this is only somewhat useful, but a good place to start)

• Another great option is to “Google” your questions and/or search for example workbooks.

• Don’t be afraid to ask me or another colleague if you need help!

Using Excel with SchoolbookUsing Excel with Schoolbook

Entering FormulasEntering FormulasWhen entering numerical data, you can command Excel to do nearly any mathematical function.

Important!!: Every formula starts with an equal sign (=).

ADDITION FORMULAS:

To add cells together use the “+” sign.

To sum up a series of cells, highlight the cells, then click the auto sum button. The answer will appear at the bottom of the highlighted box.

Entering FormulasEntering FormulasSUBTRACTION

FORMULAS:•To subtract cells, use the “-”

sign.

DIVISION FORMULAS:•To divide cells, use the “/”

sign.

MULTIPLICATION FORMULAS:

•To multiply cells, use the “*” sign.

ACTIVITYACTIVITYYou’re paid 1 penny on the first day of January, and your pay doubles every day afterward.

On which day of the year will you begin earning more than $1,000,000 per day?

At that point, what is your total pay for the year?

Tips for Editing DataTips for Editing Data

To highlight a series of cells click and drag the mouse over

the desired area.To move a highlighted area,

click on the border of the box and drag the box to the desired

location.You can sort data

(alphabetically, numerically, etc). By highlighting cells then pressing the sort shortcut key.

Tips for Editing DataTips for Editing Data

•You can Cut and Paste cells to move data around.

•To update your worksheets, you can use the Find and Replace action (under the

Edit Menu).•The “Undo” shortcut button

will be your best friend as you learn Excel.

The FormattingThe FormattingPalettePalette

99% of the formatting options you will ever need to use can be found in the Formatting Palette.

If the Formatting Palette is not visible, access it through the “View” Menu, or hit the “Toolbox”

shortcut button.

Nothing is worse than an Excel spreadsheet with a bunch of fancy math and exactly zero thought

put into how it looks.

The Formatting The Formatting Palette (cont’d)Palette (cont’d)

You can also quickly change borders, colors, page layout options, and printing

options using the Formatting Palette.

Creating ChartsCreating Charts

With the Excel program you can create and display Charts via the “Insert” menu.

Step 1 : Highlight the data that you wish to be included in the chart or graph. Step 2 : Choose a chart type.

PrintingPrinting

When printing a worksheet you have a few options:

Select “Print…” from the File menu.

Use the Print Button.

Use the Formatting Palette.

Printing (cont’d)Printing (cont’d)

You can preview your printing job by selecting

“Preview.”

Printing (cont’d)Printing (cont’d)

Use “Page Setup…” to change the features of your work (the layout, margins,

the paper size, header/footer, etc.).

Most of these features can also be found in the Formatting Palette.

Keyboard ShortcutsKeyboard ShortcutsHere are some basic keyboard shortcuts:

• Shift + arrow key = highlight information

• Control C = Copy Information (“ C” also works)⌘

• Control X = Cut Information (or “ X”)⌘

• Control V = Paste Information (or “ V”)⌘

• Control U = Underline (or “ U”)⌘

• Control I = Italicize (or “ I”)⌘

• Control B = Bold (or “ B”)⌘

• Control P = Print (or “ P”)⌘

• There are hundreds more. Go to the Help menu and type “Keyboard Shortcuts” for a full list.

Hopefully you’re still awake Hopefully you’re still awake and not overwhelmed!and not overwhelmed!

FINAL ACTIVITYFINAL ACTIVITYCreate a payroll worksheet for 4 employees. Include a column for their name, their hourly rate of pay, and a column for their number of hours per week. Using

formulas, have Excel calculate each employee’s weekly, monthly (4.3 weeks), and annual pay. You should be

able to change the pay rate or number of hours and see the other columns update automatically. If time, add a title, some color, graphics, clip-art, etc. Then plot the

data using the graph-type of your choice, and include the graph in your worksheet.