Step 1 - Launch Excel -
Automatically a workbook opens. An Excel workbook is made of
several sheets. Unless you have changed the default setting you
will have three sheets.
Step 2 - Changing the name of the
worksheets - Each sheet is a full spreadsheet. Having a
workbook with multiple sheets allows you to easily establish
relationships from one sheet to another.
The name of the sheet may be changed.
Double-click the name of the sheet in the tab at the bottom, and
type the new name.
Step 3 - Inserting additional worksheets
- If you need additional worksheets, go to the
Insert menu and select Worksheet. It will be placed
before the selected sheet.
You may also insert a worksheet by
right-clicking on the name of the sheet in the tab and selecting
Insert... (Macintosh users, Hold down the Ctrl key while clicking.
If you want more information on this see a module about teaching
your Mac to right-click.)
As you can see from the graphic above, renaming
the worksheet can also be accomplished by right-clicking the tab
containing sheet names.
Step 4 - Cells - Rectangles in a
spreadsheet are called a cell. Cells are designated by the column
and row in which it is located. By default, the top left cell, A1,
is highlighted.
Try the following ways to move
from cell to cell:
- Hit the Return/Enter key to move
down to the row below
- Hold down the Shift key, then hit
the Return/Enter key to move up to the row
above
- Hit the Tab key to move over to the
column to the right
- Hold down the Shift key, hit the
Tab key to move back to the column to the
left
- Move the cursor to any cell and click
there
- Use the arrow keys to move up, down, left,
or right.
Step 5 - Recognizing
cursor styles - There are four common cursor styles used in
Excel.
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Click and drag to highlight multiple
cells with this cursor, or click in a cell to select the
single cell
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Click and drag with this cursor to
fill cell contents into cells below or to the
right.
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Click and drag the contents of the
selected cell to any other cell.
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Click to place the cursor into the
Formula bar so that you can edit an equation or
function.
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Step 6 - Entering data - Move to the
cell where you want to enter data and enter words or numbers. If
data is already in the cell it will be replaced without having to
cut or delete the previous data.
Next module: Worksheet Basics - Entering
and editing data
