Lab 8: Microsoft Excel Part 1

Objective
This lab is about the different basic features of Microsoft Excel.

Description

Microsoft Excel is an electronic spreadsheet. You can use it to organize your data into rows and columns.
You can also use it to perform mathematical calculations quickly. This tutorial teaches Microsoft Excel
basics. Although knowledge of how to navigate in a Windows environment is helpful.

Task 1: Enter Data

In this section, you will learn how to enter data into your worksheet. First, place the cursor in the cell in
which you want to start entering data. Type some data, and then press Enter. If you need to delete,
press the Backspace key to delete one character at a time.

Steps for Task 1

Enter Data

1. Place the cursor in cell A1.

2. Type John Jordan. Do not press Enter at this time.
Delete Data

The Backspace key erases one character at a time.

1. Press the Backspace key until Jordan is erased.

2. Press Enter. The name "John" appears in cell A1.

Task 2: Edit a Cell

After you enter data into a cell, you can edit the data by pressing F2 while you are in the cell you wish to
edit.

Steps for Task 2

Edit a Cell

Change "John" to "Jones."

1. Move to cell A1.

2. Press F2.
 3. Use the Backspace key to delete the "n" and the "h."
4. Type nes.
5. Press Enter.

Alternate Method: Editing a Cell by Using the Formula Bar

You can also edit the cell by using the Formula bar. You change "Jones" to "Joker" in the following
exercise.

1. Move the cursor to cell A1.

2. Click in the formula area of the Formula bar.

3. Use the backspace key to erase the "s," "e," and "n."
4. Type ker.
5. Press Enter.

Alternate Method: Edit a Cell by Double-Clicking in the Cell

You can change "Joker" to "Johnson" as follows:

1. Move to cell A1.

2. Double-click in cell A1.
3. Press the End key. Your cursor is now at the end of your text.

3. Use the Backspace key to erase "r," "e," and "k."

4. Type hnson.
5. Press Enter.

Change a Cell Entry

Typing in a cell replaces the old cell entry with the new information you type.
 1. Move the cursor to cell A1.
2. Type Cathy.
3. Press Enter. The name "Cathy" replaces "Johnson."

Task 3: Wrap Text

When you type text that is too long to fit in the cell, the text overlaps the next cell. If you do not want it
to overlap the next cell, you can wrap the text.

Steps for Task 3

Wrap Text

1. Move to cell A2.

2. Type Text too long to fit.
3. Press Enter.
 4. Return to cell A2.
5. Choose the Home tab.
6. Click the Wrap Text button . Excel wraps the text in the cell.

Task 4: Perform Mathematical Calculations

In Microsoft Excel, you can enter numbers and mathematical formulas into cells. Whether you enter a
number or a formula, you can reference the cell when you perform mathematical calculations such as
addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. When entering a mathematical formula, precede the
formula with an equal sign. Use the following to indicate the type of calculation you wish to perform:

+ Addition

- Subtraction

* Multiplication

/ Division

^ Exponential

In the following exercises, you practice some of the methods you can use to move around a worksheet
and you learn how to perform mathematical calculations. Refer to Lesson 1 to learn more about moving
around a worksheet.

Steps for Task 4

Addition
 1. Type Add in cell A1.
2. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
3. Type 1 in cell A2.
4. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
5. Type 1 in cell A3.
6. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
7. Type =A2+A3 in cell A4.
8. Click the check mark on the Formula bar. Excel adds cell A1 to cell A2 and displays the result in
cell A4. The formula displays on the Formula bar.

Note: Clicking the check mark on the Formula bar is similar to pressing Enter. Excel records your entry
but does not move to the next cell.

Subtraction

1. Press F5. The Go To dialog box appears.

 2. Type B1 in the Reference field.
3. Press Enter. Excel moves to cell B1.

4. Type Subtract.
5. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
6. Type 6 in cell B2.
7. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
8. Type 3 in cell B3.
9. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
10. Type =B2-B3 in cell B4.
11. Click the check mark on the Formula bar. Excel subtracts cell B3 from cell B2 and the result
displays in cell B4. The formula displays on the Formula bar.

Multiplication

1. Hold down the Ctrl key while you press "g" (Ctrl+g). The Go To dialog box appears.
2. Type C1 in the Reference field.
3. Press Enter. Excel moves to cell C1
4. Type Multiply.
5. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
6. Type 2 in cell C2.
7. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
8. Type 3 in cell C3.
9. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
10. Type =C2*C3 in cell C4.
11. Click the check mark on the Formula bar. Excel multiplies C1 by cell C2 and displays the result in
cell C3. The formula displays on the Formula bar.

Division
 1. Press F5.
2. Type D1 in the Reference field.
3. Press Enter. Excel moves to cell D1.
4. Type Divide.
5. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
6. Type 6 in cell D2.
7. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
8. Type 3 in cell D3.
9. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
10. Type =D2/D3 in cell D4.
11. Click the check mark on the Formula bar. Excel divides cell D2 by cell D3 and displays the result
in cell D4. The formula displays on the Formula bar.

When creating formulas, you can reference cells and include numbers. All of the following formulas are
valid:

=A2/B2

=A1+12-B3

=A2*B2+12

=24+53
Task 5: AutoSum

You can use the AutoSum button on the Home tab to automatically add a column or row of numbers.
When you press the AutoSum button , Excel selects the numbers it thinks you want to add. If you
then click the check mark on the Formula bar or press the Enter key, Excel adds the numbers. If Excel's
guess as to which numbers you want to add is wrong, you can select the cells you want.

Steps for Task 5

AutoSum

The following illustrates AutoSum:

1. Go to cell F1.
2. Type 3.
3. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
4. Type 3.
5. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
6. Type 3.
7. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell to cell F4.
8. Choose the Home tab.
9. Click the AutoSum button in the Editing group. Excel selects cells F1 through F3 and enters a
formula in cell F4.

10. Press Enter. Excel adds cells F1 through F3 and displays the result in cell F4.
Task 6: Perform Automatic Calculations

By default, Microsoft Excel recalculates the worksheet as you change cell entries. This makes it easy for
you to correct mistakes and analyze a variety of scenarios.

Steps for Task 6

Automatic Calculation: Make the changes described below and note how Microsoft Excel automatically
recalculates.

1. Move to cell A2.

2. Type 2.
3. Press the right arrow key. Excel changes the result in cell A4. Excel adds cell A2 to cell A3 and the
new result appears in cell A4.
4. Move to cell B2.
5. Type 8.
6. Press the right arrow key.  Excel subtracts cell B3 from cell B3 and the new result appears in cell
B4.
7. Move to cell C2.
8. Type 4.
9. Press the right arrow key. Excel multiplies cell C2 by cell C3 and the new result appears in cell
C4.
10. Move to cell D2.
 11. Type 12.
12. Press the Enter key. Excel divides cell D2 by cell D3 and the new result appears in cell D4.

Task 7: Align Cell Entries

When you type text into a cell, by default your entry aligns with the left side of the cell. When you type
numbers into a cell, by default your entry aligns with the right side of the cell. You can change the cell
alignment. You can center, left-align, or right-align any cell entry. Look at cells A1 to D1. Note that they
are aligned with the left side of the cell.

Steps for Task 7

Center

To center cells A1 to D1:

1. Select cells A1 to D1.

2. Choose the Home tab.
3. Click the Center button in the Alignment group. Excel centers each cell's content.

Left-Align

To left-align cells A1 to D1:

 1. Select cells A1 to D1.
2. Choose the Home tab.
3. Click the Align Text Left button in the Alignment group. Excel left-aligns each cell's content.

Right-Align

To right-align cells A1 to D1:

1. Select cells A1 to D1. Click in cell A1.

2. Choose the Home tab.
3. Click the Align Text Right button. Excel right-aligns the cell's content.
4. Click anywhere on your worksheet to clear the highlighting.

Note: You can also change the alignment of cells with numbers in them by using the alignment buttons.

Task 8: Perform Advanced Mathematical Calculations

When you perform mathematical calculations in Excel, be careful of precedence. Calculations are
performed from left to right, with multiplication and division performed before addition and
subtraction.
Steps for Task 8

Advanced Calculations

1. Move to cell A7.

2. Type =3+3+12/2*4.
3. Press Enter.

Note: Microsoft Excel divides 12 by 2, multiplies the answer by 4, adds 3, and then adds another 3. The
answer, 30, displays in cell A7.

To change the order of calculation, use parentheses. Microsoft Excel calculates the information in
parentheses first.

1. Double-click in cell A7.

2. Edit the cell to read =(3+3+12)/2*4.
3. Press Enter.

Note: Microsoft Excel adds 3 plus 3 plus 12, divides the answer by 2, and then multiplies the result by 4.
The answer, 36, displays in cell A7.

Task 9: Copy, Cut, Paste, and Cell Addressing

In Excel, you can copy data from one area of a worksheet and place the data you copied anywhere in the
same or another worksheet. In other words, after you type information into a worksheet, if you want to
place the same information somewhere else, you do not have to retype the information. You simple
copy it and then paste it in the new location.

You can use Excel's Cut feature to remove information from a worksheet.  Then you can use the Paste
feature to place the information you cut anywhere in the same or another worksheet.    In other words,
you can move information from one place in a worksheet to another place in the same or different
worksheet by using the Cut and Paste features.

Microsoft Excel records cell addresses in formulas in three different ways, called absolute, relative, and
mixed. The way a formula is recorded is important when you copy it. With relative cell addressing, when
you copy a formula from one area of the worksheet to another, Excel records the position of the cell
relative to the cell that originally contained the formula. With absolute cell addressing, when you copy a
formula from one area of the worksheet to another, Excel references the same cells, no matter where
you copy the formula. You can use mixed cell addressing to keep the row constant while the column
changes, or vice versa. The following exercises demonstrate.

Steps for Task 9

Copy, Cut, Paste, and Cell Addressing

1. Move to cell A9.

2. Type 1. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
3. Type 1. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
4. Type 1. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
5. Move to cell B9.
6. Type 2. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
7. Type 2. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.
8. Type 2. Press Enter. Excel moves down one cell.

In addition to typing a formula as you did in Lesson 1, you can also enter formulas by using Point mode.
When you are in Point mode, you can enter a formula either by clicking on a cell or by using the arrow
keys.

1. Move to cell A12.

2. Type =.
3. Use the up arrow key to move to cell A9.
4. Type +.
5. Use the up arrow key to move to cell A10.
6. Type +.
7. Use the up arrow key to move to cell A11.
8. Click the check mark on the Formula bar. Look at the Formula bar. Note that the formula you
entered is displayed there.

Copy with the Ribbon

To copy the formula you just entered, follow these steps:

1. You should be in cell A12.
2. Choose the Home tab.
3. Click the Copy button in the Clipboard group. Excel copies the formula in cell A12.

4. Press the right arrow key once to move to cell B12.

5. Click the Paste button in the Clipboard group. Excel pastes the formula in cell A12 into cell
B12.
6. Press the Esc key to exit the Copy mode.
Compare the formula in cell A12 with the formula in cell B12 (while in the respective cell, look at the
Formula bar). The formulas are the same except that the formula in cell A12 sums the entries in column
A and the formula in cell B12 sums the entries in column B. The formula was copied in a relative fashion.

Before proceeding with the next part of the exercise, you must copy the information in cells A7 to B9 to
cells C7 to D9. This time you will copy by using the Mini toolbar.
Copy with the Mini Toolbar

1. Select cells A9 to B11. Move to cell A9. Press the Shift key. While holding down the Shift key,
press the down arrow key twice. Press the right arrow key once. Excel highlights A9 to B11.
2. Right-click. A context menu and a Mini toolbar appear.
3. Click Copy, which is located on the context menu. Excel copies the information in cells A9 to B11.

4. Move to cell C9.

5. Right-click. A context menu appears.
6. Click Paste. Excel copies the contents of cells A9 to B11 to cells C9 to C11.

7. Press Esc to exit Copy mode.

Absolute Cell Addressing

You make a cell address an absolute cell address by placing a dollar sign in front of the row and column
identifiers. You can do this automatically by using the F4 key. To illustrate:

1. Move to cell C12.

2. Type =.
3. Click cell C9.
4. Press F4. Dollar signs appear before the C and the 9.
5. Type +.
6. Click cell C10.
7. Press F4. Dollar signs appear before the C and the 10.
8. Type +.
9. Click cell C11.
10. Press F4. Dollar signs appear before the C and the 11.
11. Click the check mark on the formula bar. Excel records the formula in cell C12.

Copy and Paste with Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are key combinations that enable you to perform tasks by using the keyboard.
Generally, you press and hold down a key while pressing a letter. For example, Ctrl+c means you should
press and hold down the Ctrl key while pressing "c." This tutorial notates key combinations as follows:

Press Ctrl+c.

Now copy the formula from C12 to D12. This time, copy by using keyboard shortcuts.

1. Move to cell C12.

2. Hold down the Ctrl key while you press "c" (Ctrl+c). Excel copies the contents of cell C12.
3. Press the right arrow once. Excel moves to D12.
4. Hold down the Ctrl key while you press "v" (Ctrl+v). Excel pastes the contents of cell C12 into cell
D12.
5. Press Esc to exit the Copy mode.
Compare the formula in cell C12 with the formula in cell D12 (while in the respective cell, look at the
Formula bar). The formulas are exactly the same. Excel copied the formula from cell C12 to cell D12.
Excel copied the formula in an absolute fashion. Both formulas sum column C.

Task 10: Insert and Delete Columns and Rows

You can insert and delete columns and rows. When you delete a column, you delete everything in the
column from the top of the worksheet to the bottom of the worksheet. When you delete a row, you
delete the entire row from left to right. Inserting a column or row inserts a completely new column or
row.

Steps for Task 10

Insert and Delete Columns and Rows

To delete columns F and G:

1. Click the column F indicator and drag to column G.

2. Click the down arrow next to Delete in the Cells group. A menu appears.
3. Click Delete Sheet Columns. Excel deletes the columns you selected.
4. Click anywhere on the worksheet to remove your selection.
To delete rows 7 through 12:

1. Click the row 7 indicator and drag to row 12.

2. Click the down arrow next to Delete in the Cells group. A menu appears.
3. Click Delete Sheet Rows. Excel deletes the rows you selected.
4. Click anywhere on the worksheet to remove your selection.

To insert a column:

1. Click on A to select column A.

2. Click the down arrow next to Insert in the Cells group. A menu appears.
3. Click Insert Sheet Columns. Excel inserts a new column.
4. Click anywhere on the worksheet to remove your selection.

To insert rows:

1. Click on 1 and then drag down to 2 to select rows 1 and 2.

2. Click the down arrow next to Insert in the Cells group. A menu appears.
3. Click Insert Sheet Rows. Excel inserts two new rows.
4. Click anywhere on the worksheet to remove your selection.

Your worksheet should look like the one shown here.

Task 11: Create Borders

You can use borders to make entries in your Excel worksheet stand out. You can choose from several
types of borders. When you press the down arrow next to the Border button , a menu appears. By
making the proper selection from the menu, you can place a border on the top, bottom, left, or right
side of the selected cells; on all sides; or around the outside border. You can have a thick outside border
or a border with a single-line top and a double-line bottom. Accountants usually place a single underline
above a final number and a double underline below. The following illustrates:

Steps for Task 11

Create Borders

1. Select cells B6 to E6.

2. Choose the Home tab.

3. Click the down arrow next to the Borders button . A menu appears.
4. Click Top and Double Bottom Border. Excel adds the border you chose to the selected cells.
Task 12: Merge and Center

Sometimes, particularly when you give a title to a section of your worksheet, you will want to center a
piece of text over several columns or rows. The following example shows you how.

Steps for Task 12

Merge and Center

 1. Go to cell B2.
2. Type Sample Worksheet.
3. Click the check mark on the Formula bar.
4. Select cells B2 to E2.
5. Choose the Home tab.
6. Click the Merge and Center button in the Alignment group. Excel merges cells B2, C2, D2,
and E2 and then centers the content.

Note: To unmerge cells:

1. Select the cell you want to unmerge.

2. Choose the Home tab.
3. Click the down arrow next to the Merge and Center button. A menu appears.
4. Click Unmerge Cells. Excel unmerges the cells.

Task 13: Add Background Color

To make a section of your worksheet stand out, you can add background color to a cell or group of cells.

EXERCISE 10
Add Background Color

1. Select cells B2 to E3.

2. Choose the Home tab.

3. Click the down arrow next to the Fill Color button .
4. Click the color dark blue. Excel places a dark blue background in the cells you selected.
Task 14: Change the Font, Font Size, and Font Color

A font is a set of characters represented in a single typeface. Each character within a font is created by
using the same basic style. Excel provides many different fonts from which you can choose. The size of a
font is measured in points. There are 72 points to an inch. The number of points assigned to a font is
based on the distance from the top to the bottom of its longest character. You can change the Font,
Font Size, and Font Color of the data you enter into Excel.

Steps for Task 14

Change the Font

1. Select cells B2 to E3.

2. Choose the Home tab.

3. Click the down arrow next to the Font box. A list of fonts appears. As you scroll down the list of
fonts, Excel provides a preview of the font in the cell you selected.
4. Find and click Times New Roman in the Font box. Note: If Times New Roman is your default font,
click another font. Excel changes the font in the selected cells.

Change the Font Size

 1. Select cell B2.
2. Choose the Home tab.
3. Click the down arrow next to the Font Size box. A list of font sizes appears. As you scroll up or
down the list of font sizes, Excel provides a preview of the font size in the cell you selected.
4. Click 26. Excel changes the font size in cell B2 to 26.

Change the Font Color

1. Select cells B2 to E3.

2. Choose the Home tab.
3. Click the down arrow next to the Font Color button .
4. Click on the color white. Your font color changes to white.

Your worksheet should look like the one shown here.

Task 15: Move to a New Worksheet

In Microsoft Excel, each workbook is made up of several worksheets. Each worksheet has a tab. By
default, a workbook has three sheets and they are named sequentially, starting with Sheet1. The name
of the worksheet appears on the tab. Before moving to the next topic, move to a new worksheet. The
exercise that follows shows you how.

Steps for Task 15

Move to a New Worksheet

 Click Sheet2 in the lower-left corner of the screen. Excel moves to Sheet2.

Task 16: Work with Long Text

Whenever you type text that is too long to fit into a cell, Microsoft Excel attempts to display all the text.
It left-aligns the text regardless of the alignment you have assigned to it, and it borrows space from the
blank cells to the right. However, a long text entry will never write over cells that already contain entries
—instead, the cells that contain entries cut off the long text. The following exercise illustrates this.

Steps for Task 16

Work with Long Text

1. Move to cell A6.
2. Type Now is the time for all good men to go to the aid of their army.
3. Press Enter. Everything that does not fit into cell A6 spills over into the adjacent cell.

4. Move to cell B6.

5. Type Test.
6. Press Enter. Excel cuts off the entry in cell A6.

7. Move to cell A6.

8. Look at the Formula bar. The text is still in the cell.
Task 17: Change A Column's Width

You can increase column widths. Increasing the column width enables you to see the long text.

Steps for Task 17

Change Column Width

1. Make sure you are in any cell under column A.

2. Choose the Home tab.
3. Click the down arrow next to Format in the Cells group.
4. Click Column Width. The Column Width dialog box appears.
5. Type 55 in the Column Width field.
6. Click OK. Column A is set to a width of 55. You should now be able to see all of the text.

Change a Column Width by Dragging

You can also change the column width with the cursor.

1. Place the mouse pointer on the line between the B and C column headings. The mouse pointer
should look like the one displayed here , with two arrows.
 2. Move your mouse to the right while holding down the left mouse button. The width indicator
appears on the screen.
3. Release the left mouse button when the width indicator shows approximately 20. Excel
increases the column width to 20.

Task 18: Format Numbers

You can format the numbers you enter into Microsoft Excel. For example, you can add commas to
separate thousands, specify the number of decimal places, place a dollar sign in front of a number, or
display a number as a percent.

Steps for Task 18

Format Numbers

1. Move to cell B8.

2. Type 1234567.
3. Click the check mark on the Formula bar.

4. Choose the Home tab.

5. Click the down arrow next to the Number Format box. A menu appears.
6. Click Number. Excel adds two decimal places to the number you typed.

7. Click the Comma Style button . Excel separates thousands with a comma.
8. Click the Accounting Number Format button . Excel adds a dollar sign to your number.
 9. Click twice on the Increase Decimal button to change the number format to four decimal
places.
10. Click the Decrease Decimal button if you wish to decrease the number of decimal places.

Change a decimal to a percent.

1. Move to cell B9.

2. Type .35 (note the decimal point).
3. Click the check mark on the formula bar.
4. Choose the Home tab.
5. Click the Percent Style button . Excel turns the decimal to a percent.