COMPUTING SKILLS

Introduction to MS EXCEL
(This handout has been prepared using materials from various sources)

Dr. K. P. SUDHEER
Civil Engineering

Starting Microsoft Excel

To start Microsoft Excel, click with the left mouse button on the Start button on the lower left
corner of the screen and choose Programs Applications Microsoft Excel.
The Microsoft Excel Worksheet Window
In Microsoft Excel, you view a document or work on it in a window. After you start Excel , you
can open an existing file or creating a new one and you can see the window shown in the
following illustration.

Formatting Bar

Menu Bar

Column
Formula Bar

Toolbar

Name
Box

Row

Active Cell
Sheet Tab

Cell

Scroll bar

Like other Microsoft applications, Excel has a Menu Bar, Toolbar, and Formatting Bar. It also has
a Formula Bar. As you type data into the worksheet, it appears in the Formula Bar.
A worksheet is the primary document you use to store and manipulate data. Each Excel
worksheet is a rectangular grid of 256 columns and 65,536 rows.
The numbers on the left side of the worksheet identifies the rows, while the capital letters on the
column heading identify columns. The rows and columns cross at intervals to create individual
cells that are the basic units of data storage in Excel.
Each cell can hold a number, a label, or a formula. Each individual cell has a set of coordinates
by which it is identified; it is referred as the "address" of a cell sometimes. For example, the first
cell in the upper left would be identified as cell A1 since it is in column A, row 1.
Selecting Cells and Moving Around in Excel
Selecting a Specific Cell
Before carrying out most commands in Excel, you must first select the part of the worksheet you
want to work with. When a cell is selected, it become the active cell and is indicated by a black

rectangle outline. The address of the active cell is displayed in Name Box. When you are
working in Excel, the active cell is where you will enter and edit data. You can select the active
cell in the following ways:
Moving with the mouse:
You can make a cell become an active cell simply by clicking on it.
Moving with the keyboard:
Use the arrow keys:
Using the <return> key:
Pressing the <return> key will move the active cell down a row.
Using the <tab> key:
You can move the active cell to the right by pressing the <tab> key.
Typing the address in the reference area:
By typing the address of a specific cell in the reference area will make that cell become
the active cell.
Selecting Cells
To select the entire row or column: Click the row or column heading; the entire row or column
will then become black.
To select a range of cells: Point to the first cell you want to select and hold down the mouse
button and drag through the remaining cells you wish to select.
To select a nonadjacent selection: Click the first cell and drag through the first range. Hold
down the CTRL as you click each additional cell and drag through each additional range.

Nonadjacent selection

Scrolling Through a Worksheet

You can use the scroll bars to move through and view a worksheet that is too large to be
displayed all at once in a window.
Moving Between Worksheets
The sheet tabs on the bottom of the worksheet window identify individual sheets. Click on any
one of these tabs will take you to that specific worksheet.
Creating a Worksheet
Entering Data
Remember that the active cell is the location where data should be entered. You can move down
a cell by using the <return> key or move to the right by using the <tab> key, or you can simply
move to any cell with your mouse.

We will create a spreadsheet to monitor the monthly living expenses. The data for the worksheet
is given below. You should begin entering the data in cell A1.

Editing a Worksheet
Editing Data
To change the data in a cell, you must make that cell an active cell. You can type the new data
directly into the active cell or make corrections in the formula bar.

When you are modifying the spreadsheet, you cannot perform any other operation.
That means you cannot do anything before you finish editing your cell.
Inserting Rows and Columns
To insert a single column, you need to select the entire column and choose InsertColumn from
the menu bar. This will move your data over a column to the right and insert a new column before
the selected column.
To insert a row, you need to select the entire row and then choose InsertRow. This will move
your data down a row and insert a new row above the selected row.

Deleting Rows and Columns

To delete one or more rows or columns, you need to select the entire rows or columns you wish
to delete and choose Edit Delete. When you do so, columns to the right of the deleted
columns move over, or rows below the deleted rows move up, to fill in.
Changing Column Width and Row Height
To change the width of the column, place your mouse pointer on the line between column
headings. The mouse cursor will turn into a double arrow; you can drag the double arrow to the
right or left to adjust the width. Same procedure applies to the row, but instead, you place the
mouse pointer between the row headings.
Entering text in the worksheet is the same as entering numbers. Now, we are going to add labels
to our spreadsheet. In order to do that, you need to first insert a new column and a new row. As
you type you might want to adjust the width of the label column until the column is the appropriate
width.

Creating a Series by Using AutoFill Feature

Microsoft Excel has a very useful feature to let you create a variety of series such as sequential
numbers, date,.... You can also create a filled range of fixed value by using this feature.
In order to use AutoFill, you need to make the initial selections that should include at least two
cells and the selected cells will be outlined by a black border. Place the mouse pointer on the
black little box of the selected area and the cursor will turn into a dark "+" sign. Drag the "+" sign
all the way down to the cell where the end of series would locate. The Excel will fill in the data for
you.
Now, we are going to use the AutoFill feature to create some series.
1.

Insert a new row and make it become first row.

2.

In B1 and C1, type in "Jan" and "Feb" separately.

3.

Select B1 and C1. A black outline will appear on these cells. Drag to "+" to the right and fill
in the cell D1 and E1.

Moving and Copying Data

When you are working with Excel you will often find that you need to move or copy data to
another part of the worksheet.
1.

Select the range of data to be moved or copied. The selection can be a single cell or a
group of cells.

2.

To copy the selected data, click the Copy button on the toolbar. The selected area will
have an animated dotted line moving around it. This phenomenon is called "marching
ants" and indicates those cell have been activated for pasting. To move the data, click the
Cut button. The selected cells will disappear from the worksheet.

3.

Make the destination cell become the active cell. If moving or copying a multiple cell
range, the active cell should be the one on the upper-left corner of the destination range.

4.

Click the Paste button on the toolbar. The "marching ants" can be eliminated by pressing
the <Esc> key.

Assume that we have a same sale in April as in January. Instead of typing the numbers we can
just copy the data of Jan to the column of April.
1.

Select B2 through B5, the cells should become black.

2.

Click on copy icon and the marching ants should appear around the selected cells.

3.

Select cell E2 and click on paste icon. The data should appear in the cells E2 through E5.

4.

Click on <Esc> key to get ride of the marching ants.

Your spreadsheet should look like the following if you have done everything correctly.

Using Functions and Formulas

Entering Functions
You can use build-in functions to perform standard worksheet calculations. Functions usually
have a name that describes the operation they perform and an argument that indicated the cell,
group of cells, or range of cells on which the function will be performed.
For example:
=SUM(B4:B9)

The equal sign(=) indicated to Excel that a function or formula is being placed here, and that this
is not just label data. The argument B4:B9 indicates numbers are located in cells B4, B5, B6, B7,
B8 and B9. This function obtains the sum of these numbers.
1.

In cell A6, type in Total Sale.

2.

In cell B6, enter the following function: =sum(b2:b5).

All the parts in the formula are essential. There should not be any spaces between
function name and parenthesis.
Using AutoSum Feature
AutoSum feature is an easier way to obtain the sum of a group of cells. To use the AutoSum
follow these steps:
1.

Select the group of cells you wish to sum. The selected cells should be surrounded by a
black outline.

2.

Click on the AutoSum button

. The total sum for the selected cells should appear in the
cell next to the selected range if the selection in on the same row. If the selected cells are
on the same column then the sum will appear in the cell below the selection.

We can calculate the sum of February sale by using AutoSum feature.

Select C2 through C5 and click AutoSum button. The sum should show up in the cell C6.
Using Function Wizard
Instead of typing the function by yourself the Function Wizard can allow you to select the function
form a list. You will learn how to use the Function Wizard by following the procedures below.
1.

Click on 6 to select the entire row 6. Choose InsertRow. A new row will appear above
row 6.

2.

Type in "Average Sale" in cell A6.

3.

Beginning with cell B6, make the selection all the way up through cell B2.

4.

Click on the Function Wizard icon

5.

In the window that opens select Statistical in the right portion of the window and choose
Average in the right part of the window. Click on OK.

6.

Click on Ok in the next window opened which ask you for the argument of the function.

7.

The average sale for January should appear in cell B6.

Copying Functions (to Use Copy Icon or AutoFill Feature)

You can copy a function from a cell and paste it to another cell. It is pretty much the same as
copying data to other cells. Please follow the procedures below and you will learn how to copy
functions.
1.

Select cell B6 and click on copy icon, then select cell C6 and click on paste icon. This will
copy the function on cell B6 to C6. You can observe that the arguments in the Formula
Bar have changed to the C2:C5 accordingly.

2.

Click on cell D6 and click paste icon to get the data for March. Same procedure applies to
cell E6. After you have done the pasting, press <Esc> key to remove the marching ants
around cell B6.

3.

Select cell B7, place mouse pointer on the lower right corner of the selected area and drag
the + through cell E7.

Now, your spreadsheet should look like the following:

Using Formulas
Formulas are another ways to perform calculations on numerical data. Unlike functions the user
of the spreadsheet sets up formulas. Two things need to specify when using a formula-----what
data is to be used, and what operation is to be performed. The data in the formula list can be a
constant or references to cells. For example, if we enter the formula: =A1+100 in cell A3, it
means that A3 will contain the sum of the data stored in A1 and the number 100.

We would like to use the formula to estimate our profit of monthly sale.
1.

Type the label " Estimated Profit Rate" in cell A8 and enter "5%" in cell B8. Adjust the width
of the column if needed.

2.

In A9 type in the label "Estimated Profit".

3.

Enter the following formula in cell B9 to calculate the monthly estimated profit:
=(B7*$B$8)
No matter what monthly sale would be we always want to multiply the number in cell B8,
so we need to put $ in front of the cell address. It is called the "absolute references".
You can use copy or AutoFill feature to compute the estimated profit for the rest months.
As you do this, you might notice that one of the arguments is always B8 in Formula Bar.

Advantages of Using Formula

When you change worksheet data, formulas based on the data are automatically updated. This
would provide the data consistency and save you more time when you update the data. You can
see this by experimenting the followings
What would happen if we become more optimistic and increase the estimated profit rate? Do we
need to change all the estimated profits in those four months?
1.

Click on the cell B8 and change the rate to 10%

2.

You can see all the estimated profit in cell B9, C9, D9 and E9 have been changed to
accommodate the change in cell B8.
Formatting a Worksheet

Formatting Worksheet Data

With Microsoft Excel, you can format numbers to designate dollar amounts, percentages, and
decimals. You can also change the appearance of data in your worksheet by changing the font,
size, style and color of data in cell. The most frequently used formatting options are available on
the Formatting Bar.
We are going to change the numbers to a currency format.
1.

Select cells B2 through E7 and A9 through E9.

2.

Click on the $ icon on the Formatting Bar or choose Format Cells Numbers
Currency from the Menu bar. The numbers in the selected cells will be changed to a
currency format.

Select the cells first, then apply the actions.

To change the orientation of data and its labels, select the cells you wish to change and click on
the appropriate icon to change their justification.
1.

Insert a new row at the top of the spreadsheet and type in Annual sale Report in cell A1.

2.

To center this title across column A, B, C, D and E, select A1, B1, C1, D1 and E1.

3.

Click on the Merge and Center icon

4.

To center the column heading, select B2, C2, D2 and E2.

5.

Click on the Center Justification icon

on the Formatting Bar.

on the Toolbar.

Formatting with Borders and Shading

The Border and Pattern command on the Format menu can let you shade cells or put a border
around them.
1.

Select cells A1 through E10. These cells should become black.

2.

Choose Format Cells on the Menu Bar

3.

Click on the tab labeled Border.

4.

In the window opened, choose a solid black line under Style and click on Outline and
Inside under Presets. You can see the test box in outlined with a black line in the preview
window.

5.

Click on the tab labeled Pattern.

6.

Select a color you wish to shade these cells.

7.

Click on OK

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If you have done everything correctly, you will see the selected cells are shaded and outlined by a
black border. Please experiment with different types and styles of borders.
See if you can figure out how to add the necessary borders to make your spreadsheet look like
the following:

Creating a Chart
A chart is a graphic representation of worksheet data. You can select from a number of built-in
formats of each chart type by using the Chart Wizard.
We are going to create a chart showing the distribution of the sale for each item in January. Here
are the procedures:
1.

Select cells A3 through B6.

2.

Click on the Chart Wizard icon

3.

You can choose the type of chart you wish to create in the first window opened. Choose
Pie in the box called Chart Types and select the first option under the Chart sub-type
window. Click on Next.

on the Toolbar.

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4.

The next window shows you a preview of the chart and allows you to change the way the
data are presented. Select the column in the "Series in" option and click on Next.

5.

This window called Chart Options allows you to manage the appearance of your chart.
Click on the tab labeled Title. This will allow you to put a title on your chart. Type in " Sale
for January 2000" in the box under "Chart Title".

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6.

Click on the tab labeled Legend. Select the "Right" option in the "Placement" box.

7.

Click on the tab labeled Data Labels. In the "Data Labels" option, select the "Show
percent". Click on the box next to "Show leader lines" to turn on this option. Click on Next.

8.

Click on the option "As object in: Sheet 1" in this final window. Click on Finish.

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Adjust the Size of a Chart

Click on the chart and you will see a black outline around it. You can increase and decrease its
size by dragging you mouse pointer over the corners, where it turns into a double arrow. You can
also move the chart by clicking on it with the left mouse button and dragging it.

If you change the worksheet data, the chart is automatically updated to reflect the change. You
might to try to change the data in B3 to $540.00 and see what would happen to the chart.
Printing

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If you are printing a worksheet, you can add a title and page numbers to your spreadsheet.
You will learn how to do this by following the steps below:
1.

Select Page Setup under File on the Menu Bar.

2.

Click on the Header/Footer tab.

3.

Choose Custom Header.

4.

Click in the white area below Center Section and type in "Annual Sale Report". Click on
OK.

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5.

Click on the arrow to the right of Footer to add page numbers. Select Page 1 in the drop
down menu. This will automatically number the pages in your spreadsheet beginning with
page 1.

6.

Click on OK to exit out of Page Setup.

7.

You can view the document by selecting the Page Preview under File on the Menu Bar.

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