excel spreadsheets – practicalcastlecollegeitp.wikispaces.com/file/view/startexercise.d… ·...

Spreadsheets

Excel Spreadsheets – Practical

Using Excel

In this practical you are going to use a spreadsheet to calculate and analyse a series of data.

What you will learn

By the end of the practical, you will know how to do the following:

Start Excel. Create a new workbook. Save, close and open a workbook. Enter a series of data. Use the AutoFill feature. Format the spreadsheet. Use the AutoSum feature. Devise formulae. Format the data. Create a chart. Format the chart. Link an Excel Spreadsheet to a Microsoft Word document. Print data. Print formulae.

Time

This practical will take approximately one hour to complete.

Format Conventions

Menu items are given in Courier New Bold font.

File/New

User input should be in Arial Bold. Test.doc

Keys pressed should be in angle brackets. <Enter>

Castle College of 22

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bellvietnam.com/ifb/images/CastleCollegeLogo.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bellvietnam.com/ifb/Providers.html&usg=__WhmnrhCZAwWmwce_rZWeIC5CoMY=&h=1014&w=2040&sz=654&hl=en&start=1&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=1auezuWUCgSl9M:&tbnh=75&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcastle%2Bcollege%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1

Spreadsheets

Starting Excel

1. Double click on the Microsoft Excel icon on the desktop to open the Microsoft Excel application.

Note: An alternative method is to open Microsoft Excel from the Start menu (Start/Common Desktop Applications/Microsoft Applications/MSExcel).

When Excel opens, a blank workbook similar to Figure 1 should appear.

Figure 1

2.

From the View menu, choose Toolbars and ensure that the Standard and

Formatting toolbars are selected.

The Microsoft Excel window contains several important features. Some of these features are detailed as follows:

Title Bar

This displays the name of the current workbook opened.


Title Bar Menu BarFormatting Toolbar

Standard Toolbar

Cell Reference

Formula Bar

Status Bar

Sheets

Cells

Column Reference Letter

Row Reference Number

Tab

Contents Box


Spreadsheets

Menu Bar

This contains drop down menus, which allow the user to access all of Microsoft Excel’s functions. The functions can be accessed using either the mouse or the keyboard.

Formatting Toolbar

This contains icons, which allow the user to perform a variety of formatting functions such as changing fonts and font size, justifying data etc.

Standard Toolbar

This contains icons, which allow the user to perform common tasks such as save, print, copy and paste etc.

Cells

The intersection of each row and column make a box called a cell.

Cell Reference

Each cell is referenced individually by a column letter and a row number, which together create a Cell Address or Reference i.e. A1.

Formula Bar

Formula will appear in two places – in a cell and in the formula bar. It is easier to edit the data using the formula bar rather than editing in the cell itself.

Note: If the Formula bar is not visible, choose View/Formula Bar.

Sheets

A workbook consists of worksheets, for calculating and chart sheets, for creating charts. A workbook may contain a single sheet or many sheets. The sheet, which is currently in use, is known as the Active Sheet and is indicated by the tab in bold at the bottom of the worksheet. If you wish to make a different sheet active, simply click on its tab. When you choose to save your data all the worksheets are saved together as a single workbook file.



Spreadsheets

Creating a New Workbook – (You will already be presented with a new workbook, when opening a new Excel Spreadsheet, use this only if you require another new workbook)

To create a new workbook:

1. From the File menu, choose New. A New dialogue box should appear similar to Figure 2.

Figure 2

2. Click Blank Workbook. A new workbook should appear.

Saving a Workbook

You are now going to save this new workbook to the H: Drive, in a folder called Spreadsheets.

1. From the File menu, choose Save As. A Save As dialogue box should appear.

2. In the Save As dialogue box, click on the down arrow in the Save in field and select your own space on the server (H: Drive).


Choose Blank workbook


Spreadsheets

3. In the File name field, type Sales and in the Save as type field, choose Microsoft Excel Workbook. Click Save.

Sales should now be located in the title bar of the workbook.

Note: It is good practice to choose a file name with eight characters or less, as additional letters may not be visible.

Closing a Workbook

You are going to close the Sales workbook.

1. From the File menu, choose Exit.

Note: If you are prompted with a dialogue box asking, “Do you want to save the changes you made to ‘Sales.xls’?” Click No.

Opening a Workbook

You are now going to reopen Sales.xls.

1. Open the Microsoft Excel application from the desktop or from the Start button.

2. From the File menu, choose Open.

Note: An alternative method of opening a workbook in Excel is to click on the folder icon in the Standard toolbar (see Figure 3).

Figure 3

3. In the Open dialogue box, click on the down arrow in the Look in field and select your own space on the server.

4. Ensure that Microsoft Excel is chosen in the Files of type field.

5. Click on Sales.xls to highlight it and choose Open.


NewOpen

Save Chart WizardAuto Sum

Sort Ascending


Spreadsheets

The title bar should display Sales as the current workbook.



Spreadsheets

Entering Data

You are going to enter the monthly sales figures for three members of staff in a music store.

1. Click on cell A1 and type the word Sales. The letters should appear in the cell and in the Contents box (see Figure 4).

Note: When you begin to type, a red X (cancel button) and a green tick (confirm button) appear to the left of the Contents box.

2. After typing Sales, click on the green tick or on the <Enter key> on the keyboard to confirm your data entry.

Note: If you make a mistake, click on the red X to cancel the entry. Alternatively click in the Contents box (see Figure 1) and click on the <Backspace> key on the keyboard.

3. Click on cell B2 and type January. Confirm your entry.

Note: To move around a spreadsheet, either place your mouse on top of a cell and click to select it or use the <up>, <down>, <right> and <left> arrow keys on the keyboard.

Instead of typing February in cell C2, March in cell D2 etc, you are going to use the AutoFill feature in Excel.

4. Ensure that the cell B2 is still selected and place the mouse pointer on the bottom right corner of the cell. The mouse pointer should change to a black cross, which is called a Fill Handler (see Figure 4).

Figure 4

5. Click and drag the fill handler across the columns until you reach cell M2. Release the mouse button. The AutoFill


Fill Handler


Spreadsheets

feature should automatically complete the monthly series of data for you.

Note: The text September is not completely visible and therefore you need to adjust the column width.

6. Place the mouse pointer on the right boundary of column J. The pointer should change to a double-headed arrow (see Figure 5).

Figure 5

7. Click and drag the boundary of column J to the required width and release the mouse. Resize all columns to the appropriate size.

8. Enter the name Smith into cell A4, Jones into cell A5 and Brown into cell A6.

Note: You may need to use your horizontal scrolling bar to get back to these cells.

To sort the names alphabetically:

9. Click on the cell A4. Place the mouse pointer over the cell until it changes to a white cross. Click and drag the mouse to select the names of the employees (see Figure 6). Release the mouse on cell A6.

Note: The range is highlighted in purple, except for the first cell (see Figure 6). The first cell remains white to indicate that it is the active cell.

Figure 6


Mouse Pointer


Spreadsheets

10. Click on the Sort Ascending icon on the Standard toolbar (see Figure 3). The names should be displayed in alphabetical order.

11. Enter the following data starting in cell B4:

114 82 53 41 44 32 46 23 61 65 89 11192 73 67 42 21 19 31 23 44 56 74 9383 79 57 38 33 14 22 36 39 82 91 121

12. Click on cell A8 and type Totals. Click on the Save icon on the Standard toolbar (see Figure 3) to save all of your work.

Formatting the Spreadsheet

To centre the title ‘Sales’:

1. Select the cells A1 to M1 and from the Format menu, choose Cells. A Format Cells dialogue box should appear (see Figure 7).

Figure 7


Mouse Pointer

Alignment Tab


Spreadsheets

2. Click on the Alignment tab (see Figure 7). The dialogue box should now resemble Figure 8.

Figure 8

3. Click on the down arrow for the horizontal text alignment (see Figure 8) and choose Center Across Selection. Click OK. The title ‘Sales’ should be centred on the spreadsheet.

To insert a row between the title and the months of the year:

4. Click on cell A2 and from the Insert menu, choose Rows. A new row should be inserted.

Note: Excel renumbers the rows to take account of the new row.

Your spreadsheet should now be similar to Figure 9.

Figure 9


Horizontal Text Alignment


Spreadsheets

Using the AutoSum Feature

You are going to calculate the total number of sales made by the three staff members during each month of the year.

1. Click in cell B9 and click on the AutoSum icon on the Standard toolbar (see Figure 3). The January sales totals should be displayed.

Note: Excel automatically devises the formula and calculates the total.

2. Using AutoFill, find out the sales totals for the remaining months.

Using Simple Formulae

The boss of the music store wants to calculate the total amount of commission made for each month. For every sale made in the music store, the staff should receive £0.15 in commission.

1. Click on cell A11 and type Total Commission.

Note: You may need to resize the width of column A.

2. Click on B11 and type the following formula:

=B9*0.15

Note: All formulae must begin with the = symbol. This tells Excel that a calculation will follow.

When confirming your data entry, Excel should display 43.35 as the answer. Excel has multiplied the data in cell B9 by 0.15.

3. Using the AutoFill feature (see the previous section), calculate the total commission for the remaining months of the year.

Formatting the Data

You are going to change the figures for Total Commission to a currency format.



Spreadsheets

1. Select the cells from B11 to M11 and from the Format menu choose Cells. A Format Cells dialogue box should appear (see Figure 10).

2. Ensure that the Number tab is selected and click on Currency (see Figure 10).

Figure 10

3. Set the number of decimal places to two (see Figure 10) and click OK. The figures for Total Commission should appear with a £ sign and be set to two decimal places.

Note: If hashes appear, you need to increase your column widths.

4. Save your work.

Points to note when working with formulae:

The table below illustrates some of the most common arithmetic operators used when devising formula in Excel.

* Multiplication

/ Division

+ Addition

- Subtraction

When a formula contains more than one operator, Excel performs them in the order indicated in the table above. For example:

=15-6*10 Excel will multiply 6 by 10 first, which is 60. 60 will


Number of Decimal Places


Spreadsheets

then be subtracted from 15. The answer will therefore be –45.

Putting brackets in a formula will cause Excel to perform the calculation within the brackets before all others. For example:

=(D12+2)*12/B3

D12+2 is calculated first. The value is then multiplied by 12 and divided by B3.

When a set of brackets is inside another set of brackets, the calculation of the inside brackets is performed first and then the calculation required by the outside brackets. For example:

=20+((10+C2)*3)

10 is added to C2 first, then it is multiplied by 3. 20 is then added to the resulting value.

Creating a Chart

Charts are useful tools in Excel for visualising and representing relationships between different data types.

The boss of the music store wants to display the monthly sales figures for each member of staff in a graphical format.

As you are not working with any of the Totals, you are first going to hide these rows.

1. Select the cells from A9 to M11. From the Format menu, choose Row and then choose Hide. The rows should now be hidden on your spreadsheet.

You are now going to select the data for the chart.

2. Select the cells from A3 to M7 and click on the Chart Wizard icon on the Standard toolbar (see Figure 3). A Chart Wizard – Step 1 of 4 – Chart Type dialogue box should appear (see Figure 11).

Figure 11


Clustered Column Chart

Standard Types


Spreadsheets

3. Ensure that the Standard Types tab and a Clustered Column chart are selected (see Figure 11).

4. Click on the Press and Hold to View Sample button (see Figure 11), to see a preview of your chart and then click on the Next button to display the next step.Step 2 of 4 displays the selected data range (see Figure 12).

Figure 12


Press and Hold to View Sample

Data Range


Spreadsheets

5. Click on the Next button. Step 3 of 4 enables you to format your chart.

Figure 13

6. Ensure that the Titles tab is selected (see Figure 13). In the Chart Title box (see Figure 13), type ‘Sales Figures’.

7. In the X axis box (see Figure 13), type ‘Year 2010’ and in the Y axis box, type ‘Number of Sales’.

Note: Step 3 also enables you to modify axes, gridlines, legend, data labels and the data table (see Figure 13). 8. Click on the Next button to Step 4 of 4. This step gives you

the option of embedding your chart in the existing spreadsheet or displaying the chart is a separate spreadsheet (see Figure 14).

Figure 14


As New Sheet

Titles

Axes Gridlines Legend Data Labels Data Table

Chart Title

X Axis

Y Axis


Spreadsheets

9. Click to select the New Sheet option and click on the Finish button. Your chart should be displayed in a Chart 1 sheet (see Figure 15).

Figure 15

Formatting the Chart

To modify the title of the chart:

1. Click once on the title of the chart to select it. From the Format menu, choose Selected Chart Title. A Format Chart Title dialogue box should appear (see Figure 16).Figure 16


As Object In

Chart 1

Font Tab


Spreadsheets

2. Click on the Font tab and change the font size to 14 points. Click OK.



Spreadsheets

To modify the data series:

3. Click on any of the columns for Mr Brown to select them. From the Format menu, choose Selected Data Series. A Format Data Series dialogue box should appear (see Figure 17).

Figure 17

4. Click on the Data Labels tab (see Figure 17) and click on Show Values in the Data Labels section. Click OK. The sales figures for Mr Brown should appear on the chart.

Note: Many additional chart formatting options are available by right clicking on the selected area.5. Click on Sheet 1 to return to your data.

To display all of the data again:

6. Select all of the cells from A8 to M12. From the Format menu, choose Row and then choose Unhide. All of the data should be visible again.

Note: Any changes made to the data will be reflected in changes to the chart.

Linking your Excel Spreadsheet to a Word Document

You are going to copy your sheet to a Microsoft Word document.


Data Labels Tab


Spreadsheets

1. Select all of the data in your spreadsheet from cell A1 to cell M11 and from the Edit menu, choose Copy.

2. Click on the Minimise icon to minimise the Excel application.

3. Double click on the MSWord icon on the desktop to open Microsoft Word.

4. In a new Word document, from the File menu, choose Page Setup. A Page Setup dialogue box should appear.

5. Click on the Paper Size option and select a Landscape orientation. Click OK.

6. From the Edit menu, click on the Expand arrow and choose Paste Special. A Paste Special dialogue box should appear (see Figure 18).

Figure 18

7. In the Paste Special dialogue box, choose Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object and click the Paste Link option (see Figure 18). Click OK. A copy of the data in your spreadsheet should be displayed in the document.

8. Click on Microsoft Excel on the taskbar to make it the active window. Click on cell A1 and in the Contents box (see Figure 1), type ‘Sales for the Year 2010’. Click on the <Enter> key on the keyboard.

9. Click on Microsoft Word on the taskbar to make it the active window. The title should automatically be changed in the document because of its direct link with the spreadsheet.

10. Close MS Word.


Paste Link

Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object


Spreadsheets

Printing Data

Print Preview

It is always wise to preview your spreadsheet before printing so that you are sure that it will print exactly what you want.

1. From the File menu, choose Print Preview. You should notice that some of the data has been cut off on the page.

2. Close the Print Preview window.

Page Set-Up

To ensure that all of the data is visible on the page, you are going to use Page Set-Up.

1. From the File menu, choose Page Set-Up. A Page Set-Up dialogue box should appear (see Figure 19).

Figure 19

2. Ensure that the Page tab is selected (see Figure 19) and in the Orientation section, click on Landscape (see Figure 19).

3. Click on the Print Preview button (see Figure 19). The page should appear horizontally and all of the data should be visible. Click on the Set-Up button in the Print Preview window to return to the Page Set-Up dialogue box.



Spreadsheets

To include the gridlines in the print out of the spreadsheet:

4. Click on the Sheet tab in the Page Set-Up dialogue box (see Figure 19). The dialogue box should now resemble Figure 20.

Figure 20

5. In the Print section, click to select Gridlines and click Print Preview. The data should appear in a gridline format. Click Close.

Print Area

In Excel, it is possible to print a specific portion of a spreadsheet by setting the print area.

To print the data for the first quarter of the year only:

1. Select the cells from A1 to D11.

2. From the File menu, choose Print Area and then choose Set Print Area. The specific portion of the spreadsheet should be selected. This portion will only be printed.

To delete the print area:

3. Ensure the cells are still selected and from the File menu, choose Print Area and then Clear Print Area. The cells should be deselected.



Spreadsheets

Printing Formulae

To print formulae on a spreadsheet:

1. From the Tools menu, choose Options. An Options dialogue box should appear (see Figure 21).

Figure 21

2. Ensure the View tab is selected (see Figure 21). In the Windows Options section, click to select Formulas (see Figure 21). Click OK. All formulae used in the spreadsheet should be displayed.

Note: Deselect to remove all formulae from the spreadsheet.

3. Save and close MS Excel.


View Tab

Formulas


excel spreadsheets – practicalcastlecollegeitp.wikispaces.com/file/view/startexercise.d… ·...

Documents