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Microsoft Excel Tutorial

*Some of the screen captions will vary from your home computer, depending on which operating system you

are using ( Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7) and the version of Microsoft Office that you are running

( Microsoft Office 2000, 2007,2010). This tutorial was created using Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007.

A. Getting Started

The two most common ways to launch Microsoft Excel are from the Desktop or from

the Start menu.

Launching from the Desktop

1. Locate the Excel icon on your desktop.

Then double click on the icon. Or click once with the left mouse button and

press the enter key.

Launching Excel from the Start Menu

1. Click on the Start button located in the lower left corner of your screen.

2. The Start Menu will appear. From here click on the All Programs button

located at the bottom of the Start menu.

3. Locate the folder titled Microsoft Office,

then single click on it to reveal its contents.

4. Click on the Microsoft Office Excel 2007

button, to launch Excel.

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When you first launch Microsoft Excel, a new blank workbook displays. A workbook

contains one or more pages called a worksheet or spreadsheets.

An Excel worksheet is formatted as a grid pattern made up of horizontal rows and vertical

columns. When these rows and columns intersect they form a rectangular box called a cell.

B. Create and Save an Excel Workbook

It is always a good idea to perform a save upon launching a new Excel workbook. This gives

you the opportunity to name and assign a location to save your new workbook

1. To save click on the Office button

2. Click on the save as icon.

The Save as dialogue box will appear. From the save as dialogue box you can name your

workbook and choose the location that you wish to save your workbook to by viewing a

list of storage folders and disk drives.

3. In the File name box, delete the default name Book1 and type your own first name. Click

on the save button in the bottom right corner of the window.

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C. Entering Data: Text/Font

Anything typed into a cell is referred to as cell content or data. Cell content can be one of

two things, either a constant value (text, numbers, dates etc.) or a formula (equations that

perform mathematical functions).

1. Click Cell A1 of the spreadsheet and type Figure Eight Bookstore, and then press enter

on your keyboard.

Notice that pressing the enter key moves your position to the cell below, A2.

2. In cell A2 type Monthly E-Reader Sales by Device and press enter. In cell A3 type

Device, then press enter.

3. In cell A4 type Kobo and then press enter. In cell A5 type Sony, in cell A6 type Alurtek

and finally, in cell A7 type Totals.

Compare your screen with the screen caption below.

4. Click cell B3 to make it the active cell. Type January. Do not press enter.

With cell B3 active, notice a small black square in the lower right corner of the selected

cell. This is called the fill handle. Using the fill handle will apply Excel`s auto fill feature.

Auto fill can generate a series of values based on the adjacent cells. For example, a

series of months January, February, March etc. or other forms of a series like 1st Qtr, 2nd

Qtr, 3rd Qtr etc.

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5. Left click on the small black square and drag it right, across the two adjacent cells,

C3 and D3. Then, let go of the left mouse button. Auto fill will automatically generate

the next two successive months February and March.

D. Cell Alignment

Data typed into a cell or a selected cell range can be aligned to the left, to the right or

center of a cell by using basic features in Excel’s Alignment Box.

1. Click on cell A7 Totals. To align the text to the right of the cell click on the Align

Text Right Button. The text will now align itself with the right margins of

the cell.

2. Select the range B3:D3. To do this first click and hold on cell B3. Then, while

holding, drag the mouse right until the cell D3 is shaded grey. Let go of the

mouse button. The range B3:D3 is now selected and ready for editing. See below.

Align

Text Right

Center

Text

Align

Text Left

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3. To Center the text click on the Center Text icon from the Alignment Box.

The center alignment will be applied to the cell range B3:D3.

E. Entering Data: Numbers

When entering numbers in an Excel worksheet, you can use either the number keys on

the top of your keyboard or the calculator layout on the right side of your keyboard.

1. Click cell B4 and type 1339.00. Excel may format this number without the two

zeros after the decimal. To enable the content to the right of the decimal click

the increase decimal button, twice.

2. Press enter. You should now be in cell B5. Type 1359.92 and then press enter. In

cell B6 type 649.95.

Fill in the rest of the cell content until your screen looks exactly like the one below.

Save your work book by clicking the save icon from the quick access toolbar located

in the upper left corner of the screen beside the Office Button.

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F. Constructing a Formula, Sum Functions and Copying a Formula

Excel performs calculations on numbers; that is why we use it. If you make changes to

any numbers or data, Excel will automatically re-calculate the data.

You can create your own formulas. Or you can use Excel’s powerful, prewritten

Function formulas. A function will take one or more values, perform a special operation

and then return a value.

Constructing a Formula

All formulas begin with the equal sign =, which is the signal that directs Excel to

begin a calculation. Equations will be displayed in both the active cell and the

formula bar.

1. Click cell B7. Enter the equal sign (=).

2. To calculate the total sales for the month of January enter the formula as

follows: = B4+B5+B6.

3. Press enter and Excel will perform the calculation. Compare your results with

the screen shot from below.

Sum Functions

A Sum Function or Sum is a prewritten formula. When used properly, they can be

powerful tools in helping you to process data. Some popular formulas have their own

button (Sum).More advanced formulas (IF, Math &Trig) are located within the Formula

Tab.

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1. Click cell C7.

2. Then click the Auto Sum function in the Editing Dialogue Box located near the

top right corner of Excel. Then press Enter.

Excel will total all of the numbers in column C.

Click cell C7 and notice the difference in the formula bar when you click cell B7.

The difference: Cell C7 used the function =SUM (C4:C6) whereas cell B7 used the

formula = B4+B5+B6 to calculate the total monthly sales for their respective months.

Copying a Formula Using the Fill Handle

Excel provides a quick method – copying formulas – to create formulas without out

typing, pointing and clicking or using commands. You can use this shortcut as the fastest

way to apply Sum functions.

1. Click cell C7. Take notice of the black square in the bottom right corner of the

cell.

Formula bar

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2. Click this black square and while holding the left mouse button, drag it to the

adjacent cell (D7). When you let go of the left mouse button, the sum formula

and its calculation will be applied to the cell (D7).

More Sum Functions

There are other Sum functions, such as: min, max, count and average, located within

the Auto Sum drop down menu.

Let’s create another column titled Average, in order to utilize the Average Sum

Function.

1. Click cell E3 and type Average.

2. Click cell E4. Then click the arrow beside Auto Sum in the Editing Dialogue Box

to open the Auto Sum drop down menu.

3. From the drop down menu click on Average.

4. The Average Sum Function will then appear in cell E4. Press enter and Excel will

use the Average Sum Function to calculate the average monthly sales for the

Kobo device.

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5. Click and drag the fill handle in cell E4 down to cell E7 to copy and apply the

Average Sum Function.

Compare your screen with the screen capture below.

To locate other advanced functions and formulas, click on More Functions in the Auto Sum

dropdown menu or click on the Formulas tab on the Excel Ribbon.

Various formulas are located in Function Library, and are organized by their applied subject

field.

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G. Formatting Data

When we format data we are specifying the overall appearance of a cells and the overall

layout of the worksheet. Excel has many options for displaying numbers: percentages,

fractions, currency, time etc.

The General Format is the default format for a number appearing in a cell, unless we apply

a different format to the cell e.g. currency or percentage.

Formatting is accomplished through the Number box located on the Home Tab.

1. Click cell B4.

2. Next, click hold and drag from cell B4 to the bottom right corner of cell E7. This

will highlight and select the cell range B4:E7 .You can also select the cell range by

typing B4:E7 in the name box.

3. With the cell range B4:E7 selected, click on the Number Format drop down

menu that is located on Number section of the Home Tab

4. Click on the Accounting format. Then compare your

results with the screen shot below.

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H. Editing Cells: Cell Borders, Font Style and Shading

In most circumstances, adding aesthetic features such as font style and shading, help to

make data on a spreadsheet not only more visually appealing, but also more easier to

read and to process.

Cell Borders

1. Click cell A1. Then click, hold and drag from cell A1 to cell E6. This will select the cell

range A1:E6. You can also type the cell range A1:E6 in the name box to select it for

editing.

2. From the Font box, click on the dropdown menu for the Borders option. From here

you can apply a variety of border styles to individual cells or a range of cells.

3. Select the All Borders border style.

4. Select the cell range A7:E7. Once selected, then

click on the Borders dropdown menu and

select the Top and Double Bottom Border

style.

Your screen should look exactly like the image below:

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Font Style

1. Click cell A1. From the Font box click on the Bold font option to apply a bold font

style to the cell content.

2. Select the cell range A3:E3, then apply the Bold font style to it.

3. Click cell A7.Then apply the bold font style. If you want try, using the shortcut key

command for bold. Press and hold down the ‘‘ctrl‘‘ key, then while holding “crtl”,

press the ‘‘b‘‘ key on your keyboard.

4. Click cell A4. Then, click hold and drag down to select the cell range A4:A6.

5. With the cell range A4:A6 selected, apply the italicized font style. From the Font box

click on the italicized font option.

6. Click cell A1. Next, click on the font size drop down menu which is located on the

font box.

7. Click on the font size 20, to change the size of the font.

8. Click cell A2 and change the font size to 14.

Your spreadsheet should look exactly like the screen shot below:

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Shading

1. Click cell A1. To apply shading to the cell, click the Fill Color drop down menu

located in the Font section on the Home Tab Ribbon.

2. Click on the color Aqua Accent 5.

The name of the color on the palate will appear if you your mouse cursor over it.

3. Click cell A2 and apply the shading Aqua Accent 5, Lighter 80%.

I. Merge and Center Cells

You can create a single large cell by merging two or more. It is common practice to

merge the top row of cells to use as the worksheet title. This feature also makes the

worksheet easier to read, as the title is clearly defined.

1. Click cell A1 and select the range A1:E1. From the Alignment section on the

Home tab, click on the Merge & Center icon.

2. Click cell A2 and select the range A2:E2. Next, click the Merge & Center icon.

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J. Creating a Chart

You can use Excel to generate various chart types e.g. pie charts, column charts, line

charts etc. Also, you can create eye-catching charts by formatting them and choosing a

style that is meaningful to the user.

1. Click cell A3, then select the range A3:E6.

2. With the range A3:E6 selected and ready for editing, click the Insert tab on the

Ribbon.

3. Next, click the Column icon on the Chart

section.

4. Then, from the 2-D Column section, select

Clustered Column. The first column option

on the left hand side.

Excel will generate a 2-D styled column chart. See Below.

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Add a Title to Your Chart

When a chart is added or selected new commands and features called Chart

Tools, become available. The Chart Tools can be found on the Ribbon under

three tabs: Design, Layout and Format. Notice that when the chart is deselected

the Chart Tools disappear.

1. Click on the Chart Layouts dropdown menu

2. Click Layout 1. The first chart on the first row

of chart layouts.

This chart layout will provide a space for you

to title your chart.

3. Click to the left of the text “Chart Title”. Then

delete it.

4. Type First Quarter E-Reader Sales. Then, click in any cell to deselect the chart.