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Excel Beginners 2013
Overview
This course contains the following 13 modules on the following:
Introducing:
- Excel is a spreadsheet application for organising, analysing, and presenting data.
- To open Excel you select Microsoft Excel from the Programs sub-menu.
- A spreadsheet contains a grid of cells arranged in columns and rows.
- The Ribbon displays commonly used commands.
- Excel's Help provides information and useful tips.
- The shortcut menu offers editing options for a selected object.
Creating Workbooks:
- To open a new blank Excel workbook you use the New button.
- When you enter data, it appears in both the selected cell and the Formula Bar.
- Once you confirm an entry, Excel automatically advances the cell pointer to the next cell within the range.
- To select a range of cells click on the first cell, then hold down Shift and click on the last cell.
- To select a range of cells that are not connected press the Ctrl key as you click on them.
- You can select a column or row by clicking on the column or row headings respectively.
Formatting Data:
- The Formatting toolbar contains buttons that change the appearance of the worksheet.
- To change the way numbers in a worksheet are displayed use the numeric formatting buttons.
- Excel automatically adjusts the height of rows to accommodate the data they contain.
- You can align data in cells using the alignment buttons.
- To centre data across a selected range of columns use the Merge and Centre button.
- The Format Painter applies existing formats to other cells in the worksheet.
Formulas and Functions:
- A formula is a cell entry that calculates data. Functions are ready made formulas that perform specialised calculations automatically.
- Using the AutoSum button is the easiest way to add values.
- When you copy formulas, Excel automatically changes the relative cell addresses to reflect their new location.
- Instead of using cell references in formulas, you can use row and column labels. You type the row name, followed by a space, then the column name. To use this feature you first select the Accept label in formulas option.
- Formulas automatically update results when values change because they refer to cell references, not the values they contain.
- Excel identifies errors in formulas and helps you to correct them.
Move and Copy Data:
- The Shortcut menu is an alternative way of working with Excel. It is displayed by right-clicking on the required object.
- When using the Cut or Copy commands, the Windows Clipboard is used as a temporary storage area for the data.
- The Collect and Paste feature, which enables you to hold up to twenty four items in the Office Clipboard, can be activated by displaying the Clipboard toolbar.
- You can move data within a worksheet or between workbooks by using the drag and drop method.
- To display all open workbooks on the screen, use the Arrange command on the Windows menu.
Navigating Workbooks:
- To move quickly to other cells in the worksheet use the Scroll bars.
- Using the Ctrl End shortcut keys moves you to the last entry in a worksheet.
- Pressing the Ctrl Home keys moves you to the left-hand corner of the worksheet.
- To move directly to a specified cell use the Go To command, or the Name box.
- A fast method of activating Go To is by pressing the F5 key.
- Excel allows you to have up to 256 worksheets stored in a file which is known as workbook.
- To display a worksheet, simply click on its sheet tab.
- To display the other sheet tabs use the Tab scrolling buttons.
Open and Save Workbooks:
- A folder is the Parent of it's sub-folders. New folders can be created by using the New Folder button when in the desired location.
- Recently opened files can be quickly accessed via the Recent Documents panel in the Backstage view.
- File names can be up to 255 characters and may contain spaces.
- The Save As command makes a copy of an existing workbook file in formats that other applications can use.
- Closing documents after you are finished with them can reduce confusion and increase computer performance.
Page Breaks and Previewing:
- Print Preview allows you to view how the worksheet appears when printed.
- To see the page in greater detail you use the Zoom button.
- You cannot edit the worksheet while in Preview mode.
- Page Break Preview lets you adjust page breaks by dragging them.
- Excel automatically scales the information to fit the printed page.
- To insert manual page breaks use the Break command in the Page Setup group in the Page Layout tab.
- To delete manual page breaks use the Remove Page Break command.
Page Setup Options:
- The Header/Footer options are used when you require the same data printed on the top or bottom of every page in the worksheet.
- You can choose from Excel's built-in headers or footers or customise your own.
- The Orientation box, in the Page section, allows you to select whether you wish to print down the page (Portrait), or across the page (Landscape).
- The Scaling options allow you to shrink or enlarge the data on the printed page.
- The Print titles options within the Sheet section are used to repeat column and row titles on every page of the printed worksheet.
- The Margins section enables you to centre the worksheet horizontally or vertically and change the blank area left around the outside of the printed page.
Printing:
- When printing a section of the worksheet regularly, you can set a current print area using the Print Area/Set Print Area command.
- Setting a new print area will override the previous one as you can only have one print area set at a time.
- A quick way to print the active worksheet(s) is to use the Print button.
- You can control how the worksheet is printed by using the Print command on the File tab.
- To select another printer use the Name box.
- Always preview your worksheet before printing it.
Proofing Tools:
- The Spell Checker feature checks the worksheet for typing errors. It compares the words in your document against its own dictionary.
- AutoComplete enables fast entry of repetitive text within one column.
- You can enter your common typos for automatic correction as you work by using AutoCorrect.
- Use the Find and Replace commands to locate text within a worksheet.
- Be aware of the balance between searching for part of a word, and searching for the whole word.
- The AutoCalculate feature offers statistical functions other than Sum.
- You can produce an Average, Maximum, or Minimum value, as well as a Count of a range of selected cells.
Screen Components:
- The Ribbon presents commands in groups in tabs for easy access.
- Modify the Quick Access toolbar to display your most frequently used commands.
- Learn to alter the view or layout for more successful editing.
- Use and understand the keyboard shortcuts and Tool Tips for faster working.
- Make the most of the information on the Status bar and the Taskbar.
- Recognise and appreciate the different Mouse pointers.
Working with Ranges:
- Naming cells allows you to refer to them by name instead of by cell reference.
- You can name a cell or range of cells by using the Name Box on the Formula bar or the Ctrl F3 shortcut keys.
- To move directly to a named range you can use the Go To feature or the Name Box list.
- The Range Finder uses colours to identify the different components of a formula, and their corresponding cells in the worksheet.
- Range Finder can be activated by clicking at the end of the entry on the Formula bar or double-clicking on the cell that contains the formula.
Objectives
Introducing:
- Identify the Function of Excel
- Start Excel
- Understand Workbook layout
- Understand Ribbon layout
- Open Help
- Use the Shortcut Menu
Creating Workbooks:
- Create a New Workbook
- Use Values and Labels
- Input Dates
- Enter Data into a Range
- Edit Data
- Select Data Ranges
- Select Workbook Components
- De-select Cells
Formatting Data:
- Change numeric formatting
- Set decimal places
- Modify font, size and colour
- Centre text across columns
- Align data in cells
- Apply bold, italic and underline
- Add borders
- Change background colour
- Use the format painter feature
Formulas and Functions:
- Use Formulas and Functions
- Use the AutoSum Button
- Copy Formulas
- Copy Functions
- Use Labels to Enter Formulas
- Apply the AutoFill Feature
- Update Formula results
- Manage Errors
- Manage Circular references
Move and Copy Data:
- Differentiate Cut and Copy
- Move Text using the Toolbar
- Copy using the Shortcut Menu
- Use Paste Special Feature
- Paste Multiple Items
- View Multiple Documents
- Drag and Drop Text
Navigating Workbooks:
- Scroll through a Worksheet
- Activate the Go To Command
- Work with Sheet Tabs
- Use Tab Scrolling Buttons
Open and Save Workbooks:
- Open an existing workbook
- Navigate drives and folders
- Rename or delete a folder
- Use recently used workbooks
- Create a Workbook
- Move between workbooks
- Use the Save As command
- Convert file formats
- Close a workbook
Page Breaks and Previewing:
- Print Preview worksheets
- Adjust Margins
- Apply Page Break Preview
- Insert Page Breaks
- Remove Page Breaks
Page Setup Options:
- Use Headers and Footers
- Control page order
- Print column and row titles
- Change page orientation
- Scale the worksheet
- Adjust margins
- Centre a worksheet
Printing:
- Set a Print Area
- Clear a Print Area
- Print a Worksheet
- Print Multiple Worksheets
- Apply Print Options
- Select a Printer
- Change Print Properties
- Print Preview
Proofing Tools:
- Check Worksheet Spelling
- Use AutoComplete
- Use AutoCorrect
- Find and Replace Data
- Work with AutoCalculate
Screen Components:
- Navigate the Ribbon
- Use the Quick Access Toolbar
- Change to Full Screen view
- Use Tool Tips and Shortcuts
- Use Page Layout
- Understand workbook layout
- Understand worksheet layout
- Hide and restore the Taskbar
- Understand Excel pointers
Working with Ranges:
- Name Cells
- Name Ranges
- Use the Go To Box
- Use the Name Box
- Use the Range Finder
Course Duration
7 Hours
Introducing: 20 Minutes Creating Workbooks: 35 Minutes Formatting Data: 30 Minutes Formulas and Functions: 40 Minutes Move and Copy Data: 35 Minutes Navigating Workbooks: 40 Minutes Open and Save Workbooks: 45 Minutes Page Breaks and Previewing: 20 Minutes Page Setup Options: 35 Minutes Printing: 40 Minutes Proofing Tools: 40 Minutes Screen Components: 30 Minutes Working with Ranges: 20 Minutes