Excel or any other spreadsheet software has become a staple for every business and many homes.
Once you learn the basics of spreadsheets, the knowledge can be transferred to most any other spreadsheet program.
Click here if you have not read "Excel Quick Start" Microsoft Excel Just the Basics. When a spreadsheet is started, there are usually 3 worksheets. Looking at the bottom of the monitor, you will see 3 tabs that say; Sheet 1, Sheet 2 and Sheet 3. These are individual Spreadsheets, also called Worksheets, that together are called a Workbook. Below are some other basic tools you may recognize from using most word processing programs: (The words in parentheses are the Toolbars where the task is located.)
1. Find/Replace (Menu Bar)
Click on the word EDIT, then click on REPLACE, click in the box next to Find what:, type a word in the spreadsheet that you want to be replaced, next, click in the box next to Replace with:, type the new word, now click on Replace or Replace All. (Find and Replace is used together to locate and change specific words or formatting.)
2. Undo (Standard Toolbar)
The Undo tool removes recent changes that were made to your document. You can undo only one change at a time, or by clicking on the down pointing arrow next to the undo tool, undo multiple changes.
3. Redo (Standard Toolbar)
The Redo tool reverses the UNDO command. This is especially handy if you accedentally delete something you need.
4. Office Assistant (Menu Bar)
The Assistant is a helpful tool. Turn on the Assistant by clicking on HELP, then click on Show the Office Assistant. Ask questions by clicking on the Assistant, then typing your question in the box. This is a fun animated character. There are several assistants to choose from, right click on the character, click on Choose Assistant and follow the instructions.
5. Format Painter (Formatting Toolbar)
The Format Painter can speed up your work by coping the formatting of selected text, which can be applied to other text. First, select text that is formatted the way you would like it to be, click on the Paint brush, notice that the pointer has changed to a paint brush.
The most important part of using the Format Painter is to:
- select the text to copy the format
- click on the paint brush
- then select the new text to apply the formatting
(After clicking on step 1, do not click anywhere else on the spreadsheet. This process must be followed exactly or it won't work.)
