MS-EXCEL
Lecture note 1
Mr. Hasala Sithum
PREAMBLE
Microsoft Excel is an electronic spreadsheet. You can use it to organize your data
into rows and columns. You can also use it to perform mathematical calculations
quickly.
1. Entering Text and Numbers
1.1 The Microsoft Excel Window
This Section will introduce you to the Excel window. To begin this Section, start
Microsoft Excel as follows:
1. Click on Start Button
2. Point the mouse on All Programs
3. Click on Microsoft Office
4. Click on Microsoft Excel
The Microsoft Excel window appears and your screen looks similar to the one
shown here.
1.2 File Menu
In the upper-left corner of the Excel window is the File menu. When you click a
menu appears. You can use the menu to create a new file, open an existing file,
save a file, print and perform many other tasks.
MS-EXCEL LECTURE NOTE 01
LPEC
Mr. Hasala Sithum Page 2
1.3 The Quick Access Toolbar
The Quick Access toolbar gives you quick access to commands you frequently use.
1.4 The Title Bar
Next to the Quick Access toolbar is the Title bar. On the Title bar, Microsoft Excel
displays the name of the workbook you are currently using. At the top of the Excel
window, you should see "Book 1 - Microsoft Excel" or a similar name.
1.5 The Ribbon
In Microsoft Excel, you use the Ribbon to issue commands. The Ribbon is located
near the top of the Excel window, below the Quick Access toolbar.
1.6 Worksheets
Microsoft Excel consists of worksheets. Each worksheet contains columns and
rows. The columns are lettered A to Z and then continuing with AA, AB, AC and so
on; the rows are numbered 1 to 1,048,576.
The combination of a column coordinate and a row coordinate make up a cell
address. For example, the cell located in the upper-left corner of the worksheet is
cell A1, meaning column A, row 1. Cell E10 is located under column E on row 10.
You enter your data into the cells on the worksheet.
MS-EXCEL LECTURE NOTE 01
LPEC
Mr. Hasala Sithum Page 3
1.7 The Formula Bar
If the Formula bar is turned on, the cell address of the cell you are in displays in the
Name box which is located on the left side of the Formula bar. Cell entries display
on the right side of the Formula bar.
1.8 The Status Bar
The Status bar appears at the very bottom of the Excel window and provides such
information as the sum, average, minimum, and maximum value of selected
numbers.
1.9 Move Around a Worksheet
By using the arrow keys, you can move around your worksheet. You can use the
down arrow key to move downward one cell at a time. You can use the up arrow
key to move upward one cell at a time. You can use the Tab key to move across the
page to the right, one cell at a time. You can hold down the Shift key and then press
the Tab key to move to the left, one cell at a time. You can use the right and left
arrow keys to move right or left one cell at a time. The Page Up and Page Down
keys move up and down one page at a time. If you hold down the Ctrl key and then
press the Home key, you move to the beginning of the worksheet.
1.10 EXERCISE 1
Move around the Worksheet using the Down and Up Arrow Keys, the Right and Left
Arrow Keys, the Tab Key, the Page Up and Page Down Keys and the (Ctrl) Home Key.
1.11 Go To Cells Quickly
The following are shortcuts for moving quickly from one cell in a worksheet to a cell
in a different part of the worksheet.
MS-EXCEL LECTURE NOTE 01
LPEC
Mr. Hasala Sithum Page 4
1.12 EXERCISE 2 Go to -- F5
1. Press F5. The Go To dialog box opens.
2. Type J3 in the Reference field.
3. Press Enter. Excel moves to cell J3.
Go to -- Ctrl+G
1. Hold down the Ctrl key while you press "g" (Ctrl+g). The Go To dialog box
opens.
2. Type C4 in the Reference field.
3. Press Enter. Excel moves to cell C4.
Go To -- The Name Box
You can also use the Name box to go to a specific cell. Just type the cell you want
to go to in the Name box and then press Enter.
1. Type B10 in the Name box.
2. Press Enter. Excel moves to cell B10.
MS-EXCEL LECTURE NOTE 01
LPEC
Mr. Hasala Sithum Page 5
1.13 Select Cells
If you wish to perform a function on a group of cells, you must first select those
cells by highlighting them. The exercises that follow teach you how to select.
1.14 EXERCISE 3
Select Cells – F8 To
select cells A1 to E7:
1. Go to cell A1.
2. Press the F8 key. This anchors the cursor.
3. Note that "Extend Selection" appears on the Status bar in the lower-left
corner of the window. You are in the Extend mode.
4. Click in cell E7. Excel highlights cells A1 to E7.
5. Press Esc and click anywhere on the worksheet to clear the highlighting.
Alternative Method: Select Cells by Dragging
MS-EXCEL LECTURE NOTE 01
LPEC
Mr. Hasala Sithum Page 6
1. Go to cell A1.
2. Press the left mouse button.
3. While holding down the left mouse button, use the mouse to move from cell
A1 to C5.
4. Release the left mouse button.
5. Hold down the Ctrl key until step 9.
6. Using the mouse, place the cursor in cell D7.
7. Press the left mouse button.
8. While holding down the left mouse button, move to cell F10. Release the left
mouse button.
9. Release the Ctrl key. Cells A1 to C5 and cells D7 to F10 are selected.
[Link] Esc and click anywhere on the worksheet to remove the highlighting.
1.15 Enter Data
In this section, you will learn how to enter data into your worksheet. First, place the
cursor in the cell in which you want to start entering data. Type some data, and
then press Enter. If you need to delete, press the Backspace key to delete one
character at a time.
1.16 EXERCISE 4
Enter Data
1 2
1. Place the cursor in cell A1.
2. Type John Jordan. Do not press Enter at this time.
1.17 Edit a Cell – F2
After you enter data into a cell, you can edit the data by pressing F2 while you are
in the cell you wish to edit.
1.18 EXERCISE 5
Change "John" to "Jones."
1. Move to cell A1.
2. Press F2.
3. Use the Arrow and Backspace keys to change John to Jones
4. Press Enter.
MS-EXCEL LECTURE NOTE 01
LPEC
Mr. Hasala Sithum Page 7
Alternate Method: Editing a Cell by Using the Formula Bar
You can also edit the cell by using the Formula bar. You change "Jones" to "Joker"
in the following exercise.
1. Move the cursor to cell A1.
2. Click in the formula or entries area of the Formula bar, and change Jones to
Joker.
3. Press Enter.
Alternate Method: Edit a Cell by Double-Clicking in the Cell
You can change "Joker" to "Johnson" as follows:
1. Move to cell A1.
2. Double-click in cell A1.
3. Use the Arrow and Backspace keys to change Joker to Johnson.
4. Press Enter.
Change a Cell Entry
Typing in a cell replaces the old cell entry with the new information you type.
1. Move the cursor to cell A1.
2. Type Cathy.
3. Press Enter. The name "Cathy" replaces "Johnson Jordan"
MS-EXCEL LECTURE NOTE 01
LPEC
Mr. Hasala Sithum Page 8
1.19 Wrap Text
When you type text that is too long to fit in the cell, the text overlaps the next cell.
If you do not want it to overlap the next cell, you can wrap the text.
1.20 EXERCISE 6
1. Move to cell A2.
2. Type Text too long to fit.
3. Press Enter.
MS-EXCEL LECTURE NOTE 01
LPEC
Mr. Hasala Sithum Page 9
4. Return to cell A2.
5. Choose the Home tab.
6. Click the Wrap Text button . Excel wraps the text in the cell.
1.21 Delete a Cell Entry
To delete an entry in a cell or a group of cells, you place the cursor in the cell or
select the group of cells and press Delete.
1.22 EXERCISE 7 Delete a Cell Entry
1. Select cells A1 to A2.
2. Press the Delete key.
1.23 Save a File
This is the end of Section 1. To save your file:
1. Click the Office button. A menu appears.
2. Click Save. The Save As dialog box appears.
3. Go to the directory in which you want to save your file.
4. Type Section1 in the File Name field.
5. Click Save. Excel saves your file.
1.24 Close Excel
Close Microsoft Excel.
1. Click the Office button. A menu appears.
2. Click Close. Excel closes.
MS-EXCEL LECTURE NOTE 01
LPEC
Mr. Hasala Sithum Page 10
