Microsoft Excel Overview

MS
Excel
stands
for
MicroSofts
spreadsheet programme that is used for
storing, organizing and manipulating
data.
This software is a powerful
computer programme is a part of the
MS Office and is available for operating
system of Microsoft Windows and Mac
OS
X.
This
is
the
most
used
spreadsheet programme these days.
We give below a screen shot of Excel
Screen with some inputs about how it
can be useful for calculation of salary of
employees in an organisation. It has
the
ability
to
perform
complex
operations, save time and improve
efficiency.

Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet

application.

It is a part of MS Office.

It features calculation, graphic

tools, pivot tables and a macroprogramming language called Visual
Basic For Applications (VBA).

.
A look at the above Excel screen shows
that spreadsheet is a rectangular
table with grids of rows and columns.
The horizontal rows are identified by
numbers (1,2,3,4,5.) and the vertical
columns with letters of alphabet
(A,B,C,D,E.).
MS Excel popularly known as Excel is
a very powerful software with so many
features that it is not possible to
discuss even a fraction of these in these
pages.
The
features
include
calculation, graphing tools, pivot tables
and a macro programming language
called Visual Basic for Applications.

What is a Cell in Excel ?

The intersection point (i.e. the small
rectangular box) between a column and
a row is called a Cell. This cell is the
basic unit for storing data in the
spreadsheet. There can be thousands
of cells in a spreadsheet depending on
the amount of data you are storing. To
identify or refer to data stored in a
particular cell, it is identified by so
called cell reference. For example, in
the above screen shot, 5000 is in cell
referred as B4. Thus, we can say that
cell reference is a combination of the
column letter and the row number.

Can You Give Me Some of the Uses of

MS Excel :
Excel is used for a large number of
functions. Some of the functions for
which Excel is widely used includes, (a)
Managing data records like name list
(you are easily sort alphabetically); (b)
Analysis through pivot tables; (c)
corporate budgeting; (d) creating forms

and consolidating results; (e) inventory

management ; (f) Breakeven analysis.

Some important terms relating to MS

Excel :
a) Worksheet : It is a grid of cells made
up of horizontal rows and vertical
columns. It contains 65536 rows and
256 columns.
b) Row Number : Each row is given a
number 1,2,3,4, . So on.
c) Column Letter : Each column is given
a letter starting from AZ, AA.ZZ,
BABZ, .IA IV.
d) Cell : It is basic unit of worksheet
where numbers, text, formulae, etc, can
be place.
e) Cell Pointer : It is a cell boundary
that specifies which cell is active at that
moment.
f) Current Cell : It is a cell which is
active.

g) Range of Cell : It is a group

contiguous
cells
that
forms
rectangular are in shape.

of
a

h) Work Book : A worksheet is a grid of

cells made up of rows and columns.
Multiple worksheets can be combined
under a file known as Work Book.
i) Data in Worksheet : Three types of
data can be entered,
numbers/characters, text and formulae.
j) Formula : It is a sequence of values,
cell address, names functions or
operators in a cell that produces a new
value from existing values.
k) Cell Referencing : Each cell in
worksheet has a unique address, when
cell address is referred in formulas, it is
called Cell Referencing.
l) Relative Referencing : Cell
referencing in which the cells are
referred by their relative position in the
worksheet relative to a particular cell.
m)Absolute Referencing : Cell
referencing in which the cells are

referred by their fixed position in the

worksheet.
n)Mixed Referencing : Combination of
relative and absolute referencing is
called Mixed Referencing
o)Functions : Functions are predefined
formulae that perform calculations by
using specific values called arguments.
p) Structure : The structure of a
function begins with the function name,
followed by an opening parenthesis, the
arguments for the function separated
by commas and a closing parenthesis.
q) Charts : Charts are the pictorial
representation of worksheet data.
r) Area Chart : An area chart
emphasizes the magnitude of change
over time.
s) Column Chart : A column chart shows
data changes over a period of time.
t) Bar Chart : It illustrates comparisons
among individual items.

u) Line Chart : It shows trends in data at

equal intervals.

Excel Keyboard Shortcuts

The following keyboard short cuts can
be used to increase the speed and
smooth functioning in the MS Excel
spreadsheet work.:
Hide / Unhide
shortcuts:
CTRL+9

Hide the selected row(s)

CTRL+SHIFT+(

Unhide any hidden row(s) within

selection

CTRL+0

Hide the selected column(s)

CTRL+SHIFT+)

Unhide any hidden column(s)

within selection

Navigation shortcuts:
HOME

Move to the beginning of the Row

CTRL+HOME

Move to the beginning of the

Worksheet

CTRL+END

Move to the bottom-most and

right-most used cell in the
Worksheet

CTRL+PAGDOWN

Move to the Next Sheet in the

workbook

CTRL+PAGEUP

Move to the Pervious Sheet in the

workbook

ALT+PAGEDOWN

Move one screen to the Right

ALT+PAGEUP

Move one screen to the Left

Selection shortcuts:
CTRL+SHIFT+PAGED
OWN

Select the current sheet and next

sheet

CTRL+SHIFT+PAGEUP

Select the current sheet and

previous sheet

CTRL+SPACE

Select the entire COLUMN

SHIFT+SPACE

Select the entire ROW

CTRL+*

Select current range

CTRL+SHIFT+O(letter
O)

Select cells that contain

Comments

CTRL+SHIFT+*

Select the current region around

the active cell

CTRL+ /

Select the array containing the

active cell

CTRL+]

Select all cells that contain

formulae that directly reference
active cell

CTRL+SHIFT+}

Select all cells that contain

formulae that directly or
indirectly reference active cell

Date & Time related shortcuts:

CTRL+;

Insert current date

CTRL+SHIFT+:
(COLON)

Insert current time

Number Formatting
shortcuts:
CTRL+SHIFT+~

General Format the numbers in

selected range

CTRL+SHIFT+%

Apply Percentage format to

numbers in selected range

CTRL+SHIFT+$

Apply Currency format to

numbers in selected range

CTRL+SHIFT+#

Apply date format (dd/mm/yy) to

the selected cell(s)

CTRL+SHIFT+^

Apply Exponential number format

with 2 decimal places to the
selection

CTRL+SHIFT+!

Apply Number format with 2

decimal places, thousands
separator and minus sign for -ve
numbers

General Cell / Range Formatting shortcuts:

CTRL+1

Format cells menu

CTRL+SHIFT+&

Apply outline border to the

selection

CTRL+SHIFT+ _
(underscore)

Remove the outline border to the

selection

CTRL+5

Apply (or remove) Strikethrough

format to the selection

CTRL+B OR CTRL+2

Apply (or remove) Bold format

CTRL+B OR CTRL+3

Apply (or remove) Italic format

CTRL+B OR CTRL+4

Apply (or remove) Underline

format

Copy data shortcuts:

CTRL+D

Fill Down

CTRL+R

Fill Right

CTRL+, (comma)

Copy formula from cell above to

the active cell

CTRL+ (double
quotes)

Copy value from cell above to the

active cell

Other shortcuts:
CTRL+K

Insert hyperlink menu

CTRL+(~)

Toggle formula view

F4

Repeat last action

F11

Chart selected data