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Jan's Working with Numbers

    Excel Basics

Project Objectives

  • Open a new blank workbook
  • Open an existing workbook
  • Set Regional, Page Setup and Options settings
  • Enter and edit text and numerical data
  • Clear cell contents
  • Save a workbook
  • Sort - on one column, multiple columns
  • Create a Custom List for sorting
  • Format rows and columns
  • AutoFill - data, formulas, series
  • Create formulas
  • Use absolute reference in a formula
  • Show all formulas at once
  • Create formula with AutoSum
  • Format with Accounting and Percent styles
  • Create a pie chart
  • Change chart type
  • Select and modify a chart layout
  • Add a text box to a chart
  • Spell check
  • Use Page Break Preview and Print Preview
  • Add a button to the Quick Access Toolbar
  • Print selection, worksheet, and single page
  • Set printing options - repeated titles, headings, print area, gridlines

Working with a spreadsheet is not as natural as working with a Word document. It may take considerable experience before you will feel entirely comfortable. In Project 1 you formatted data in an existing spreadsheet. In Project 2 you will learn the basics about creating a spreadsheet yourself and editing its contents. You'll learn how configure the various settings, to enter data, to show all the data, to do simple calculations, to use the basic views, and to print your results with the settings that you want. After this project you will be able to create a simple spreadsheet. It might not be pretty, but it will get the job done.

First, however, we need to check how your computer and your copy of Excel are set up. Otherwise what happens when you follow the directions won't be what is described.  It's terribly confusing when you do not know where to go to straighten things out!