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EXCEL TUTORIAL

Contents

Chapter 1
Creating a Worksheet

1. Getting Started with Excel
2. Creating Your First Worksheet
3. Editing Your Work
4. Managing Files

Chapter 2
Modifying a Worksheet

1. Entering and Reviewing Data
2. Copying and Moving Data
3. Modifying Rows and Columns

Chapter 3
Formatting and Printing

1. Enhancing a Worksheet's Appearance
2. Applying and Removing Formatting
3. Printing and Web Publishing
4. Customizing Print Options

Chapter 4
Analyzing Your Data

1. Working with Named Ranges
2. Using Built-In Functions
3. Creating an Embedded Chart

Chapter 1
Creating a Worksheet

1. Getting Started with Excel

Loading and Exiting Excel

Concept: Starting Microsoft Excel

Method: To start Microsoft Excel, click the Windows Start button and choose the Microsoft Excel menu item from the Programs menu.

Notes: It may also be worthwhile to note other methods of opening Excel that may apply to the local computer lab, including desktop icons and the Office startup bar.

Concept: Exiting Excel

Method: To exit the Excel application, click the Close button on the applications' title bar (on the right edge of the title bar).

Touring Excel

Concept: Introduction to Excel's interface items

Method: Excel's interface items such as the Title bar icons (minimize, maximize, restore and close) and the components of a worksheet (cells and the mouse pointer, the tab scrolling arrows and sheet tabs).

Customizing Menus and Toolbars

Concept: Displaying the Standard and Formatting toolbars on separate rows

Method: Choose the Customize menu item from the Tools menu. Then, click the Options tab and select the Show Standard and Formatting toolbars on two rows check box and click the Close button.

Concept: Disabling the adaptive menus in Excel

Method: Choose the Customize menu item from the Tools menu. Then, click the Options tab and select the Always show full menus check box and click the Close button.

Concept: Toggling a toolbar

Method: To display or hide a toolbar, choose the Toolbars menu item from the View menu. Then, choose any of the toolbars from the menu that appears. If the selected toolbar is not visible, it will be displayed, and if it is currently displayed, it will be hidden from view.

Concept: Toggling the Task Pane

Method: Choose the Task Pane menu item from the View menu. If the Task Pane is not visible, it will be displayed, and if it is currently displayed, it will be hidden from view.

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2. Creating Your First Worksheet

Moving the Cell Pointer

Concept: Moving the cell pointer around the Excel worksheet

Method: To move the cell pointer in the worksheet, use any of the following keystrokes:
• up, down, left and right arrow keys - moves the cell pointer up, down, left or right one cell
• Home – moves the cell pointer to the first cell in the row
• PgUp, PgDn - moves the pointer up or down one screen full
• Ctrl+Home - moves the pointer to cell A1
• Ctrl+End - moves the pointer to the last cell in the active worksheet area
• F5 - moves to a specified cell address, specified by the user

Entering Text

Concept: Entering a text value in a cell

Method: To enter text value in a cell, click the mouse to set the insertion point in a specific cell and begin typing. Pressing the Enter key terminates text entry in the selected cell.

Entering Dates

Concept: Entering a date value into a cell

Method: To enter a date value in a cell, click the mouse to set the insertion point in a specific cell and type the date in one of the following forms: mm/dd/yy, dd-mmm-yy or mmm-yyyy. Press the Enter key to terminate the date entry in the selected cell.

Notes: There are many formats for entering a date, the book lists the three specified above.

Entering Numbers

Concept: Entering a numeric value into a cell

Method: To enter a numeric date in a cell, click the mouse to set the insertion point in a specific cell and type the number desired. You can use special characters in the value, such as commas, dollar signs, percentage symbols, and periods.

Entering Formulas

Concept: Entering a mathematical formula into a cell

Method: To enter a mathematical formula into a cell, click the mouse in the worksheet to set the insertion point in a specific cell. Then, type an equals sign (=) followed by a formula. Formulas can contain one or more numeric values, basic operators (+, -, /, *), cell references (B3) and parenthesis. Press the Enter key to terminate the entry of the formula in the cell.

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3. Editing Your Work

Editing a Cell's Contents

Concept: Editing a cell's contents

Method: There are several methods to edit a cell's contents:
• while typing a formula or value into the cell, press the Backspace key to delete the previously typed character,
• to replace all of the cell's contents, select the cell and type over the original data, pressing the Enter key when finished,
• double-click in the cell to place the insertion point in the cell for editing, or press the F2 key to enter Edit mode. The cell's contents are now editable via the Formula bar.

Selecting and Erasing Cell Contents

Concept: Erasing the contents of a single cell or a range of cells

Method: To erase the contents of a single cell or a range of cells, select the desired cell(s) and press the Delete key.

Notes: A range of cells can be selected by dragging the mouse from the upper-left to lower-right corners of the range (or vice versa).

Concept: Removing the attributes of a single cell or a range of cells

Method: To remove attributes of a single cell or a range of cells select the cell(s) and choose the Clear menu item from the Edit menu. Then, select one of the following menu items:
• All - removes the cell contents, comments and formatting attributes
• Formats - removes the cell formatting only, preserves the contents
• Contents - removes the cell's contents only, preserves the formatting
• Comments - removes the cell's comments only, preserves the contents and formatting

Using Undo and Redo

Concept: Using the Undo command

Method: To cancel up to the last 16 actions, click the Undo button on the Standard toolbar, choose the Undo menu item from the Edit menu, or press Ctrl+Z.

Concept: Using the Redo command

Method: To reverse an Undo command (and redo something that was undone), click the Redo button on the Standard toolbar.

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4. Managing Files

Beginning a New Workbook

Concept: Creating a new workbook in Excel

Method: To create a new workbook, either click the New button on the Standard toolbar or choose the New menu item from the File menu. If you click the New button, you will display a new blank workbook. By choosing the New menu item, you can select a template or wizard to base the new workbook on.

Saving and Closing

Concept: Saving a workbook

Method: To save a workbook, click the Save button from the Standard toolbar, choose the Save menu item from the File menu, or choose the Save As menu item from the File menu. In the resulting Save As dialog box that appears, provide a location to save the workbook via the Save in: drop-down list and a name for the workbook in the File name: text area. Press the Save button to save the workbook.

Concept: Closing a workbook

Method: To close a workbook, click the Close button or choose the Close menu item from the File menu.

Opening an Existing Workbook

Concept: Opening an existing Excel workbook

Method: To open an existing Excel workbook file, click the Open button on the Standard toolbar or choose the Open menu item from the File menu. Then, in the Open dialog window that appear, choose the location of the file from the Look in: drop-down list. Double-click the file you wish to open from the list of files and the workbook will open in Excel.

Creating a Workbook Folder

Concept: Creating a new folder on the local machine's disk drive

Method: To create a new folder, choose the Save As menu item from the File menu and select the desired parent folder from the Save In drop-down list box. Then, click the Create New Folder button and provide a name for the new folder in the New Folder dialog window that appears. Click the OK button to return to the Save As dialog window, located in the folder you have created.

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Chapter 2
Modifying a Worksheet

1. Entering and Reviewing Data

Selecting Cells and Ranges
Concept: Selecting a range of cells using the mouse

Method: Click the cell in the upper-left corner of the range, and drag the mouse pointer to the cell in the lower-right corner of the range.

Concept: Selecting a range of cells using the keyboard

Method: Use the keyboard arrow keys to position the cell pointer to the cell in the upper-left corner of the range. Then, hold down the Shift key while using the keyboard arrow keys to position the cell pointer to the cell in the lower-right of the range. Finally, release the Shift key.

Notes: To select multiple ranges of cells, hold down the Ctrl key while selecting additional cells after the first selection has been made.

Entering Data using AutoComplete

Concept: Using AutoComplete

Method: To turn AutoComplete off (or on), choose the Options menu item from the Tools menu, and click the Edit tab in the dialog box that appears. Then, select the Enable AutoComplete for cell values check box. If the check box is selected (and the check mark appears) AutoComplete will be enabled, otherwise it is disabled.

Notes: AutoComplete attempts to guess what data is being entered by the user by comparing the typed characters to others in the same column, looking for similar entries.

Using AutoCalculate and AutoSum

Concept: Using the AutoCalculate feature

Method: Select a range of cells. The sum of the selected range is displayed in the Status bar.

Notes: By right-clicking on the Sum display, you can select other calculations (average, count, max, min, etc.) in addition to summations.

Concept: Using the AutoSum feature

Method: Select an empty cell which is located just below a column of values. Then, click the AutoSum button to place a sum function in the empty cell which sums the values above it.

Notes: By clicking the drop-down menu on the AutoSum button, rather then the button itself, you can use a different function rather than a sum (average, count, min, max, etc.).

Inserting and Deleting Cells

Concept: Inserting a cell or a range of cells

Method: Select the cell or range of cells that will be moved as the result of the insertion. Then, choose the Cells menu item from the Insert menu. In the resulting Insert dialog window that appears, select either the Shift cells right or Shift cells down option button and click the OK button. The selected cells will be moved in the direction selected, inserting new cells.

Concept: Deleting a cell or a range of cells

Method: Select the cell or range of cells that will be deleted. Then, choose the Delete menu item from the Edit menu. In the resulting Delete dialog window that appears, select either the Shift cells left or Shift cells up option button and click the OK button. The selected cells will be deleted.

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2. Copying and Moving Data

Using the Windows Clipboard

Concept: Cutting, copying and pasting data to/from the Windows Clipboard

Method: To cut, copy or paste data to the Windows Clipboard, choose one of the following from the list below.
• cut (Ctrl+X) - moves selected data to the clipboard, removing it from the worksheet
• copy (Ctrl+C) - copies selected data to the clipboard, the selected data remains in the worksheet
• paste (Ctrl+V) - inserts data from the clipboard into the worksheet at the cell location pointed to by the cell pointer.

Using the Office Clipboard

Concept: Cutting, copying and pasting data to/from the Office Clipboard.

Method: The Office Clipboard functions the same as the Windows Clipboard, except with the ability to store up to 24 items. To view the Office Clipboard and its contents, choose the Office Clipboard menu item from the Edit menu. The Office Clipboard will be displayed. You can click the Clear All button to remove all items from the clipboard, the Paste All button to paste all of the copied items into the current worksheet, and the Options button to customize the settings of the Office Clipboard.

To paste a particular item from the clipboard into the current worksheet, select the item from the list in the clipboard and choose the Paste menu item from the menu that appears.

Using Drag and Drop

Concept: Dragging and dropping data around a worksheet

Method: Select a cell or range of cells that will be copied or moved. Then, position the mouse pointer over an edge of the selected cells, and drag the cells to their new location. To copy the cells (rather than move them) hold down the Ctrl key while performing the drag.

Creating a Series Using AutoFill

Concept: Using AutoFill

Method: Select a cell or range of cells. These selected cells will be the basis of the series you wish to extend. Then, drag the fill handle (italics) to extend the selected series. Release the fill handle when the extension is complete.

Notes: The AutoFill Options button appears once the mouse is released. It can be used to modify the attributes of the filled items.

Extending a Cell's Contents

Concept: Another method to using AutoFill

Method: Select the desired cell or range of cells and choose one of the following:
• choose the Fill menu item from the Edit menu, and then choose the Right (or Left) menu item - extends the selected cells to the right or left
• choose the File menu item from the Edit menu, and then choose the Down (or Up) menu item - extends the selected cells up or down in the column.

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3. Modifying Rows and Columns

Changing Column Widths

Concept: Changing a column's width

Method: To change a column's width, selected one of the methods listed below. Note that multiple columns can be modified at one time by selecting them first.
• drag the right borderline of the column in the frame area
• select one or more columns and choose the Column menu item from the Format menu. Then, choose the Width menu item and type a width value in the dialog window that appears. Finally, click the OK button.
• double-click the right borderline in the heading area, or choose the Column menu item from the Format menu. Then, choose the AutoFit Selection menu item.

Changing Row Heights

Concept: Changing a row's height

Method: To change a row's height, perform one of the methods listed below:
• using the mouse - drag the bottom borderline of the frame area up or down
• using the menu - select a cell in the desired row and choose the Row menu item from the Format menu. Then, choose the Height menu item and type a height values in the dialog window that appears. Finally, click the OK button.
• using best-fit - double-click on the bottom borderline in the frame area or choose the Row menu item from the Format menu and then choose the AutoFit menu item.

Inserting and Deleting Rows and Columns

Concept: Inserting or deleting a row

Method: Right-click on a row number from the frame area and choose either the Insert or Delete menu items from the menu that appears.

Concept: Inserting and deleting a column

Method: Right-click on a column letter from the frame area and choose either the Insert or Delete menu items from the menu that appears.

Hiding and Unhiding Rows and Columns

Concept: Hiding a row or column

Method: To hide a row or column, right-click in the row or column's frame area and choose Hide from the menu that appears.

Concept: Unhiding a row or column

Method: Select the rows or columns on either side of the hidden row/column. Then right-click in the frame area of the selection and choose Unhide from the menu that appears.

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Chapter 3
Formatting and Printing

1. Enhancing a Worksheet's Appearance

Applying Fonts, Font Styles, and Colors

Concept: Applying an individual formatting characteristic

Method: To apply a single formatting characteristic to a single cell or a range of cells, select the desired cells and choose one of the following methods:
• to change the font of the selected cell(s) - click the Font list box and select a new font from the list shown
• to change the font size of the selected cell(s) - click the Font Size list box and select a new font size from the list shown
• to bold the selected cell(s) - click the Bold button on the Formatting toolbar
• to italicize the selected cell(s) - click the Italics button on the Formatting toolbar
• to underline the selected cell(s) - click the Underline button on the Formatting toolbar
• to change the font color of the selected cell(s) - click the Font Color button on the Formatting toolbar and choose a new color from the drop-down list that appears.

Concept: Viewing or applying multiple formatting characteristics

Method: To view the formatting characteristics of a single cell or a range of cells, or to set multiple formatting characteristics at one time, select the range of cells and choose the Cells menu item from the Format menu. In the Format Cells dialog window that appears, click the Format tab and select the desired formatting options and click the OK button.

Notes: There are various keyboard shortcuts for many of the formatting options as well. They are detailed in the text on page 3-5.

Formatting Numbers and Dates

Concept: Formatting numbers

Method: To apply formatting to number values, select a cell or a range of cells and then use one of the following methods:
to apply a currency style - click the Currency Style button on the Formatting toolbar
to apply a percentage style - click the Percent Style button on the Formatting toolbar
to apply a comma style - click the Comma Style button on the Formatting toolbar
to increase or decrease the amount of decimal places, click the Increase Decimal or Decrease Decimal buttons on the Formatting toolbar

Concept: Viewing or applying formatting characteristics via a dialog window

Method: To view or set formatting characteristics via a dialog window, select the desired cell or range of cells and choose the Cells menu item from the Format menu. In the Format Cells dialog window that appears, click the Number tab and select the desired number formatting characteristics and click the OK button.

Notes: Using this method, a user can format numbers from a variety of categories (number, currency, date, time, scientific, etc.), and then customize the formatting further apropos of the category selected.

Aligning, Merging, and Rotating Cells

Concept: Changing the alignment of cell values

Method: The alignment of the contents of a cell can be adjusted by performing one of the following methods:
• to left align the cell's contents - click the Align Left button on the Formatting toolbar
• to right align the cell's contents - click the Align Right button on the Formatting toolbar
• to center the cell's contents - click the Center button on the Formatting toolbar

To merge the contents of a cell over a group of cells, and center the resulting display, select the range of cells to perform the group over and click the Merge and Center button on the Formatting toolbar.

Concept: Changing the alignment and rotation of cell values via a dialog window

Method: To view or set the alignment and rotation of cell values via a dialog window, select the cell or range of cells and choose the Cell menu item from the Format menu. In the Format Cells dialog window that appears, click the Alignment tab and select the various alignment characteristics from the Horizontal and Vertical drop-down menus. Rotational control is achieved via the Orientation controls in the dialog window. The Degrees spin box and Orientation drag area can be used to adjust the amount of angle applied to the text in the selected cells.

Adding Borders and Shading

Concept: Adding borders to a selected cell or a range of cells

Method: To apply a border, select the desired cells and click the Borders button on the Formatting toolbar to display its drop-down list. Then, from the list that appears, select a border style. To apply multiple border styles (one for the top, bottom, etc.) repeat this method as necessary.

Notes: You can also click the Draw Borders... list item to display the Borders toolbar which is used to draw borders around cells by using the mouse. The toolbar provides access to drawing, erasing, line style and line color controls.

Concept: Applying shading (fill colors) to a selected cell or a range of cells

Method: To apply shading, select the desired cells and click the Fill Color button on the Formatting toolbar to display its drop-down list. Then, from the list that appears, select a fill color.

Concept: Changing the borders and shading via a dialog window

Method: To change the borders and shading characteristics via a dialog window, select the cell or range of cells and choose the Cells menu item from the Format window. In the Format Cells dialog window that appears, click the Border or Patterns tab to view the controls for each of these characteristics.

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2. Applying and Removing Formatting

Using the Format Painter

Concept: Copying formatting from one range of cells to another

Method: To copy the formatting characteristics of a cell or range of cells and apply it to another cell or range of cells, select the source of the formatting and click the Format Painter button on the Standard toolbar. Then, select the cell or range of cells to apply the formatting to.

Notes: Double-clicking the Format Painter button keeps the button active after applying the formatting to a first destination range of cells. Continued selection of cells will repeatedly apply the formatting until the click the Format Painter button again.

Removing Formatting Attributes

Concept: Removing the formatting from a range of cells

Method: To remove the formatting attributes from a cell or a range of cells, select the desired cells and choose the Clear menu item from the Edit menu. Then, choose the Formats menu item to clear the attributes.

Using the Paste Special Command

Concept: Using the Paste Special command to paste only the desired values, data or formatting characteristics

Method: To paste only the formula, value, formatting characteristics, borders, etc., select the source cell or range of cells and click the Copy button on the Standard toolbar. Then, select the destination cell or range of cells and choose the Paste Special menu item from the Edit menu. The Paste Special dialog window will appear. From the window, you can decide what type of information to paste, then click the OK button.

Using the AutoFormat Command

Concept: Using AutoFormat

Method: To use AutoFormat to assist in the rapid formatting of cells, select the cell or range of cells you wish to format, and then choose the AutoFormat menu item from the Format menu. Next, choose the desired format to apply to the selected cells from the AutoFormat dialog window that appears. Click the OK button to apply the formatting.

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3. Printing and Web Publishing

Previewing and Printing a Worksheet

Concept: Previewing a worksheet (for printing)

Method: To preview a workbook, click the Print Preview button on the Standard toolbar or choose the Print Preview menu item from the File menu. The workbook will appear in a preview window that can be used to navigate through the various pages to be printed, zoomed in and out, and send the workbook to the printer.

Concept: Printing a workbook

Method: To send the workbook to the printer, click the Print button on the Standard toolbar or choose the Print menu item from the File menu. The Print dialog window will appear, permitting the user to select the destination printer, number of copies and other printing options. Click the OK button to send the workbook to the printer.

Previewing and Publishing to the Web

Concept: Saving a worksheet as a Web page

Method: To save the current worksheet as a Web page, choose the Save as Web page menu item from the File menu. In the Save As dialog window that appears, select the location to save the file to in the Save In: drop-down list and provide a file name for the file in the File name: text area. Then, click the Save button to save the worksheet as an HTML file.

Concept: Viewing a worksheet as a Web page

Method: To preview the worksheet as a web page, choose the Web Page Preview menu item from the File menu. The worksheet will be displayed in the default web browser (Internet Explorer by default).

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4. Customizing Print Options

Adjusting Page and Margin Settings

Concept: Modifying the page and margin settings for printing

Method: To modify the page and margin settings for printing a workbook, choose the Page Setup menu item from the File menu. Then in the Page Setup dialog window that appears, click the Page or Margins tabs to view and modify the various settings for each category. Click the OK button to set any changes.

Inserting Headers and Footers

Concept: Inserting a header or footer in the printed output

Method: To insert a header or footer in the printed output from Excel, choose the Page Setup menu item from the File menu and click the Header/Footer tab in the Page Setup dialog window that appears. Then, click the down-arrow next to the Header and Footer drop-down lists and select a pre-created footer for your document.

Notes: The Custom Header and Custom Footer buttons can be used to display a dialog window that permits the user to custom build their own header or footer, setting the contents, formatting and alignment of each of the items in the header or footer.

Selecting Worksheet Content to Print

Concept: Setting the print area of a worksheet

Method: To set a worksheet's print area, select a range of cells which will be printed and choose the Print Area menu item from the File menu. Then, choose the Set Print Area menu item to mark the range of cells that will be printed.

Concept: Clearing the print area of a worksheet

Method: To clear a worksheet's print area, choose the Print Area menu item from the File menu. Then, choose the Clear Print Area menu item.

Content: Selecting how much to print

Method: To select how much to print (a selection, the active worksheet, or the entire workbook), choose the Print menu item from the File menu. Then, in the resulting Print dialog window that appears, select one of the Print what option buttons (Selection, Active sheet(s), or Entire workbook). Additionally, you can set the number of copies to print by using the Number of copies to print spin box.

Concept: Specifying whether gridlines or row and column headings are printed

Method: To specify if gridlines and row/column headings are printed, choose the Page Setup menu item from the File menu and click the Sheet tab. Then, select the Gridlines check box to enable the printing of gridlines and select the Row and column headings check box to enable the printing of the frame area (row/column headings).

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Chapter 4
Analyzing Your Data

1. Working with Named Ranges

Naming Cell Ranges

Concept: Naming a cell range

Method: To name a cell range, select the desired range to name and choose one of the following methods:
• click in the Name box above the worksheet, type a name for the range and press the Enter key
• include the row and/or column headers in the selection and choose the Name menu item from the Insert menu. Then choose the Create menu item which displays the Create Names dialog window. In the resulting window, check the boxes (Top row, Left column, Bottom row, and Right column) where the headers are located and press the OK button. Named ranges will be created for each data series found in the location specified by the check boxes.

Managing Range Names

Concept: Using the Define Name dialog box to add or delete named ranges

Method: You can add a new named range or delete existing named ranges via the Define Name dialog box. To display the dialog, choose the Name menu item from the Insert menu and then choose the Define menu item. Then, perform one of the following steps:
• to delete a named range - select the desired range name and press the Delete button
• to add a named range – provide a name for the new named range by editing the text in the Names in Workbook: text area, and by providing a range in the Refers to: text area. Then, click the Add button to add the new named range.

Concept: Pasting the list of named ranges (and their references) into a worksheet

Method: To paste the current list of named ranges and their references into a worksheet (for verification); select a cell in the worksheet where the items will be pasted to. Then, choose the Name menu item from the Insert menu, and then choose the Paste menu item.

Using References in Formulas

Concept: Using cell references

Method: There are three types of references to a cell in Excel. They are as follows:
• relative (the default) - when used in a formula, the reference adjusts itself automatically when copied (example: B4)
• absolute - always references the same cell, no matter where it is copied to (example: $B$4)
• mixed - locks the portion of the reference preceded with the dollar sign and makes the other portion relative (example: $B4)

Notes: When editing a cell, users can repeatedly press the F4 key to cycle through the various types of cell references, to ease the editing process.

Entering Natural Language Formulas

Concept: Using a natural language expression in a formula

Method: To enable this feature, choose the Options menu item from the Tools menu and click the Calculation tab in the dialog window that appears. Then, select the Automatic option button and the Accept labels in formulas button. Finally, click the OK button. Now, to create a formula based upon natural language, type an expression which uses the actual row and column tables used in the worksheet.

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2. Using Built-In Functions

Adding Values (SUM)

Concept: Using the SUM function

Method: Use the SUM function to calculate the sum of values over a range. The function takes the form of SUM (range). Example: =SUM(A4:C5)

Notes: The AutoSum button can also be used to insert a sum function into an expression. AutoSum was covered in chapter 3.

Calculating Averages (AVERAGE)

Concept: Using the AVERAGE function

Method: Use the AVERAGE function to calculate the average of values of a range. The function takes the form of AVERAGE (range). Example: =AVERAGE(A4:C5)

Counting Values (COUNT)
Concept: Using the COUNT function

Method: Use the COUNT function to calculate the number of values over a range of cells. The function takes the form of COUNT(range). Example: =COUNT(A4:C5)

Notes: The function counts the number of cells that contain a numeric or date value. COUNT does not count cells which contain a textual value. The COUNTA function counts all cells which are nonblank (those with a numeric, date, or textual value).

Analyzing Values (MIN and MAX)

Concept: Using the MIN and MAX functions

Method: Use the MIN or MAX functions to calculate the minimum or maximum values from a range of cells. The functions take the form of MIN(range) and MAX(range). Examples: =MIN(A4:C5) and =MAX(A4:C5)

Calculating Dates (NOW and TODAY)

Concept: Using the NOW function

Method: The NOW function returns both the date and time from the computer's clock. The function takes the form of NOW() and requires no arguments. Example: =NOW()

Concept: Using the TODAY function

Method: The TODAY function returns the current date from the computer's clock. The function takes the form of TODAY() and requires no arguments. Example: =TODAY()

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3.Creating an Embedded Chart

This Section gives the students a brief introduction to creating a chart in Excel by using the Chart Wizard, and to previewing and printing the chart that they have created.

Creating a Chart Using the Chart Wizard

Concept: Creating a chart with the Chart Wizard

Method: To create an embedded chart in the workbook, select a range of cells to base the chart on. Then, click the Chart Wizard button on the Standard toolbar. The Chart Wizard dialog window will appear and guide the user through the selection and creation of a chart based on the selected range. Use the Next > button to navigate through the pages of the wizard.

Items which are presented for control and modification include the type of chart to be created, the source range used to create the chart, chart title and axis labels and how to embed the chart (within the current worksheet's page or as a worksheet unto itself). Click the Finish button to complete the chart creation process and embed the created chart.

Previewing and Printing an Embedded Chart

Concept: Previewing a worksheet to ensure an embedded chart is present for printing

Method: To ensure an embedded chart is present for printing, use the print preview feature. First, select a range of cells that includes the embedded chart, then choose the Print Area menu item from the File menu, and choose the Set Print Area menu item to set the printing area from the selection. Then, choose the Print Preview menu item from the File menu to view the selected range in print preview mode. Assuming the preview is successful and includes the desired chart, the area can be printed by choosing the Print menu item from the File menu.

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