We will now investigate the utilities available in Excel that allow data to be manipulated within a spreadsheet.
![]()
There are a couple different ways in which you may move around in your Excel worksheet:
- Use the arrow keys to move to adjacent cells, or
![]()
- Move the mouse and click on the desired spreadsheet cell.
Using the mouse, click on the cell you want to enter data into and start typing. (Yes, it is that simple!) The selected cell should be ready for data entry, and should appear as the one shown:
![]()
When you have finished typing in your data, press the [Enter] key or click on the little
box (the edit line) located below the Ruler. It should have an X next to it. If you have decided you do not want to enter the data as typed, press the [Esc] key. Thus, you should click on the
box if the data or formula you entered into the cell is acceptable to you. (Same as [Enter]).
The X box next to the
box should be clicked if the data you entered is not acceptable to you. (Same as [Esc]).
As an example, try choosing cell A1 as shown above and enter your name. Notice that your name also appears on the edit line, just below the Ruler. (This is where changes are made). [Enter], hitting an arrow key, or clicking the mouse in another cell will enter your data. Now try editing your name. Select cell A1 and click the mouse on the edit line near the part of your name you want to change. Use [Del] or [BackSpace] to delete items.
To change a cell that already has data, move to the desired cell using the mouse cursor. Then click on the data with the mouse. (Note: You may click on the data contained within the cell itself, or you may move the mouse to the box below the Ruler, where your data should appear). Once you have made your changes using the [BackSpace] or [Delete] key, press [Enter]. Your data for that cell should be modified.
Excel will allow you to enter basic mathematical operations on any chosen cell. To do so, you need to remember the following:
- All formulas must be preceded by an "=" sign.
- Enter the formula as you would into a calculator.
You can also reference other cells within your worksheet when creating a formula by using the arrow keys when you are editing a cell.
Now click here for an example of entering a formula.
To move or copy one or more cells to other cells, you can do the following:
- Highlight the desired cell(s) with the mouse.
- Click on the Edit menu and choose either Cut or Copy, whichever is desired.
- Move the mouse to the new location where you want the data to be moved or copied to.
- Click on the Edit menu and choose the Paste option.
- As in MS WORD, you may use [Ctrl+C] to copy, [Ctrl+X] to cut, and [Ctrl+V] to paste.
First, highlight the appropriate column or row with the mouse.To insert a row or column:
- Click on the Edit menu and choose Insert.
To delete a row or column:
- Click on the Edit menu and choose Delete.
You may also want to change the column width if the entered data is too large to fit inside the cell. You should:
- Click on the Format menu.
- Choose the Column Width option.
- Change the Column Width: value to increase or decrease the width of the column.
--OR--- Move the mouse cursor to the topmost column border that you want to change the size of. The cursor should turn into a double arrow. Holding the mouse down, slide the column border to resize the width until it is the size you want, then let go. The column should then be resized.
- Alternatively, the Best Fit option under Column Width will give you an automatic fit for your data.
Now click here to see how to use a "Fill Down" technique to fill row or column data quickly.
To customize the style and format of cells containing numbers:
- Highlight the desired cell or cells.
- Click on the Format menu and choose Number.
- Choose the desired Value Type and Format Codes and click OK.
To customize the style and font of cells containing text:
- Highlight the desired cell or cells.
- Click on the appropriate Toolbar option or go under the Format menu and select the desired option.
Note: formatting in Excel is much as it is in MS WORD. For a review on WORD formatting, refer back to the general WORD Intro.
Excel allows you to sort numerical data contained within your cells. You can also specify whether you want the data in ascending or descending order. Do the following:
- Highlight the desired column or columns of data.
- Click on the Data menu, and choose Sort.
- In the box marked Sort by, choose Rows/Columns.
- In the first Key box, choose Ascending or Descending.
- Click on OK when you are done.
Your data should then be sorted!