The following provides a brief introduction to using the main features of Microsoft Office Excel 2003.
Terminology
Point Move the mouse so the pointer is on the specified item.
Click Press the left mouse button once then release it immediately.
Double Click Press the left mouse button twice in quick succession.
Right Click Press the right mouse button once then release it immediately.
Drag and Drop Press the left mouse button and hold it down while moving the mouse. Let go when you have dragged the object to the required position.
Key Shortcuts: You may choose to use the key combinations in this leaflet such as <Ctrl>+<Z> - this means, hold down the first key(s) (e.g.<Ctrl>), whilst pressing once, the last key (e.g. <Z>).
START and EXIT EXCEL
Starting Excel
- Click the Start button, then select Programs, Microsoft Office and Microsoft Excel 2003
…or… double click on the Excel 2003 icon on the Desktop
…or… single click on the Excel 2003 icon on the Quick Launch portion of the TaskBar.
Exiting Excel
See the section on Saving Files and then….
- Click File on the Menu Bar and then click Exit
…or…click the Close icon in the top, right corner of the screen.
FUNDAMENTALS
Moving Around the Worksheet Window
You can use the arrow keys on the keyboard, or the scroll bars alongside the Worksheet Window, to move about within the Window.
Selecting Cells
You must select cells before you enter, edit, format, copy or move the data in them, and/or format the cells themselves.
Single Cell
Multiple Cells (i.e. selecting a block of cells):
- Point to the first cell in the selection.
- Click and hold the left mouse button.
- Drag the mouse to the last cell in the selection.
- Release the mouse button.
Whole Row or Column
- Click on the row heading (the number to the left of the row) or on the column heading (the letter at the top of the column).
Multiple Rows or Columns
- Point to the first row or column heading in the selection.
- Click and hold the left mouse button.
- Drag the mouse to the last row or column heading in the selection
- Release the mouse button.
Entire Worksheet
- Click on the intersection of the row headings and column headings.
Select Non-Adjacent Areas
- Press the <Ctrl> key whilst performing any of the above actions.
Entering or Editing Data
- Select a cell and type the data …or… Point and click in the Formula Bar and type the data
- Press <F2> to edit the data already contained in a cell.
- Press <Enter> when finished.
Deleting Data
- Select the cell(s) from which you want to delete data.
- Press <Delete>. (This deletes cell(s) Contents only)
…or… click Edit on the Menu Bar and then click Clear.
- Click on the required option (e.g. All) from the menu.
MOVING OR COPYING DATA
- Select the cell(s) containing the data to be moved or copied.
- Click Edit on the Menu Bar.
- Click on Cut if you wish to move the data, and Copy if you wish to copy the data. A flashing border appears round the selected area.
- Select the destination cell, or the top left-hand cell for a cell block.
- Press <Enter> …or… Click on Edit, and then click Paste.
…or… use ToolBar icons: (don't forget to select the cells first):
Cut {000CA003-0000-0000-C000-000000000046} or Copy  and Paste 
OPENING, SAVING AND CLOSING FILES
Opening New Workbooks
Excel opens up a New Workbook automatically on starting up.
- Click File on the Menu Bar, click on New… and then click Blank WorkBook.
…or… click on the New icon (or choose a template)
Opening Existing Files
- Click File on the Menu Bar and then click Open
…or… click on the Open icon on the ToolBar.
- From the Look in: drop-down box, select the folder which contains your file.
- Files are saved in folders, which are contained in a hierarchical structure with a drive name at the top, e.g. (H:). You may need to click on the drive name first, and then double-click on individual folders until the one you need appears.
To open files on a floppy disk:
- Click on 3½ Floppy (A:).
- Locate the folder, click on the file name that you want to open and then click on the Open button.
To open recently used files:
- Click File on the Menu Bar and then click on the name of the file that you wish to reopen from the list that displays at the bottom of the File sub-menu window.
Saving New Files
- Click on File on the Menu Bar and then click Save
…or… click on the Save icon on the Standard Toolbar.
- The Save As dialog box will appear. Either accept the default location (H: drive) or find the drive/folder in which you wish to save the file.
- A new document will never have been saved before, so you will need to give it a name. Type the name of your document in the box entitled File Name:. The system will automatically add .xls to the end of your filename, so you do not need to type this in.
- After naming the file, click on Save …or… press the <Enter> key.
Saving Existing Files to the same location
- Click File on the Menu Bar and then click Save.
Note: When saving, the file as it appears on your screen, will be saved to disk, so think a moment before saving it!
Saving Existing Files to a new location
- Click File on the Menu Bar, click on Save As and enter File Name.
Closing Files
- Click File on the Menu Bar and then click Close.
FORMATTING
Formatting Cell Contents
The cell(s) to be formatted must be selected first.
- Click Format on the Menu Bar, then click Cells
- Click Font tab to change the font style and size.
- Click Alignment tab to change the cell alignment.
- Click Number tab to change the way numbers are displayed.
You can change some of the formatting options by selecting the cell(s), and then clicking on the available buttons on the Formatting Toolbar.
Changing Row Height or Column Width
- Select a cell within the row or column to be formatted.
- Click Format on the Menu Bar then click on Row and then Height …or… Column and then Width.
A box will appear on the screen with a number highlighted. This number is the current row height or column width.
- Type a new number as required.
- Click OK …or… press <Enter>.
If you are not sure how wide your column needs to be, click on the AutoFit option instead of the Height or Width option.
Changing Row Height or Column Width with the Mouse:
- Point the mouse pointer on the bottom border of the row heading …or… on the right border of the column heading.
- The cursor becomes a double-headed arrow shape.
- Click the left mouse button and drag the border to the required position; then release the mouse button.
…or… point and double-click on the relevant border to AutoFit it.
Note: If ##### appears in a cell it indicates that it is too narrow to display the data. To overcome this, widen the column as above.
Inserting Rows and Columns
- Select the row(s) below, …or… the column(s) to the right, of where you want the new row(s)/column(s) to be.
- Click Insert on the Menu Bar and then click Rows or Columns.
Deleting Rows and Columns
- Select the row(s) or column(s). Click on Edit, and then Delete.
ENTERING FORMULAE
Algebraic Operating Symbols and Precedence
The symbols that may be used are listed in the order in which they will be calculated. Use brackets ( ) to change calculation order. Begin every formula with an = (equals) sign.
% percent
^ exponentiation
* and / multiplication and division
+ and - addition and subtraction
e.g. =10 / 4 + 6 * 2 gives 14.5 =10 / (4 + 6) * 2 gives 2
= (10 / 4 + 6) * 2 gives 17
Using Cell References in Formulae
A cell reference consists of the column letter and row number of a cell (e.g. =A1+A2) would add the contents of cells A1 and A2.
The SUM function will add a range of cells, e.g. =SUM(A1:A25), will add the contents of the first 25 cells in column A.
PAGE SETUP
Page Setup allows you to choose exactly how your work is printed.
It can be accessed by choosing File, and then Page Setup… from the Menu Bar …or…. via Setup… on the Print Preview screen.
Page Setup Tabs
Page
- Change paper Orientation (i.e. Landscape or Portrait).
- Scaling adjust the size of your sheet (e.g. to Fit to: 1 page).
- Paper Size options [e.g. A4 (210 x 297mm)].
Margins
- Alter the margins values (e.g. Top: 2.5, Bottom: 2.0).
- Reposition Headers and Footers relative to the page(s) edge(s).
- Center work on the printed page(s) Horizontally and/or Vertically.
Header/Footer
Headers and Footers consist of text that appear on every printed page but which only needs be typed once. Headers and Footers are only visible in Print Preview. Headers and Footers can be added or edited by clicking either the Custom Header or Custom Footer button.
Sheet
- Choose the Print Area (see Printing Selected Areas below).
- Print with/without visible Gridlines.
- Print with/without visible Row and Column Headings.
- Use Rows to repeat at top and Columns to repeat at left for printing on more than one page.
PAGE BREAKS
Insert Manual Page Breaks
- Horizontal Page Break: select the row heading below where you want the Page Break to be.
- Vertical Page Break: select the column heading to the right of where you want the Page Break to be.
- Vertical and Horizontal Page Breaks: select the cell that is below and to the right of where you require the Page Breaks to be.
- Click on the Insert menu, and then Page Break.
Note: Page Break(s), are shown by dotted lines, and will be inserted above and/or to the left of the heading or cell.
Remove a Manual Page Break
- Select the cell below and/or to the right of the Page Break(s)
…or… select the entire worksheet by clicking the blank grey rectangle at the intersection of the Row and Column headings.
- Click on Insert, Remove Page Break
…or… Reset All Page Breaks.
SPELLING, UNDO and REPEAT COMMANDS
Check the Spelling in your Document
- Select Tools, Spelling on the Menu Bar
…or… click the Speller icon …or… press <F7>.
Undo a Command
- Click Edit on the Menu Bar and then click Undo Typing (last action). …or… press <Ctrl>+<Z>.
Repeat/Redo a Command/Action
- Click Edit on the Menu Bar and then click Repeat Typing (last action). …or… press <Ctrl>+<Y>.
Both the Undo and Redo operations are recursive, i.e. you can undo/redo X previous commands by performing Undo/Redo X times.
PRINT PREVIEW
It is strongly recommended that you preview your work before printing, to help avoid wasting your money on unwanted printouts:
- Click File on the Menu Bar and then click Print Preview …or… click the Print Preview icon.
- By clicking the appropriate button, you can Zoom in or out of the worksheet, Print the worksheet, alter the Page Setup and alter the Margins.
- Click on the Close button to exit Print Preview.
PRINTING
See PAGE SETUP (above) for options to set before printing.
Click File on the Menu Bar and then click Print – a Print dialogue box will appear.
- In the Print range area, click in the circle of the option you require.
- In the Print what area, click in the circle of the option you require.
- All: prints all of whatever option is set in the Print what area.
- Page(s) From: To: allows you to select a range of pages.
- Enter a value (if more than 1) in the Number of Copies box.
- Click on OK to print your selection.
Print Selected Areas
Excel assumes that you wish to print every part of the worksheet that contains data. This can give surprising results, e.g. be careful that you don't have an isolated cell away from where you are working which contains data, as it will be included in the print area too.
- To print only certain area, select the area first
- Click on File, then Print Area, and then select Set Print Area.
Remove Selected Print Areas
- Click File on the Menu Bar, then click on Print Area and select Clear Print Area.
GETTING HELP
- Click on the Help icon or press the <F1> key or click on Help, Microsoft Office Word Help, type in your search request and click on Start searching
…or… click on Help, Show the Office Assistant, click and type in your question.
- To hide The Assistant from the Desktop, right click on it, and select Hide …or… Click Help, Hide the Office Assistant.
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