Introduction to Microsoft Excel: Understanding the Basics

Ok, so you're new to Excel, and you're wondering where to start. You have come to the right place my friend. In this introduction to Microsoft Excel, we're going to review Excel's layout and interface and how it's going to help you navigate Excel's functions. While Excel is a powerful tool, it can be overwhelming for new users. Learning the basic elements of the Excel interface can help users navigate the program with ease and increase productivity.

In this article, we will explore the different parts of the Excel interface and provide tips on how to use them effectively. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced user, understanding Excel's layout and interface is essential to maximizing the program's potential. So, let's dive in and discover the basics of Excel's interface together.

But first, Hi! I'm Lindsay, and I'm your resident Excel expert. I have worked with Microsoft Excel for almost 20 years and absolutely love to create new and fun (yes, Excel can be fun) tables and templates. Stay with me and I'll show you how to create amazing and functional spreadsheets that you can utilize in your personal and professional life! Let's go!

What is Microsoft Excel and Why is it Useful?

Excel is a spreadsheet program developed by Microsoft that is used to store, organize, and analyze data. It's used by individuals and businesses around the world for a variety of purposes, including financial analysis, data tracking, and project management. Excel is useful because it allows you to organize large amounts of data in a way that is easy to understand and manipulate.

Excel is particularly useful for analyzing data because it has powerful features that allow you to manipulate and visualize data in a variety of ways. For example, you can use formulas and functions to perform calculations on data, and you can create charts and graphs to help you visualize data trends.

Ok, so you're like *yawn*, blah blah so boring, Lindsay. I get it, but hear me out for a minute. Excel can also be used to create games like Bingo cards and Word Searches. That sounds better, yes? But in order to do the fun stuff, you will need to learn some of the basic terms and functions of Excel, which sometimes isn't so fun, but I'll try my best!

Before we get started though, if you don't have access to Excel, make sure to check out my How to Get Microsoft Excel for Free blog; it's going to help you find the best version for you for free. Ok, let's dive in!

Getting Started with Excel

So once you have Excel, you need to learn how to get started. In this section, we'll cover everything you need to know to launch Excel, open files, save workbooks, and close Excel.

Launching Excel

To launch Excel, you can either search for it in your computer's applications or click on the Excel icon in our taskbar. Once Excel is launched, you'll see a blank workbook with a bunch of different tabs, including Home, Insert, Page Layout, Formulas, Data, Review, and View.

Opening Files

To open an existing Excel file, we can click on the File tab in the top left corner of the Excel window and then select Open. We can then browse to the location of the file we want to open and select it.

Alternatively, we can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + O to open the Open dialogue box.

Saving Workbooks

To save a workbook in Excel, we can click on the File tab and then select Save As. We can then choose where we want to save the file and what we want to name it. Alternatively, we can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + S to save the workbook.

Closing Excel

To close Excel, we can click on the File tab and then select Close. Alternatively, we can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + W to close the Excel window. If we have unsaved changes, Excel will prompt us to save them before closing.

Understanding Excel Interface

When working with Excel, it's important to understand the different parts of the interface. This will help you navigate the program more efficiently and get your work done faster. In this section, we'll explore the different components of the Excel interface.

The Ribbon

The ribbon is the main toolbar in Excel. It contains all the commands and tools you need to work with your data. The ribbon is divided into tabs, and each tab contains groups of related commands. To access a command, simply click on the appropriate tab and then click on the command you want to use. We'll delve more into Ribbon tabs a little later.

The Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar is a customizable toolbar that sits above the ribbon. You can add your favourite commands to the Quick Access Toolbar so that they're always just a click away. To add a command to the Quick Access Toolbar, right-click on the command and select “Add to Quick Access Toolbar.”

The Status Bar

The status bar is located at the bottom of the Excel window. It displays information about the current workbook, such as the number of sheets, the current cell selection, and the current mode (e.g. Edit mode or Ready mode). You can also customize the status bar to display additional information, such as the average, sum, or count of the selected cells.

The View Buttons

Excel has several view buttons that allow you to switch between different views of your data. The Normal view is the default view and displays the worksheet in a standard layout. The Page Layout view shows how the worksheet will look when printed. The Page Break Preview view shows where page breaks will occur when the worksheet is printed. Finally, the Full Screen view hides all the toolbars and menus, giving you more space to work with your data.

The Scroll Bars

Excel has several scroll bars that allow you to navigate your data. The horizontal scroll bar allows you to scroll left and right through your data, while the vertical scroll bar allows you to scroll up and down. You can also use the scroll wheel on your mouse to navigate your data.

Not noted in the image above, but just as important, is the Formula Bar. It is right below the Ribbon (red box). The formula bar will show you the formula in the cell that you are sitting on if that cell has a formula in it. If there is no formula in the cell, the formula bar will remain blank as shown in the image.

By exploring the ribbon, using the Quick Access Toolbar, navigating the status bar, understanding view buttons, and utilizing scroll bars, you can make the most of Excel's powerful features and get your work done faster.

Working with Worksheets and Workbooks

No Introduction to Microsoft Excel would be complete without discussing the difference between a workbook and a worksheet. A workbook is the entire file that you are working on, while a worksheet is a single tab within that file. Here are some tips for working with worksheets and workbooks:

Workbook

A workbook is a term used for an Excel document. When you are starting or opening up a new Excel document, you're creating or opening a workbook. Excel has different templates available for workbooks but in the photo below, I'm showing what it looks like to start a blank (or empty) workbook.

Creating Worksheets

To create a new worksheet, simply click on the plus sign next to the existing worksheet tabs. This will create a new worksheet with a default name such as Sheet1. You can then rename the worksheet to something more descriptive if needed.

Renaming Worksheets

To rename a worksheet, simply right-click on the worksheet tab and select Rename. You can then type in a new name for the worksheet. It's important to give your worksheets descriptive names so that you can easily find the information you need.

Navigating Sheet Tabs

When you have multiple worksheets in a workbook, it can be helpful to navigate between them using the sheet tabs. The sheet tabs are located at the bottom of the Excel window and display the name of each worksheet. To switch between worksheets, simply click on the appropriate sheet tab.

Overall, understanding how to work with worksheets and workbooks is an essential part of using Excel effectively. By creating descriptive worksheets and navigating between them using the sheet tabs, you can easily organize and access the information you need.

Mastering Cells, Rows, and Columns

Understanding Cells

Cells are the basic building blocks of Excel worksheets. They are rectangular boxes where you enter information or data. Each cell is identified by a unique cell reference, which is a combination of the column letter and row number. For example, in the screen shot below, the cell that is highlighted is D5.

In Excel, cells can contain different types of data such as numbers, text, dates, and formulas. You can format cells to change the appearance of the data, such as changing the font size, colour, or adding borders. Understanding how to work with cells is essential for organizing and analyzing data in Excel.

Managing Rows and Columns

Rows and columns are used to organize data in Excel. Rows are horizontal and identified by numbers, while columns are vertical and identified by letters. You can add, delete, and modify rows and columns to adjust the layout of your worksheet.

To insert a row or column, right-click on the row or column header and select Insert. To delete a row or column, right-click on the header and select Delete. You can also adjust the width and height of rows and columns by dragging the boundary line between them.

Identifying Active Cell and Cell Reference

The active cell is the currently selected cell in the worksheet. It is identified by a thick border around the cell. You can use the active cell to enter data, formulas, or formatting commands. To move the active cell, use the arrow keys or click on another cell.

The cell reference is the combination of the column letter and row number that identifies a specific cell. It is displayed in the Name Box, which is located next to the Formula Bar. You can also use cell references in formulas to perform calculations on data in multiple cells.

Understanding how to manage cells, rows, and columns is essential for using Excel effectively. It allows us to organize and analyze data efficiently, and to create professional-looking worksheets.

In conclusion, Excel offers a wide range of commands and options that can help you work more efficiently and effectively. By taking the time to explore these commands and options, you can become a more proficient Excel user and get the most out of this powerful tool.

Utilizing Excel Commands and Options

As you continue to explore the Excel interface, it's important to understand how to use the various commands and options available to you. In this section, we'll take a closer look at some of the most useful commands and options found within the various tabs of the Ribbon.

Home Tab

The Home tab is the default tab in Excel, and it contains many of the most commonly used commands. Here are some of the most important commands you'll find on the Home tab:

• Cut, Copy, and Paste: These commands within the Clipboard group allow you to move or copy data from one location to another within your worksheet or between different worksheets.
• Format Cells: This command allows you to change the formatting of cells, including font style, size, and colour, as well as cell borders and background colour.
• Alignment: This command allows you to change the alignment of your data in each cell, merging cells, or wrapping text
• Number: This command allows you to change the format of the data, like numbers (you can specify if you want dollar signs), text, date, time, etc.
• Conditional Formatting: This command within the Styles group allows you to use conditional formatting that will highlight certain cells based on specific rules you give, for example, highlighting all cells with numbers above zero.
• AutoSum: This command within the Editing group allows you to quickly add up a range of numbers in a column or row.

Insert Tab

The Insert tab contains commands that allow you to insert various types of objects into your worksheet, including charts, tables, and pictures. Here are some of the most important commands you'll find on the Insert tab:

• Tables: This command allows you to create tables that can be used to organize and analyze data.
• Pictures: This command allows you to insert pictures into your worksheet.
• Charts: This command allows you to create various types of charts, including bar charts, line charts, and pie charts.

Page Layout Tab

The Page Layout tab contains commands that allow you to control the appearance of your worksheet when it is printed. Here are some of the most important commands you'll find on the Page Layout tab:

• Themes: This command allows you to apply a theme to your worksheet, which can change the font, colour, and other formatting options.
• Page Setup: This command allows you to set up your worksheet for printing, including adjusting margins, orientation, and paper size.

View Tab

The View tab contains commands that allow you to change the way your worksheet is displayed on the screen. Here are some of the most important commands you'll find on the View tab:

• Workbook Views: This command allows you to choose which layout your want for your workbook.
• Show: This command allows you to show or hide things like the gridlines that appear in your worksheet, or the formula bar, which displays the formula for the currently selected cell.
• Zoom: This command allows you to zoom in or out on your worksheet.

There are other tabs that we didn't cover, but in order to keep this more of an introduction to Microsoft Excel, we'll stop at the ones listed above. If you can master those, you are well on your way to being an Excel guru!

Printing in Excel

When printing your Excel spreadsheet, there are a few things you should consider to ensure that it prints correctly. Here are some print options to keep in mind:

• Page numbers: Excel can automatically add page numbers to your printed pages. To do this, go to the Page Layout tab and select Page Number.
• Headers and Footers: You can add headers and footers to your printed pages, which can include things like the date, time, and file name. To add headers and footers, go to the Insert tab and select Header & Footer.
• Print Area: If you only want to print a specific area of your spreadsheet, you can set a print area. To do this, select the area you want to print, go to the Page Layout tab, and select Print Area.

By setting up your print options, you can ensure that your spreadsheet prints correctly and includes all the necessary information.

That's it!

Easy peasy right? While it may not seem so right this minute, using Excel is going to be the best way to learn. So now that you've read this Introduction to Microsoft Excel, you are ready to move on to the next set of information. I recommend either Creating Tables in Excel or 9 Formulas you should learn. Make sure to open an Excel spreadsheet and try to recreate some of the examples.

Love the article? Have any comments or questions? Please leave me a note below.