An Introduction to Microsoft Excel
The ability to efficiently use a spreadsheet has almost become a
mandatory skill for anyone working in a modern business
environment. This course introduces you to Excel,
Microsoft's powerful spreadsheet and database application for
personal computers. It will provide you with the capability and
confidence to use Excel professionally.
Spreadsheets consist of many cells formed by the intersection of
rows and columns. Numbers (and text) can be placed in these cells
and spreadsheet applications such as Excel can use formulae that
you enter (and functions that it provides) to manipulate the cell
contents quickly and easily. Excel is thus ideally suited to
adapting calculations from paper and the calculator to the
computer.
We concentrate on presenting the 'big picture' - an overview of
Excel's ability to manipulate numbers and text. We show you Excel
working across many disciplines and teach you to harness the
power of Excel to make 'spreadsheeting' a smooth, efficient and
rewarding process.
During the course, you will learn to record, total and sort data;
process your data into graphs, view spreadsheet data in a number
of different ways and also to use Excel as a database.
Here is a link to some of the instructional movies in the course:
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Click here
to download and play one of the movies from the
course. It shows Excel working at its simplest level. If
the movie (a 1.5 Mb file) works well on your computer,
then your equipment is suitable for the course.
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Click
here to play a movie illustrating the value of
setting absolute cell references in Excel worksheets.
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Click here
to play a movie showing how to split a window in an Excel
worksheet.
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Click here
to play a movie which shows how macros can be used to good effect in
Excel to speed up tedious operations.
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Syllabus for An Introduction to Excel
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Introduction (this module)
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Starting Excel. Using desktop shortcuts. Add up some
sales figures, using the AutoSum feature.
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Spreadsheet Process
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Opening a workbook and using a spreadsheet to calculate
the interest payable on a loan. We vary the amount
borrowed and the interest rate and examine the result.
Using an Excel workbook containing a list of class
names - rearranging (sorting) a list of names in
ascending and descending order.
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Some Preliminaries
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Excel and the Windows and Macintosh operating systems.
Coping with different versions of Excel. Formatting
diskettes and copying workbooks to disk for others to
share. Tuning your computer system. Installing Excel on
your computer. Creating the right environment for
Excel. Setting up the program so that it opens in the
folder where most of your spreadsheet data is stored.
Backing up your data.
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The Excel Interface
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The user interface (screen). The title bar,
cells, cell identifiers, toolbars, naming sheets and
saving workbooks. The editing box (or formula bar). The
importance of the mouse pointer shapes. Adjusting row
and column widths and heights. Selecting and copying
cells. Splitting the screen and hiding rows and
columns. Toolbars & tool tips. Manipulating
toolbars. Formatting cells in a spreadsheet. Formatting
numbers and text. Entering and correcting data.
Inserting rows, columns, cells and comments. Inserting
and deleting worksheets. Moving, copying and renaming
worksheets. Selecting some or all worksheets within a
workbook.
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Spreadsheet Fundamentals
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Some examples of tasks performed with Excel - financial
analysis, medical research results, work attendance
records, databases. Using existing
spreadsheets and modifying data, viewing formulae,
changing the display of lists and charts. Using the
AutoSum feature. Printing a spreadsheet. Setting print
zones and adding custom headers. Using the AutoFill
feature and the Fill feature (which can insert series
with incremental steps). Types of data - constant
values and formulae. Cutting, pasting and copying.
Sorting, zooming and charting.
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Calculations
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Performing calculations with Excel. Entering
formulae. Using operators in formulae. Using
functions. Calculating an average. Displaying and
printing formulae in a spreadsheet. Formula of
constants. Formulae containing cell references.
Operators and their order of calculation. Joining text.
Logic operators. Locking cells. More Excel functions -
minimum cost, average cost, total costs, number of
costs and the count function. Error messages.
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Relative and Absolute References
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A focus on using relative and absolute references
skillfully in spreadsheets. Switching between relative
and absolute references. Combining all your skills by
building a payroll spreadsheet.
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Using Excel as a Database
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Using Excel as a database. Tips for database design.
Managing a stock list for a small business. Using
AutoFilters to display only the required information
from a larger set of data.
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Printing to PDF
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A bonus module. Installing a PDF writer in your
computer. Testing its functionality by printing Excel
spreadsheets to a PDF file (for distribution to
others).
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Running an Excel Macro
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When it becomes necessary to automate tasks in the
Excel environment, we develop and run short program
fragments ~ macros. We run a macro to show how
selection of kitchen cabinetry might be automated in a
fabrication factory.
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This course requires an enrolment key