A Review of Excel Basics

2006-2007

Paula Ecklund
Dukes Fuqua School of Business
Spring 2007

The BasicsPractice.xls file introductory worksheet.

Contents
Page

I. Organization
Row-Column Structure..................................................................
A Final Report ............................................................................
Constant Values..........................................................................
For Example
General Documentation ................................................................
Labels .....................................................................................
Range Names .............................................................................
For Example
Assigning Range Names .................................................................
Exercises 1, 2, and 3 Basics Practice
Rules for Naming a Range ..............................................................
Viewing Range Names...................................................................
Exercise 4 Basics Practice
Documenting a Single Cell .............................................................
Exercise 5 Basics Practice

1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
4
4

II. Basic Format ting

Typeface, Font , Size, Aspect , Alignment ............................................
Merge and Center ............................................................. ........ ..
Exercise 6 Basics Practice
Number Format ting .....................................................................
Exercise 7 Basics Practice
Indenting, Borders, Fill, and Text Colors ............................................
Exercise 8 Basics Practice
Drawing Toolbar Tools ..................................................................
Exercise 9 Basics Practice
The Format Painter .....................................................................
Exercise 10 Basics Practice
The Universe of Excel Format ting ....................................................

6
6
6
6
7
7
8

III. Basic Edit ing

Excel s Delete vs. Clear Options ......................................................
Understanding the Formula Bar ................................. ........ .. ... .. ... ...
Using Edit Fill ............................................................................
Exercises 11 and 12 Basics Practice
Copy / Paste and Move Formulas .......................................................
Exercise 13 Basics Practice

9
10
11
12

Page

.......... Move or Copy an Entire Worksheet . .. .. ... ...........................................

Edit , Copy and Edit , Paste Special. ... .. ... ..... ......................................
Example 1 ..........................................................................
Exercise 14 Basics Practice
Example 2 ..........................................................................
Exercise 15 Basics Practice

13
13
13
14

IV. Basic Formulas

Entering a Simple Formula .............................................................
Copying a Formula ......................................................................
Exercises 16 and 17 Basics Practice
Tip How to Quickly Change a Formula Cell Reference to Absolute............
Excel Functions ..........................................................................
Function Syntax ..........................................................................
Exercise 18 Basics Practice
Excel s Logical Functions...............................................................
Exercise 19 Basics Practice
Referencing a Value in Another Worksheet in a Formula .........................
Formula Building Tip When References are External ..............................
Troubleshooting Formulas..............................................................
Exercise 20 Basics Practice

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15
16
16
17
18
18
19
19

V. A Forecasting Tool: The Excel Data Table

The One-Input Data Table ............................................................. 22
Exercise 21 Basics Practice
The Two-Input Data Table ............................................................. 23
Exercise 22 Basics Practice

VI. Charting Basics

Quick, Default Charting ................................................................
Exercise 23 Basics Practice
Excel s Chart Wizard ....................................................................
Exercise 24 Basics Practice
A Special Chart Type: The XY Chart ......................................... .. ... .. ..
Example of an XY Scat ter Plot .................................................. ..... .
If You Select the Wrong Chart Type for Your Data .................................
How to Create a Scat ter Plot ..........................................................
Exercise 25 Basics Practice

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24
27
28
29
31

Page

VII. Online Help ................................................................................

34

VIII. For More Information ................................................................ 36

I. Organization

A constant value should be entered only

one time in a workbook.
To use a constant value in a formula,
reference its cell location.

=SUM(Item_1:Item_3)
=SUM(B3:B5)

=Subtotal+(Subtotal*Sales_Tax)
=B6+(B6*B1)

Valid Range Names

Invalid Range Names

Cost.of.Goods

Cost-of-Goods

_Old_Data

Old Data

Valid Range Names

Invalid Range Names

OK1

A1

LongName1234

LongName 1 2 3