This document provides instructions for an Excel for Beginners class on selecting multiple cells, entering data, simple formulas, and inserting comments. It covers how to select cells using the mouse or keyboard shortcuts, format selected text as bold and adjust column widths. Instructions are given on entering numbers and applying dollar sign and decimal point formatting. The use of the AutoSum function to automatically add rows and columns of numbers is demonstrated. The document concludes with directions for inserting, editing, and deleting comments in cells.

1. Excel for Beginners
Class 2
Selecting Multiple Cells,
Entering Data, Simple Formulas,
Inserting Comments

2. 2
Let’s Review Last Week:
Starting Excel
How to Start Excel
1. Double Click on the Excel icon
(see picture to the top left)
Or from home:
1. Click the start button
2. Roll mouse to programs
3. Roll mouse to Microsoft Office
4. Click on Microsoft Excel from the
menu

3. 3
Entering Data
You can enter numbers
as well as text into the
cells.
You can change the
format of the numbers
so that they have
decimal points and
dollar signs.

4. 4
Lab: Review
Entering Column Headings
Entering Column Headings
1. In cell A1, Type: Checking
2. Press right arrow key
3. In cell B1: Type: Credit Card
4. Click on the gray B heading above
credit card
5. Move your mouse in the gray area
on the line dividing columns B and
C, when you see the plus sign with
the arrows on the left and right,
double click your mouse
6. Column B should adjust to fit “Credit
Card”
7. Click in cell C1
8. Type: Total Deductions
9. Perform steps 4-6 to adjust the
column width

5. 5
Lab: Selecting Multiple Cells
As you remember each cell has its
own coordinate.
Two ways to select cells
First Way
1. Click cell A1
You can see A1 up in the Name Box
2. Hold down left mouse button
3. Drag your mouse to the right to cell C1
4. Let go of the mouse
5. Notice the cells that you selected are
gray.
Second Way
1. Click in cell A1
2. Hold down the left Shift Key
3. Press the right arrow key until you
select the cells B1-C1.

6. 6
Lab: Manipulating Selected Cells
Now that you have the cells selected
you can format them.
1. Click the B off the standard menu to bold
your headings
You can also use I for Italics and U for
underlining if you want.
2. Adjust the column headings
To fit Credit Card and Total Deductions
(see page 4, steps 4-6)
3. Select cells A1-C1

7. 7
Lab: Fill in the background color
While you have cells A1-C1 selected
lets change the background color
1. On the top right hand side of the screen,
Roll your mouse to the bucket that has
yellow underneath it. Hold your mouse
there.
2. A small window should pop up called Fill
Color (Yellow)
This is the fill color button that allows you
to fill the cells with color.
(see picture to the top left)
3. Click the tiny down arrow
4. Roll your mouse down to the light gray
square on the right side. Hold your
mouse on it, it should say Gray – 25%
(see picture to the middle left)
5. Click the Gray-25% color

8. 8
Lab: Adding Borders to the Headings
Adding Borders to the Headings
1. Select cells A1-C1
2. Roll mouse slowly across the top
along the standard toolbar toward
the right side until you see
Borders pop-up window
3. Click on the border down arrow
(see picture to the top left)
4. Roll mouse down to the border
that has 4 small boxes (All
Borders)
5. Click on All Borders
(see picture to the bottom left)
6. Click in any cell

9. 9
Lab: Entering numbers
Now that we have created the
headings, let’s add the data.
1. Click cell A2
2. Type: 23.45
Remember the Undo Button
If you make a mistake, just click
it once and it takes you back one
step or many. (See picture on
the bottom left)
3. Move to cell A3 (by either pressing
the down arrow key or clicking A3
with your mouse.
4. Type: 15.43
5. Move to cell A4
6. Type: 24.12
And so on until the numbers look like the
picture to the left.

10. 10
Lab: Selecting Cells
Selecting Multiple Cells
First we have to select the cells
Two ways to do it.
First Way
1. Click in cell A2
2. Hold down the left mouse button and drag
the mouse diagonally across and down
until you get to cell B5.
3. Let go of the mouse
Second Way
1. Click in cell A2
2. Hold down the left Shift Key
3. Press the right arrow key until you get to
cell B2
4. Press the down arrow key until you cell B5.
5. Let go of the shift key and down arrow key

11. 11
Lab: Adding Dollar Sign and Decimal Point
Two ways to add a dollar sign
After you have selected the cells
First Way
1. Click the dollar sign:
The dollar sign button allows you to add a dollar
sign and a decimal point with two zeros.
(See the picture to the top left)
Second Way
1. Click Format
2. Click Cells
(See the picture to the middle left)
3. In the middle of the Format Cells window, check
for the $ under Symbol.
4. Click OK on the bottom of the window
(See the picture to the middle right)
Cells should look like the picture to the
bottom left.

12. 12
Common Function: Auto Sum
Auto Sum is the most handy
function.
It simply adds all the
numbers in column
or a row,
or specified cells.

13. 13
Lab: Using AutoSum
Using AutoSum
To sum up the row
1. Click in cell C2
2. Click the AutoSum button
3. See picture to the left
Notice that the numbers in row 2 are
highlighted and at the bottom in
cell C2 there is =SUM(A2:B2)
Dissecting =SUM(A2:B2)
1. = Equal sign signifies the beginning
of a formula
2. SUM is the function that adds the
cells
3. (A2:B2) is the range of cells being
added. A2 is the beginning cell, the
colon : signifies that it is a range or
every cell in between A2 and B2
and B2 is the ending cell
4. Press Enter

14. 14
Lab: Using AutoSum continued
Using AutoSum to add up more rows.
1. Click in cell C3
2. Click the AutoSum button
3. Notice that the 2nd
row of numbers A3-B3
are being added.
4. Press Enter to confirm the AutoSum
5. Click in cell C4
6. Click the AutoSum
7. Notice the cell range is C2:C3, we want it to
be A4:B4, so let’s change it.
8. Click on cell C4
9. Click after the )
10. Backspace so that you have =SUM(
11. Click on cell A4
12. Create a colon
13. Click on cell B4
14. Type a )
15. Your formula should be =SUM(A4:B4)
16. Press Enter

15. 15
Lab: Using AutoSum continued
Creating AutoSum from Scratch.
1. Click in cell C5
2. Type: =SUM(A5:B5) (doesn’t make
any difference if it is a capital or
lower case letter)
3. Notice how the cell A5 is outlined in
blue and when you type A5 and the
same thing with B5.
4. Press Enter
Now let’s sum up the Total Deductions
• Click cell C6
• Click the AutoSum button
• Cell C6 should have =SUM(C2:C5)
• Press Enter
Now you have summed the entire column.

16. 16
Lab: AutoSum and selecting cells
You can select the cells you
want to add which is
probably the easiest way to
add data.
1. Click on cell A2
2. Hold down left mouse button
while you drag down to cell
A5. Now let go of the left
mouse button.
3. Click the AutoSum button
4. Cells A2 through A5 will be
added.
5. Your total will be in cell A6.

17. 17
Inserting Comments
If you want to insert a
comment on cell to explain
why a number is in there,
you can add it.
When you roll your mouse
over that cell the comment
pops up.

18. 18
Lab: Inserting Comments
Inserting Comments
1. Click on cell B2
2. Right Click
3. Left click on Insert Comment
4. Type: George’s Shoes at
Macy’s
5. Click in any other cell
6. To see the comment click or
roll your mouse over cell B2

19. 19
Lab: Editing Comments
Editing Comments
1. Click in cell B2
2. Right click
3. Click Edit Comment
4. Change the comment to
Wendy’s dress at Kohl’s
5. Click in any other cell
6. Roll your mouse over B2 or click
on it.

20. 20
Lab: Deleting Comments
Deleting Comments
1. Click on cell B2
2. Right click
3. Left click on Delete Comment
Now your comment is gone.

21. 21
Questions
Next time we’ll learn
how to do simple
formulas (adding,
subtracting,
multiplying, dividing)
More formatting, cells,
columns, rows and
worksheets
Hints and tips for
making entering data
easier.