In Module 6, you learn about Microsoft Excel 2013. Chapter 1 covers creating an Excel workbook, including entering data and navigating. Chapter 2 deals with performing calculations. In Chapter 3, you use formatting tools to add visual appeal. In Chapter 4, you learn about working with charts and graphs.
In this chapter, you work on a daily sales worksheet to add the formulas and functions needed to calculate the desired results.
Excel offers more than the ability to simply organize data in neat rows and columns; it can also perform calculations using that data. You can use calculations to determine the payments on a new car, decide which home would be a better buy, or budget for your next family vacation. In business, Excel can be used for financial tracking, business decision making, trend analysis, and more.
With Excel’s help, you can quickly create complicated calculations, even if you are not a math lover. In this module you will learn to use simple mathematical operators, like the plus sign for addition, minus sign for subtraction, asterisk for multiplication, and forward slash for division, to create formulas. You will also learn to use parentheses to ensure that Excel performs calculations in the correct order.
In this chapter, you will learn how to enter a formula and a function. You will insert a function and use AutoSum. You will learn about absolute and relative cell references. You will copy and paste cell contents as well as edit cell contents. Finally you will use Show Formulas to display all the formulas on a worksheet at once.
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You can enter and edit formulas directly in cells or use the Formula bar.
Formulas perform calculations, the most important capability offered by Excel. There are rules for creating formulas. If you don’t follow the rules, Excel indicates an error. One rule is that you must always type an equals sign first.
The formula appears in both the Formula bar and the cell as you type it or when you later select the cell. Another Way: When you are typing a formula, you can add a cell reference by typing it into the formula or by clicking the cell on the worksheet.
Pressing Ctrl + Enter displays the formula in the active cell and in the Formula bar, without changing the active cell. You can also click the Formula bar Enter button (looks like a check mark) to the left of the Formula bar to enter the formula without changing the active cell. When you finish entering the formula, the cell displays the calculated result. If you later update the data in any cells referenced in the formula, Excel automatically recalculates and displays the updated result. Click the Formula bar Cancel button (looks like an x) to the left of the Formula bar to cancel the cell entry. Another Way: Press the Right Arrow key to make the cell to the right active or press Enter to make the cell below active.
The visual in this slide illustrates a formula being entered in the active cell and displaying in both the active cell and the Formula bar.
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Parentheses must be used in pairs, and you can use multiple pairs in a single formula.
Excel functions simplify entry of lengthy and complicated formulas. Each function has a name and performs a predefined calculation when you include it in a formula. Excel offers dozens of functions in several different categories, such as Math & Trig, Financial, Logical, Statistical, Lookup & Reference, and more.
When you are typing a function, a ScreenTip appears to help you type the proper arguments. The function name typically indicates what type of calculation the function performs. For example, the SUM function sums a range of values, the AVERAGE function finds the average of a range of values, and the COUNT function counts the number of cells in a specified range. You can use the MAX and MIN functions to find the maximum or minimum value in a range. Use the TODAY function to enter the current date, which will update each time you open the workbook. Another Way: Functions are not case-sensitive, so typing them in any combination of uppercase and lowercase letters works.
Most functions require one or more arguments surrounded by parentheses. The arguments are the values on which the function performs its calculations. For example, the SUM function needs to know which values to add.
Another Way: Type the range address (for example, C8:C22).
Another Way: This step can be skipped.
Another Way: Press Enter.
The visual in this slide illustrates the SUM function being entered in a cell, with the cell range to enter in the formula selected.
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You can insert a function using buttons in the Function Library group on the FORMULAS tab. Function buttons organize functions by category, such as Financial, Logical, and Math & Trig. There are additional groupings for Statistical, Engineering, and Compatibility functions. The groupings help you locate the function you need for your formula. If you don’t know the name of the function you need but know what you want it to do, you can find the function in the Insert Function dialog box. Click the Insert Function button on the FORMULAS tab. Here you can type a brief description and view a list of possible function matches. Click an item in the list to view its arguments and a description of what it does.
This slide covers the steps for using the AVERAGE function.
Each text box represents an argument. The Function Arguments dialog box changes depending on the function selected. The dialog box collapses automatically, but you also could use the Collapse Dialog button at the right end of the text box to collapse and expand the dialog box. Drag the dialog box title bar to move it out of the way if it is covering the cell ranges. Another Way: You can also type the cell range to enter it in the text box.
The visual in this slide illustrates selecting the AVERAGE function.
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Multiple arguments could include multiple cell or range addresses or other values.
The AutoSum feature provides a quick way to enter commonly used functions into a formula. These functions include SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, MIN, and MAX. To see the result of an AutoSum function without actually entering the formula into a cell, drag over a range of cells and then check the Status bar. AutoSum functions are also available by clicking the Quick Analysis button after you have selected a range of cells. In the Quick Analysis gallery, select the TOTALS tab to display AutoSum functions.
The visual in this slide illustrates the result after you click in cell D23, select the cell range D8:D22, and click the AutoSum button.
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You might use the PMT function to determine the payments if you are planning to obtain a car loan.
Cell references in formulas can be either relative or absolute. A relative cell reference will change if you copy or move the formula. If you don’t want a cell reference to change when you are copying a formula, make it an absolute reference by placing a dollar sign before the column letter and row number.
When you press F4, Excel adds a dollar sign before the column letter and row number. Another Way: You also can type the dollar signs to create an absolute reference.
The visual in this slide illustrates an example of an absolute reference in a formula that will be copied.
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If you need to change the value in one or more cells referenced in formulas throughout the worksheet, placing that information near the top of the sheet makes it more accessible.
For other types of worksheets, you might want the user to be able to see the results but not the data on which those results are based. In such a case, you would place the input data far down and to the right on the sheet, or even on another worksheet in the workbook file.
You can save time entering duplicate data by using the Copy and Paste buttons in the Clipboard group on the HOME tab. When copying cells that contain formulas, the relative cell references will adjust when the formula is pasted. However, absolute cell references will not. The Office Clipboard can store up to 24 items that have been cut or copied. To open the Office Clipboard, click the Clipboard task pane launcher in the Clipboard group on the HOME tab. You can then choose items to paste. You also can use the Cut and Paste buttons to move data or formulas from one location on a worksheet to another. To cut a selected range, click the Cut button on the HOME tab. A scrolling marquee appears around the selected cells. Pressing Esc clears the scrolling marquee.
Be sure to click the Copy button, not the Copy button arrow. A scrolling marquee appears around the selected cells.
Be sure to click the Paste button, not the Paste button arrow. Click Paste if you expect to paste copied cells into more than one location. Press Enter to paste the content for a single or the final time.
Another Way: With a range selected, double-click the fill handle at the lower right corner of selected range to use Auto Fill to copy the formulas down through the desired cells.
The visual in this slide illustrates the buttons for copying and pasting as well as the scrolling marquee that appears when copying cell contents.
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The numerous choices in the Paste drop-down list enable you to achieve outcomes not possible without the paste options. You also can access the Paste choices by clicking the Paste Options button that appears at the lower right corner of any pasted cell or range.
When you want to use different labels for data, update the data to reflect new information, or make corrections to formulas, you have to edit a cell’s contents. Excel offers a number of methods for removing or changing cell contents.
Double-clicking in a cell or pressing F2 puts Excel in Edit mode and displays Edit on the left end of the Status bar. You can also edit a cell’s content by clicking in the Formula bar when the cell is active.
Use the Clear button in the Editing group on the HOME tab to delete a cell’s contents. Changing cell contents does not change the formatting. In the Editing group on the HOME tab, click the Clear button and then select Clear Formats to remove cell formatting. Another Way: You also can right-click the selection and click Clear Contents in the shortcut menu or press Delete.
The visual in this slide illustrates an active cell that can be edited directly in the cell or in the Formula bar.
Navigation Tip: In Slide Show view, read the Checkpoint question and determine which answer is the correct answer. Click anywhere on the slide, and the correct answer will display in green with a green check mark beside it.
The additional choices allow you to specify exactly what to clear from the selected cell or range. The Clear All option is used to clear the cell contents plus any formatting and comments.
Excel displays an error code in a cell if you have made an error when entering a formula. For example, #DIV/0 means the formula is trying to divide by 0 and #VALUE means the formula is using the wrong type of argument. However, Excel will not catch all errors. Rather than clicking cells one by one to review their formulas in the Formula bar, you can use the Show Formulas feature to display all the formulas on the worksheet at once. This makes it easy to thoroughly review all cell references and formula structures to ensure that the worksheet calculations are correct.
The Show Formulas button is located in the Formula Auditing group on the FORMULAS tab. Click the Show Formulas button again to hide the formulas. You can also press Ctrl + ` to show and hide formulas.
The visual in this slide illustrates all formulas appearing on the worksheet when Show Formulas is selected.
Navigation Tip: In Slide Show view, read the Checkpoint question and determine which answer is the correct answer. Click anywhere on the slide, and the correct answer will display in green with a green check mark beside it.
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The table in this slide, which continues on the next slide, lists the tasks covered in this chapter.
The table in this slide, which continues from the previous slide, lists the tasks covered in this chapter.
