Excel for Beginners

Class 2
Selecting Multiple Cells,
Entering Data, Simple Formulas,
Inserting Comments

Lets 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

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

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.
2.
3.

Click in cell A1
Hold down the left Shift Key
Press the right arrow key until you
select the cells B1-C1.
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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

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Lab: Adding Borders to the Headings

Adding Borders to the Headings
1.
2.

3.

Select cells A1-C1

Roll mouse slowly across the top
along the standard toolbar
toward the right side until you
see Borders pop-up window
Click on the border down arrow

(see picture to the top left)

4.

5.

Roll mouse down to the border

that has 4 small boxes (All
Borders)
Click on All Borders

(see picture to the bottom left)

6.

Click in any cell

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Lab: Entering numbers

Now that we have created the
headings, lets 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.
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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

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.
4.

In the middle of the Format Cells window,

check for the $ under Symbol.
Click OK on the bottom of the window

(See the picture to the middle right)

Cells should look like the picture to the 9
bottom left.

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.

10

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

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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 lets 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

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Lab: Using AutoSum continued

Creating AutoSum from Scratch.
1.
2.

Click in cell C5
Type: =SUM(A5:B5) (doesnt 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 lets 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.

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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.
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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.

15

Lab: Inserting Comments

Inserting Comments
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Click on cell B2
Right Click
Left click on Insert Comment
Type: Georges Shoes at
Macys
Click in any other cell
To see the comment click or
roll your mouse over cell B2

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Lab: Editing Comments

Editing Comments
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.
6.

Click in cell B2
Right click
Click Edit Comment
Change the comment to
Wendys dress at Kohls
Click in any other cell
Roll your mouse over B2 or click
on it.

17

Lab: Deleting Comments

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

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