Introduction to LibreOffice

Calc

Start Center - Introduction to LibreOffice

The LibreOffice Start Center is mainly used to create new

documents or open existing documents

Create a blank word

processor document in
Writer
Create a blank
spreadsheet in Calc

Open a blank database in Base

Create a blank PowerPoint

presentation in Impress
Open an existing
LibreOffice or
Microsoft Office
document

Open the free templates/extensions

website on LibreOffice.org

Open the LibreOffice.org website

Calc Introduction to LibreOffice

Calc - File Formats
Calc is used to create
spreadsheets.
It can save spreadsheets in either
the OpenDocument Spreadsheet
format (.ods), or Microsoft Excel
97/2000/XP/2003 format (.xls)
At Jordan all computers are set to
save by default to Microsoft format
(.xls) which is currently the most
compatible Excel document format.
If you want to change the file
format that you save in, after
clicking 'Save As' from the File
menu, click the 'All Formats' drop
down menu and choose your
desired format.

Calc Introduction to LibreOffice

Calc Toolbars
Standard Toolbar
Formatting
Toolbar
Formula
bar

Find Toolbar

Calc Introduction to LibreOffice

Calc Standard Toolbar

Calc Introduction to LibreOffice

Calc Formatting Toolbar

Calc Introduction to LibreOffice

Calc Formula bar

Calc Introduction to LibreOffice

Calc Columns and Rows

Columns and Rows:

In any spreadsheet program a column is a vertical group of consecutive cells and a row is a
horizontal groups of consecutive cells
Columns and rows both have headers. You can highlight an entire column or row by clicking
on a column or row header.
Right-clicking on a column/row header will allow you to format the entire column or row.
Columns are identified by letters and rows are identified by numbers. These letters and
numbers are printed directly on the column and row headers.

Calc Introduction to LibreOffice

Calc Resizing columns and rows
Resizing columns and rows:
You can resize columns and rows by clicking and dragging the line that is
in-between two columns or two rows. This line is called a 'Box
Intersection'
Or you can have LibreOffice automatically size your columns or rows by
double-clicking the line that is in-between two columns or rows.
You can also resize a column or row precisely to a fraction of an inch by
right clicking the column or row header and click either 'Column Width' or
'Row Height' respectively

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Calc Introduction to LibreOffice

Calc Cell address
Cell address:
The cell address is a combination of the column letter and the row
number. Example: B2 or D14
When creating formulas you can calculate the values that are entered into
various cells by referencing each cell by its cell address
The cell address of the currently selected cell is always displayed in the
cell 'Name Box' located at the top left side of the screen.

Calc Introduction to LibreOffice

Calc Cell Borders and Cell Formatting

Cell Borders:
You can customize cells by changing their borders. This comes in handy when making
spreadsheets look more professional or if you intend to print the spreadsheet.
Simply right click a cell or a group of highlighted cells and select 'Format Cells' and then
change the border settings to your liking on the 'Borders' tab.
Cell Formatting:
Aside from just borders there are many other cell formatting options available
For instance if you would like to make a cell or a group of cells automatically format
themselves to display currency symbols and a specific number of decimal places, use the
'Numbers' tab

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Calc Introduction to LibreOffice

Calc Formulas

Formulas:
Formulas automatically calculate and display a value based on the contents of other cells,
and is the main purpose for using a spreadsheet vs simply creating a table.
The most commonly used type of formula is SUM() which adds the contents of a set of cells
and displays the total.
Other common formulas are:
PRODUCT() or * to multiply
/ to divide
COUNT() is used to count cells that contain numbers

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Calc Introduction to LibreOffice

Calc Formulas Continued
Formulas Continued:
You can also manually create or modify a formula by editing the formula directly in the 'Input
line' box.
You can view the range of selected cells in a formula by double-clicking the cell that contains
the formula
Formulas can easily be generated using the 'Function Wizard'
The 'Function Wizard' can be accessed by clicking the 'Function Wizard' button located to
the left of the 'Sum' button on the formula toolbar.

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Calc Introduction to LibreOffice

Calc Using SUM()

Using SUM():
The easiest way to use SUM() is the 'Sum' button located on the formula toolbar.
To use the 'Sum' button, simply click the cell that you would like to display your cell total,
then click the 'Sum' button, then with your mouse select the desired range of cells that will be
used to calculate the total (You can also use the Ctrl key on your keyboard to select nonconsecutive cells to add to the total).
Once finished selecting cells, press Enter on your keyboard or click the Blue Check-mark
icon on the formula toolbar.
The Sum() function can also be used to subtract from the total by adding the minus sign to
the number in a cell that is part of the formula, or add the minus sign directly to the formula
itself.

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Calc Introduction to LibreOffice

Calc Printing a Spreadsheet
Printing a Spreadsheet in Calc:
Scaling your spreadsheet:
To make your spreadsheet print on a single page, use the scaling feature
To scale a page click on 'Format' 'Page', Click the 'Sheet' tab, under 'Scaling mode' click
the dropdown box and select 'Fit print range(s) on number of pages' and then make sure the
'Number of pages' box is set to '1' and click 'OK'

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Calc Introduction to LibreOffice

Calc Freezing Columns and Rows
Freezing Columns and Rows:
Freezing a column or a row can be particularly useful when you are trying to view a large
spreadsheet and you need to see the row or column header data as you scroll through the
spreadsheet.
To freeze a column or a row, select the row below, or the column to the right of the row or
column that you want to be in the frozen region. All rows above, or all columns to the left of
the selection will become frozen.
To freeze both horizontally and vertically, select the cell that is below the row and to the right
of the column that you want to freeze.
Choose 'Window' 'Freeze' to freeze the column or row.
To deactivate choose 'Window' 'Freeze' again.

Calc Introduction to LibreOffice

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Calc Introduction to LibreOffice

Calc - Pros and Cons
PRO
Very similar to Microsoft Excel in functionality and look and feel (earlier versions)
User friendly
Very good for basic descriptive statistics, charts and plots
Inter-operable with Microsoft Office

COST
Free
CON
Not sufficient for anything beyond the most basic statistical analysis

Questions?