Step 2 - Using Auto fill - If
there is a pattern in the data you are going to enter, Excel can detect the
pattern and fill it in for you. In Cell B1 I typed Group 1.
Place the cursor on the bottom right of cell B1
and a black plus sign appears. Click and drag to the right to cell
E1. Excel detects the pattern and fills in the other groups.
The image below illustrates some other
patterns, and a problem with this procedure:
In row 3 the procedure did not work because
there are too many possibilities. In cell B6 I typed the 2,
highlighted both cells B4 and C4, clicked and dragged to the right.
Now that Excel knew the pattern it could fill in the
cells.
Note: If you are using some of the early versions of Excel, this procedure
works in two directions only. You may fill to the right or down.
Auto Fill will not fill to the left or up when using earlier versions of Excel. However, Excel XP and 2003 will fill in any direction; right, left, up, or down.
Step 3. Using Auto Sum - Excel
allows you to quickly find the total of a column or row of numbers.
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Step 1 - Select the cell below your column of
numbers (or to the right of your row of
numbers).
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Step 2 - Select the Auto Sum button from your
Standard toolbar
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Step 3 - When you verify that the range of
numbers is proper, depress return/enter and the sum is
displayed.
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Step 4. Problems Using Auto Sum - Excel will automatically
do what it is set to do. In this case, the program finds all adjacent numbers
in a column, or row, and includes them in the range.
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Step 1 - If there is a gap in the data, Excel
will highlight only numbers not separated by an empty
cell.
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Step 2 - Place your cursor in the highlighted
equation and click to edit. In the example above I would
change A4:A5 to A2:A5
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You may also click into the equation in the
formula bar above the worksheet, and make changes
there.
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Step 5. Using Merge and Center - For
giving a clean design look to your worksheet, consider using
Excel's Merge and Center feature. This is a two step
process:
- Highlight a range of cells
- Select the Merge and Center button
- If you have data in only one cell, that
data will be in the center of one long cell.
If you attempt to Merge and Center with data in
more than one cell, you will wipe out data in all but the
upper-leftmost cell. Don't worry, Excel will warn you!
Next Module: Worksheet Basics - Using functions
Click and drag to highlight multiple
cells with this cursor, or click in a cell to select the
single cell
Click and drag with this cursor to fill
cell contents into cells below or to the right.
Click and drag the contents of the selected cell to any other cell.
Click to place the cursor into the Formula bar so that you can edit an equation or function.
