Excel - Using the Formatting Toolbar

Standard | Formatting | Drawing

The Formatting toolbar

This entire toolbar could become a floating window by double-clicking on the control bar at the far left end of this toolbar. That gives the following window, which can be placed anywhere on the screen:

This toolbar can be restored to its original position by clicking in the gray bar at the top and dragging it back to the top of the screen. Push the top of the window up to the bottom of the menu bar.

Function of commonly used buttons
	Changes the font of the selected text		Changes the size of selected text and numbers
	Makes selected text and numbers bold		Makes selected text and numbers italic
	Underlines selected text and numbers		Aligns to the left with a ragged right margin
	Centers the selected text		Aligns to the right with a ragged left margin
	Merge and Center - Merges two or more selected cells and centers the entry		Currency Style - Formats selected text to display currency style
	Percent Style - Formats selected cells to display percent		Comma Style - Formats selected cells to display commas in large numbers
	Increase Decimal - Increases the number of decimals displayed after the decimal point		Decrease Decimal - Decreases the number of decimals displayed after the decimal point
	Decreases the indent to the previous tab stop		Indents the selected paragraph to the next tab stop
	Adds or removes a border around selected text or objects		Marks text so that it is highlighted and stands out
	Formats the selected text with the color you click

Carefully review the function of each of the buttons above. When you think that you are familiar with each of the buttons take the short quiz below. (The Formatting toolbar has been included as a reference)

This quiz is available without the information above

	A	B	C	D
1					You wish to call attention to a portion of your worksheet by making the text bold. Which button do you select?
2					You want to center the entries in selected cells. Which button do you select?
3					Cell A1 is to be stretched so it covers 6 cells Which button do you select?
4					To call attention to text, you want place a block of color behind the text to highlight it. Which button do you select?
5					Another way to call attention to a block of cells is to place a border around them. Which button do you select?
6					A column of numbers represents money and you want to apply currency style. Which button do you select?
7					A column of numbers has too many decimal places after the decimal point. Which button do you select?

Other toolbars

Standard | Formatting | Drawing


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