Active Cell

The active cell is recognized by its black outline. Data is always entered into the active cell. Different cells can be made active by clicking on them with the mouse or by using the arrow keys on the keyboard.

Column Letters

Columns run vertically on a worksheet and each one is identified by a letter in the column header.

File Tab

The File tab is new to Excel 2010 - Sort of. It is a replacement for the Office Button in Excel 2007 which was a replacement for the file menu in earlier versions of Excel.

Like the old file menu, the File tab options are mostly related to file management such as opening new or existing worksheet files, saving, printing, and a new feature - saving and sending Excel files in PDF format.

Formula Bar

Located above the worksheet, this area displays the contents of the active cell. It can also be used for entering or editing data and formulas.

Name Box

Located next to the formula bar, the Name Box displays the cell reference or the name of the active cell.

Row Numbers

Rows run horizontally in an Excel 2007 worksheet and are identified by a number in the row header.

Sheet Tabs

Switching between worksheets in an Excel 2007 file is done by clicking on the sheet tab at the bottom of the screen.

Quick Access Toolbar

This customizable toolbar allows you to add frequently used commands. Click on the down arrow at the end of the toolbar to display the toolbar's options.

Ribbon

The Ribbon is the strip of buttons and icons located above the work area. The Ribbon is organized into a series of tabs - such as File, Home, and Formulas. Each tab contains a number of related features and options. First introduced in Excel 2007, the Ribbon replaced the menus and toolbars found in Excel 2003 and earlier versions.

The Formatting toolbar

Formatting toolbar provides many of the most common options for formatting selected text, such as font, font size, font weight, alignment, and color.

A scrollbar

is a control that allows the user to navigate a document in two directions by clicking a button that displays an arrow.

Microsoft Excel basics- Knowledge of how to navigate in a Windows is helpful. To begin, open Microsoft Excel in the programs setting of your Start Menu.. The screen shown here will appear

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 Title Bar

The  Title bar is located at the very top of the screen. On the Title bar, Microsoft Excel displays the name of the workbook you are currently using. At the top of your screen, you should see Microsoft Excel - Book1

 

 Menu Bar

The Menu bar is directly below the Title bar. Point with your mouse to a menu option and click the left mouse button. A drop-down menu will appear.  To select an option,

highlight the item on the drop-down menu and press Enter. An ellipse after a menu item signifies additional options.

 

Tool Bar

The Standard Toolbar

 The Formatting Toolbar

 Formatting toolbar provides many of the most common options for formatting selected text, such as font, font size, font weight, alignment, and color

Toolbars provide shortcuts to menu commands. Toolbars are  located just below the Menu bar.

Microsoft Excel consists of worksheets. Each worksheet contains columns and rows. The columns are lettered A to IV; the rows are numbered 1 to 65536. The combination of column and row coordinates make up a cell address. For example, the cell located in the upper left corner of the worksheet is cell A1, meaning column A, row 1. Cell E10 is located under column E on row 10. You enter your data into the cells on the worksheet.

 

Formula Bar

If the Formula bar displays the Cell address on the left  Cell   Entries display on the right side of the Formula bar.

 

 Status Bar

The Status bar appears at the very bottom of the screen. .

The word Ready tells you that Excel is in the Ready mode and awaiting your next command. Other indicators appear on the Status bar in the lower right corner of the screen. Here are some examples:

The letters NUM on the Status bar in the lower right corner of the screen indicate that the numeric keypad is on.  The Num Lock key is a toggle key. Pressing it turns the numeric keypad on and off. You can use the numeric keypad to enter numbers as if you were using a calculator.

Arrow Keys

Down Arrow Key

 Use the down arrow key to move downward on the screen one cell at a time.

 Up Arrow Key

Use the Up Arrow key to move upward on the screen one cell at a time.

 Right and Left Arrow Keys

Use the right and left arrow keys to move right or left one cell at a time.

Page Up and Page Down

 Page Up and Page Down keys move the cursor up and down one page at a time.

End Key

The Status Bar

End key, used in conjunction with the arrow keys, causes the cursor to move to the far end of the spreadsheet in the direction of the arrow.

Note: If you have entered data into the worksheet, the End key moves you to the end of the data area.

 Home Key

 Home key, used in conjunction with the End key, moves you to to the beginning of the data area if you have entered data or cell A1.

Scroll Lock

The Status Bar

Scroll Lock moves the window, but not the cell pointer.

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Selecting Cells