Microsoft Excel an Awesome Program

While Excel is one powerful program to use, many do not know how to use some of the features to make it really be efficient for them. There are some key features of Excel that will make you want to use it more.

Microsoft has some templates already built into Excel, such as loan calculator, expense sheet, invoice, and balance sheet. All of these sheets can be modified for different needs. Microsoft also has many Excel templates that can use there are many different templates to choose from. The templates from Microsoft are free to download. Here is an article on free Microsoft templates

Excel is set up into Grids. There are columns and rows. The columns are labeled with the alphabet. The rows are numbers. To find a certain cell look for the intersecting cell. The 1st cell in the sheet is A1 the cell beside it is B1, and so forth. If you were going down, the cell after A1 would be A2.

To find a formula to use, in an empty cell type in the = sign. This will give a formula option in a box right above the A1 cell. It will only have one function in, but there is a drop-down box to choose others. Or to get to the formulas click in an empty cell and go to "Insert" on the menu row, and choose Function. This will bring up the function box. If you click on any of the function, it will explain what each one does and explains using that formula.

Using help in Excel is another great option. By hitting the F1 key and help will open here is where a question is asked and it will show step by step how to use each function.

There is an auto-sum button that is on the toolbar. It looks like the Greek letter E, click the drop down arrow beside it, there is an option to select average, add, subtract, and multiply all with clicking this one button. Once that button is hit it will put a box around the rows that it thinks you want to add, just hit that button again to accept it or choose the cells that are needed.

Doing charts in Excel is simple. Just highlight the rows by holding CTRL and holding the left mouse key at the same time, and clicking on the cells, this will select that cell. Once the cells are selected with the data that is needed in the chart, click on Insert then Chart Wizard. The wizard will walk you through setting up the charts.

Almost everything that you need for Excel is easily accessible by using the links in the menu row. Insert will have things that you need like the formulas, charts, picture insert, and hyperlink.

Excel has the feature where the entire workbook or the sheet through email from the program itself or save it to the computer and attach it to the email that way.

Excel is easy to learn and has many uses. You can set up a budget, create invoices, calendars, and keep track of weight loss. There are free classes online that will help you learn Excel. In one article I did explains how to enroll in a free class. Here is that link.

Excel has many possibilities, can be customized to do many tasks, and can keep track of many things. It has so many uses that I for one would be lost without it.