MS Excel
Unlock This Video Now for FREE
This video is normally available to paying customers.
You may unlock this video for FREE. Enter your email address for instant access AND to receive ongoing updates and special discounts related to this topic.
Basic Overview of Microsoft Excel
Introduction
We are now going to have a basic overview of Microsoft Excel. Once you have logged into the program, you will be on the homepage. This is similar to Microsoft Word, with many features located in the same place. Let's take a closer look at the main components.
Homepage Layout
Blank Spreadsheet
To start with a blank workbook, simply click on the Blank Workbook option. This works just like the blank document feature in Microsoft Word.
Templates
Excel offers various standard templates. For example, you can use a list template to create lists, perform financial calculations, track tasks, and create different charts. There are templates for family budgets, personal budgets, and more. If you need additional templates, click on More Templates at the top right-hand side of the screen.
Recent Documents
Recent documents are displayed on the homepage with an 'X' icon, indicating they are Excel files. You can see when they were last opened or created on the right-hand side.
Left-Hand Menu
New Button
The New button allows you to start with a blank template or choose from various spreadsheet templates. These templates can save you time by providing pre-set charts and formats.
Recent Files
The Recent tab shows all recent folders, displaying more files than the home button. This is useful for accessing recently worked-on documents.
Shared Files
The Shared tab will show any documents that have been shared with you. To access shared folders, you need to be logged in and have documents shared with you. In this example, there are no shared files.
Open Documents
The Open option allows you to open documents from OneDrive or directly from your computer. If you are using OneDrive, you need to be logged in to access these files. Otherwise, you can navigate to My Mac or My PC to find the desired file.
Working with a Document
To open a spreadsheet, simply click on the file. For example, click on Excel spreadsheet docs XLSX to open the document. You can then type and perform calculations as needed. To exit the document, click the red dot (Mac) or the X (Windows) at the top corner of the screen. Ensure you save your work by clicking the Save button before exiting.
Quitting Excel
To fully shut down Excel, go to the top menu, click Excel, and select Quit Excel. This will return you to your desktop page.
- EDSQ Unit 2 LO 8.1