Excel is a spreadsheet program used for automating calcuations, creating charts, graphs and financial statements of all types. You can think of it as an electronic calculator. There are three versions that are common to the desktop: Version 5, Version 95 and Version 97. Between the versions, advanced features have been added, and presentation has improved. The fundamentals of creating a worksheet, however, have barely changed since Microsoft first released the worksheet program in the early 90's.

In this course we will learn the fundamentals of creating a worksheet, adding formatting, printing, and charting the results. This course is geared toward the user who is fairly new to creating spreadsheets.

Lesson #1  Locate the active cell on your Worksheet
Your active cell, also known as your cursor, is in cell A1 by default.  You can tell by locating the cell with
the darker border.  If you look on the selection indicator you will see the cell referenced first by column
and then by row.

You may move your cursor around the screen by using your arrow keys on the keyboard, or clicking your
mouse.  If you select more than one cell, the selection indicator will tell you the range of cells you have highlighted, as you drag the mouse.

Lesson #2  Create a Worksheet
Create the worksheet as pictured below, and save it for use.
Use your editing skills as necessary.
Create formulas in row.  Use =SUM() function in column.
Change some of the numbers and watch the anwers change.
Format the Text and Numbers to your liking.
Change the column width of column.
Format the background colors to your liking.

Lesson #3  Importing Data & Exporting Data
Find a worksheet in a format other then your current version of Excel.
Use the worksheet and save it in Text format. Now it can be opened into a Word Processor.

Lesson #4  Create a chart from the Sales Worksheet and Printing
Chart the sales worksheet:
Experiment a little with printing.

Lesson #5 Create a database
Plan out a database.
Decide which fields are needed for Data Entry.
Think about what types of Queries you may be doing.
Make sure there is a column heading for each type.
Create the top portion of the database:  Author, title, Field for Last updated, etc.
Put in your column headings.  Format them to stand out from the rest of the list.
Using either conventional data entry, or the forms, add your records.
Perform a one - way sort.  (Example:  Sort by last name)
Perform a two-way sort (Example:  Sort by last name, and then by first)

Lesson #6 Filters & Queries
Filter your list to only display items based on one criteria.
Add to the filter, creating a second criteria.
Show all records.
Create a new Filter.
Turn Filtering off.
Using a query, find the same records as above.

Lesson #7 Use a database
Open a database containing numbers which math may be performed on.
Using subtotals, Subtotal your column of numbers.
Using the outlining features, collapse your database to totals only.
Show all records, and repeat the steps above to find averages.

Lesson #8 Function & Table
Using the =PMT()  function, create a one way data - table.
Expand your one way data - table, to a two way data - table.