To enter data in a worksheet, click the cell to select the cell. Then key the data. When you enter an alphabetic character as the first character of a cell, the cell contains a label. The term "label" is important in Excel. Labels, by default, are left-aligned. Once I accept this entry, by either touching the Enter key or an arrow key, the data will be accepted, and it is left aligned. When you enter a number as the first character of a cell, the cell contains a value. Again, a value is important to Excel. Values, by default, are right-aligned. The number is right-aligned once I accept the number. The normal width of a cell is 9 characters, depending on the font size. Cell width can be changed, but I would like for us at this point to notice that if we need to key more information than the width of the cell and there is content in the adjacent cell, the full contents will not display. Once we have entered text and we want to make a change, click in the formula box where the content displays. We are going to key Nancy Smith. Notice when I accept this information, the cell information only partially displays; however, if I enter that same information in a cell where the adjacent cell is not used, the full name will display and roll over into the adjacent cell. Once I enter information in this cell, then the name again is only partially displayed.
To edit cell content, click the cell where the content was entered, and then click in the formula bar and make the changes. Touch enter to accept the change. For Assignment 2, I also want to indicate that Assignment 2 is worth 100 points. Any cell content can be changed by clicking on the cell and making the change in the formula bar.
Excel has an AutoFill feature that can speed entering data that is to be consecutive in number or simply to repeat content. Under "Course Number," I want to enter "Education 1000" and I want it repeated for Rows 14 through 18. Locate the AutoFill handle at the lower right corner of the cell until you see a plus sign. Hold the left mouse key and drag down. It fills with consecutive numbers so I need to click on AutoFill Options and choose Copy Cells. For Student Number, I want to enter a number "1" and have the numbers consecutively repeated in Cells 14 through 18. Locate the AutoFill handle, drag down, and since in the last operation I chose Copy Cells, by default this one will have that option selected. Click AutoFill options and click Fill Series.
There may be times when you need to insert or delete rows in the worksheet. To insert a row, select the row. There are two ways to insert. You can right-click and choose Insert, and one row will be inserted above the selected row. If we want to insert two rows, then select two rows, right click, and choose Insert, and two rows will be inserted above the selected row. The menu can also be used for inserting rows. Choose Insert from the menu, choose rows, and a row will be inserted above the selected row. The same principles apply to inserting columns. Select the column. I'll use a short-cut method here and right-click. When I choose Insert, one column will be inserted to the left. We now have additional rows to add student names and we have an additional column to insert Assignment 3. If we want to delete rows, click on the row to be deleted. I'll select Row 17, right-click, and choose Delete. If I want to delete several rows, select all of the rows to be deleted. I'll select a blank row and the last student's name, right-click, and Delete. The content of the deleted row will be removed. If I select Column D--I have now decided I'll not add another assignment--I can right click and choose Delete.
To change the width of a column, select any cell in the column and choose Format, Column Width. The default width of a column is 8.43. Make the adjustment and click OK. Column A is now the width of the longest student name. Another way to change the width of a column is to place the mouse pointer on the line between the Column letter headings, and when the mouse pointer changes to a double-headed arrow, hold the left mouse and drag to resize. The width is displayed as the adjustment is made. A third way to adjust a column is to use the AutoFit to Content feature. Place the pointer between the column headers, double-click, and you will notice that the column automatically adjusted to the width of the content. All columns can be adjusted to fit the width of the content by clicking the Select All button and double-clicking any one of the lines between column headers. In this case, Column A is too wide because of the title. We will make that adjustment so it is the width of the content, the longest name of the student. Line height can also be adjusted. By default, line height is determined by the font size. Data is vertically aligned at the bottom of the row. To change row height, place the mouse pointer on the line between the row numbers, hold the left mouse and drag. The adjustment height is displayed and the row is resized. The vertical alignment can be changed and that can be addressed in another video.
Before you can cut, copy, move, or paste cells, you must first select cells. To select an individual cell, click on the cell. To select a contiguous group (range) of cells, click on the first cell, hold the Shift key and click on the last cell. To select a noncontiguous group of cells, select the first cell, hold the Control key, and then click the other cells. To select a row, click on the row header. To select a column, click on the column header. To select an entire worksheet, click on the Select All button in the upper left-hand corner of the screen.
In Excel, there may be times when you want to cut or copy material and paste it to a different location. In this case, I've created a new column, but I want Assignment 2 to be moved over next to Assignment 1. I'll cut it from Column D and move it to Column C. Select by clicking the first cell, holding the Shift key, and selecting the last cell in that row. Right-click to use the shortcut menu or choose Edit, Cut or use the shortcut key, Control + X. Anytime material is marked to cut or copy, it has a moving border around the edges. Move to the cell where the material is to be pasted. Click that cell. Click Edit and click Paste or Control + V, and the material is moved to the new location. If I want to make a copy of this material and paste it somewhere else, I would select, as I did previously, right-click and choose copy. That does not remove the material from the cell when it is pasted to another location. I will move to a cell below that location and click Edit, Paste. We have a copy of that material pasted. To remove the moving border, touch the Escape key. Now I have a second copy of the material. I'll delete that since I don't need it. I'll click to select and touch the Delete key.