1

Training Modules
Introduction to MS Excel 2013

HOME & INSERT Ribbons

REFERENCES

FUNCTIONS

GROUPS & SUB TOTALS

Quiz & Exercises

 Introduction
Excel 2013 is a spreadsheet program that
allows you to store, organize,
and analyze information. Mainly used for
keeping a budget, organizing a training log,
or creating an invoice, Excel makes it easy
to work with different types of data.

The Excel interface

When Excel 2013 opened for the first time,
the Excel Start Screen will appear. From
here, one will be able to create a new
workbook, choose a template, and access
the recently edited workbooks.

Although most of the features in excel are Similar to previous versions of Excel 2010 or
familiar only a few interesting add-ons 2007, features like the Ribbon and Quick
are explained in the coming slides
Access toolbar, contains commands to
perform common tasks in Excel, as well as
Backstage view.
 Ribbons
4
5
The Home tab ~~ copying and pasting, formatting, and number styles.

The Insert tab ~~

insert charts, tables, sparklines, filters, to visualize and communicate data graphically.

The Page Layout tab ~~

change the print formatting including margin width,page orientation, and themes.

The Formulas tab ~~ functions and formulas to calculate and analyze numerical data

The Data tab ~~ to sort and filter information from a large amount of data.

The Review tab ~~

to access editing features, comments, track changes to share and collaborate.

The View tab ~~

allows to switch between different views and for freeze panes for easy viewing.

Contextual tabs will appear on the Ribbon when working with certain items,
like tables and pictures. These tabs contain special command groups that help to
format these items as needed.
6 The Quick Access toolbar : Save, Undo, and Repeat commands.

Backstage view : options for saving, opening a file, printing, and sharing. Click
the File tab on the Ribbon for Backstage view.

Document views : Normal view, Page Layout view, or Page Break view for
better printing the spreadsheet.

Excel files are called workbooks. Whenever a new project in Excel is started, create a
new workbook.

create a new workbook—either with a blank workbook or a predesigned template—

or open an existing workbook.

If the same workbook is frequently worked on, one can pin it to Backstage view for
faster access.

earlier versions of Microsoft Excel, such as Excel 2003 or Excel 2000 appear
in Compatibility mode.

Compatibility mode disables advance features available in 2007 or higher versions

7 Quick Analysis tool converts data into a chart or table in two steps or less.
Preview your data with conditional formatting, sparklines, or charts, that too
in just one click.

Flash Fill is like a data assistant that finishes the required work. Flash Fill
enters the rest of your data in one fell swoop, following the pattern it
recognizes in your data.

With Chart recommendations, Excel recommends the most suitable charts

for your data.

slicers can now also filter data in Excel tables, query tables, and other data
tables. slicers show the current filter and the data.

In Excel 2013 each workbook has in its own window, making it easier to
work on two workbooks at once.

New Functions, New Charting Features, Richer data Labels, View animation
in charts

Use a timeline to show data for different time periods

 Understanding Cells : Cells are the basic building blocks of a worksheet.
cells and cell content to calculate, analyze, and organize data in Excel. Every
8 worksheet is made up of thousands of rectangles, which are called cells. A cell is
the intersection of a row and a column. Columns are identified by letters (A, B, C),
while rows are identified by numbers (1, 2, 3). Each cell has its own name—or cell
address—based on its column and row eg. C5, A1 etc A range of cells is as A1..A5
Any information entered into a spreadsheet will be stored in a cell. Each cell can
contain different types of content, including text, formatting, formulas,
and functions

• Text : Cells can contain text, such as letters, numbers, and dates.

• Formatting attributes : Cells can contain formatting attributes that change the
way letters, numbers, and dates are displayed. For example, percentages can
appear as 0.15 or 15%. You can even change a cell's background color.

• Formulas and functions : Cells can contain formulas and functions that
calculate cell values.

• Fill handle to quickly copy and paste content to adjacent cells in the same row
or column.

• Flash Fill can enter data automatically into worksheet, Like the fill handle, Flash
Fill can guess the type of information being entered.
 Save and Save As
9 Save: When you create or edit a workbook, you'll use the Save command to save
your changes. You'll use this command most of the time. When you save a file,
you'll only need to choose a file name and location the first time. After that, you
can just click the Save command to save it with the same name and location.
,
Save As: You'll use this command to create a copy of a workbook a different
name and/or location for the copied version while keeping the original.

AutoRecover

Excel automatically saves your workbooks to a temporary folder while you are
working on them. If you forget to save your changes or if Excel crashes you can
restore the file using AutoRecover. To use AutoRecover: Open Excel 2013.
If autosaved versions of a file are found, the Document Recovery pane will
appear.
Click to open an available file. The workbook will be recovered

By default, Excel autosaves every 10 minutes. If you are editing a workbook for
less than 10 minutes, Excel may not create an autosaved version.

By default, Excel workbooks are saved in the .xlsx file type. Other filetypes, such
as a PDF or Excel 97-2003 workbook is easy to export your workbook from Excel
 Worksheet Basics :
10
Every workbook contains at least one worksheet - multiple worksheets to
organize your workbook

group worksheets to quickly add information to multiple worksheets at the same

time.
work with each worksheet individually, or work with multiple worksheets at the
same time. Worksheets can be combined together into a group. Any changes
made to one worksheet in a group will be made to every worksheet in the group.

To rename one worksheet named Sheet1.

To change the default number of worksheets, navigate to Backstage view,

click Options, then choose the desired number of worksheets to include in each
new workbook.

protect worksheets by right-clicking the desired worksheet and then

selecting Protect sheet from the worksheet menu.

duplicate the content of one worksheet to another ~~ copy an existing

worksheet.

You can also copy a worksheet to an entirely different workbook. You can select
any workbook that is currently open from the To book: drop-down menu.
 Clipboard, Font, Alignment, Number, Styles, Cells and Editing
11
Paste Options

Open Word with your image or text copied (right click and select copy, or use the key combination
Ctrl + "C“ and Ctrl + “V”
• Paste (P):

• Formulas (F):

• Formulas & Number Formatting (O):

• Keep Source Formatting (K):

• No Borders (B):

• Keep Source Column Widths (W):

• Transpose (T):

• Values (V):

• Values & Number Formatting (A):

• Paste Link (N):

 Home Ribbon
12 Conditional formatting : worksheet with thousands of rows of data. It would be extremely
difficult to examine the raw information.
To visualize data and make worksheets easier to understand. Conditional formatting
as colors, icons, and data bars—to one or more cells based on the cell value.

Example, we have a worksheet containing sales data, and we'd like to see which sales people
are meeting their monthly sales goals. The sales goal is Rs.4000 per month, so we'll create a
conditional formatting rule for any cells containing a value higher than 4000.

• Select the desired cells for the conditional formatting rule.

• From the Home tab, click the Conditional Formatting command. A drop-down menu will
appear.
• Hover the mouse over the desired conditional formatting type, then select the desired
rule from the menu that appears. In our example, we want to highlight cells that are greater
than Rs.4000.
• A dialog box will appear. Enter the desired value(s) into the blank field.

• Select a formatting style from the drop-down menu.

You can apply multiple conditional formatting rules to a cell range or worksheet, allowing you
to visualize different trends and patterns in your data.

Click Manage Rules to edit or delete individual rules. This is especially useful if you have applied
multiple rules to a worksheet.

Excel has several predefined styles—or presets—you can use to quickly apply conditional
formatting to your data. They are grouped into three categories: Data Bars are horizontal bars
added to each cell, much like a bar graph, Color Scales , Icon Sets
13

Sparklines : to analyze and view trends in data without creating an entire chart.
Sparklines are miniature charts that fit into a single cell. Because they're so compact, it's easy
to include several sparklines in a workbook.

Three different types of sparklines: Line, Column, and Win/Loss. Line and Column work the same
as line and column charts. Win/Loss is similar to Column, except it only shows whether each
value is positive or negative instead of how high or low the values are. All three types can
display markers at important points, such as the highest and lowest points, to make them
easier to read.

Sparklines have certain advantages over charts.

Sparklines are ideal for situations when you need a clear overview of the data at a glance and
when you don't need all of the features of a full chart. On the other hand, charts are ideal for
situations when you want to represent the data in greater detail, and they are often better
for comparing different data series.

To create sparklines: to create a single sparkline and then use the fill handle to create
sparklines for the adjacent rows.

Excel allows you to modify the sparkline display range, which makes it easier
to compare sparklines.
 Module 2- Pivot Table
14
PivotTables can help make your worksheets more manageable
by summarizing data and allowing you to manipulate it in
different ways .
Using PivotTables to answer questions : Let's say we wanted
to answer the question: What is the amount sold by each
salesperson?

Fortunately, a PivotTable can

instantly calculate and summarize the data in a way that's both
easy to read and manipulate.
Once you've created a PivotTable, you can use it to answer
different questions by rearranging—or pivoting—the data. For
example, if we wanted to answer the question: What is the total
amount sold in each month? we could modify our PivotTable

sort the data in a PivotTable using the Sort & Filter command in
the Home tab. also apply any type of number formatting.

PivotTable will not update automatically. To manually update it,

select the PivotTable and then go to Analyze Refresh.

One of the best things about PivotTables is that they can

quickly pivot—or reorganize—data, allowing you to look at your
worksheet data in different ways. Pivoting data can help you
answer different questions and even experiment with the data to
discover new trends and patterns.

Sometimes you may want focus on just a certain section of your

data. Filters can be used to narrow down the data in your
PivotTable, allowing you to view only the information you need.
 Module 2- Slicers & Pivot charts

15 Slicers : Slicers make filtering data in PivotTables even easier. Slicers are basically just filters, but they're easier and
faster to use, allowing you to instantly pivot your data.

To add a slicer: Select any cell in the PivotTable. From the Analyze tab, click the Insert Slicer command. A dialog
box will appear. Select the desired field. The slicer will appear next to the PivotTable. Each selected item will be
highlighted .
Just like filters, only selected items are used in the PivotTable. When you select or deselect items, the PivotTable
will instantly reflect the changes. Try selecting different items to see how they affect the PivotTable. Press and
hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard to select multiple items from a slicer.

You can also click the Filter icon in the top-right corner to select all items from the slicer at once

PivotCharts are like regular charts, except they display data from a PivotTable. Just like regular charts, you'll be
able to select a chart type, layout, and style that will best represent the data. Example of a Pivot chart.
 Module 3- References
16 References : There are two types of cell references: relative and absolute. Relative and absolute references
behave differently when copied and filled to other cells. Relative references change when a formula is copied
to another cell. Absolute references, on the other hand, remain constant, no matter where they are copied.

Relative references : By default, all cell references are relative references. When copied across multiple cells,
they change based on the relative position of rows and columns. For example, if you copy the
formula =A1+B1 from row 1 to row 2, the formula will become =A2+B2. Relative references are especially
convenient whenever you need to repeat the same calculation across multiple rows or columns.

Absolute references : here may be times when you do not want a cell reference to change when filling cells.
Unlike relative references, When writing a formula, you can press the F4 key on your keyboard to switch
between relative and absolute cell references. This is an easy way to quickly insert an absolute reference.
Absolute references do not change when copied or filled. You can use an absolute reference to keep a row
and/or column constant. An absolute reference is designated in a formula by the addition of a dollar sign. It
can precede the column reference, the row reference, or both.

Using cell references with multiple worksheets : Excel allows you to refer to any cell on any worksheet, which
can be especially helpful if you want to reference a specific value from one worksheet to another. To do this,
you'll simply need to begin the cell reference with theworksheet name followed by an exclamation point (!). For
example, if you wanted to reference cell A1 on Sheet1, its cell reference would be Sheet1!A1.
Note that if a worksheet name contains a space, you will need to include single quotation marks around the
name. For example, if you wanted to reference cell A1 on a worksheet named July Budget, its cell reference
would be 'July Budget'!A1.
 Module 4- Functions
17 A function is a predefined formula that performs calculations using specific values in a particular order. Excel includes
many common functions that can be useful for quickly finding the sum, average,count, maximum value, and minimum
value for a range of cells. In order to use functions correctly, you'll need to understand the different parts of a
function and how to create arguments to calculate values and cell references.

The parts of a function :

In order to work correctly, a function must be written a specific way, which is called the syntax. The basic syntax for a
function is the equals sign (=), the function name (SUM, for example), and one or more arguments. Arguments contain
the information you want to calculate. The function in the example below would add the values of the cell range
A1:A20.

Working with arguments :

Arguments can refer to both individual cells and cell ranges and must be enclosed within parentheses. You can
include one argument or multiple arguments, depending on the syntax required for the function. For example, the
function =AVERAGE(B1:B9) would calculate the average of the values in the cell range B1:B9. This function contains only
one argument. Multiple arguments must be separated by a comma. For example, the function =SUM(A1:A3, C1:C2,
E1) will addthe values of all the cells in the three arguments.

Creating a function : Excel has a variety of functions available. Here are some of the most common functions you'll use:

SUM: This function adds all of the values of the cells in the argument.
AVERAGE: This function determines the average of the values included in the argument. It calculates the sum of the
cells and then divides that value by the number of cells in the argument.
COUNT: This function counts the number of cells with numerical data in the argument. This function is useful for quickly
counting items in a cell range.
MAX: This function determines the highest cell value included in the argument.
MIN: This function determines the lowest cell value included in the argument.

Excel will not always tell you if your formula contains an error, so it's up to you to check all of your formulas.
 Module 4- Functions
18
The Function Library : functions by category, such as Financial, Logical, Text, Date &
Time, and more from the Function Library on the Formulas tab.

Like formulas, functions can be copied to adjacent cells. Hover the mouse over
the cell that contains the function, then click, hold, and drag the fill handle over the
cells you want to fill. The function will be copied, and values for those cells will be
calculated relative to their rows or columns.

Insert Function command allows you to search for functions using keywords.
 Module 4 - Functions
19
VLOOKUP function : One of the lookup and reference functions, when you need to
find things in a table or a range by row.
Example, look up an employee's last name by her employee number, or find her phone
number by looking up her last name (just like a telephone book).

VLOOKUP (lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])

=VLOOKUP(105,A2:C7,2,TRUE) / =VLOOKUP("Fontana",B2:E7,2,FALSE)

The following picture shows how you'd set up your worksheet with
=VLOOKUP("Akers",B2:D5,2,FALSE) to return Kim
20
Argument name Description
lookup_value (required) The value to lookup must be in the first column
of the range of cells you specify in table-
array .
For example, if table-array spans cells B2:D7,
then the lookup_value must be in column B.
Lookup_value can be a value or a reference
to a cell.
Table_array (required) The range of cells that VLOOKUP will search for
the Lookup_value and the return value.
The first column in the cell range must contain
the Lookup_value
col_index_num (required) The column number (starting with 1 for the left-
most column of table-array) that contains the
return value.
range_lookup (optional) •FALSE searches for the exact value in the first
column.
•TRUE assumes the first column in the table is
sorted either numerically or alphabetically,
and will then search for the closest value.
 Groups & Sub Totals
Excel can organize data in groups, to show and hide different sections of worksheet.
21
To group rows or columns: Select the rows or columns to group. Select the Data tab on
the Ribbon, then Group command.

To ungroup data, select the grouped rows or columns, then the Ungroup command.
To hide a group, click the Hide Detail button

Summarize different groups using the Subtotal command to create an outline for the
worksheet.

Creating subtotals :
The Subtotal command automatically create groups and use common functions like
SUM, COUNT, and AVERAGE to help summarize the data.

Example,
The Subtotal command help to calculate the cost of office supplies by type from a large
inventory order.Hierarchy of groups, known as an outline, is created to help organize the
worksheet.
The data must be correctly sorted before using the Subtotal command,
To view groups by level:
When subtotals are created, worksheet data is divided into different levels. One can
switch between these levels to quickly control how much information is displayed in the
worksheet by clicking the Level buttons to the left of the worksheet. Excel can
accommodate up to eight levels.
22
23

Friday,
August 5,
2022
MS Excel: Create a chart from start to finish

Charts help you visualize your data in a way that creates maximum impact on your audience. Learn to create a
chart and add a trendline.

Charts Vs Graphs:

Charts present information in the form of graphs, diagrams or tables.

Graphs show the mathematical relationship between sets of data.

Graphs are one type of chart, but not the only type of chart; in other words, all graphs
are charts, but not all charts are graphs.

Create a chart

1. Select data for the chart.

2. Select Insert > Recommended Charts.
3. Select a chart on the Recommended Charts tab, to preview the chart.

Note: You can select the data you want in the chart and press ALT + F1 to create a chart
immediately, but it might not be the best chart for the data. If you don’t see a chart you like, select
the All Charts tab to see all chart types.

4. Select a chart.
5. Select OK.

Add a trendline

1. Select a chart.
2. Select Design > Add Chart Element.
3. Select Trendline and then select the type of trendline you want, such as Linear, Exponential, Linear
Forecast, or Moving Average.

Add or remove titles in a chart

To make a chart easier to understand, you can add chart title and axis titles, to any type of chart. Axis titles are
typically available for all axes that can be displayed in a chart, including depth (series) axes in 3-D charts. Some
chart types (such as radar charts) have axes, but they cannot display axis titles. You can’t add axis titles to charts
that don’t have axes (like pie or doughnut charts).

Add a chart title

1. In the chart, select the "Chart Title" box and type in a title.
2. Select the + sign to the top-right of the chart.
3. Select the arrow next to Chart Title.
4. Select Centered Overlay to lay the title over the chart, or More Options for additional choices.
5. Right-click the chart title to format it with options like Fill or Outline.
 Remove a chart title

1. Click on the chart.

2. Select the + sign to the top-right of the chart.
3. Uncheck the checkbox next to Chart Title.

Show or hide a chart legend or data table

You can hide or show the legend of a chart.

You can also show a data table for a line chart, area chart, column chart, or bar chart. A data table displays
the values that are presented in the chart in a grid at the bottom of the chart. A data table can also include
the legend keys.

Show a chart legend

1. Select a chart and then select the plus sign to the top right.
2. Point to Legend and select the arrow next to it.
3. Choose where you want the legend to appear in your chart.

Hide a chart legend

1. Select a legend to hide.

2. Press Delete.

Show or hide a data table

1. Select a chart and then select the plus sign to the top right.
2. To show a data table, point to Data Table and select the arrow next to it, and then select a display
option.
3. To hide the data table, uncheck the Data Table option.

Add or remove a secondary axis in a chart in Excel

When the numbers in a chart vary widely from data series to data series, or when you have mixed types of
data (price and volume), plot one or more data series on a secondary vertical (value) axis. The scale of the
secondary vertical axis shows the values for the associated data series. A secondary axis works well in a
chart that shows a combination of column and line charts. You can quickly show a chart like this by
changing your chart to a combo chart.

Note: The following procedure applies to Office 2013 and newer versions.

1. Select a chart to open Chart Tools.

2. Select Design > Change Chart Type.
3. Select Combo > Cluster Column - Line on Secondary Axis.
4. Select Secondary Axis for the data series you want to show.
5. Select the drop-down arrow and choose Line.
6. Select OK.
Add a trend or moving average line to a chart

You can add a trendline to your chart to show visual data trends.

Add a trendline

1. Select a chart.
2. Select the + to the top right of the chart.
3. Select Trendline.

Note: Excel displays the Trendline option only if you select a chart that has more than one data
series without selecting a data series.

4. In the Add Trendline dialog box, select any data series options you want, and click OK.

Format a trendline

1. Click anywhere in the chart.

2. On the Format tab, in the Current Selection group, select the trendline option in the dropdown
list.
3. Click Format Selection.
4. In the Format Trendline pane, select a Trendline Option to choose the trendline you want for
your chart. Formatting a trendline is a statistical way to measure data:

5. Set a value in the Forward and Backward fields to project your data into the future.
 Add a moving average line

You can format your trendline to a moving average line.

1. Click anywhere in the chart.

2. On the Format tab, in the Current Selection group, select the trendline option in the
dropdown list.
3. Click Format Selection.
4. In the Format Trendline pane, under Trendline Options, select Moving Average. Specify
the points if necessary.

Note: The number of points in a moving average trendline equals the total number of points
in the series less the number that you specify for the period.

Update the data in an existing chart

If you need to change data in a chart, you can do it from its source.

Create a chart from a table

1. Select the cells you want to use.

2. Select Insert > Recommended Charts.
3. Select the chart type you want, and select OK.

Update a chart source

 With your table linked to a chart, make updates in your table and you'll see the changes reflected
in the chart.
MS Excel: Change the column width and row height

If you find yourself needing to expand or reduce Excel's row widths and column heights, there are several ways
to adjust them. The table below shows the minimum, maximum and default sizes for each based on a point scale.

Type Min Max Default

Column 0 (hidden) 255 8.43
Row 0 (hidden) 409 15.00

 Notes:
 If you are working in Page Layout view (View tab, Workbook Views group, Page Layout button),
you can specify a column width or row height in inches, centimeters and millimeters. The
measurement unit is in inches by default. Go to File > Options > Advanced > Display > select an
option from the Ruler Units list. If you switch to Normal view, then column widths and row heights
will be displayed in points.
 Individual rows and columns can only have one setting. For example, a single column can have a 25
point width, but it can't be 25 points wide for one row, and 10 points for another.

Set a column to a specific width

1. Select the column or columns that you want to change.

2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.

3. Under Cell Size, click Column Width.

4. In the Column width box, type the value that you want.
5. Click OK.

Tip: To quickly set the width of a single column, right-click the selected column, click Column Width,
type the value that you want, and then click OK.

Change the column width to automatically fit the contents (AutoFit)

1. Select the column or columns that you want to change.

2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.

 3. Under Cell Size, click AutoFit Column Width.

Note: To quickly autofit all columns on the worksheet, click the Select All button, and then double-click
any boundary between two column headings.

Match the column width to another column

1. Select a cell in the column that has the width that you want to use.

2. Press Ctrl+C, or on the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Copy.

3. Right-click a cell in the target column, point to Paste Special, and then click the Keep Source Columns

Widths button.

Change the width of columns by using the mouse

Do one of the following:

 To change the width of one column, drag the boundary on the right side of the column heading until the
column is the width that you want.

 To change the width of multiple columns, select the columns that you want to change, and then drag a
boundary to the right of a selected column heading.

 To change the width of columns to fit the contents, select the column or columns that you want to change,
and then double-click the boundary to the right of a selected column heading.

 To change the width of all columns on the worksheet, click the Select All button, and then drag the
boundary of any column heading.
Change the default width for all columns on a worksheet or workbook

The value for the default column width indicates the average number of characters of the standard font that fit in
a cell. You can specify a different number for the default column width for a worksheet or workbook.

1. Do one of the following:

 To change the default column width for a worksheet, click its sheet tab.

 To change the default column width for the entire workbook, right-click a sheet tab, and then
click Select All Sheets on the shortcut menu.

2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.

3. Under Cell Size, click Default Width.

4. In the Standard column width box, type a new measurement, and then click OK.

Tips: If you want to define the default column width for all new workbooks and worksheets, you can
create a workbook template or a worksheet template, and then base new workbooks or worksheets on
those templates. See the following links for more information:

Set a row to a specific height

1. Select the row or rows that you want to change.

2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.

 3. Under Cell Size, click Row Height.

4. In the Row height box, type the value that you want, and then click OK.

Change the row height to fit the contents

1. Select the row or rows that you want to change.

2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format.

3. Under Cell Size, click AutoFit Row Height.

Tip: To quickly autofit all rows on the worksheet, click the Select All button, and then double-click the
boundary below one of the row headings.

Change the height of rows by using the mouse

Do one of the following:

 To change the row height of one row, drag the boundary below the row heading until the row is the height
that you want.

 To change the row height of multiple rows, select the rows that you want to change, and then drag the
boundary below one of the selected row headings.

 To change the row height for all rows on the worksheet, click the Select All button, and then drag the
boundary below any row heading.

 To change the row height to fit the contents, double-click the boundary below the row heading.
Conditional Formatting
A conditional format changes the appearance of cells on the basis of conditions that you specify. If the
conditions are true, the cell range is formatted; if the conditions are false, the cell range is not formatted.
Here are some useful applications:

Format cells that contain text, number, or date or time values

1. Quick formatting

i. Select one or more cells in a range, table, or PivotTable report.

ii. On the Home tab, in the Style group, click the arrow next to Conditional Formatting, and then
click Highlight Cells Rules.

iii. Select the command you want, such as Between, Equal To Text that Contains, or A Date
Occurring.

iv. Enter the values you want to use, and then select a format.

You can change the method of scoping for fields in the Values area of a PivotTable report by
using the Apply formatting rule to option button.

2. Advanced formatting

1. Select one or more cells in a range, table, or PivotTable report.

2. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, click the arrow next to Conditional Formatting, and then click
Manage Rules. The Conditional Formatting Rules Manager dialog box appears.
3. Do one of the following:

 To add a conditional format, click New Rule. The New Formatting Rule dialog box appears.

 To add a new conditional format based on one that is already listed, select the rule, then
click Duplicate Rule. The duplicate rule is copied and appears in the dialog box. Select the
duplicate, then select Edit Rule. The Edit Formatting Rule dialog box appears.

 To change a conditional format, do the following:

1. Make sure that the appropriate worksheet, table, or PivotTable report is selected in the Show
formatting rules for list box.

2. Optionally, change the range of cells by clicking Collapse Dialog in the Applies to box to
temporarily hide the dialog box, by selecting the new range of cells on the worksheet or on
other worksheets, and then by selecting Expand Dialog.

3. Select the rule, and then click Edit rule. The Edit Formatting Rule dialog box appears.

4. Under Apply Rule To, to optionally change the scope for fields in the Values area of a
PivotTable report by:

i. Selection: Click Just these cells.

ii. Corresponding field: Click All <value field> cells with the same fields.

iii. Value field: Click All <value field> cells.

5. Under Select a Rule Type, click Format only cells that contain.

6. Under Edit the Rule Description, in the Format only cells with list box, do one of the
following:

 Format by number, date, or time: Select Cell Value, select a comparison operator, and
then enter a number, date, or time.

For example, select Between and then enter 100 and 200, or select Equal to and then
enter 1/1/2009.

You can also enter a formula that returns a number, date, or time value.

 If you enter a formula, start it with an equal sign (=).

 Invalid formulas result in no formatting being applied.

 It's a good idea to test the formula to make sure that it doesn't return an error value.
  Format by text: Select Specific Text, choosing a comparison operator, and then
enter text.

For example, select Contains or select Starting with.

Quotes are included in the search string, and you may use wildcard characters. The
maximum length of a string is 255 characters.

You can also enter a formula that returns text.

 If you enter a formula, start it with an equal sign (=).

 Invalid formulas result in no formatting being applied.

 It's a good idea to test the formula to make sure that it doesn't return an error value.

 Format by date: Select Dates Occurring and then select a date comparison.

For example, select Yesterday or Next week.

 Format cells with blanks or no blanks: Select Blanks or No Blanks.

A blank value is a cell that contains no data and is different from a cell that contains
one or more spaces (spaces are considered as text).

 Format cells with error or no error values: Select Errors or No Errors.

Error values include: #####, #VALUE!, #DIV/0!, #NAME?, #N/A, #REF!, #NUM!,
and #NULL!.

7. To specify a format, click Format. The Format Cells dialog box appears.

8. Select the number, font, border, or fill format you want to apply when the cell value
meets the condition, and then click OK.

You can choose more than one format. The formats you select are shown in
the Preview box.

Format only unique or duplicate values

1. Quick formatting

1. Select the cells that you want to conditionally format.

2. On the Home tab, in the Style group, click the arrow next to Conditional Formatting, and then
click Highlight Cells Rules.
 3. Select Duplicate Values.

4. Enter the values you want to use, and then select a format.

2. Advanced formatting
Open the Conditional Formatting Rules Manager

1. Under Select a Rule Type, click Format only unique or duplicate values.

2. Under Edit the Rule Description, in the Format all list box, select unique or duplicate.

3. Click Format to display the Format Cells dialog box.

4. Select the number, font, border, or fill format you want to apply when the cell value meets the
condition, and then click OK.

You can choose more than one format. The formats you select are shown in the Preview box.

Use a formula to determine which cells to format

If you don't see the exact options you need when you create your own conditional formatting rule, you can
use a logical formula to specify the formatting criteria.

Note: You can enter cell references in a formula by selecting cells directly on a worksheet or other
worksheets. Selecting cells on the worksheet inserts absolute cell references. If you want Excel to adjust the
references for each cell in the selected range, use relative cell references.
Open the Conditional Formatting Rules Manager

1. Do one of the following:

 To add a conditional format, click New Rule. The New Formatting Rule dialog box appears.

 To add a new conditional format based on one that is already listed, select the rule, then
click Duplicate Rule. The duplicate rule is copied and appears in the dialog box. Select the duplicate,
then select Edit Rule. The Edit Formatting Rule dialog box appears.

 To change a conditional format, do the following:

i. Make sure that the appropriate worksheet, table, or PivotTable report is selected in the Show
formatting rules for list box.

ii. Optionally, change the range of cells by clicking Collapse Dialog in the Applies to box to
temporarily hide the dialog box, by selecting the new range of cells on the worksheet or other
worksheets, and then by clicking Expand Dialog.

iii. Select the rule, and then click Edit rule. The Edit Formatting Rule dialog box appears.
2. Under Apply Rule To, to optionally change the scope for fields in the Values area of a PivotTable report, do
the following:

i. To scope by selection: Click Selected cells.

ii. To scope by corresponding field: Click All cells showing <Values field> values.

iii. To scope by Value field: Click All cells showing <Values field> for <Row>.

3. Under Select a Rule Type, click Use a formula to determine which cells to format.

i. Under Edit the Rule Description, in the Format values where this formula is true list box,
enter a formula.

You have to start the formula with an equal sign (=), and the formula must return a logical value
of TRUE (1) or FALSE (0).

ii. Click Format to display the Format Cells dialog box.

iii. Select the number, font, border, or fill format you want to apply when the cell value meets the
condition, and then click OK.

You can choose more than one format. The formats you select are shown in the Preview box.

Find cells that have conditional formatting

If your worksheet contains conditional formatting, you can quickly locate the cells so that you can copy,
change, or delete the conditional formats. Use the Go To Special command to find only cells with a specific
conditional format, or to find all cells that have conditional formats.

Find all cells that have a conditional format

1. Click any cell that does not have a conditional format.

2. On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click the arrow next to Find & Select, and then
click Conditional Formatting.
Find only cells that have the same conditional format

1. Click any cell that has the conditional format that you want to find.

2. On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click the arrow next to Find & Select, and then click Go To
Special.

3. Click Conditional formats.

4. Click Same under Data validation.

Clear conditional formatting

Clear conditional formatting on a worksheet

 On the Home tab, click Conditional Formatting > Clear Rules > Clear Rules from Entire
Sheet.

Follow these steps if you have conditional formatting in a worksheet, and you need to remove it.

For an entire worksheet

 On the Home tab, click Conditional Formatting > Clear Rules > Clear Rules from Entire
Sheet.

In a range of cells

1. Select the cells that contain the conditional formatting.

2. Click the Quick Analysis Lens button that appears to the bottom right of the selected
data.

Notes: Quick Analysis Lens will not be visible if:

 All of the cells in the selected range are empty, or

 There is an entry only in the upper-left cell of the selected range, with all of the other cells in
the range being empty.

3. Click Clear Format.

Find and remove the same conditional formats throughout a worksheet

1. Click on a cell that has the conditional format that you want to remove throughout the
worksheet.

2. On the Home tab, click the arrow next to Find & Select, and then click Go To Special.

3. Click Conditional formats.

4. Click Same under Data validation. to select all of the cells that contain the same conditional
formatting rules.

5. On the Home tab, click Conditional Formatting > Clear Rules > Clear Rules from Selected
Cells.
 MS Excel: Copying Cell Contents
Move or copy cells and cell contents

Use Cut, Copy, and Paste to move or copy cell contents. Or copy specific contents or attributes from the cells.
For example, copy the resulting value of a formula without copying the formula, or copy only the formula.

When you move or copy a cell, Excel moves or copies the cell, including formulas and their resulting values, cell
formats, and comments.

You can move cells in Excel by drag and dropping or using the Cut and Paste commands.

Move cells by drag and dropping

1. Select the cells or range of cells that you want to move or copy.
2. Point to the border of the selection.

3. When the pointer becomes a move pointer , drag the cell or range of cells to another location.

Move cells by using Cut and Paste

1. Select a cell or a cell range.
2. Select Home > Cut or press Ctrl + X.
3. Select a cell where you want to move the data.

4. Select Home > Paste or press Ctrl + V.

Copy cells in your worksheet using the Copy and Paste commands.

1. Select the cell or range of cells.

2. Select Copy or press Ctrl + C.
3. Select Paste or press Ctrl + V.

Move or copy just the contents of a cell

1. Double-click the cell that contains the data that you want to move or copy.

Note By default, you can edit and select cell data directly in the cell by double-clicking it, but you can
also edit and select cell data in the formula bar.

2. In the cell, select the characters that you want to move or copy.

3. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, do one of the following:

4.

 To move the selection, click Cut .

Keyboard shortcut You can also press Ctrl+X.

 To copy the selection, click Copy .

 Keyboard shortcut You can also press Ctrl+C.

5. In the cell, click where you want to paste the characters, or double-click another cell to move or copy the
data.

6. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Paste .

Keyboard shortcut You can also press Ctrl+V.

7. Press ENTER.

Note: When you double-click a cell or press F2 to edit the active cell, the arrow keys work only within
that cell. To use the arrow keys to move to another cell, first press Enter to complete your editing changes
to the active cell.

Copy cell values, cell formats, or formulas only

When you paste copied data, you can do any of the following:

 Paste only the cell formatting, such as font color or fill color (and not the contents of the cells).

 Convert any formulas in the cell to the calculated values without overwriting the existing formatting.

 Paste only the formulas (and not the calculated values).

 Select the cell or range of cells that contains the values, cell formats, or formulas that you want to copy.

How to select cells or ranges

 On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Copy .

Keyboard shortcut You can also press Ctrl+C.

 Select the upper-left cell of the paste area or the cell where you want to paste the value, cell format, or
formula.

 On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click the arrow below Paste , and then do one of the
following:

 To paste values only, click Values.

 To paste cell formats only, click Formatting.

 To paste formulas only, click Formulas.

Note: If the copied formulas contain relative cell references, Excel adjusts the references (and the relative
parts of mixed cell references) in the duplicate formulas. For example, suppose that cell B8 contains the
formula =SUM(B1:B7). If you copy the formula to cell C8, the duplicate formula refers to the corresponding
cells in that column: =SUM(C1:C7). If the copied formulas contain absolute cell references, the references
in the duplicate formulas are not changed. If you do not get the results that you want, you can also change
the references in the original formulas to either relative or absolute cell references and then recopy the cells.
Copy visible cells only

If some cells, rows, or columns on the worksheet are not displayed, you have the option of copying all cells or
only the visible cells. For example, you can choose to copy only the displayed summary data on an outlined
worksheet.

1. Select the cells that you want to copy.

2. On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click Find & Select, and then click Go To Special.

3. Under Select, click Visible cells only, and then click OK.

4. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Copy .

Keyboard shortcut You can also press Ctrl+C.

5. Select the upper-left cell of the paste area.

Tip: To move or copy a selection to a different worksheet or workbook, click another worksheet tab or
switch to another workbook, and then select the upper-left cell of the paste area.

6. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Paste .

Keyboard shortcut You can also press Ctrl+V.

 If you click the arrow below Paste , you can choose from several paste options to apply to your
selection.

Excel pastes the copied data into consecutive rows or columns. If the paste area contains hidden rows or
columns, you might have to unhide the paste area to see all of the copied cells.

When you copy or paste hidden or filtered data to another application or another instance of Excel, only
visible cells are copied.

Prevent copied blank cells from replacing data

1. Select the range of cells that contains blank cells.

2. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Copy .

 Keyboard shortcut You can also press Ctrl+C.

3. Select the upper-left cell of the paste area.

4. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click the arrow below Paste , and then click Paste
Special.

5. Select the Skip blanks check box.

Copy cell width settings

When you paste copied data, the pasted data uses the column width settings of the target cells. To correct the
column widths so that they match the source cells, follow these steps.

1. Select the cells that you want to move or copy.

2. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, do one of the following:

 To move cells, click Cut .

Keyboard shortcut You can also press Ctrl+X.

 To copy cells, click Copy .

Keyboard shortcut You can also press Ctrl+C.

3. Select the upper-left cell of the paste area.

Tip: To move or copy a selection to a different worksheet or workbook, click another worksheet tab or
switch to another workbook, and then select the upper-left cell of the paste area.

4. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click the arrow under Paste , and then click Keep Source
Column Widths.
MS Excel: Data Validation

Apply data validation to cells

Use data validation to restrict the type of data or the values that users enter into a cell. One of the most common
data validation uses is to create a drop-down list.

Example

1. Select the cell(s) you want to create a rule for.

2. Select Data >Data Validation.

3. On the Settings tab, under Allow, select an option:

 Whole Number - to restrict the cell to accept only whole numbers.
 Decimal - to restrict the cell to accept only decimal numbers.
 List - to pick data from the drop-down list.
 Date - to restrict the cell to accept only date.
 Time - to restrict the cell to accept only time.
 Text Length - to restrict the length of the text.
 Custom – for custom formula.
4. Under Data, select a condition.
5. Set the other required values based on what you chose for Allow and Data.
6. Select the Input Message tab and customize a message users will see when entering data.
7. Select the Show input message when cell is selected checkbox to display the message when the user
selects or hovers over the selected cell(s).
8. Select the Error Alert tab to customize the error message and to choose a Style.
9. Select OK.

Now, if the user tries to enter a value that is not valid, an Error Alert appears with your customized
message.

More on data validation

You can use data validation to restrict the type of data or values that users enter into cells. For example, you
might use data validation to calculate the maximum allowed value in a cell based on a value elsewhere in the
workbook. In the following example, the user has typed abc , which is not an acceptable value in that cell.
When is data validation useful?

Data validation is invaluable when you want to share a workbook with others, and you want the data entered
to be accurate and consistent. Among other things, you can use data validation for the following:

 Restrict entries to predefined items in a list— For example, you can limit a user’s department selections
to Accounting, Payroll, HR, to name a few.
 Restrict numbers outside a specified range— For example, you can specify a maximum percentage
input for an employee’s annual merit increase, let’s say 3%, or only allow a whole number between 1 and
100.
 Restrict dates outside a certain time frame— For example, in an employee time off request, you can
prevent someone from selecting a date before today’s date.
 Restrict times outside a certain time frame— For example, you can specify meeting scheduling between
8:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
 Limit the number of text characters— For example, you can limit the allowed text in a cell to 10 or
fewer characters.
 Validate data based on formulas or values in other cells— For example, you can use data validation to
set a maximum limit for commissions and bonuses based on the overall projected payroll value. If users
enter more than the limit amount, they see an error message.

Data Validation Input and Error Messages

You can choose to show an Input Message when the user selects the cell. Input messages are generally used
to offer users guidance about the type of data that you want entered in the cell. This type of message appears
near the cell. You can move this message if you want to, and it remains visible until you move to another cell
or press Esc.
You set up your Input Message in the second data validation tab.

Once your users get used to your Input Message, you can uncheck the Show input message when cell is
selected option.

You can also show an Error Alert that appears only after users enter invalid data.

You can choose from three types of error alerts:

Icon Type Use to
Stop Prevent users from entering invalid data in a cell.

A Stop alert message has two options: Retry or Cancel.

Warning Warn users that the data they entered is invalid, without preventing them from
entering it.

When a Warning alert message appears, users can click Yes to accept the invalid
entry, No to edit the invalid entry, or Cancel to remove the invalid entry.
Information Inform users that the data they entered is invalid, without preventing them from
entering it. This type of error alert is the most flexible.

When an Information alert message appears, users can click OK to accept the
invalid value or Cancel to reject it.
Tips for working with data validation

Use these tips and tricks for working with data validation in Excel.

Note: If you want to use data validation with workbooks in Excel Services or the Excel Web App you will need
to create the data validation in the Excel desktop version first.

 The width of the drop-down list is determined by the width of the cell that has the data validation. You might
need to adjust the width of that cell to prevent truncating the width of valid entries that are wider than the
width of the drop-down list.
 If you plan to protect the worksheet or workbook, protect it after you have finished specifying any validation
settings. Make sure that you unlock any validated cells before you protect the worksheet. Otherwise, users
will not be able to type any data in the cells. See Protect a worksheet.
 If you plan to share the workbook, share it only after you have finished specifying data validation and
protection settings. After you share a workbook, you won't be able to change the validation settings unless
you stop sharing.
 You can apply data validation to cells that already have data entered in them. However, Excel does not
automatically notify you that the existing cells contain invalid data. In this scenario, you can highlight invalid
data by instructing Excel to circle it on the worksheet. Once you have identified the invalid data, you can hide
the circles again. If you correct an invalid entry, the circle disappears automatically.

To apply the circles, select the cells you want to evaluate and go to Data > Data Tools > Data
Validation > Circle Invalid Data.

 To quickly remove data validation for a cell, select it, and then go to Data > Data Tools > Data
Validation > Settings > Clear All.
 To find the cells on the worksheet that have data validation, on the Home tab, in the Editing group,
click Find & Select, and then click Data Validation. After you have found the cells that have data validation,
you can change, copy, or remove validation settings.
 When creating a drop-down list, you can use the Define Name command (Formulas tab, Defined
Names group) to define a name for the range that contains the list. After you create the list on another
worksheet, you can hide the worksheet that contains the list and then protect the workbook so that users won't
have access to the list.
 If you change the validation settings for a cell, you can automatically apply your changes to all other cells
that have the same settings. To do so, on the Settings tab, select the Apply these changes to all other cells
with the same settings check box.
 If data validation isn't working, make sure that:
 Users are not copying or filling data - Data validation is designed to show messages and prevent invalid
entries only when users type data directly in a cell. When data is copied or filled, the messages do not appear.
To prevent users from copying and filling data by dragging and dropping cells, go
to File > Options > Advanced > Editing options > clear the Enable fill handle and cell drag-and-
drop check box, and then protect the worksheet.
 Manual recalculation is turned off - If manual recalculation is turned on, uncalculated cells can prevent
data from being validated correctly. To turn off manual recalculation, go to the Formulas tab
> Calculation group > Calculation Options > click Automatic.
 Formulas are error free - Make sure that formulas in validated cells do not cause errors, such
as #REF! or #DIV/0!. Excel ignores the data validation until you correct the error.
 Cells referenced in formulas are correct - If a referenced cell changes so that a formula in a validated cell
calculates an invalid result, the validation message for the cell won't appear.
 An Excel table might be linked to a SharePoint site - You cannot add data validation to an Excel table that
is linked to a SharePoint site. To add data validation, you must unlink the Excel table or convert the Excel
table to a range.
 You might currently be entering data - The Data Validation command is not available while you are
entering data in a cell. To finish entering data, press Enter or ESC to quit.
 The worksheet might be protected or shared - You cannot change data validation settings if your workbook
is shared or protected. You’ll need to unshare or unprotect your workbook first.

How to update or remove data validation in an inherited workbook

If you inherit a workbook with data validation, you can modify or remove it unless the worksheet is protected.
If it’s protected with a password that you do not know you should try to contact the previous owner to help
you unprotect the worksheet, as Excel has no way to recover unknown or lost passwords. You can also copy
the data to another worksheet, and then remove the data validation.

If you see a data validation alert when you try to enter or change data in a cell, and you're not clear about
what you can enter, contact the owner of the workbook.

Add or remove items from a drop-down list

After you create a drop-down list, you might want to add more items or delete items. In this article, we'll
show you how to do that depending on how the list was created.

Edit a drop-down list that's based on an Excel Table

If you set up your list source as an Excel table, then all you need to do is add or remove items from the list,
and Excel will automatically update any associated drop-downs for you.

 To add an item, go to the end of the list and type the new item.
 To remove an item, press Delete.

Tip: If the item you want to delete is somewhere in the middle of your list, right-click its cell, click Delete,
and then click OK to shift the cells up.

Edit a drop-down list that’s based on a named range

1. Select the worksheet that has the named range for your drop-down list.

2. Do any of the following:

 To add an item, go to the end of the list and type the new item.

 To remove an item, press Delete.

Tip: If the item you want to delete is somewhere in the middle of your list, right-click its cell, click Delete,
and then click OK to shift the cells up.

3. Go to Formulas > Name Manager.

4. In the Name Manager box, click the named range you want to update.

5. Click in the Refers to box, and then on your worksheet select all of the cells that contain the entries for
your drop-down list.

6. Click Close, and then click Yes to save your changes.

Tip: If you don't know what a named range is named, you can select the range and look for its name in
the Name Box. To locate a named range, see Find named ranges.
Edit a drop-down list that’s based on a range of cells

1. Select the worksheet that has the data for your drop-down list.

2. Do any of the following:

 To add an item, go to the end of the list and type the new item.

 To remove an item, click Delete.

Tip: If the item you want to delete is somewhere in the middle of your list, right-click its cell, click Delete,
and then click OK to shift the cells up.

3. On the worksheet where you applied the drop-down list, select a cell that has the drop-down list.

4. Go to Data > Data Validation.

5. On the Settings tab, click in the Source box, and then on the worksheet that has the entries for your drop-
down list, select all of the cells containing those entries. You'll see the list range in the Source box change
as you select.

6. To update all cells that have the same drop-down list applied, check the Apply these changes to all other
cells with the same settings box.

Edit a drop-down list with items that have been entered manually

1. On the worksheet where you applied the drop-down list, select a cell that has the drop-down list.

2. Go to Data > Data Validation.

3. On the Settings tab, click in the Source box, and then change your list items as needed. Each item should be
separated by a comma, with no spaces in between like this: Yes,No,Maybe.
4. To update all cells that have the same drop-down list applied, check the Apply these changes to all other cells
with the same settings box.
MS Excel: Fill Series and Ranges

Fill Series: Automatically number rows

Unlike other Microsoft Office programs, Excel does not provide a button to number data automatically. But, you
can easily add sequential numbers to rows of data by dragging the fill handle to fill a column with a series of
numbers or by using the ROW function.

Fill a column with a series of numbers

1. Select the first cell in the range that you want to fill.
2. Type the starting value for the series.
3. Type a value in the next cell to establish a pattern.

Tip: For example, if you want the series 1, 2, 3, 4, 5..., type 1 and 2 in the first two cells. If you want the
series 2, 4, 6, 8..., type 2 and 4.

4. Select the cells that contain the starting values.

Note: In Excel 2013 and later, the Quick Analysis button is displayed by default when you select more
than one cell containing data. You can ignore the button to complete this procedure.

5. Drag the fill handle across the range that you want to fill.

Note: As you drag the fill handle across each cell, Excel displays a preview of the value. If you want a
different pattern, drag the fill handle by holding down the right-click button, and then choose a pattern.

To fill in increasing order, drag down or to the right. To fill in decreasing order, drag up or to the left.

Tip: If you do not see the fill handle, you may have to display it first. For more information, see Display or
hide the fill handle.

Note: These numbers are not automatically updated when you add, move, or remove rows. You can
manually update the sequential numbering by selecting two numbers that are in the right sequence, and then
dragging the fill handle to the end of the numbered range.

Use the ROW function to number rows

1. In the first cell of the range that you want to number, type =ROW(A1).

The ROW function returns the number of the row that you reference. For example, =ROW(A1) returns the
number 1.

2. Drag the fill handle across the range that you want to fill.

Tip: If you do not see the fill handle, you may have to display it first. For more information, see Display or
hide the fill handle below.
  These numbers are updated when you sort them with your data. The sequence may be interrupted if you
add, move, or delete rows. You can manually update the numbering by selecting two numbers that are in
the right sequence, and then dragging the fill handle to the end of the numbered range.
 If you are using the ROW function, and you want the numbers to be inserted automatically as you add new
rows of data, turn that range of data into an Excel table. All rows that are added at the end of the table are
numbered in sequence. For more information, see Create or delete an Excel table in a worksheet.

To enter specific sequential number codes, such as purchase order numbers, you can use the ROW function
together with the TEXT function. For example, to start a numbered list by using 000-001, you enter the
formula =TEXT(ROW(A1),"000-000") in the first cell of the range that you want to number, and then
drag the fill handle to the end of the range.

Display or hide the fill handle

The fill handle displays by default, but you can turn it on or off.

1. In Excel 2010 and later, click the File tab, and then click Options.

In Excel 2007, click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Excel Options.

2. In the Advanced category, under Editing options, select or clear the Enable fill handle and cell drag-
and-drop check box to display or hide the fill handle.

Note: To help prevent replacing existing data when you drag the fill handle, ensure the Alert before
overwriting cells check box is selected. If you do not want Excel to display a message about overwriting
cells, you can clear this check box.
MS Excel: Ranges

In Microsoft Excel, a range is a collection of cells. A range can be 2 or more cells and those cells don't
necessarily have to be adjacent to each other.

A symmetrical cell range can appear as below. The notation for this range is (A1:C6); from upper left cell A1 to
bottom right cell C6.

Irregular cell ranges, like in the image below, also occur. The notation for this range is (A1:C6;E2;E6;C7;C9).

Create a named range in Excel

Here's how you can create a named range in your spreadsheet:

1. On the Formulas tab, in the Defined Names group, click Define Name.
2. In the New Name dialog box, in the Name box, type the name you want to use for your reference.

Note: Names can be up to 255 characters in length.

3. To specify the scope of the named range, in the Scope drop-down list box, select Workbook or the name
of a worksheet in the workbook.

A named range set to a Workbook scope will be available for use throughout the workbook, whereas a
range set to a particular sheet's scope can be used within the sheet only.

4. Optionally, in the Comment box, enter a descriptive comment up to 255 characters.

5. In the Refers to box, do one of the following:
 Click Collapse Dialog (which temporarily shrinks the dialog box), select the cells on the worksheet,
and then click Expand Dialog .
 To enter a constant, type = (equal sign) and then type the constant value.
 To enter a formula, type = and then type the formula.
6. Click OK.
Define and use names in formulas
By using names, you can make your formulas much easier to understand and maintain. You can define a
name for a cell range, function, constant, or table. Once you adopt the practice of using names in your
workbook, you can easily update, audit, and manage these names.

Name a cell
1. Select a cell.
2. In the Name Box, type a name.

3. Press Enter.

Define names from a selected range

1. Select the range you want to name, including the row or column labels.
2. Select Formulas > Create from Selection.
3. In the Create Names from Selection dialog box, designate the location that contains the labels by
selecting the Top row,Left column, Bottom row, or Right column check box.
4. Select OK.

Excel names the cells based on the labels in the range you designated.

Use names in formulas

1. Select a cell and enter a formula.
2. Place the cursor where you want to use the name in that formula.
3. Type the first letter of the name, and select the name from the list that appears.

Or, select Formulas > Use in Formula and select the name you want to use.

4. Press Enter.

Manage names in your workbook with Name Manager

1. On the Ribbon, go to Formulas > Defined Names > Name Manager. You can then create, edit, delete,
and find all the names used in the workbook.
 Filter a range of data

1. Select any cell within the range.

2. Select Data > Filter.

3. Select the column header arrow .

4. Select Text Filters or Number Filters, and then select a comparison, like Between.

5. Enter the filter criteria and select OK.

Note: Data Range Vs Table

Tables make managing and analysing a group of related data easier
 A table is a defined grid of cells for data and formulas that automatically expands as you add to it and also
automatically has the capacity to sort and filter.
A named range is just one or more cells.
To convert a range into a table, select the range and Press “Ctrl + T”
To Convert a table into a range Click anywhere inside the table > Design > Tools – Convert to Range

Filter data in a table

When you put your data in a table, filter controls are automatically added to the table headers.

1. Select the column header arrow for the column you want to filter.
2. Uncheck (Select All) and select the boxes you want to show.

3. Click OK.

The column header arrow changes to a Filter icon. Select this icon to change or clear the filter.
Advanced Filter

The Advanced command works differently from the Filter command in several important ways.

 It displays the Advanced Filter dialog box instead of the AutoFilter menu.
 You type the advanced criteria in a separate criteria range on the worksheet and above the range
of cells or table that you want to filter. Microsoft Office Excel uses the separate criteria range in
the Advanced Filter dialog box as the source for the advanced criteria.

Comparison operators

You can compare two values by using the following operators. When two values are compared by using
these operators, the result is a logical value—either TRUE or FALSE.

Comparison operator Meaning Example

= (equal sign) Equal to A1=B1
> (greater than sign) Greater than A1>B1
< (less than sign) Less than A1<B1
>= (greater than or equal to sign) Greater than or equal to A1>=B1
<= (less than or equal to sign) Less than or equal to A1<=B1
<> (not equal to sign) Not equal to A1<>B1

Using the equal sign to type text or a value

Because the equal sign (=) is used to indicate a formula when you type text or a value in a
cell, Excel evaluates what you type; however, this may cause unexpected filter results. To
indicate an equality comparison operator for either text or a value, type the criteria as a
string expression in the appropriate cell in the criteria range:

=''= entry ''

Where entry is the text or value you want to find. For example:

What you type in the cell What Excel evaluates and displays
="=Davolio" =Davolio
="=3000" =3000

Considering case-sensitivity

When filtering text data, Excel doesn't distinguish between uppercase and lowercase
characters. However, you can use a formula to perform a case-sensitive search.
How to set the criterial Range in different situations:
Insert blank rows above the list range that can be used as a criteria range. The criteria range must have
column labels. Make sure that there is at least one blank row between the criteria values and the list
range.

Multiple criteria, multiple columns, all criteria true

Boolean logic: (Type = "Produce" AND Sales > 1000)

How the Criteria range must look like

Type Salesperson Sales
="=Produce" >1000

Multiple criteria, multiple columns, any criteria true

Boolean logic: (Type = "Produce" OR Salesperson = "Buchanan")

How the Criteria range must look like

Type Salesperson Sales
="=Produce"
="=Buchanan"

Multiple sets of criteria, one column in all sets

Boolean logic: ( (Sales > 6000 AND Sales < 6500 ) OR (Sales < 500) )

How the Criteria range must look like

Type Salesperson Sales Sales
>6000 <6500
<500

Multiple sets of criteria, multiple columns in each set

Boolean logic: ( (Salesperson = "Davolio" AND Sales >3000) OR (Salesperson = "Buchanan"

AND Sales > 1500) )

How the Criteria range must look like

Type Salesperson Sales
="=Davolio" >3000
="=Buchanan" >1500
Wildcard criteria

Boolean logic: Salesperson = a name with 'u' as the second letter

 To find text values that share some characters but not others, do one or more of the following:
 Type one or more characters without an equal sign (=) to find rows with a text value in a
column that begin with those characters. For example, if you type the text Dav as a criterion,
Excel finds "Davolio," "David," and "Davis."
 Use a wildcard character.

Use To find
? (question mark) Any single character
For example, sm?th finds "smith" and "smyth"
* (asterisk) Any number of characters
For example, *east finds "Northeast" and "Southeast"
~ (tilde) followed by ?, *, or A question mark, asterisk, or tilde
~ For example, fy91~? finds "fy91?"
MS Excel: Find and Replace
Find or replace text and numbers on a worksheet

Use the Find and Replace features in Excel to search for something in your workbook, such as a particular
number or text string. You can either locate the search item for reference, or you can replace it with
something else. You can include wildcard characters such as question marks, tildes, and asterisks, or
numbers in your search terms. You can search by rows and columns, search within comments or values,
and search within worksheets or entire workbooks.

Find

To find something, press Ctrl+F, or go to Home > Editing > Find & Select > Find.

Note: In the following example, we've clicked the Options >> button to show the entire Find dialog. By
default, it will display with Options hidden.

1. In the Find what: box, type the text or numbers you want to find, or click the arrow in the Find
what: box, and then select a recent search item from the list.

Tips: You can use wildcard characters — question mark (?), asterisk (*), tilde (~) — in your search
criteria.

 Use the question mark (?) to find any single character — for example, s?t finds "sat" and "set".
 Use the asterisk (*) to find any number of characters — for example, s*d finds "sad" and "started".
 Use the tilde (~) followed by ?, *, or ~ to find question marks, asterisks, or other tilde characters — for
example, fy91~? finds "fy91?".
2. Click Find All or Find Next to run your search.

Tip: When you click Find All, every occurrence of the criteria that you are searching for will be listed,
and clicking a specific occurrence in the list will select its cell. You can sort the results of a Find
All search by clicking a column heading.

3. Click Options>> to further define your search if needed:

 Within: To search for data in a worksheet or in an entire workbook, select Sheet or Workbook.
 Search: You can choose to search either By Rows (default), or By Columns.
 Look in: To search for data with specific details, in the box, click Formulas, Values, Notes,
or Comments.
 Note: Formulas, Values, Notes and Comments are only available on the Find tab; only Formulas are
available on the Replace tab.

 Match case - Check this if you want to search for case-sensitive data.
 Match entire cell contents - Check this if you want to search for cells that contain just the characters
that you typed in the Find what: box.
4. If you want to search for text or numbers with specific formatting, click Format, and then make your
selections in the Find Format dialog box.

Tip: If you want to find cells that just match a specific format, you can delete any criteria in the Find
what box, and then select a specific cell format as an example. Click the arrow next to Format,
click Choose Format From Cell, and then click the cell that has the formatting that you want to search
for.

Replace

To replace text or numbers, press Ctrl+H, or go to Home > Editing > Find & Select > Replace.

Note: In the following example, we've clicked the Options >> button to show the entire Find dialog. By
default, it will display with Options hidden.

1. In the Find what: box, type the text or numbers you want to find, or click the arrow in the Find
what: box, and then select a recent search item from the list.

Tips: You can use wildcard characters — question mark (?), asterisk (*), tilde (~) — in your search
criteria.

 Use the question mark (?) to find any single character — for example, s?t finds "sat" and "set".
 Use the asterisk (*) to find any number of characters — for example, s*d finds "sad" and "started".
 Use the tilde (~) followed by ?, *, or ~ to find question marks, asterisks, or other tilde characters — for
example, fy91~? finds "fy91?".

 In the Replace with: box, enter the text or numbers you want to use to replace the search text.

1. Click Replace All or Replace.

 Tip: When you click Replace All, every occurrence of the criteria that you are searching for will be
replaced, while Replace will update one occurrence at a time.

2. Click Options>> to further define your search if needed:

 Within: To search for data in a worksheet or in an entire workbook, select Sheet or Workbook.
 Search: You can choose to search either By Rows (default), or By Columns.
 Look in: To search for data with specific details, in the box, click Formulas, Values, Notes,
or Comments.

Note: Formulas, Values, Notes and Comments are only available on the Find tab; only Formulas are
available on the Replace tab.

 Match case - Check this if you want to search for case-sensitive data.
 Match entire cell contents - Check this if you want to search for cells that contain just the characters that
you typed in the Find what: box.
3. If you want to search for text or numbers with specific formatting, click Format, and then make your
selections in the Find Format dialog box.

Tip: If you want to find cells that just match a specific format, you can delete any criteria in the Find
what box, and then select a specific cell format as an example. Click the arrow next to Format,
click Choose Format From Cell, and then click the cell that has the formatting that you want to search
for.
MS Excel: Goal Seek

Use Goal Seek to find the result you want by adjusting an input value
If you know the result that you want from a formula, but are not sure what input value the formula
needs to get that result, use the Goal Seek feature.

Note: Goal Seek works only with one variable input value. If you want to accept more than one input
value; for example, both the loan amount and the monthly payment amount for a loan, you use the
Solver add-in.
Example 1
Use Goal Seek in Excel to find the Marks on the fifth subject in an exam that produces a final
marks (average) of 70.
1. The formula in cell B8 calculates the final marks.

2. The marks on the fifth subject in cell B6 is the input cell.

3. On the Data tab, in the Forecast group, click What-If Analysis.

4. Click Goal Seek.

The Goal Seek dialog box appears.

 5. Select cell B8.

6. Click in the 'To value' box and type 70.

7. Click in the 'By changing cell' box and select cell B6.

8. Click OK.

Result. A Marks of 90 on the Biology subject produces a final marks of 70.

Example 2: (Additional Exercise for self-practice)

Suppose that you need to borrow some money. You know how much money you want, how long you
want to take to pay off the loan, and how much you can afford to pay each month. You can use Goal
Seek to determine what interest rate you will need to secure in order to meet your loan goal.

Let's look at the preceding example, step-by-step.

Because you want to calculate the loan interest rate needed to meet your goal, you use the PMT function.

The PMT function calculates a monthly payment amount. In this example, the monthly payment
amount is the goal that you seek.

How to use the PMT Function.

PMT, one of the financial functions, calculates the payment for a loan based on constant
payments and a constant interest rate.

Syntax
PMT(rate, nper, pv, [fv], [type])

The PMT function syntax has the following arguments:

 Rate Required. The interest rate for the loan.
 Nper Required. The total number of payments for the loan.
 Pv Required. The present value, or the total amount that a series of future payments is
worth now; also known as the principal.
 Fv Optional. The future value, or a cash balance you want to attain after the last
payment is made. If fv is omitted, it is assumed to be 0 (zero), that is, the future value
of a loan is 0.
 Type Optional. The number 0 (zero) or 1 and indicates when payments are due.
Set type equal to If payments are due
0 or omitted At the end of the period
1 At the beginning of the period
 Remarks
 The payment returned by PMT includes principal and interest but no taxes, reserve
payments, or fees sometimes associated with loans.

 Make sure that you are consistent about the units you use for specifying rate and nper. If
you make monthly payments on a four-year loan at an annual interest rate of 12 percent,
use 12%/12 for rate and 4*12 for nper. If you make annual payments on the same loan,
use 12 percent for rate and 4 for nper.

Tip To find the total amount paid over the duration of the loan, multiply the returned
PMT value by nper.

Example
Copy the example data in the following table, and paste it in cell A1 of a new Excel
worksheet. For formulas to show results, select them, press F2, and then press Enter. If
you need to, you can adjust the column widths to see all the data.
Data Description
8% Annual interest rate
10 Number of months of payments
$10,000 Amount of loan
Formula Description Result
=PMT(A2/12,A3,A4) Monthly payment for a loan with terms ($1,037.03)
specified as arguments in A2:A4.
=PMT(A2/12,A3,A4,,1) Monthly payment for a loan with terms ($1,030.16)
specified as arguments in A2:A4, except
payments are due at the beginning of the
period.
Data Description
6% Annual interest rate
18 Number of months of payments
$50,000 Amount of loan
Formula Description Live
Result
=PMT(A12/12,A13*12, Amount to save each month to have ($129.08)
0,A14) $50,000 at the end of 18 years.

Practice how to use the PMT Function online:

https://support.content.office.net/en-us/coach/excelcoach_pmt.html
Prepare the worksheet for Example 2

1. Open a new, blank worksheet.

2. First, add some labels in the first column to make it easier to read the worksheet.
a. In cell A1, type Loan Amount.
b. In cell A2, type Term in Months.
c. In cell A3, type Interest Rate.
d. In cell A4, type Payment.
3. Next, add the values that you know.
a. In cell B1, type 100000. This is the amount that you want to borrow.
b. In cell B2, type 180. This is the number of months that you want to pay off the loan.

Note: Although you know the payment amount that you want, you do not enter it as a value,
because the payment amount is a result of the formula. Instead, you add the formula to the
worksheet and specify the payment value at a later step, when you use Goal Seek.

4. Next, add the formula for which you have a goal. For the example, use the PMT function:
a. In cell B4, type =PMT(B3/12,B2,B1). This formula calculates the payment amount. In this
example, you want to pay $900 each month. You don't enter that amount here, because you
want to use Goal Seek to determine the interest rate, and Goal Seek requires that you start with
a formula.

The formula refers to cells B1 and B2, which contain values that you specified in preceding
steps. The formula also refers to cell B3, which is where you will specify that Goal Seek put
the interest rate. The formula divides the value in B3 by 12 because you specified a monthly
payment, and the PMT function assumes an annual interest rate.

Because there is no value in cell B3, Excel assumes a 0% interest rate and, using the values in
the example, returns a payment of $555.56. You can ignore that value for now.

Use Goal Seek to determine the interest rate

1. On the Data tab, in the Data Tools group, click What-If Analysis, and then click Goal Seek.
2. In the Set cell box, enter the reference for the cell that contains the formula that you want to resolve.
In the example, this reference is cell B4.
3. In the To value box, type the formula result that you want. In the example, this is -900. Note that
this number is negative because it represents a payment.
4. In the By changing cell box, enter the reference for the cell that contains the value that you want
to adjust. In the example, this reference is cell B3.

Note: The cell that Goal Seek changes must be referenced by the formula in the cell that you
specified in the Set cell box.

5. Click OK.
 Goal Seek runs and produces a result, as shown in the following illustration.

6. Finally, format the target cell (B3) so that it displays the result as a percentage.
a. On the Home tab, in the Number group, click Percentage.
b. Click Increase Decimal or Decrease Decimal to set the number of decimal places.
MS Excel: PivotChart

Sometimes it's hard to see the big picture when your raw data hasn’t been summarized. Your first instinct
may be to create a PivotTable, but not everyone can look at numbers in a table and quickly see what's
going on. PivotCharts are a great way to add data visualizations to your data.

Household expense data Corresponding PivotChart

Create a PivotChart

1. Select a cell in your table.

2. Select Insert > PivotChart .

3. Select OK.

Create a chart from a PivotTable

1. Select a cell in your table.

2. Select PivotTable Tools > Analyze > PivotChart .

3. Select a chart.
4. Select OK.
Text Functions:
Function Description Syntax

Removes all nonprintable characters CLEAN (text)

CLEAN function
from text

CONCATENATE Joins several text items into one text

CONCATENATE(text1, [text2], ...)
function item

Checks to see if two text values are

EXACT function EXACT(text1, text2)
identical

Returns the leftmost characters from a

LEFT, function LEFT(text, [num_chars])
text value

Returns the number of characters in a

LEN function LEN(text)
text string

Converts text to lowercase (Similar:

LOWER function LOWER(text)
UPPER/PROPER)

Capitalizes the first letter in each

PROPER function PROPER(text)
word of a text value

Returns the rightmost characters from

RIGHT function RIGHT(text, [num_chars])
a text value

Date and Time Functions

DATEDIF function Calculates the number of days, DATEDIF(start_date,end_date,unit)
months, or years between two dates.
This function is useful in formulas
where you need to calculate an age.
 EDATE function Returns the serial number of the date EDATE(start_date, months)
that is the indicated number of months
before or after the start date

EOMONTH function Returns the serial number of the last EOMONTH(start_date, months)
day of the month before or after a
specified number of months

NOW function Returns the serial number of the NOW()

current date and time

TODAY function Returns the serial number of today's TODAY()

date

Logical Functions
AND Returns TRUE if all of its arguments are TRUE AND (logical1, [logical2], ...)
function

IF function Specifies a logical test to perform IF(logical_test, value_if_true,

[value_if_false])

OR Returns TRUE if any argument is TRUE OR(logical1, [logical2], ...)

function

Other Functions
Function Description Syntax

SUM Use this function to add the values in cells. SUM(number1,[number2],...)

function

LOOKUP Use this function when you need to look in a single row LOOKUP (lookup_value,
function or column and find a value from the same position in a lookup_vector, [result_vector])
second row or column.
Function Description Syntax

VLOOKUP Use this function when you need to find things in a table VLOOKUP (lookup_value,
function or a range by row. For example, look up an employee's table_array, col_index_num,
last name by her employee number, or find her phone [range_lookup])
number by looking up her last name (just like a
telephone book).
MS Excel: Shapes

Add shapes

You can add shapes, such as boxes, circles, and arrows, to your documents, email messages, slide
shows, and spreadsheets. To add a shape, click Insert, click Shapes, select a shape, and then click
and drag to draw the shape.

After you add one or more shapes, you can add text, bullets, and numbering to them, and you can
change their fill, outline, and other effects on the Format tab.

Tip: You can add individual shapes to a chart, or add shapes on top of a SmartArt graphic to
customize the chart or the graphic.

Add a shape in Excel (Also Outlook, Word, or PowerPoint)

1. On the Insert tab, click Shapes.

2. Click the shape you want, click anywhere in the workspace, and then drag to place the shape.

To create a perfect square or circle (or constrain the dimensions of other shapes), press and hold
Shift while you drag.

Add text to a shape

Insert a shape, or click an existing shape, and then enter text.

1. Right-click the shape and click Add Text or Edit Text, or just start typing.

Note: The text that you add becomes part of the shape — if you rotate or flip the shape, the text
rotates or flips also.

2. To format and align your text, click the Home tab, and then choose options from
the Font, Paragraph, or Alignment groups, depending on the program you're using and what kind
of formatting you want to apply.
Change from one shape to another shape

Note: These commands aren't available in Project.

1. Click the shape you want to change.

To change multiple shapes, press Ctrl while you click the shapes that you want to change.

2. On the Format tab, in the Insert Shapes group, click Edit Shape , point to Change
Shape, and then click the new shape that you want.

Add the same shape multiple times

If you need to add the same shape repeatedly, you can do so quickly by using Lock Drawing Mode.

Note: Instead of adding individual shapes to create a drawing, you might want to Choose a
SmartArt graphic. In a SmartArt graphic, the arrangement of the shapes and the font size in those
shapes is updated automatically as you add or remove shapes and edit your text.

1. On the Insert tab, click Shapes.

2. Right-click the shape you want to add, and then click Lock Drawing Mode.

3. Click anywhere in the workspace, and then drag to place the shape.

4. Repeat step 3 to add the shape as many times as you like.

Tip: To create a perfect square or circle (or constrain the dimensions of other shapes), press and
hold Shift while you drag.

5. After you add all the shapes you want, press Esc to turn off Lock Drawing Mode.
Add a Quick Style to a shape

Quick Styles let you apply a style to your shape with one click. You'll find the styles in the Quick
Style gallery. When you rest your pointer over a Quick Style thumbnail, you can see how the style
affects your shape.

1. Click the shape you want to change.

2. Select the Format tab, and in the Shape Styles group, select the Quick Style you want to use.

To see more Quick Styles, click the More button .

Group or ungroup shapes, pictures, or other objects

You can group shapes, pictures, or other objects (but not text boxes). Grouping lets you rotate, flip,
move, or resize all shapes or objects at the same time as though they were a single shape or object.

You can also change the attributes of all of the shapes in a group at one time, such as adding a shape
fill or effect, or an effect to a picture. You can ungroup a group of shapes at any time and then
regroup them later.

1. Press and hold CTRL while you click the shapes, pictures, or other objects to group. You will
need to select more than one shape, picture or object in order to enable the Group button.

Tip: For help selecting a shape or picture, see Select a shape or other object.

2. Do one of the following:

Tips:

 To group multiple SVG icons together you have to convert them to shapes first. For more
information on converting them to shapes, see: Convert an SVG image to an Office shape.

 After you make your group, you can still work with a single item in the group. Select the
group, and then click the item to select it.

 To group pictures, on the Picture Tools Format tab, click Group > Group.
 Note: The Drawing Tools Format or Picture Tools Format tabs are contextual, which
means that they only appear on the ribbon when you have a shape or a picture selected.

 To group shapes and other objects, on the Drawing Tools Format tab, click Group > Group.

Ungroup shapes, pictures, or other objects

1. Select the group that you want to ungroup.

2. Do one of the following:

 To ungroup pictures, on the Picture Tools Format tab, click Group > Ungroup.

 To ungroup shapes and objects, on the Drawing Tools Format tab, click Group > Ungroup.
Regroup pictures, shapes, or other objects

Notes:

 If you converted a SmartArt graphic to individual shapes, you can’t convert them back to a
SmartArt graphic or regroup them.

1. Select any one of the shapes, pictures, or objects that were previously in a group.

2. Do one of the following:

 To regroup shapes and objects, on the Drawing Tools Format tab, click Group > Regroup.

 To regroup pictures, on the Picture Tools Format tab, click Group > Regroup.

If the Group button is unavailable

Here are some reasons why the Group button is grayed out and the things you can do to get it
back.

 Only one shape or picture is selected. Make sure you have multiple shapes or pictures selected.
You can't use the Group tool with SVG icons, so those don't count.

 To group SVG icons together you have to convert them to shapes first. For more information on
converting them to shapes, see: Convert an SVG image to an Office shape.

 Your selection includes a table, worksheet, or GIF image. The Group button will not be available
if any of these objects is selected.
 If you are using PowerPoint, you might have tried to group something with the title placeholder
text (“Click to add title”) or with the content placeholder (“Click to add text”).

In the above example, the blue square and the green circle can be grouped together. But the shapes
cannot be grouped with the placeholder text.

To get the Group button back, move the shape, picture, or object to another location on your slide
outside of the placeholder text, or remove the placeholder from the things you want to group.
Note: If none of this enables the Group button for you, search the Microsoft Answers forum or post
your questions there.
PivotTable to analyze worksheet data

A PivotTable is a powerful tool to calculate, summarize, and analyze data that lets you see comparisons,
patterns, and trends in your data.

Create a PivotTable

1. Select the cells you want to create a PivotTable from.

Note: Your data shouldn't have any empty rows or columns. It must have only a single-row heading.

2. Select Insert > PivotTable.

3. Under Choose the data that you want to analyze, select Select a table or range.

4. In Table/Range, verify the cell range.

5. Under Choose where you want the PivotTable report to be placed, select New worksheet to place
the PivotTable in a new worksheet or Existing worksheet and then select the location you want the
PivotTable to appear.
6. Select OK.
Building out your PivotTable

1. To add a field to your PivotTable, select the field name checkbox in the PivotTables Fields pane.

Note: Selected fields are added to their default areas: non-numeric fields are added to Rows, date
and time hierarchies are added to Columns, and numeric fields are added to Values.

2. To move a field from one area to another, drag the field to the target area.

Use the Field List to arrange fields in a PivotTable

After you create a PivotTable, you'll see the Field List. You can change the design of the PivotTable by
adding and arranging its fields.

The Field List should appear when you click anywhere in the PivotTable. If you click inside the
PivotTable but don't see the Field List, open it by clicking anywhere in the PivotTable. Then, show
the PivotTable Tools on the ribbon and click Analyze> Field List.
The Field List has a field section in which you pick the fields you want to show in your PivotTable, and
the Areas section (at the bottom) in which you can arrange those fields the way you want.

Tip: If you want to change how sections are shown in the Field List, click the Tools button and
then pick the layout you want.
Add and rearrange fields in the Field List

Use the field section of the Field List to add fields to your PivotTable, by checking the box next to field
names to place those fields in the default area of the Field List.

NOTE: Typically, nonnumeric fields are added to the Rows area, numeric fields are added to
the Values area, and Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) date and time hierarchies are added to
the Columns area.

Use the areas section (at the bottom) of the Field List to rearrange fields the way you want by dragging
them between the four areas.

Fields that you place in different areas are shown in the PivotTable as follows:

 Filters area fields are shown as top-level report filters above the PivotTable, like this:

 Columns area fields are shown as Column Labels at the top of the PivotTable, like this:

Depending on the hierarchy of the fields, columns may be nested inside columns that are higher in
position.
 Rows area fields are shown as Row Labels on the left side of the PivotTable, like this:

Depending on the hierarchy of the fields, rows may be nested inside rows that are higher in position.

 Values area fields are shown as summarized numeric values in the PivotTable, like this:

If you have more than one field in an area, you can rearrange the order by dragging the fields into the
precise position you want. To delete a field from the PivotTable, drag the field out of its areas section.
Change the source data for a PivotTable

After you create a PivotTable, you can change the range of its source data. For example, you can expand
the source data to include more rows of data. However, if the source data has been changed
substantially—such as having more or fewer columns, consider creating a new PivotTable.

You can change the data source of a PivotTable to a different Excel table or a cell range, or change to
a different external data source.

 Click the PivotTable report.

 On the Analyze tab, in the Data group, click Change Data Source, and then click Change Data
Source.

The Change PivotTable Data Source dialog box is displayed.

 Do one of the following:

 To change the data source of a PivotTable to a different Excel table or a cell range, click Select a table
or range, and then enter the first cell in the Table/Range text box, and click OK
Further reading
Use multiple tables to create a PivotTable

PivotTables are great for analyzing and reporting on your data. And when your data happens to be
relational—meaning it's stored in separate tables you can bring together on common values—you can
build a PivotTable like this in minutes:

What’s different about this PivotTable? Notice how the Field List on the right shows not just one but a
collection of tables. Each of these tables contain fields you can combine in a single PivotTable to slice
your data in multiple ways. No manual formatting or data preparation is necessary. You can
immediately build a PivotTable based on related tables as soon as you import the data.

To get multiple tables into the PivotTable Field List:

 Import from a relational database, like Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, or Microsoft Access. You can
import multiple tables at the same time.
 Import multiple tables from other data sources including text files, data feeds, Excel worksheet data,
and more. You can add these tables to the Data Model in Excel, create relationships between them, and
then use the Data Model to create your PivotTable.

Here's how you'd import multiple tables from a SQL Server database.

1. Make sure you know the server name, database name, and which credentials to use when connecting to
SQL Server. Your database administrator can provide the necessary information.
2. Click Data > Get External Data > From Other Sources > From SQL Server.
3. In the Server Name box, enter the network computer name of the computer that runs SQL Server.
4. In the Log on credentials box, click Use Windows Authentication if you're connecting as yourself.
Otherwise, enter the username and password provided by the database administrator.
5. Press Enter and, in the Select Database and Table box, choose the database you want, then
click Enable selection of multiple tables.
6. If you know exactly which tables you want to work with, manually choose them. Otherwise, pick one
or two, then click Select Related Tables to auto-select tables that are related to those you selected.
7. If the Import relationships between selected tables box is checked, keep it that way to allow Excel
to recreate equivalent table relationships in the workbook.
8. Click Finish.
9. In the Import Data dialog box, choose PivotTable Report.

10. Click OK to start the import and populate the Field List.

Notice that the Field List contains multiple tables. These are all of the tables that you selected during
import. You can expand and collapse each table to view its fields. As long as the tables are related, you
can create your PivotTable by dragging fields from any table to the VALUES, ROWS,
or COLUMNS areas.
 Drag numeric fields to the VALUES area. For example, if you are using an Adventure Works sample
database, you might drag SalesAmount from the FactInternetSales table.
 Drag date or territory fields to the ROWS or COLUMNS area to analyze sales by date or territory.
 Sometimes you need to create a relationship between two tables before you can use them in a
PivotTable. If you get a message indicating a relationship is needed, click Create to get started.

If you're working with other types of databases:

 To use other relational databases, such as Oracle, you might need to install additional client software.
Check with your database administrator to find out if this is required.