Basics of Preparing Tabular Report using Spreadsheet

Learning Objectives

At the end the lesson, you are expected to:

1. discuss spreadsheet and its parts

2. explain the advantages and importance of using a spreadsheet software
3. manage files created in spreadsheet
4. manipulate the workbook
5. apply different view commands of the workbook
6. use the different commands to move around the worksheet

Presentation of Content

A Spreadsheet is a powerful software tool or solution in handling data. Spreadsheet is an

office productivity tool designed to manage complex data. Aside from spreadsheet as a
software solution for handling data, Database Management System (DBMS) like MS Access,
Statistical Tool like SPSS, and Word Processing Software (WPS) like MS Word can be used
for handling data, too.

A spreadsheet is software application that can be used to organize data, do some analysis
and present graphically. The origin of creating a spreadsheet is the accounting worksheets
used to record transactions in order to perform computations. It is actually an electronic
accounting worksheet or an electronic ledger. Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice
Calc, SmartSheet, Quip, Zoho Sheet, EtherCalc and Airtable are some of the popular
Spreadsheets used.

Advantages of Spreadsheet

The popularity of spreadsheet for organizing data and preparing tabular and graphical
reports can be associated to the following advantages:

1. Data are easily entered in cells.

2. Easy to organize data.
3. The worksheet can be easily formatted into table.
4. Formulas can be entered in cells which makes spreadsheets useful
5. Functions are available for common and even complex formulas
6. Data can be displayed in graphical form
7. Using spreadsheet requires minimal training
Disadvantages of Spreadsheet

While spreadsheet is very popular, there are drawbacks of this application.

1. Monitoring of who were the users is difficult.

2. Errors are still possible to happen.
3. Creating complicated reports and data visualization maybe time-consuming
4. Reporting maybe user bias where analysis maybe chosen from selected information.

Uses of spreadsheet files

With the advantages presented, these are some of the uses of a spreadsheet file:

1. For storing data (without worrying so much on the structure)

2. To reveal unknown values
3. For analysis of data (using formulas, functions, sorting & filtering, pivot table)
4. For graphical presentation (using graphs and pivot tables)
5. For statistical analysis and forecasting

Since, Microsoft Excel is very popular and most commonly used spreadsheet software, most
of the discussions here will be focused on it.

Microsoft Excel as a spreadsheet software is part of the Microsoft Office package. MS Excel
is suited to use for complex numerical data that you intend to analyze in depth. With MS
Excel, you can manipulate data through the use of formulas and functions. Moreover, you
can explore possible outcomes based on available data and prepare high quality charts
which can be used to visually present information. Because of its feature and functionality, it
is often used because of its simplicity, popularity, availability and flexibility.

With spreadsheet, data are entered (or stored) in a cell which makes it different from a
database where data are stored in a field of a table. A file created in MS Excel or other
spreadsheet software is called workbook. A workbook has a worksheet as the working area
and where data are entered. In a workbook, it is possible to have multiple worksheets which
are linked together.
The MS Excel environment

A worksheet is composed of rows and columns and the intersection of a row and a column
is called cell. A column is labeled using the letters, A…Z, AA…AZ, … XFA… XFD while a row is
labeled using numbers from 1 to 1,048,576. A cell which contain a single unit of data is
given a name normally the combination of the column label and row label, i.e. A1, B1, Z6,
BB7, SEX88.

o Ribbon. It contains the tabs & its commands. It replaced the menus and
toolbars found in earlier versions of MS Office. It contains 7 basic tabs, these
are: Home, Insert, Page Layout, Formulas, Data, Review and View.
o Title Bar. This shows the name of program and the name of workbook
opened.
o Quick Access Toolbar. A customizable toolbar that contains a set of
commands that are independent of the tab on the ribbon. You can add more
commands in the Quick Access Toolbar.
o Window Control buttons. It provides quick function in manipulating a
window. [Close, Minimize, Maximize/Restore]
o Name Box. It displays the name of the cell selected. It is also where you can
define a name for selected cell/cell range.
o Cell. A box where you enter data. The intersection of row and column.
o Column header. The column labeled with letters identifying a column.
o Row header. The row labeled with numbers identifying a row.
 o Zoom/Zoom Slide. Used to increase/decrease the amount of the document
you see on the screen.
o Formula Bar. It is a place where you can enter or view formulas or text. When
a formula is entered in a cell, the formula bar displays the formula used while
the cell shows the result of computation.
o Expand Formula Bar Button. This allows you to expand the formula bar which
provide more lines.
o Sheet (Worksheet) Navigation Tabs. It is where sheets are displayed. Every
workbook starts with 1 sheet.
o Scroll Bars. It allows you to scroll vertically/horizontally in the worksheet.
o Views. Allows you to change view either Normal, Page Layout and Page Break
View
o Insert Worksheet button. Used to insert a new worksheet in your workbook.
o Tell Me. A text field where you can enter words and phrases about what you
want to do next and quickly get to features you want to use or actions you
want to perform.

Below is the WPS Office Spreadsheet environment.

If you try to compare it with Microsoft Excel, there are differences on the ribbon.
The File menu in Microsoft Excel is equivalent to Menu of WPS Office. The different tabs of
the ribbon are the same except that the WPS Office has the Tools tab.

Online Applications are into rise. Google develops Google sheets as an online spreadsheet
software. Below is the Google Sheets environment.
Working with the workbook

Launching Excel

- Select from desktop or taskbar or Start Menu the MS Excel icon in order to launch
the application

Opening a workbook

- You can choose a blank workbook, use a template or open existing workbook from
your computer.

A template is a ready-made format to be used for your workbook

o When a new blank workbook is opened, you can now start typing data in the cells of the
active worksheet

o When a template is opened, modify the workbook according to your preference.

o When an existing workbook is opened, you can make necessary modification in the
worksheet/s.

The File Menu

- Opening a new file or an existing file is discussed above.

- Saving a new file

o Click File à Save As/Save

o Select the location (folder/drive) where to save the workbook.

o Type the filename & set other details/options.

o Click Save button.

- Saving changes to an existing file is also the same with MS Word.

o Click File à Save (or simply press Ctrl + S)

- Saving using another filename, type or location

o Click File à Save As

o Select the location

o You may now change the filename or type of file.

o Click Save button.

- The Options command is almost the same with MS Word.

The View Menu

- Most of the commands in view menu is the same with MS Word.

- The formula bar, Headings (both column and row) and the gridlines that show
separation of each cell can be hidden or be displayed in the View menu by simply clicking
the appropriate check box.

- The Freeze Panes is used to freeze certain column or rows so that as you scroll to the
right or at the bottom, the freeze columns or rows will not disappear.

Moving around the worksheet

Data are entered per cell. When data is entered in a cell, you can press tab key to proceed
to the next cell right or enter key to proceed to the next cell below.

The active cell is the thickened border. The active cell is ready for an input.

Worksheet showing the active cell

- Notice that the Name box shows B3 because the active cell is B3.

- You can edit the content of the active cell by pressing F2 or in the Formula bar.

In order to move around the worksheet, you either use the: a) Arrow keys, b) Scroll bars, or
Mouse.

Renaming a worksheet

o Right click on sheet tab

o Choose Rename
o type the new name for the worksheet

OR

o Select Format in Home tab

o choose Rename Sheet
o type the new name for the worksheet

Inserting a worksheet

o Click the New Sheet button in the Sheet tab

OR
 o Press Shift + F11

OR

o Select Insert in Home tab à choose Insert Sheet

Deleting a worksheet

o Right click on the sheet on sheet tab

o choose Delete
o confirm deletion

OR

o Select sheet to delete

o Click Delete in Home tab
o choose Delete Sheet.

Freezing/Unfreezing worksheet panes

Freeze panes – freezing (locking) selected rows or columns

o Select the row below or column @ right you want to freeze

o choose View tab
o Click Freeze panes
o Choose either Freeze Panes/Freeze top row/Freeze First Column

To UNFREEZE: Click Freeze pane à choose Unfreeze pane

Formatting Fonts

 Select the cell/cells to format

 Format either changing the font, font size, font color, font style

Aligning Data

o Select the cell/cells to align

o Choose the alignment to apply

Merging Cells

o Select the cell/cells to merge.

o Click Merge Cells à choose Merge & Center, Merge Across or Merge Cells
To Unmerge Cell

o Select the merged cell à choose Merge Cells à Unmerge Cells

To Apply Borders

o Select the cells where to apply borders C

o Click the arrow beside the Border command (in the Home Tab)
o Select what border to apply and other options.

To Apply Fill Color

o Select the cell where to apply the fill

o Click the arrow beside the Fill command (in the Home tab)
o Select cells what color to apply.

To Apply a Number/Data Format.

o Select the cell/s that you format

o Select the Number format using the commands in Number group.
o The Number format combo box shows you choices such as: General,
o Number, Currency, etc.
o If you intend to put a thousand separator, click Comma Style.
o If you convert a numeric value into percentage, click Percent Style.
o If you want to increase or decrease decimal, then click either the decrease
decimal or increase decimal command

Note: You also format cells by activating the Format Cells dialog box by clicking the Dialog
Box Launcher either in the Font, Alignment and Number group.
 Format Cells Dialog Box Showing the Different Tabs

Changing row height

o Select the row/rows to format (highlight row/s)

o Click Format in the Home tab à Choose Row Height à type Row height value à
click OK

You can also click and drag (the lower edge of) the selected row/s to resize.

Changing column width

o Select the column/columns to format

o Click Format in the Home tab à Choose Column Width à type Column width à
click OK

You can also click and drag (the right edge of) the selected row/s to resize.

Entering data in a cell

o Select the cell where to enter data

o Type the data value in the cell
o Press enter key or tab key. Enter key to proceed to the cell below while Tab
key to proceed to the cell on the right.

Entering a number/date left aligned

o Type single apostrophe then the data value (ex: ‘12/15/1954)

Using the Fill handle

 Fill Handle of Selected Cell/s

 Filling a formula into adjacent cells

o Select the cell where formula is à click & drag the fill handle
 AutoFill values
o Type the first two values à select the typed values à click and drag the fill
handle. (For example: type 1 & 2 in two adjacent cells, highlight then drag the
fill handle)
o Values where autofill applies: number, date, day of the week, month.
o Another Example: type January in cell A1, then drag the fill handle to the next
cells (either to the right or at the bottom)