4- Basic Formatting

(Open Exercise file)                 Back To Excel Index Page                 Back To Edmond Home Page

 

41- Width and Height Play Video

On a worksheet, you can specify a column width of 0 (zero) to 255. This value represents the number of characters that can be displayed in a cell that is formatted with the standard font (standard font: The default text font for worksheets. The standard font determines the default font for the Normal cell style.). The default column width is 8.43 characters. If the column width is set to 0, the column is hidden.

You can specify a row height of 0 (zero) to 409. This value represents the height measurement in points (1 point equals approximately 1/72 inch). The default row height is 12.75 points. If the row height is set to 0, the row is hidden.

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.

Excel Ribbon Image

3.  Under Cell Size, click Column Width.

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

Change the column width to fit the contents:

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

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

Excel Ribbon Image

3.  Under Cell Size, click AutoFit Column Width.

Tip To quickly auto fit all columns on the worksheet, clicks the Select All button and then double-click any boundary between two column headings.

Select All 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.

Column boundary being dragged

*    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.

Select All button

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.

Excel Ribbon Image

3.  Under Cell Size, click Row Height.

4.  In the Row height box, type the value that you want.

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.

Excel Ribbon Image

3.  Under Cell Size, click AutoFit Row Height.

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

Select All button

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.

Row boundary being dragged

*       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.

Select All button

*         To change the row height to fit the contents, double-click the boundary below the row heading.

 

42- Numeric Formats Play Video

By applying different number formats, you can change the appearance of numbers without changing the number. A number format does not affect the actual cell value that Microsoft Office Excel uses to perform calculations. The actual value is displayed in the formula bar.

 

Formula bar and related cell

Formula bar and related cell

 

The following is a summary of the number formats that are available on the Home tab in the Number group. To see all available number formats, click the Dialog Box Launcher Button imagenext to Number.

Excel Ribbon Image

 

Format

Description

General

This is the default number format that Excel applies when you type a number. For the most part, numbers that are formatted with the General format are displayed just the way you type them. However, if the cell is not wide enough to show the entire number, the General format rounds the numbers with decimals. The General number format also uses scientific (exponential) notation for large numbers (12 or more digits).

Number

This format is used for the general display of numbers. You can specify the number of decimal places that you want to use, whether you want to use a thousand separators, and how you want to display negative numbers.

Currency

This format is used for general monetary values and displays the default currency symbol with numbers. You can specify the number of decimal places that you want to use, whether you want to use a thousand separators, and how you want to display negative numbers.

Accounting

This format is also used for monetary values, but it aligns the currency symbols and decimal points of numbers in a column.

Date

This format displays date and time serial numbers as date values, according to the type and locale (location) that you specify. Date formats that begin with an asterisk (*) respond to changes in regional date and time settings that are specified in Windows Control Panel. Formats without an asterisk are not affected by Control Panel settings.

Time

This format displays date and time serial numbers as time values, according to the type and locale (location) that you specify. Time formats that begin with an asterisk (*) respond to changes in regional date and time settings that are specified in Windows Control Panel. Formats without an asterisk are not affected by Control Panel settings.

Percentage

This format multiplies the cell value by 100 and displays the result with a percent symbol. You can specify the number of decimal places that you want to use.

Fraction

This format display a number as a fraction, according to the type of fraction that you specify.

Scientific

This format displays a number in exponential notation, replacing part of the number with E+n, where E (which stands for Exponent) multiplies the preceding number by 10 to the nth power. For example, a 2-decimal Scientific format displays 12345678901 as 1.23E+10, which is 1.23 times 10 to the 10th power. You can specify the number of decimal places that you want to use.

Text

This format treats the content of a cell as text and displays the content exactly as you type it, even when numbers are typed.

Special

This format displays a number as a postal code (ZIP Code), phone number, or Social Security number.

Custom

This format allows you to modify a copy of an existing number format code. This creates a custom number format that is added to the list of number format codes. You can add between 200 and 250 custom number formats, depending on the language version of Excel that you have installed.

 

43- Alignment of Data Play Video

Use the Format Cells dialog box to format the contents of selected cells.

Horizontal: Select an option in the Horizontal list box to change the horizontal alignment of cell contents. By default, Microsoft Office Excel aligns text to the left, numbers to the right and logical and error values are centered. The default horizontal alignment is General. Changing the alignment of data does not change the data type.

Vertical: Select an option in the Vertical box to change the vertical alignment of cell contents. By default, Excel aligns text vertically on the bottom of a cell. The default horizontal alignment is General.

Indent: Indents cell contents from any edge of the cell, depending on your choice under Horizontal and Vertical. Each increment in the Indent box is equivalent to the width of one character.

Orientation: Select an option under Orientation to change the orientation of text in selected cells. Rotation options may not be available if other alignment options are selected.

Degrees:  Sets the amount of text rotation in the selected cell. Use a positive number in the Degree box to rotate the selected text from lower left to upper right in the cell. Use negative degrees to rotate text from upper left to lower right in the selected cell.

Text control:

Wrap text:  Wraps text into multiple lines in a cell. The number of wrapped lines is dependent on the width of the column and the length of the cell contents.

Shrink to fit: Reduces the apparent size of font characters so that all data in a selected cell fits within the column. The character size is adjusted automatically if you change the column width. The applied font size is not changed.

Merge cells: Combines two or more selected cells into a single cell. The cell reference for a merged cell is the upper-left cell in the original selected range.

Right-to-left:

Text direction: Select an option in the Text direction box to specify reading order and alignment. The default setting is Context, but you can change it to Left-to-Right or Right-to-Left.

44- Playing with Fonts Play Video

Change the color of text:

1)  Select the cell (cell: A box formed by the intersection of a row and column in a worksheet or a table, in which you enter information.), range (range: Two or more cells on a sheet. The cells in a range can be adjacent or nonadjacent.) of cells, text, or characters (character: A letter, number, punctuation mark, or symbol.) that you want to format with a different text color.


Tip
  To cancel a selection of cells, click any cell on the worksheet.

2)  On the Home tab, in the Font group, do one of the following:

Ø  To change the text color, click the arrow next to Font ColorButton image, and then under Theme Colors or Standard Colors, click the color that you want to use.

Ø  To apply the most recently selected text color, click Font ColorButton image.

Ø  To apply a color other than the available theme colors and standard colors, click More Colors, and then define the color that you want to use on the Standard tab or Custom tab of the Colors dialog box.

Excel Ribbon Image

 

Change the background color of text:

1)  Select the cell (cell: A box formed by the intersection of a row and column in a worksheet or a table, in which you enter information.), range (range: Two or more cells on a sheet. The cells in a range can be adjacent or nonadjacent.) of cells, text, or characters (character: A letter, number, punctuation mark, or symbol.) that you want to format with a different background color.

Tip  To cancel a selection of cells, click any cell on the worksheet.

2)  On the Home tab, in the Font group, do one of the following:

Ø  To change the background color, click the arrow next to Fill ColorButton image, and then under Theme Colors or Standard Colors, click the background color that you want to use.

Ø  To apply the most recently selected background color, click Fill ColorButton image.

Ø  To apply a color other than the available theme colors and standard colors, click More Colors, and then define the color that you want to use on the Standard tab or Custom tab of the Colors dialog box.

Excel Ribbon ImageTip  To cancel a selection of cells, click any cell on the worksheet.

 

 

45- Auto Filter Play Video

Filtering allows you to display only data that meets certain criteria. To filter:

§  Click the column or columns that contain the data you wish to filter

§  On the Home tab, click on Sort & Filter

§  Click  Filter button

§  Click the Arrow at the bottom of the first cell

§  Click the Text Filter

§  Click the Words you wish to Filter

Filter Dialog Box

§  To clear the filter click the Sort & Filter button

§  Click Clear

Clear Filter Drop Down

 

46- Formatting as a Table Play Video

1)    Click the Home tab. 
Click the Format as Table button.

Click the Home tab. Click the Format as Table button.

2)    To create new table style, click New Table Style.

To create a new table style, click New Table Style.

3)    To modify an existing table style

4)     Right-click the style and then click Modify.

To modify an existing table style, right-click the style, and then click Modify.

Type a name for the Quick Style.

1)    Select a table element. Click Format.

2)    Set formatting options and then click OK.

3)    Select or clear the Set as default table quick style for this document.

 

 

Back To Top         Back To Excel Index Page   (Open Exercise file)

 

 

Back To Edmond Home Page