Dan Stynes SPREADSHEET Primer- Excel 5.0 Page # 1I. Spreadsheet Techniques II. ChartsA. Introd. to Spreadsheets III. Database FunctionsB. Spreadsheet Basics IV. What's new in Excel 5.0?C. The Excel 5.0 WindowD. Spreadseert ProceduresE. Misc. TipsA. Introduction to Spreadsheets and Excel 5.0 for Windows1. Electronic spreadsheet programs, along with wordprocessing programs accounted for the bulk of the early applications of microcomputers. What wordprocessing packages do for "words", spreadsheets do for"numbers". Virtually any problem that can be set up as a series of calculations in a table format can be handled by a spreadsheet program. Balancing a checkbook, computing class grades, and carrying out mathematical calculations are simple problems that spreadsheets handle quickly and easily. More complex budgeting, financial analysis, trend analysis, forecasting, use estimation, and statistical analysis can also be accomplished with a spreadsheet. Spreadsheets can serve as databases or information systems and can also quickly generate a range of graphs and charts from numbers stored in the spreadsheet. 2. Early versions of spreadsheet programs were VisiCalc and SuperCalc. Lotus 1-2-3 captured much of the market during the late 1970's and was the dominant spreadsheet package throughout the 1980's. Since the mid-80's other spreadsheet programs have competed with Lotus, e.g. Quattro-Pro, and Excel . Since 1990 all of these programs have become available in Windows versions and each has added improved graphics, WYSIWYG, and capabilities of handling multiple spreadsheets at a time.3. Spreadsheet programs are very similar to one another, although the specific commands/keystrokes and some of advanced features will vary slightly from package to package. Once you learn one program ,it is fairly easy to shift to another. Bear in mind, however, that over time many advanced features have been added so that the most recent versions of Lotus, Excel, Quattro, and others have incorporated wordprocessing, database, statistical, and other functions. They have also added toolbars, right mouse button commands and other tricks to make programs more user friendly, as well as more powerful.4. Just as wordprocessors don't substitute for good writing skills, spreadsheets don't replace good analytical and quantitative skills. Software helps you to organize and complete your work more quickly, but you still must have the ideas, know what you want to do, and be able to set up your analysis in a format that takes advantage of spreadsheet capabilities. You must outline or plan a spreadsheet just as you would outline a paper you might write on wordprocccessor.LEARNING SPREADSHEET PROGRAMS. There are many ways to learn spreadsheet programs. There is no substitute, however, for spending time at the computer and learning as you work. Each student has their own learning style, but some combination of the following usually works best.1. Buy a tutorial book and work through the exercises. These provide step by step procedures.2. Work though the demos and tutorials in Excel - access these from Help command. These are good for an overview of what can be done, but most of you won't remember how to do it from tutorials - at least not the first time. Go back if you need a demonstration of a particular tool.3. Systematically go through menus/commands to understand what each of basic commands do, where they are, and how they work. Don’t be afraid to try something and see what happens. 4. Prepare your own tip sheet of commands that you use frequently or have difficulty remembering. 5. Read, browse, and outline sections of the manual. Usually it is best to work with manuals and tutorial books while you carry out the instructions on the computer.6. Use the on-line Help to get more information about particular commands as you need them 7. Take short course, ask someone to demonstrate or help you with a particular problem. 8. The best learning tool is usually to use the spreadsheet program to solve problems, going back to manuals, books, tip sheets, tutorials, or On-Line Help as you need it. Make up your own practice problems.Dan Stynes SPREADSHEET Primer- Excel 5.0 Page # 2B. SPREADSHEET BASICSA spreadsheet is a large electronic table (rows X columns) into which you may enter text, numbers and formulas. Cells of the table may be calculated from other cells to capture simple or complex patterns and relationships in a table. Rows are numbered 1,2,3,4, etc and columns are designated by letters A,B,C,D... You pinpoint a cell in the table by giving the column and row (the cell address); eg. A1 is the cell in the first column, first row; E2 is the cell in the fifth column, second row. Excel 5.0 can handle up to 256 columns and over 16,000 rows, although you seldom will need such a large table. A new feature in Excel 5.0 are multiple worksheets (pages) in a single notebook. Your notebook can have up to 256 pages, each a distinct spreadsheet. We will largely stick to one page (tabs at bottom of spreadsheet are to move between pages). Spreadsheet table cells may contain labels (text), numbers, formulas, or dates. You enter information in a cell by moving to the cell (using cursor controls or mouse pointer), typing an entry, and pressing the ENTER key (you can also click the checkmark on input line or simply move or point to new cell to enter what you have typed in the active cell.When you change any entry in the spreadsheet, it automatically recalculates all other cells that depend onthe cell you changed. This lets you correct information without having to redo all of your calculations. It also lets you answer a host of "What IF" questions, by altering one or more cells and observing their effecton intermediate or final results. For example, how would my house payment change if the interest rate dropped to 7%? What would be the effect on my overall grade if I 4.0 pointed this class? Very complex relationships may be captured in a spreadsheet .Once data are entered and stored in a spreadsheet, they can be used for many different purposes and thespreadsheet can be adapted to different problems and situations without re-entering all of the same basic information. Information may be passed between spreadsheets, wordprocessing, database, and statisticalprograms and easily sent from one place to another in electronic form. On a spreadsheet, you can also quickly correct errors, change formatting, or update the information