In Microsoft Excel 2007 when you convert a range of data into a table, you will have access to some great features. You can summarize data in a column simply by clicking a button. In addition, you can create structured formulas within a table without creating range names. Since the table will have a name, you can refer to the data within the table by using the table name and/or the column headers.
Users of Microsoft Office can take advantage of STEPS workshops on Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and Access. However, these workshops are all taught in Office 2007 for Windows; and Office for the Macintosh (both the 2004 and 2008 versions) have a significantly different interface. Don’t worry though - users of Office 2008 for the Mac can find the training they need in Office 2008 through lynda.com. From now until December 20, 2009, students, faculty and staff in the IU community receive FREE access to lynda.com. (For more information and a link to lynda.com training, visit http://ittraining.iu.edu)
For users already familiar with Office for Mac, one tutorial on Lynda gives a comprehensive look at just the new features in the 2008 suite. Other topics of training include essential training for Word, PowerPoint and Excel as well as Entourage, the personal information manager. For a more detailed listing of titles included in the Word, Excel and PowerPoint tutorials in the lynda.com site read the rest of this article.
Conditional formatting can be a great tool to enhance the data in your spreadsheet. There are several options for formatting a cell given the value of that particular cell. But what if you want to format multiple cells in a row based upon the value of one of more other cells? Well, that's not so straightforward!
Let's suppose that we have an Excel spreadsheet containing student data, but we want to be able to look down the list and quickly view all freshmen who are female chemistry majors:
Have you ever needed to chart noncontiguous dates in Excel? Often, Excel will attempt to fill in the missing pieces of the series.
This example shows the total number of items sold on a weekly basis:
If we select the data and create a column chart, it looks like this:
Excel has attempted to fill in some of the missing dates; However, because of the size of the chart, Excel is just showing the even numbered dates.
When preparing articles for publication, you may encounter a journal requirement specifying that chart data markers be filled with different patterns such as dots, slanted lines, etc. These types of fills make data that is being displayed in black and white easier to discern than those formatted in various colors. Unfortunately, while Excel 2007 includes a plethora of attractive choices for formatting chart data markers, pattern fills are not among them. Here are links to two articles that show how to apply pattern fills to your chart elements.
The first article from Microsoft Excel Team Blog guides you to the Visual Basic Immediate Window to apply the patterns. Then the author also describes the process for accessing and installing an Add-in to modify the gallery to include pattern fills. The blog is at:
http://blogs.msdn.com/excel/archive/2007/11/16/chart-pattern-fills.aspx
Here is a link to another article by Andy Pope that addresses the way to fix the problem with an add-in.
http://andypope.info/charts/patternfills.htm
If you scroll way to the bottom of the article, you will see two links. One takes you to the free download for the add-in; the other has instructions for installing the add-in.
Combination charts can be used to highlight different types of information in a single chart. Using a combination of a column chart and a line chart can give a more specific visual representation of the data and help to make data easier to understand. Combination charts are particularly helpful when the values of the data vary greatly or when you are working with mixed types of data.
Interested in seeing some of the new features in Microsoft Office 2010? Check out this article on the Lifehacker blog containing some introductory videos from the Microsoft Office team:
Microsoft Office 2010 in Videos
You can also check out this user's videos on YouTube for more:
The release of Office 2010 isn't for a while yet, but Microsoft is being quite social with the changes being made.
Stay tuned to this blog and our website for information about training opportunities when Office 2010 gets released to the general public.
Enjoy!
Everyone who has used a computer for analytical purposes has at one time heard the expression “Garbage In – Garbage Out”. It might have been stated, “The analysis is only as accurate as the data.” In either case it emphasizes that the calculations in Excel are only as reliable as the data that was entered in the first place. The data entry process is vulnerable to errors caused by tedium, repetition and perhaps similarity of entries.
When it is necessary to enter large amounts of data, it is good practice to have the data checked for accuracy. This can be done immediately by the person entering the data, or entries can be verified by a different person. Wouldn’t it be convenient to have a tool that could provide immediate feedback of the data entered?
Excel provides just such a tool that enables a quick and easy double-check of entries before you continue working with the data. It is the Text to Speech feature. Through this tool, Excel can read back to you what you have typed while you check that audio against your original data. (more...)
Are you confused about whether to use Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Access to manage your data? This is understandable since both applications can perform similar functions. If you're having trouble choosing between Excel and Access, then this short video will help you get the right answers to the right questions. It will emphasize the best features of each and let you decide which of these programs will best meet your needs. To view this video, click here.
Note: Thanks to Ashley Endemann for recording this video.
In a recent training session on Excel basics, one panicked participant reported that she was suddenly unable to access or use any tools on the Insert tab of the ribbon. The majority of the icons there were gray. When the workshop assistant arrived on the scene, the participant and the assistant discovered the reason for the problem by looking at the top of the Excel window. The status of the worksheet displayed in the title bar:
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