Chapter 1 Spreadsheet principles

• Objective-Understand the principies, terminology and capacity of one of the tools

of

productivity aimed toward the processing and manipulation of numbers.

• Goals-The student will understand the function of the spreadsheet software.

-The student will learn the basic concepts of the spreadsheet.

-The student will recognize the elements of a commercial spreadsheet

software.

1.1 Software for the Automation of Calculations

At present the spreadsheet is the most common example of an application

developed for numerical processing.

This software allows to automatically calculate and recalculate data on the

computer screen.

Origins

The first spreadsheet program, VisiCal for Apple 11 computers, was

created in 1978 by Dan Brickiin, a Harvard student assisted by Bob

Frankston, an M.l.T student.

With the introduction of the PC by IBM, other programs appeared based

on VisiCal that fought to establish íhe spreadsheet standard. In 1983,

Mitchell Kapor founded the Lotus company and developed the 1-2-3

software that successfuity dominated MS-DOS settings. At present, Excel

from the Microsoft company is one of the leaders in the graphic settings.

Impact

The apparition of this software changed personal computers compietely

because it contributed enormously to their success to such an extent that it

is considerated as one of their driving forces.

Its influence modified the way people worked with different needs such as

execute scientific simulations, elaborate budgets, carry out financial

projectíons, or keep a check account among other activities. It was even

used in many offices to write tetters and reports when word processors

were not widely used.

Spreadsheet concept

The Spreadsheet is the computerized versión ofthe pape' sheets prinied with

horizontal and vertica! iines to be divided ¡n rows and coiutnns. These tools are

used manually by accountants and their function is to

organize Ítems intoaccountable quantities. These

are known as spreadsheets

At present, the term Spreadsheet describes just the

basic aspecí of íneapplication because it has

evoived togeíherwiíh persona! compi-iters e>isíing 3

great variety of commerciai producís that intégrate tooic-

for the creaüon oigraphs, basic drawings,

predefined functions, data base macros managemení,

among others.

The common feature for any software developed as a

Spreadsheet is iisstructure through which it can

achieve the perfect organization plan íhat makes

its operation possible.

Next, we.wiH meníion three important basic aspecís to

undersíand th'ssoftware,

1, The structure of rows and coiumns delimits the workng

área inío spacescalled cells. See figure 1.1.

Figure 1 1 Spreadshee! structur'?

Culumnas --

Spreadsheet Concept

The Spreadsheet is the computerized version of the paper sheets printed

with horizontal and vertical iines to be divided in rows and columns.

These tools are used manually by accountants and their function is to

organize items into accountable quantities.

These are known as spreadsheets.

Next, we will mention three importantbasic aspects to understand this Software.

RowsRows

ColumnsColumns

CellCell

1. The structure of rows and coiumns delimits the workng area into spaces called cells. See the figure.

2. Each element has been properly labeled to make an exact reference of the location of the data.

3. Carry out several operations or calculations through notations alled formulas that involve the content (values) with its reference.

1.2 Worksheet and Workbook

• WorksheetA worksheet or spreadsheet is the area where data are manipulated.

Due to its great size, the monitor screen displays oniy the spreadsheet in

segments.

As we nave mentioned before, the working área is organized into rows

and columns íhat are identified by labels appearing at the left top corner in

the working area of the software, these labels may differ from one

manufacturer to another.

• WorkbookThe updated versions of the spreadsheet include more than one

spreadsheet in the same file. Hence, the sheets are also labeled with the

names Sheet l, Sheet 2,...Sheet N, which are assigned by default.

These names can be changed by the user into a more descriptive name.

This gives the spreadsheets a three-dimensional quality, the file created in

this type of software is known as workbook.

1.3 Cell, Reference and Reference Classification

• Definition of cellThe cell is the fundamental element of the application. This is where data

are introduced, edited and manipulated. The cell is the area delimited by a

column and a row. Cell is commonly defined as the intersection space

between a column and a row.

• Definition of cell referenceCell reference, or just reference, refers to the specification of the location

or direction of a cell. It indicates the place where the values or the data

involved are located.

Reference Classification

Cell reference can be classified in two ways:

• Relative, absolute and mixed reference. This classification specifies how to copy cells containing references to other cells.

• Internal, external and remote reference. Classification that specifies the syntax of the reference. If it is going to be used in the same worksheet, in a different worksheet in the same workbook, in a different workbook, and even in another application different from a spreadsheet.

• Relative Reference

This reference established by default modifies the reference of the cells

that are involved in a formula when it is copied by adjusting the references

involved in the expression to the real position of the copy.

• Absolute and Mixed Reference

In the absolute or fixed reference, the column nor the row alter, To specify

an absolute reference, the symbol for dotlars is placed before the column

as well as the file.

• Internal ReferenceThe internal reference is the most simple and widely used reference. It

relates cells in the same worksheets; for example, A5, Q20.

• External Reference

The external reference makes use of the three-dimensional characteristic

of spreadsheets because it relates cells located in other worksheets in the

same book, and even in other books.

In Excel, the complete syntax specification to interpret this type of

reference is:

C:\directory\(File.xls)Sheet!ColumnFile

Where:

C:\Directory\ -indicates the unit and trajectory (directory) where the

file is iocated.

(File.xls) -specifies the file containing the book.

Sheet! -specifies the ñame ofthe spreadsheet.

ColumnFile -corresponds to the basic reference of the cell.

• Remote ReferenceRemote reference imports to the spreadsheet data from other applications.

1.4 Range concept

• Definition of RangeA range is a specific group of cells. The cells that form the range is

adjacent as in a column or a row, or in a rectangle formed by several rows

and columns. But they can also contain non-adjacent cells. Moreover, a

range can consist of a single cell.

Horizontal Range A2:C2

Horizontal Range A2:C2

Vertical Range A6: A9Vertical Range A6: A9

Non-Adjacent Cells Range

A2:C2, C5:D7

Non-Adjacent Cells Range

A2:C2, C5:D7

Block Range C5:D7Block Range C5:D7

Single Cell Range, D10Single Cell Range, D10

Some of the actions that can be carried out after the ranges have been identified and selected are:

• Entering Data.

• Range name assignation.

• Copy.

• Move.

• Fill up data.

• Forrnat data.

• Erase.

1.5 Data Classification

The basic classification of data in the spreadsheet is the following:

• Constant Data• Formulas

• Constant dataConstant data do not alter their value and are automaticaliy entered intothe cell. More common constant data:

Numerical Data Alphanumerical Data — Numbers — Texts or labels — Date and time

• Formulas

Formulas are data made up of several elements that modify their value.

The software identifies them by piacing a sign before them.

• Significance of Numbers, Texts and Formulas

Numbers are the raw material of spreadsheets.

Labels or texts help identify the numbers and results.

1.6 Microsoft Excel

Characteristics

Screen Description

Active cell

Column Headers

Working areaWorksheet labels

(Chosen active sheet: Sheet1)

Formula Bar

Complete

Sheet

Seletion

Button

Row

Hea

der

s

Sheet Displacement Buttons Status Bar

Controls Minimize, Maximize, Reestablish

and Close

Scroll Bar

Title of the application, name of the

book (maximized)

Menu Bar

Tool Bar

Chapter 2Basic Spreadsheet Application Working Operations

•Objective

-Learn the basic operations to interact with an application developed to elaborate spreadsheets.

•Goals

-The student will acquire the knowledge and skills to create, save, open, close and edit workbooks.

He will learn the options to manipulate spreadsheets.

2.1 Manipulation of Workbooks

Due to the undeniable power of the graphic operating system (Windows95 or 98), a great amount of software has been developed tooperate in this setting,

• Creating a Workbook When we start Excel application, a new blank book is opened by defaultwith three sheets and the name Book1.xls.

In order to create a new book, it is necessary only to display the File menu

and select the New...option. The name Book2.xls will be assigned by thesoftware and so on.

• Saving a workbook

When you need to save a document, just open the file menu and choose

Save As..., there you will put the name you wish to your document, and

select the place whee you want to save it.

• Opening a workbook

The sequence to open a book is: File, Open... Establish the search trajectory

in the dialogue window. Select it with a click in the file list and then in the

control Open (or double clicking the file name).

• Navigating through books

Whrn you have opened several books, the Window menu will display at the

bottom a numbered list with the open files and the active book marked.

To change the active book just select it from the list.

• Workbook Properties

It is important the user dedicates that the user dedicates a few minutes to

complete htis record by hand summarizing the following data:

• Descriptive title of the book

• Matter

• Author or authors

• Comments

In order to configurate the properties of an active book, follow the File,

Properties, Summary sequence. Fill in the convenient information i nthe

dialogue window.

2.2 Manipulating Worksheets

Books are made up of sheets. There are several types of sheets based on

their content. For instance:

• Spreadsheet• Graphic sheet• Dialogue sheet• Macro sheet• Programming module (Visual Basic)• Others

The most common are the spreadsheet and and the graphic sheet.

Each spreadsheet contains a large amount of cells, 256 columns X 65,536

rows = 16´777,216 cells.

• Personalizing the number of Sheets in a New Book

The sequence Tool, Menu, Options, General allows to personalize 1 to

255 the number of available sheets at the beggining of a book .

• Inserting Sheets

-Spreadsheet in the Insert menu.

-Slide the mouse device over the label of a sheet. Click once with the right

button in the mouse. The contextual menu appears. Select Insert… in the

general dialogue window select Spreadsheet and the acceot control.

• Eliminating Sheets

-Slide the mouse pointer device over the label of the sheet you want to

eliminate, click once with the right button of the mouse. The contextaul

menu appears, select Eliminate. A warning box is displayed, select

Accept.

-From the menu, select Eliminate sheet. A warning box is displayed.

Select the accept control.

The following table shows how to use the keyboard to navigate rapidly through a sheet.