Lesson 1: Getting Started with Microsoft Excel

In this lesson, you are going to know the basics of Microsoft Excel. You will know in this part the meaning of the spreadsheet. The brief history of Microsoft Excel Application, the screen elements and the description of each element, will also be discussed.

Objectives

  • Discuss the meaning of spreadsheet and the history
  • Describe MS Excel, including the window and the elements
  • Identify the Ribbon, tabs, groups and commands

Section 1.1 - Introduction to Microsoft Excel

A spreadsheet is a computer application that displays rows and columns of cells. Each may contain data in the forms of words and numbers. Spreadsheet today has the ability to perform mathematical and logical operations on the data using formulas and other commands. The spreadsheet programs today are used in business, accounting firms and even in school for calculating data and computing grades.

The term "spreadsheet" is a compound word from the terms "spread" and "sheet". The term "spread" literary signify the two facing pages of a newspaper, magazine or book. It starts from the left extending to the right across the center folding and taking two pages as one. The term "sheet" is from one piece or sheet of paper. The term "spreadsheet" came about to describe journals and records mostly in accounting that are usually filled with records from left to the right and of the spreadsheet.

In 1985, Microsoft Corporation introduced the first spreadsheet that runs on Microsoft Windows, the Microsoft Excel. Today, Microsoft Excel is the most popular spreadsheet program for Windows. It has been accepted and used by many individuals and business in their bookkeeping needs. To comply with the demands of today's education, schools are offering a specific course in Microsoft Excel.

Microsoft Excel is a computerized worksheet. Microsoft Excel is one of the programs included in Microsoft Office and its full name is Microsoft Office Excel. Microsoft Excel has the standard feature of an electronic spreadsheet that uses cells. These cells are represented by rows and columns designed to perform basic mathematical operations. The files created from Microsoft Excel are called Workbooks.