Lesson 1: Getting Started with Microsoft Excel

Section 1.2 - How to start the MS Excel Spreadsheet Program

  1. Step 1. Click the Start button.
  2. Step 2. Point to All Programs.
  3. Step 3. Point to Microsoft Office.
  4. Step 4. Click on Microsoft Excel 2010.

Section 1.3 - The Microsoft Excel 2010 Interface

Part Description
Quick Access Toolbar Provides access to the most common Excel commands including Save, Undo, Repeat and Copy. You can customize, add or delete buttons on this toolbar.
Title Bar Show the open program and the name of the file.
Window Control Buttons Minimize, maximize, restore and close the window.
File Tab Provides the access to the menu in Office 2012. When you click this button it shows the following menus: Save, Save As, Open, Close, Info, Recent, New, Print, Save and Send, Help, Add-Ins, Options, Exit.
Ribbon This is the panel at the top portion of the document. It has seven tabs which are: Home, Insert, Page Layout, Formulas, Review, and View. It contains the commands organized in three components:
  • Tabs - provide access to many tools and contain related groups
  • Groups - organize related commands. Group name appears below the group Ribbon.
  • Commands - appear within each group.
Name Box Shows the cell reference of the active cell. This can also be used to locate cell.
Formula Bar The area where you can enter or edit text or formulas.
Active Cell A cell that is selected. The active cell is indicated in the Name Box at the Formula Bar.
Cell A cell is the rectangular area where a column and a row intersect. Each cell is identified by a cell reference which it its column and row location.
Worksheet Each workbook contains worksheets with sheet tabs located at the bottom of the worksheet. The sheet tab identifies the name of the worksheet (example Sheet1, Sheet2, Sheet3).
Scroll Bars Allow you to easily go to the top or bottom, left or right of the worksheet.
View Buttons Display different views of the worksheet such as Normal, Page Layout, Page Break.
Zoom Level and Zoom Slider Opens the Zoom dialog box and maximizes or minimizes the view by sliding the zoom slider.