CHAPTER 2 ■ NAVIGATING AND WORKING WITH WORKSHEETS

Figure 2-25. Select Qtr1 Payroll from the Activate dialog box

16. Next you will hide the worksheets for both the Qtr1 and Qtr2 Accounts
Receivable. Click the Qtr1 Accts Receiv tab, hold down the Ctrl key, and click the
Qtr2 Accts Receiv tab. Right-click the Qtr 2 Accts Receiv tab then select Hide.
17. You will now bring back the two hidden worksheets. Right-click any one of the
tabs and then select Unhide… from the menu. Select Qtr1 Accts Receiv and
then click OK. The worksheet is displayed back in its original position. Right-click
any one of the tabs and then select Unhide… from the menu. Select Qtr2 Accts
Receiv and then click OK.
18. Let’s remove the Qtr1 and Qtr2 Accounts Receivable worksheets permanently
from the workbook. Click the Qtr1 Accts Receiv tab, hold down the Ctrl key, and
click Qtr2 Accts Receiv tab. Right-click the Qtr2 Accts Receiv tab and select
Delete.
19. Move the Qtr1 Sales tab after Qtr1 Expenses by clicking the Qtr1 Sales tab,
dragging it to the right until the down-facing arrow appears at the end of the Qtr1
Expenses tab, and then releasing your left mouse button. See Figure 2-26.
Move the Qtr2 Sales after the Qtr2 Expenses tab.

Figure 2-26. Drag Qtr1 Sales after Qtr1 Expenses

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CHAPTER 2 ■ NAVIGATING AND WORKING WITH WORKSHEETS

20. Next, you will copy a worksheet, but before you copy the worksheet you need to
enter some data into the worksheet being copied to verify that the copy worked.
Click the Qtr1 Expenses tab. Enter some data in several cells. Right-click the
Qtr1 Expenses tab. Select Move or Copy. This brings up the Move or Copy dialog
box. In the Before sheet: area select Qtr1 Sales. Check the Create a copy at the
bottom of the dialog box. See Figure 2-27. Click OK.

Figure 2-27. Select Create a copy

Worksheets Qtr1 Expenses and Qtr1 Expenses (2) should contain the same data.
21. Save the workbook as Chapter2Tabs.

As you learn more about worksheet functions and options, think about how you will use the data. As
you go through this book, you’ll learn more about planning and designing workbooks and worksheets to
meet your present and future needs.

Summary
You’ve learned a quick way to move around worksheets and how to use special keyboard shortcuts to
jump to different cells. You’ve also worked with creating and customizing multiple worksheets within one
workbook. In Chapter 3 you’ll create different types of data and learn how to insert special characters and
adjust the size of columns and rows. Included are shortcuts for entering the data to help you continue to use
Excel in the way that best suits your needs.

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CHAPTER 3

Best Ways to Enter and Edit Data

In this chapter, you’ll learn how Excel worksheets use three types of data: text, numeric, and date and time.
It is important to understand the different types of data. You’ll also begin using special characters that you
can’t find on the keyboard.
Excel has several tools and features to make your data entry quick, efficient, and in the format you want.
Excel automatically determines how data is aligned based on the type of data you enter. The data you enter
can be formatted by using various text, numeric, and data formats. If the data you enter doesn’t fit in the cell
the way you want, you can adjust the column widths and row heights.
Excel’s AutoCorrect feature can be useful for correcting commonly misspelled words, misuse of
capitalization, entering special symbols that can’t be directly entered from the keyboard, and creating
shortcuts for entering often used words or phrases.
The AutoComplete and Pick from Drop-down List features allow you to easily duplicate existing
column values. AutoFill can be used to create duplicate cells, enter a series of values, create a custom list, or
use a pattern that you taught it.
After reading and working through this chapter you should be able to
• Create the three types of data
• Insert special characters
• Change column widths and row heights
• Correct typing mistakes
• Use AutoCorrect to make corrections and to create shortcuts for entering words or
phrases
• Use AutoComplete to enter data
• Use Pick from Drop-down List to enter data
• Use AutoFill to create duplicate cells and create a series
• Create a custom list

Data Types
There are three types of data that can be entered into a cell: text, numeric, and date and time.
• Text data. Text data is also known as string data. The data can consist of a
combination of letters, numbers, and some symbols. Text data is left-justified in a
cell. You can’t use text data in a formula.
• Numeric data. A numeric cell can only contain the characters shown in Figure 3-1.

© David Slager 2016 49

D. Slager, Essential Excel 2016, DOI 10.1007/978-1-4842-2161-7_3
CHAPTER 3 ■ BEST WAYS TO ENTER AND EDIT DATA

Figure 3-1. Only these numbers and characters can be used in a numeric value

If any other character or even a space is included in the cell, Excel treats the data
as text. Only cells that contain numeric values can be used in a formula. Numeric
data is right-justified in the cell.

• Date and time data. Date and time data can be used for handling dates, time, or
a combination of the two. You can enter a date as January 16, 2005 or 01/16/05
or 01-16-2005, but how the date appears in the cell depends on how the cell is
formatted. Date and time data, like numeric data, is right-justified in a cell.

■ Note If you enter a date as January 15 2010 Excel will display it as text rather than a date because there
is nothing to identify it as a date. If you place a comma after the day, Excel will be able to identify it as a date
and right justify it.

The first column in Figure 3-2 shows exactly what text was entered into the cell; the second column
shows how that entry would be displayed in Excel. You could change how the date is displayed by changing
its formatting which we will look at in a later chapter.

Figure 3-2. Date entered in a cell and how it’s displayed

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 CHAPTER 3 ■ BEST WAYS TO ENTER AND EDIT DATA

■ Note When you are entering time into a cell, be sure to place a space between the time and entering AM
or PM. The time should be entered as 11:35 AM rather than 11:35AM. If you make the entry without the space,
the time will be treated as text data and it will be left-justified in the cell. See Figure 3-3. You will not be able to
perform date and time functions on dates and times that are treated as text.

Figure 3-3. Entering time without a space makes it a text entry rather than a date

EXERCISE 3- 1: PRACTICE ENTERING DIFFERENT TYPES OF DATA

In this exercise, create a new workbook and enter different kinds of data.
1. Start Excel program. Create a new workbook named Chapter 3.
2. Type 5 Text in cell A1. Press the Tab key. Because it is text, it stays left-aligned.
3. Type 12.75 in cell B1. Press the Tab key. Because it is numeric it moves to the right
of the cell.
4. Type 2/13 in cell C1. Press the Tab key. Because it is a date it is right-aligned.
5. Type 12:15 PM in cell D1. Press the Tab key. Because it is a time it is right-aligned.
6. Type 5:10AM in cell E1. Press the Tab key. Because you entered time without a
space before AM, Excel left-aligned the time because Excel thinks it is text.
7. Type March 3 2014 in cell F1. Press the Tab key. Because you entered a date without
a comma after the day, Excel left-aligned the date because Excel thinks it is text.
8. Change the name on the Sheet1 tab to Data Types
9. Save the Workbook.

Inserting Special Characters

If you want to enter a character that isn’t available on your keyboard, you can use one of Excel’s symbols such as
the greater than or equal to sign (≥) or the less than or equal to sign (≤). The special characters can be accessed
by clicking the Ribbon’s Insert tab and then in the Symbols group click the Symbol button. See Figure 3-4.

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