EXCEL TERMS

Formula

A calculation in a cell using the values of another cell or group of cell to generate a value for the cell.

Workbook

A collection of worksheets. This can be thought of as a book containing worksheets as was used for many years in Accounting. The named Excel file such as Maria's is a Work book since it is a fine on the drive.

Range

A group of adjacent cells that are selected for an operation.

Menu

A list of available commands.

Submenu

A menu displayed when a menu item is selected. The menu item must have an arrow that indicates a sub menu is available.

Marquee

A moving border surrounding a range cells indication the cells chosen by Excel to be included in an action. When cells are copied, you select the range of cell and the marquee appears around the range and shows until the copy actions are completed.

Character

A number, letter, etc. in a cell. The character width of a cell can be st by right clicking on the column or row header when small black arrow is displayed. A dialogue box is displayed that allows the entry of the character value for the width of the column or row.

Hard Copy

A printed copy of the document.

Chart Sheet

A separate worksheet containing a chart drawn from data on another worksheet.

Gallery

A set of choices arranged in a grid. There is a limited group of colors available for the background and type font when a theme is chosen

Auto Fill Options Button

A smart tag button displayed at the corner of a selected range that allows copying of the format or copying with no format.

Format Symbol

A symbol entered with numbers to format the item when entered. The symbols are dollar ($), comma(,) and percent (%).

Smart Tag

An icon displayed when certain actions are taken that allow you to select from a list of options of action to be taken. Excel shoes a smart tag when pasting the contents of a cell to another location. Clicking to the smart tag icon shoes a check of list available options.

Text

Any set of characters entered into a cell containing a letter, hyphen or space. Text is used to enter titles.

Merging Cells

Bringing a group of adjacent cells together to display data. The grouped cells are considered to be one cell. If the correct cell of the group is selected, the information for the grouped cells is displayed in the formula bar.

In-Cell Editing

Changing the contents of a cell by typing in the cell on the spreadsheet. The cell is selected by placing the cursor on the cell and double clicking. The blinking insertion point is displayed in the cell to allow editing of the data.

Hiding

Changing the width of a column to zero so that is does not display or print. The sequence of the columns is off by the column or columns selected.

Insert Mode

Characters are inserted into line by moving the current contents to the right as you type. the current characters are not destroyed.

Table Formats

Customized format styles that allow table formatting to be done automatically.

Case Sensitive

Differentiating between upper and lower case text. Passwords are case sensitive. Insertion point in the active cell.

Comma Style Format

Display of monetary amount without a dollar sign, with commas every three digits to the left of the decimal, and display of the amount of to the nearest cent.

Over type Mode

Each Character entered overwrites the character to the right on the line

What -if Analysis

Generating new values in a cell or range of cells by changing one or more . Values referenced in the formula (s). Also known as Sensitivity Analysis . It used to test" What if this occurs " assumptions.

Number

It contains only these characters 0123456789+-(),/%Ee. Any other character makes Excel consider the data to be text.

Embedded Chart

It is a chart hat is displayed on the same worksheet as the data.

Chart sheet

It is a chart that is displayed on a separate spreadsheet.

Task Pane

It is a separate window that allows some tasks to be carried out more efficiently. the box can be displayed while working on the document.

Shortcut Menu

It is a short list of menus of commands. It contains the most often used menu items

Mini Toolbar

It is a toolbar that appears whenever you perform certain tasks. Its contains formatting commands.

Range finder

It is an operation in Excel that allows you to see the cells chosen for a formula.

Logical Test

It is made of an expression, a comparison operator, and a second expression. An example is B4=C4, where B4 and C4 are the expressions and = is the comparison operator.

Horizontal Bar

It is the Horizontal bar going up and down from side to side when the window is split.

Formula Bar

It is the bar at the top of the Excel window below the Ribbon containing the name box, the cancel box, the enter box, the insert function box, and the data contained in the cell. The formula bar is only used in Excel

Relative Reference

It is the cell reference without a dollar sign ($) before either part. Excel changes both parts of the cell reference when formulas are moved , cut, pasted, or copied to new areas.

Active Cell

It is the cell where data can be entered. It is noted by a heavy black boarder around the cell, the cell reference shown in the name box, and the highlighting of the column and row headings.

Goal Seeking

It is the changing of the entered value in a cell or range of cells by changing the value of the result of a formula. this is done by forcing the value in the chosen cell with a formula to be a constant and viewing the resultant calculations for the cells referenced by the formula. The entered value is changed by Excel to reflect the forced valued of the formula.

Column Width Command

It is the command that allows the selection of the width of a column or group of columns. The column heading must be selected. It can be zero to 255.

Column Heading

It is the letter above the column. It is the letter used in the cell reference. Excel allows letters A to IV.

Row Heading

It is the number on the left side. It is the number used in the cell reference. Excel allows numbers 1 to 65, 536

Font Size

It is the size of the letters, numbers, and characters.

Sheet Tab

It is the tab a the bottom of the Excel window displaying the name of the sheet being shown.

Quick Access Toolbar

It is the toolbar on the title bar. It contains the save icon and the undo icon. You can adjust the icons on the toolbar to include many different commands.

Y-Axis or Value Axis

It is the vertical axis on a columnar chart.

Formulas Version

It is the worksheet display of the entered, unformatted numbers, characters, and formulas for each cell.

Status Bar

It the bar at the bottom of the window containing the mode indicator, the keyboard indicators, the views buttons, and the zoom adjuster.

Category Names

It the the names on a chart.

Decrease Indent

Moving the text contents of a cell to the left by using the decrease indent button on the format toolbar.

Increase Indent

Moving the text contents of a cell to the right by using the increase indent button on the format toolbar.

Funtions

Prewritten formulas used by Excel. They include the average, maximum, and minimum functions used on the classwork. There are many other functions available in Excel. These functions can be accessed using the fx icon on the formula bar.

Rotate Text

Text that has been changed from horizontal to any point up to including vertical using the alignment sheet in the format cells dialog box.

Fixed Dollar Sign

The $ at the far left of the cell and does not move when the width of the column expands or contracts. It most often has spaces between the sign and the value.

Floating Dollar Sigh

The $ sign is immediately to the left of the value and moves with the value as the column width increase or decreases.

Freeze Panes

The ability to force the display of a row or column so that it never leaves the screen when moving the spreadsheet. The selected are is said to be frozen.

Font Type

The appearance and shape of the letters, numbers and characters.

Auto Calculate Area

The area of the status bar that can be used in place of a calculator to view the sum, average or other calculation of a group of numbers on the spreadsheet.

Chart Location

The area of the worksheet where the chart is located. An embedded chart has a location because it is displayed on the same worksheet as the data.

Scroll Bars

The bars on the edge of the window that are displayed when all of the document cannot be shown on the window.

Cell

The basic unit of a worksheet. it's where the column and the row intersect.

Insertion Point

The blinking vertical line that indicates whee the next typed entry will be placed.

Cancel Box

The box displayed on the formula bar that allows cancellation of the entry of data into a cell. The box only displays when data is entered into a cell. It is shaped like an X.

Enter Box

The box displayed on the formula bar that completes the entry of data into a cell. the box only displays when data is entered into a cell. It is shaped like a check mark.

Name Box

The box on the left side of the Formula Bar that allow you to enter the cell reference or cell name to go directly to that cell.

Tab Split Box

The box to the right of the sheet tabs on the tab bar. It can be moved to allow more sheet tabs to be seen. The size of the horizontal scroll bar changes when the bar is moved.

Increase Decimal Button

The button of the formatting toolbar used to display additional decimal places in a cell.

Decrease Decimal Button

The button of the formatting toolbar used to remove decimal places displayed in a cell.

Auto Sum Button

The button on the Home tab that allows the automatic summing f a column or row. The icon is Greek letter Sigma

percent Style Button

The button on the formatting toolbar used to display the data in the chosen cell (s) in percent. the data is multiplied by 100, displayed to the nearest percentage point, and ended with a percent symbol.

Source Area

The cell or range being copied from.

Destination area

The cell or range being pasted over.

Conditional Formatting

The command on the format men that allows the display of the data in that format only if certain conditions are met. the conditions can include a cell, a group of cells, the entire worksheet or the entire workbook.

Cell Reference

The coordinates of the intersection of a column and row. The column letter and the row number such C5-reference the cell.

Data Series

The data that determines the sizes of the slices on a pie chart or the height or width of a column chart.

IF Function

The decision making function. If the value is true, one condition is chosen. If the value is false (not true), another condition is chosen. The statement must have the format of (logical test, condition if true, condition if false).

Legend

The descriptor on the chart telling what each column or section of the chart indicates.

Document Information Panel

The dialog box for the document properties.

Values Version

The display of a worksheet using the numbers and characters entered into each cell, and the calculated values for each cell using a formula. The Values version displays the formatted format of the worksheet.

Key Tips

The display of the keyboard shortcuts for the Ribbon items when the ALT key is pressed on the keyboard.

#REF!

The error message displayed by Excel when a cell has a reference error. It is usually caused by inserting or dele ting rows or columns.

See-Through View

The heavy border and transparent background displayed when a range is chosen and the calculation for the chosen cell is completed. It is removed when any cell is made active.

Keyboard Indicators

The indicators on the right side of the Status Bar that indicate which keys are engaged. The three keys are Caps, Num, and Scrl (Scroll).

Arrow Keys

The keys to the right of the standard keyboard containing up, down ,right and left arrows.

Undo Command

The left pointing arrow on the standard toolbar that allows removal of the last action taken. Up to 16 actions can be removed.

Ribbon

The menu area at the top of the Word window. Each item indicates a tab for displaying further commands indicated by cons.

Best Fit

The option whereby Excel determines the correct size of a row or column based on the data contained in the cells. Best fit can be accomplished by double clicking on the right border of the column or bottom border of the row when the split arrow cursor is displayed.

Chart

The pictorial presentation of data from a spreadsheet.

Dage Stamp

The placing of the system date on a spreadsheet.

Left Aligned

The positioning of the cell data to the far left of the cell. A cell entry containing text is always left aligned.

Absolute Referencing

The positioning of the dollar sign ($) before each part of a cell reference to ensure Excel changes neither part of the cell reference during moving, pasting, or copying operations. An example is $ B17, where B and 17 are both fixed even when move to G 24.

Mixed Cell Reference

The positioning of the dollar sign ($) before one part of a cell reference to ensure Excel does not change the part marked by the sign during moving, pasting, or copying. An example is $ B17, where B and 17 are both fixed even when move to G 24.

Portrait Orientation

The print of display format where the length is longer than the width.

Landscape Orientation

The print or display format where the width is wider than the length.

Debugging

The process of finding and correcting errors.

Unfreeze Panes

The removal of the freeze command from a row or column to allow normal movement of the area when moving around the spreadsheet.

Redo Command

The right pointing arrow on the standard toolbar that allows repeating the last action taken.

Format

The selection of font type, font size, and display characteristics of the data to enhance the readability of a worksheet.

Block Plus Sign

The shape of the mouse pointer when the pointer is over a cell on a worksheet. The cursor must be the block sign to be able to select a range of cells for an operation.

Pixel

The size of the column or row width/height as an integer value. The pixel value can only be viewed or set when using the split arrow that is displayed when the cursor is at the right edge of the column or the bottom of the row header. Holding the left mouse button and moving the mouse causes the pixel value to be changed.

Dialogue Box Launcher

The small arrow on the lower right corner of the box of a Ribbon item. the arrow displays further options. The dialog box must be closed before any further work can be done on a document.

Fill Handle

The small black square on the lower right hand corner of the heavy border of the active cell. The fill handle is used to copy the value in the selected cell (s) to the adjacent cell (s). A cross hair ( plus sign) indicates the fill handle has been selected. Most of the time the plus sign cursor is name the fill handle.

Sizing Handles

The small boxes on a chart that allow movement of sections of the chart depending on which box is chosen. The mouse pointer changes to a horizontal double headed arrow

Chart Item

The title and data labels on a chart.

Drawing Toolbar

The toolbar generated by clicking the drawing button on the standard toolbar. it contains commands add lines, boxes, and other geometric figures to format a spreadsheet.

Arguments

The values used in a function.

Vertical Split Bar

The vertical bar going up and down when the window is split.

Worksheet/Spreadsheet

The window in Excel that allows entry, calculation, and manipulation of data. It looks like an accounting worksheet. Another name for worksheet.

Contextual tabs

These are tabs on the Ribbon that are only displayed when certain actions are taken in a document such as inserting a picture.

Automatically Updated Properties

They are common to all documents using Microsoft Office. The properties include the date created, the date last accessed, etc. They are updated by the system each time a document is accessed.

Standard Properties

They are common to all documents using Microsoft office. The properties include author and title.

Document Properties

They are the details of a file such as author, subject, and keywords for searching for the document. The properties are also known as METADATA.

Scenario Manager

This allows you to build a worksheet that shows you the selected data given several possible combinations. this works only when you have IF functions in the referenced formulas because you must have choices to have combinations.

Point Size

This is a measurement of the font size. one is 1/72 of an inch.

Macro

This is a method of recording steps when editing an Excel spreadsheet. You can turn on the macro recorder, recorded the steps, turn of the recorder, and save the macro steps. When the steps in the macro need to be repeated, you can turn on the macro, perform the steps , and then stop the macro. This is a good method of performing repetitive steps while working on a spreadsheet.

Enhanced Screen Tip

This is an extended screen tip with more information about an icon.

Point Mode

This is choosing a cell for a formula by clicking on the cell on the spreadsheet. The cell reference is then placed in the formula. Using pint mode allows the creation of a formula without having to type the cell reference each time.

Currency Style Format

This is the formatting of numeric data resulting in a floating dollar sign to the left of the number, insertion of commas at every three digits to the left of the decimal, and display of the number to the nearest cent. it displays zero value values as zero value. This format is used most often when accounting for Subsidiary Account.

Accounting Style Format

This is the formatting of numeric data resulting in an unmoving or fixed dollar sign to the left of the number, insertion of commas at every three digits to the left of the decimal, and display of the number to the nearest cent. It displays zero values as a dash (-) symbol. This format is used most often when accounting for a General Ledger account.

Drag ad Drop

Using the mouse to move cells on a spreadsheet.

Assumptions

Values that can be changed in the cell (s) to generate new values for the formulas in the worksheet.

Edit Mode

When Excel displays the data contained in the active cell in the formula bar with the insertion point in the active cell.

Block Arrow

When the pointer is on the active cell border, a plus sign with an arrowhead on each point is displayed. This symbol is the block arrow.When the block arrow is displayed you can drag and drop data from one cell to another cell. this cursor acts as a cut and paste operation.

Nested IF Function

if one of the conditions of an IF function if another IF function, the function is said to be nested.

Exploded Pie Chart

it is a pie chart with one or more slices of the pie offset.

X-Axis or Value Axis

it the horizontal axis on a columnar chart.

Gridlines

the horizontal and vertical lines that mark the cell on the worksheet.

Theme

this is a predefined set of colors , fonts, etc. that can be applied to a worksheet to format it.