How to Create an Excel Spreadsheet | Step by Step Guide (with Examples)

Create an Excel Spreadsheet (Table of Contents)

How to Create an Excel Spreadsheet?
Understanding Excel workbook Screen
How to work with Excel Spreadsheet?

Overview of How to Create an Excel Spreadsheet

If you are a fresher then it is important to know how can you create and start the spreadsheet with Excel. Over the years spreadsheets are playing a vital role in maintaining the large database with excel. Data Analysis and Number Crunching are the main purposes we are using spreadsheet day in day out. In fact, many people use this spreadsheet to maintain their business needs and personal things as well.

Using spreadsheet I have seen many people manage their family budgets, mortgage loans, and various other things for their fitting needs on a daily basis. In this article, we will show you how to create an excel spreadsheet, tools available with the spreadsheet, and many other things.

Understanding Excel Workbook Screen

When we open the excel screen we could see the below features in front of us.

#1 – Ribbon

These menu options are called “ribbon” in excel. In the ribbon, we have several tabs to work with. Going forward we will explore each one of them in detail.

#2 – Formula Bar

Formula bar in excel is the platform to view the formula or the value of the selected cell or active cell. For example, if we have 5 in the cell A1, if the A1 cell is selected we can see the same value in the formula bar.

#3 – Column Header

As you can see each column has its own heading with alphabet characters representing each column separately.

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#4 – Row Header

Column headers are represented by alphabets and similarly, row headers are represented by numbers starting from 1. In recent versions of Excel, we have more than 1 million rows.

#5 – Spreadsheet Area

This is where we do the work. As you can see in the above overview image we have small rectangular boxes which are plenty. The combination of column and row forms a cell i.e. rectangular box. Each cell identified by a unique cell address consisting of column header followed by a row header. For the first cell, column header is A and row header is 1 so the first cell address is A1.

This is the general overview of the excel spreadsheet. Now we will see how to work with this spreadsheet.

How to Work with Excel Spreadsheet?

Let’s look at the example given below.

To work with spreadsheet first we need to select the cell we are looking to work with. For example, if you want the word “Name” in the cell A1 then select the cell and type “Name” in the cell.

Select the cell B1 and type Price.

Now come back to cell A2 and type some fruit names.

In the associated column enter the price of each fruit.

This is the simple table we have created with excel.’

Steps to Format Excel Spreadsheet

This looks a raw data, but by applying some excel formatting we can make this look beautiful.

Step #1

Select the header and make the font Bold. The excel shortcut key to apply bold formatting is Ctrl + B.

Step #2

Make center alignment.

Step #3

Now fill the background color for the selected cells.

Step #4

Change the font color to white.

Step #5

Now apply borders to the data. Select the entire data range to apply borders.

Now the data looks like an organized one. Like this, we can create a spreadsheet and work with it.

This is the basic level introduction to excel spreadsheet. Excel has a wide variety of tools to work with. We will see each of the tool explanation in separate dedicated articles which expose you to the advanced features.

How to Create an Excel Spreadsheet?