Getting Started with Excel

Microsoft Excel is a powerful spreadsheet application used for data organization, calculations, and analysis. When you first open Excel, it may seem overwhelming, but once you understand the basic layout and features, it’s easy to use.

How to Open and Create a New Excel Workbook

To Open Excel:

Click the Start menu or search bar.

Type “Excel” and click the Excel app to open it.

What is an Excel Workbook?

An Excel Workbook is the primary file type used in Microsoft Excel. It acts like a digital notebook that contains one or more worksheets (also called spreadsheets). An Excel workbook is a file with the extension .xlsx (or .xls in older versions). It contains:

• Worksheets (Sheets): Individual pages where you enter and manipulate data.

• Cells: The basic units in a worksheet (intersection of rows and columns).

• Formulas and Functions: Used for calculations.

• Charts, PivotTables, Macros, etc.

Workbook vs Worksheet

	Workbook	Worksheet
Definition	Entire Excel file	Single tab or page in the workbook
File Extension	.xlsx, .xls	N/A (contained within workbook)
Purpose	Holds multiple worksheets	Used to store and manage data
Tabs	Can have many sheet tabs	Only one per sheet

To Create a New Workbook

When Excel opens, you’ll see the Start screen.

Click Blank workbook to start from scratch. A new empty spreadsheet will open, ready for your data.

 

Excel Interface

When you open a workbook, you’ll see the Excel interface.

Ribbon, Tabs, Rows, Columns, and Cells

Ribbon

• The Ribbon is the toolbar at the top of Excel.
• It contains buttons and commands organized into groups (like Font, Alignment, Number). You use these tools to format and manage your data.

Tabs

Tabs are located above the Ribbon: Home, Insert, Formulas, Data, etc. Clicking a tab changes the set of tools displayed on the Ribbon.

 

 

Rows and Columns

• Rows run horizontally and are numbered (1, 2, 3, …).
• Columns run vertically and are labeled with letters (A, B, C, …).

Cells

A cell is where a row and column intersect (e.g., cell A1).

You enter numbers, text, or formulas into cells.

You can click a cell to select it and begin typing.

Saving and Closing Workbooks

To Save a Workbook:

• Click the File tab in the top-left corner.
• Choose Save As.
• Select a folder and enter a name for your file.
• Click Save.

Tip: You can also use Ctrl + S to quickly save.

To Close a Workbook

Click the X in the top-right corner of the Excel window.

If you made changes, Excel will prompt you to save before closing.

That’s it.