Excel 2010 Bible

Part I: Getting Started with Excel

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Selecting a range of input cells before entering data .........................................

Here’s a tip that most Excel users don’t know about: When a range of cells is selected, Excel auto-

matically moves the cell pointer to the next cell in the range when you press Enter. If the selection

consists of multiple rows, Excel moves down the column; when it reaches the end of the selection

in the column, it moves to the first selected cell in the next column.

To skip a cell, just press Enter without entering anything. To go backward, press Shift+Enter. If

you prefer to enter the data by rows rather than by columns, press Tab rather than Enter. Excel

continues to cycle through the selected range until you select a cell outside of the range.

Using Ctrl+Enter to place information into multiple cells simultaneously ........

If you need to enter the same data into multiple cells, Excel offers a handy shortcut. Select all the

cells that you want to contain the data, enter the value, text, or formula, and then press Ctrl+Enter.

The same information is inserted into each cell in the selection.

Entering decimal points automatically .............................................................

If you need to enter lots of numbers with a fixed number of decimal places, Excel has a useful tool

that works like some adding machines. Access the Excel Options dialog box and click the

Advanced tab. Select the check box Automatically Insert a Decimal Point and make sure that the

Places box is set for the correct number of decimal places for the data you need to enter.

When this option is set, Excel supplies the decimal points for you automatically. For example, if

you specify two decimal places, entering 12345 into a cell is interpreted as 123.45. To restore

things to normal, just clear the Automatically Insert a Decimal Point check box in the Excel

Options dialog box. Changing this setting doesn’t affect any values that you already entered.

Caution
The fixed decimal–places option is a global setting and applies to all workbooks (not just the active workbook).
If you forget that this option is turned on, you can easily end up entering incorrect values — or cause some
major confusion if someone else uses your computer. n

Using AutoFill to enter a series of values .........................................................

The Excel AutoFill feature makes inserting a series of values or text items in a range of cells easy. It

uses the AutoFill handle (the small box at the lower right of the active cell). You can drag the

AutoFill handle to copy the cell or automatically complete a series.

Figure 2.5 shows an example. I entered 1 into cell A1 and 3 into cell A2. Then I selected both cells

and dragged down the fill handle to create a linear series of odd numbers. The figure also shows a

Smart Icon that, when clicked, displays some additional AutoFill options.

Tip
If you drag the AutoFill handle while you press and hold the right mouse button, Excel displays a shortcut
menu with additional fill options. n