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Microsoft Excel allows you to change values in a worksheet quickly and easily. How is this helpful in running a business? How can changing values affect business decisions?
Microsoft Excel allows editing and changing values in a worksheet immediately and easily. Excel is therefore helpful in running an evolving business since at various points in time, the users of information would be able to regularly update, revise, change, document, and print business reports as needed. As emphasized, Excel “provides enormous capacity to do quantitative analysis, letting you do anything from statistical analyses of databases with hundreds of thousands of records to complex estimation tools with user-friendly front ends” (Kwak, 2013, p. 1). As evidenced, Excel makes computations in business transactions easier with limited tendencies for committing human error. Likewise, changing values affect business decision since making updates could significantly transform contexts and scenarios. What could have been a purchase decision could eventually become infeasible or unviable when changes in statistical contexts or forecasts have been made.
What is the importance of using Conditional Formatting for data? Why would a worksheet need to contain Data Bars?
Conditional formatting, by virtue of its description, is an “automatic formatting that is triggered by conditions that you define. For example, you can use conditional formatting to automatically change the color of cells that contain values greater than or less certain values. Conditional formatting is a great way to visually highlight important information in a worksheet” (Bruns, 2017, p. 1). Moreover, a worksheet needs to contain Data Bars because data bars can actually assist in spotting “larger and smaller numbers, such as top-selling and bottom-selling toys in a holiday sales report. A longer bar represents a larger value, and a shorter bar represents a smaller value” (Microsoft, 2011, p. 1).
Define each term below and explain where you would use this feature in an Excel worksheet
- Scale to fit: Reducing the size of the worksheet to fit the page for printing (Microsoft, 2017). It is used to visually assess fitness of the worksheet for printing purposes.
- Function: Defined as “a preset formula in Excel and Google Spreadsheets that is intended to carry out specific calculations in the cell in which it is located” (French, 2016, p. 1). As noted, function is needed for indicating which cells are included in the needed computations.
- AVERAGE Function: Described as “returns the average (arithmetic mean) of the arguments” (Microsoft, 2017, p. 1). Needed in calculating arithmetic mean.
- Filter: Means “to set conditions so that only certain data is displayed” (French, Filter, 2015, p. 1). The function is needed in streamlining the data that is only needed to be highlighted.
- Drag and Drop: Terms which “involves moving the cursor over an object, selecting it, and moving it to a new location” (Sharpened Productions, 2011, p. 1). The function could be used when information is needed in a new folder or directly on an application icon.
Why is it important to save a ‘backup’ copy of your workbook?
As learned, it is important to save a ‘backup’ copy of the workbook for protection purposes. As indicated, “saving a backup copy can protect your work if you accidentally save changes that you do not want to keep or delete the original file” (Microsoft, 2017, p. 1).
- Bruns, D. (2017). What is conditional formatting?
- French, T. (2015, December 13). Filter.
- French, T. (2016, March 5). Function.
- Kwak, J. (2013, February 9). The Importance of Excel.
- Microsoft. (2011). Use data bars, color scales, and icon sets to highlight data.
- Microsoft. (2017). Automatically save a backup copy of a workbook.
- Microsoft. (2017). AVERAGE function.
- Microsoft. (2017). Scale a worksheet.
- Sharpened Productions. (2011, September 13). Drag and drop.