Seybienne

  • Home
  • ABOUT
    • Contact Us
  • Work With Me
  • The Dossier
  • 1 to Many Podcast
Login
You are here: Home / Excel / Excel’s Hidden Gem

14/03/2017 by Bronwyn Leave a Comment

Excel’s Hidden Gem

Disclosure: There may be some affiliate links below and I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post, but these are all products I highly recommend. I won’t put anything on this page that I haven’t verified and/or personally used.

Emerald Gem

Having taught Excel (and all the Office apps) as a corporate trainer for over 20 years, the application that shot fear into the heart of more people than any other was Excel. It is still this fear that stops people from using this awesome application.

You have to be a math head to be able to use Excel.

Excuse my language, but… baloney.

You do not have to be good at Math to be skilled at using Excel. Trust me.  I am living proof of that!  What you DO need is to:

  1. follow a process, and
  2. take a methodical approach.

That’s it! Simples!

In fact, I would go so far as to say that Excel is even LESS complicated than Word; there are far fewer things that can go wrong in a spreadsheet compared to a Word document.

So instead of focusing on calculations or math, let’s start with the basics!

Excel 101: The Basics

Before we get too far into this article, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page and understand the vocabulary of Excel.

Excel, being a spreadsheet, is divided into cells which are the intersection of vertical lines (Columns) and horizontal lines (Rows). A single Excel file is called a Workbook, which can be made up of multiple sheets.

Excel Figure 1 Cells

Figure 1: Numbers and text are entered into cells in Excel

Excel Figure 2 Columns

Figure 2: Columns run vertically across the spreadsheet and are labelled alphabetically

Excel Figure 3 Rows

Figure 3: Rows run horizontally down the spreadsheet and are labelled numerically

Excel Figure 4 Sheet Tabs

Figure 4: An Excel workbook can have multiple Sheets or Worksheets

I’ve seen Excel used for a number of different things: keeping shopping lists, maintaining basic business databases or as a CRM. At its core, Excel can be used for anything that involves ordering items in columns and rows.

But what Excel REALLY shines at is performing calculations. (Before the Math Myth rises up again, remember that IT does the calculations, not you!)

Let’s start with something easy and fun that everyone is familiar with.

The Sum Function

The most well-known function in Excel would have to be the SUM function, represented by an enlarged form of the upright capital Greek letter Sigma. To you and me, it looks kind of like an “E” and is recognised universally as the symbol for AutoSum or Sum in Excel.

Excel E Symbol

Figure 5: The universally recognised  symbol for AutoSum or Sum in Excel

SUM: The result of adding numbers together

To use this function, first make sure you have a list of numbers, each contained in its own cell in the Workbook.

Sum Function Syntax

Figure 6: The Sum function adds a range of cells

1.  Click in the blank cell immediately beneath the list of numbers

2.  Click on the AutoSum icon Excel AutoSum Iconand the formula will be automatically entered and the numbers selected.

3.  Press the Enter key and the formula will be complete.

Excel Parts of a Formula

Figure 7: The key elements of a formula

Sums: Let’s Get Fancy

But what if I need to add together a grid of numbers?  Don’t worry, the Sum function can still come to the party.

1.  Select the grid of numbers plus the blank cells to the right and immediately below the numbers (only select the row immediately below and the column immediately to the right).

Excel Sum with Blank Cells

2.  Click the AutoSum button Excel AutoSum Icon

Excel Sum Results

3.  The totals both horizontally and vertically will be inserted into the blank cells.

Voila! Try it yourself!

Trivia: Excel in numbers

Ever scrolled through a huge spreadsheet of figures and wondered how many columns you could have? Or typed something really long into a cell and wondered exactly how much more you could fit in?

Here are some interesting facts about Excel 2013 and 2016 that you can hopefully use one day at a Trivia Night and impress all of your friends…

Excel in Numbers Table

Don’t know what all of these features are? Don’t worry! We will explore these and other facts in future articles.

Join me next time where we will dive into formulae and the steps to create the perfect formula every time!

 

Filed Under: Excel, Newsletter

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Get the Guide!


Written for coaches, and aspiring course-creators who want to build a digital membership program so that they can
break free from working 1:1.

 

GET THE GUIDE

Recent Posts

  • From Boardroom to Breakthrough: Leveraging Your Corporate Experience in Coaching
  • The Key to Success for Online Course Creators: Niching Down to Attract Your Ideal Clients
  • Welcome, I’m So Glad You’re Here!
  • Are You Keeping Up?
  • Coaches, What’s Your Why?

Archives

  • June 2025
  • May 2023
  • November 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • March 2018
  • September 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017

© Copyright 2016 - 2025 Seybienne Pty Ltd   |   

Return to top of page ^ Terms and Conditions   |    Earnings Disclaimer