Excel Basics

These pages were designed to help Excel beginners of the classes that Rod and I teach. We have noticed that beginners need a basic understanding of what makes up Excel. We have also noticed that beginners make common mistakes, and the page Editing Cells addresses a frequently made mistake of not pressing the Enter key when they are finished editing a cell.

Rod and I encourage Excel beginners to think of tasks or projects to do with Excel. This has three benefits. First, an Excel project can help you keep organised. Second, you retain Excel skills that you have learned, and you develop new skills. Third, if you come to the Kenton County Excel classes, you think of questions to ask us about your project. Here are some project examples:

• Keep an electronic diary in Excel. Make column A the date and column B the description of what went on that day. The Edit, Find menu makes it easy to find key events.
• Keep track of your collectables with Excel. Take note of the date you bought the collectable, where you bought it, a description, how much you sold it for, and the profit (or loss).
• Keep track of your daily expenses using Excel.
• Keep track of your checking account using Excel.
• Manage your daily and monthly expenses with a budget.
• Manage your personal health with Excel.