BASICS

Basic Excel window elements

There are people who always want to do something by the book.

And this is great. We all learn in different ways, and we are accommodated to a certain style.

If you are that kind of person and you want to learn Excel from the start, or if maybe you are fresh and are looking for some straightforward explanations about Excel basics, then this is the right article for you.

In it we will explain the basic elements of the Excel screen which you will always see when open the Excel workbook.

So here they are.

In the picture below you will find the environment you will see the first time you open the Excel.

Main menu bar - Ribbon

On the top there is the main menu bar, called Ribbon, with the following tabs:

  • Home
  • Insert
  • Page Layout
  • Formule
  • Data
  • Review
  • View

By clicking on each tab you get access to the Toolbars with dedicated set of tools presented in the form of icons which you can use to manipulate your environment and data in certain way.

Below these groups of controls is the area called Name Box and the area called Formula Bar.

Name Box, Formula Bar and Rulers

When you select certain cell inside the Excel grid area, cell name will be shown in the Name Box, while you are inside one of the Excel functions, here you will find the function name of the one you recently used.

Formula bar is the line where you can see, insert and change the formulas existing in the cells. When you select a cell with the formula, it will be shown in the Formula bar. When you select another cell with formula, a new formula will be presented.

On the very right side of the Excel grid you will find the Vertical Ruler, and on the bottom there is a Horizontal Ruler. You can use them to go through the rows and columns of the Excel grid.

Worksheet controls

In the lower area of the grid you can also find further controls:

  • Zoom In/Zoom out buttons
  • Sheet tabs
  • Insert worksheet button

 

Zoom In and Zoom out buttons are used to enlarge or make smaller the grid area of the worksheet.

 

Sheet tabs you use in order to access another sheet with a brand new blank Excel grid. In this way you don’t have to create a new Excel document, but instead you can use existing one for new tables you need to create.

 

Default number of sheets already created is three. If you run out of sheets you can easily create new sheet by using the Insert worksheet button, placed right after the last sheet you have already created.

Record macro button

For some who want to go a step further, there is also available Record macro button. Record macro button is used for the advanced features of Microsoft Excel related to automation.

Macros are programmed instructions which Excel users can create by inserting the code in the dedicated code editor. When created and run, the instructions trigger the automated execution of the processes inside the Excel document.

Now when you know how to navigate through Excel document, let’s explore further Excel basics topics about how to use this incredible tool. If you want to go faster, please be free to explore other blog categories.