1. Starting Excel
1.1 Locate the Excel Application
Before you can start working in Excel, you need to open the application. Here's how you can do it:
1.1.1 Windows
- Click on the Start menu (the Windows icon) located in the bottom-left corner of your screen.
- In the search bar, type "Excel".
- When the Excel app appears in the search results, click on it to open.
1.1.2 Mac
- Click on the Finder icon (usually found on the bottom dock).
- Go to the Applications folder.
- Scroll down to find Microsoft Excel and double-click it to open.
1.2 Opening Excel
After locating the Excel application, click on it to start. Depending on your version of Excel, you might see a start screen with various options.
- If you see the start screen, select "Blank Workbook" to start with an empty workbook.
- If you don't see a start screen, a new blank workbook will automatically open.
Example: Suppose you want to create a budget spreadsheet. After opening Excel, you would start with a blank workbook and then enter your budget data.
2. Creating a New Workbook
A workbook in Excel is like a digital notebook. Each workbook contains sheets where you can store data. Here's how to create a new workbook:
2.1 After Opening Excel
- If you're on the Excel start screen, you'll see several options including templates and recently opened files.
- Click on "Blank Workbook" to create a new, empty workbook.
2.2 From Within Excel
- If you're already working in Excel and want to create a new workbook:
- Click on the File tab in the top-left corner of the window.
- Select New from the menu.
- Click on "Blank Workbook" to create a new workbook.
Example: You’re working on a sales report and need to start a new workbook for next month's data. Simply go to the File tab and create a new blank workbook.
3. Opening an Existing Workbook
If you already have an Excel file saved on your computer, you can open it to continue working on it. Follow these steps:
3.1 Using the Start Screen
- When you first open Excel, you may see a start screen.
- On the left side, you'll see a list of Recent Workbooks. If the file you need is listed, click on it to open.
- If your file isn't listed, click on "Open Other Workbooks" at the bottom.
3.2 From Within Excel
- If you're already working in Excel and want to open another workbook:
- Click on the File tab in the top-left corner.
- Select Open.
- Choose where your file is saved, such as This PC, OneDrive, or another location.
3.3 Navigating to the File
- If you need to browse for the file:
- Click on Browse (for Windows) or On My Mac (for Mac) to navigate to the folder where your file is stored.
- Once you find your file, click on it and then click "Open".
Example: You’ve been working on a project tracker and saved it on your desktop. To continue, you would open Excel, go to the File tab, select Open, and browse to your desktop to find the file.
4. Conclusion
These basic steps will help you start working with Excel, whether you’re creating a new workbook or opening an existing one. Take some time to practice these steps until you feel confident. Once you’re comfortable, you can start exploring more advanced features of Excel.
