Workbooks Fundamentals

Introduction

1. Start Microsoft Excel
2. To close the current document, click the system close below the first one
    
   

When you start Microsoft Excel, it directly creates a workbook for you. You can use that workbook as you see fit. At any time, you can create a new workbook. To support the ability to create workbooks, Microsoft Excel provides many templates. The default workbook with blank cells is just one of the templates. Instead of using the default workbook, Microsoft Excel provides many designed and ready-to-use workbooks with complete functionality. To create a workbook based on the samples provided by Microsoft Excel, click the Office Button and click New. This would display the New Workbook dialog box. In the left frame, under Templates, you can click a category. In the middle frame, click one of the button to see a preview in the right frame:

If you see a template you like, click it and click Create. If none of the templates suits you and if you are connected to the Internet, in the left frame, under Microsoft Office Online, click a category and select a template in the middle frame. Then click Download. You can also check for new files on the Microsoft Office web site.

1. To create a workbook based on a template, click the Office Button
2. In the left frame of the New Workbook dialog box, click Installed Templates
3. In the middle frame, click Blood Pressure Tracker
4. Click Create
5. To add another workbook based on a template, click the Office Button
6. In the left frame of the New Workbook dialog box, click Installed Templates
7. In the middle frame, click Time Card and click Create
8. To add one more workbook from on a template, click the Office Button
9. In the left frame of the New Workbook dialog box, click Installed Templates
10. In the middle frame, click Expense Report and click Create

A workbook is primarily a document like any other in Microsoft Windows. This means that you can create a new workbook or you can open an existing workbook as we saw in the first lesson. Because Microsoft Excel is a multiple document interface (MDI) application, you can create or open many workbooks at the same time and be limited only by the memory on your computer. In fact, Microsoft Excel allows you to work on various workbooks at the same time as if they were one. For example, you can transfer the contents of columns or cells from one workbook to another on the same screen.

As mentioned already, Microsoft Excel is a multiple document interface (MDI). This means that the application allows you to create or open many documents, be able to switch from one to another, or be able to display all of them sharing the same screen.

If you create or open many workbooks and while you are working on them, each is represented on the taskbar by a button. You can click the button of the desired workbook on the taskbar to access it. As an alternative, on the Ribbon, you can click View. In the Window section, click Switch Windows and click the desired document. The workbook you are currently using would have a check mark on it:

To display many workbooks in the work area of Microsoft Excel, after creating or opening them, on the Ribbon, click View. In the Window section, click Arrange All. This would display the Arrange Window dialog box. From there you can select one of the radio buttons:

• Tiled: The workbooks would display side by side:

• Horizontal: Each workbook would display horizontally

• Vertically: The workbooks would display side by side:

• Cascade: The workbooks would be presented one on top of the other:

To access a workbook:

• You can click its title bar
• On the Ribbon, click View. In the Window section, click Switch Windows, and select its name from the list

1. To access one of the workbooks, on the taskbar, click BloodPressureTracker1
2. To access another workbook, on the Ribbon, click View. In the Window section, click Switch Windows, and click TimeCard1 from the list

If you create or open many workbooks and while you are working on them, each is represented on the taskbar by a button. You can click the button of the desired workbook on the taskbar to access it. As an alternative, on the Ribbon, you can click View. In the Window section, click Switch Windows and click the desired document. The workbook you are currently using would have a check mark on it:

One of the most valuable features of Microsoft Excel views is that you can juxtapose two or more workbooks to share the same screen. After creating or opening at least two workbooks, to let them share the screen allocated to Microsoft Excel, on the Ribbon, click View. In the Window section, click View Side by Side. This would open the Compare Side by Side dialog box. From there, click the workbook that will share the screen with the current workbook:

After making the selection, click OK. Each workbook would be displayed each horizontally while they are sharing the work area of Microsoft Excel. Each workbook would have a title bar on its top, the vertical and scroll bars:

To access a workbook:

• You can click its title bar
• On the Ribbon, click View. In the Window section, click Switch Windows, and select its name from the list

To close a workbook, you can click its system Close button.

1. On the Ribbon, click View if necessary.
   To view the workbooks side by side, in the Window section, click View Side by Side
2. In the Compare Side by Side dialog box, click the ExpenseReport1 and click OK
3. Close each workbook without closing Microsoft Excel
4. When asked whether you want to save, click No