Excel Data Input

There are several different ways that you can input data into an Excel spreadsheet. Spending just a few minutes learning the different methods of data input, could save hours in the future, as you become much more efficient in your day-to-day work.

The most basic way to input data into Excel is to simply select a cell and type directly into it. However, if you want to go back and alter the contents of that cell (without deleting the existing cell contents), you need to put the cell into edit mode. To do this, you can either:

• Double click on the cell, or
• Select the cell you want to edit and then either:
  • Click in the formula bar, or
  • Press F2.

When a cell is in edit mode, a cursor appears (either in the cell or in the formula bar), and when you type or paste data into the cell, it appears alongside the existing cell contents. Also, when a cell is in edit mode, you can move your cursor through the cell contents, using either the mouse, or the left, right, up and down arrow keys on your keyboard.

Entering a Single Value Into a Range of Cells

Highlight cells and type required text or value

<CTRL>-Enter populates all cells

If you want to enter the same value into several cells, you can quickly do this by:

• Highlighting all the cells you want to populate;
• Typing the value or text (this should be displayed in the active cell only at this time);
• Pressing <CTRL>-Enter (i.e. press the Ctrl key, and while holding this down, press Enter).

This copies the text you have typed into all of the cells in the selected range.

Inputting a Series of Values

Note that you could also use the Excel Autofill to enter a constant value into several cells. However, the Excel Autofill can do much more than this, allowing you to automatically enter a series of values into your worksheet. See the Excel Autofill page for details.

Importing Data Into Excel

If you have data in a different file format, you can import this into Excel. For example, to import data from a text file:

• In Current Versions of Excel (2007 and later): Select the Data tab and from within this menu, select the From Text option

or

• In Excel 2003: Select the Data tab, and from within this menu, select Import External Data and then ImportData...

Use the browser to locate the text file with your data in it. Excel then takes you through a series of steps in which you can specifiy how the data in the text file is to be split into separate columns, how the data is formatted in the columns, and whereabouts in your spreadsheet you want to paste the imported data.

Posted by : Tài liệu hay 3:54 AM Tags : Excel Basic , Excel Tips

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