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[h=2]Modifying Columns, Rows, and Cells
[h=4]To Merge Cells Using the Merge & Center Command:
Select the cells you want to merge together.
Select the
Merge & Center command on the
Home tab.
The selected cells will be merged and the text will be centered.
If you change your mind, re-click the
Merge & Center command to unmerge the cells.
[h=2]Modifying Columns, Rows, and Cells
[h=4]To Access More Merge Options:
Click the drop-down arrow next to the
Merge & Center command on the Home tab. The
merge drop-down menu appears.
- Merge & Center: Merges selected cells into one cell and centers the text.
- Merge Across: Merges each row of selected cells into larger cells. This command is
- useful if you are merging content across multiple rows of cells and do not want to create one large cell.
- Merge Cells: Merges selected cells into one cell.
- Unmerge Cells: Unmerges the selected cells.
[h=2]Modifying Columns, Rows, and Cells
[h=3]Challenge!
- Open an existing Excel 2010 workbook. If you want, you can use this example.
- Modify the size of a column. If you are using the example, make the column that contains the board members' names bigger.
- Modify the size of a row to be 46 pixels. If you are using the example, modify all the rows that contain text (rows 1-11).
- Insert a column between column A and column B.
- Insert a row between row 3 and row 4.
- Delete a column or a row.
- Try merging some cells together. If you are using the example, merge the cells in the top or title row (row 1).
- Try using the Text Wrap command on some cells. If you are using the example, wrap the text in the column that contains addresses.
[h=2]Formatting Cells
[h=3]Introduction
Spreadsheets that have not been formatted can be difficult to read. Formatted text and cells can draw attention to specific parts of the
spreadsheet and make the spreadsheet more visually appealing and easier to understand.
In Excel, there are many tools you can use to format text and cells. In this lesson, you will learn how
to change the
color and style of text and cells;
align text; and apply special formatting to
numbers and dates.
[h=2]Formatting Cells
[h=3]Formatting Text
Many of the commands you will use to format text can be found in the Font, Alignment, and Number
groups on the ribbon. Font commands let you change the style, size, and color of text. You can also
use them to add borders and fill colors to cells. Alignment commands let you format how text is displayed
across cells both horizontally and vertically. Number commands let you change how selected cells display numbers and dates.
[h=2]Formatting Cells
[h=4]To Change the Font:
Select the cells you want to modify.
Click the
drop-down arrow next to the
font command on the Home tab. The font drop-down menu appears.
Move your mouse over the various fonts. A live preview of the font will appear in the worksheet.
Select the font you want to use.
[h=2]Formatting Cells
[h=4]To Change the Font Size:
Select the cells you want to modify.
Click the
drop-down arrow next to the
font size command on the Home tab. The font size drop-down menu appears.
Move your mouse over the various font sizes. A live preview of the font size will appear in the worksheet.
Select the font size you want to use.
You can also use the
Grow Font and
Shrink Font commands to change the size.
[h=2]Formatting Cells
[h=4]To Use the Bold, Italic, and Underline Commands:
Select the cells you want to modify.
Click the Bold (
B), Italic (
I), or Underline (
U) command on the Home tab.
[h=2]Formatting Cells
[h=4]To Add a Border:
Select the cells you want to modify.
Click the
drop-down arrow next to the
Borders command on the Home tab. The border drop-down menu appears.
Select the border style you want to use.
You can draw borders and change the
line style and
color of borders with the
Draw Borders tools at the bottom of the Borders drop-down menu.
[h=2]Formatting Cells
[h=4]To Change the Font Color:
Select the cells you want to modify.
Click the
drop-down arrow next to the
font color command on the Home tab. The
color menu appears.
Move your mouse over the various font colors. A live preview of the color will appear in the worksheet.
Select the font color you want to use
Your color choices are not limited to the drop-down menu that appears. Select
More Colors
at the bottom of the menu to access additional color options.
[h=2]Formatting Cells
[h=4]To Add a Fill Color:
Select the cells you want to modify.
Click the
drop-down arrow next to the
fill color command on the Home tab. The
color menu appears.
Move your cursor over the various fill colors. A live preview of the color will appear in the worksheet.
Select the fill color you want to use.
[h=2]Formatting Cells
[h=4]To Change Horizontal Text Alignment:
Select the cells you want to modify.
Select one of the three horizontal
Alignment commands on the Home tab.
- Align Text Left: Aligns text to the left of the cell.
- Center: Aligns text to the center of the cell.
- Align Text Right: Aligns text to the right of the cell.
[h=2]Formatting Cells
[h=4]To Change Vertical Text Alignment:
Select the cells you want to modify.
Select one of the three vertical
Alignment commands on the Home tab.
- Top Align: Aligns text to the top of the cell.
- Middle Align: Aligns text to the middle of the cell.
- Bottom Align: Aligns text to the bottom of the cell.
By default, numbers align to the bottom-right of cells and words or letters align to the bottom-left of cells.
[h=2]Formatting Cells
[h=3]Formatting Numbers and Dates
One of the most useful features of Excel is its ability to format numbers and dates in a variety of ways. For
example, you might need to format numbers with decimal places, currency symbols ($), percent symbols (%), etc.
[h=2]Formatting Cells
[h=4]To Format Numbers and Dates:
Select the cells you want to modify.
Click the
drop-down arrow next to the
Number Format command on the Home tab
Select the number format you want.
[h=2]Formatting Cells
[h=3]General
General is the default format for any cell. When you enter a number into the cell, Excel will guess the number format that is most appropriate.
For example, if you enter "1-5", the cell will display the number as a Short Date, "1/5/2010".
[h=2]Formatting Cells
[h=3]Number
Number formats numbers with decimal places.
For example, if you enter "4" into the cell, the cell will display the number as "4.00".
[h=2]Formatting Cells
[h=3]Currency
Currency formats numbers as currency with a currency symbol.
For example, if you enter "4" into the cell, the cell will display the number as "$4.00".
[h=2]Formatting Cells
[h=3]Accounting
Accounting formats numbers as monetary values like the Currency format, but it also aligns currency symbols
and decimal places within columns. This format will make it easier for you to read long lists of currency figures.
[h=2]Formatting Cells
[h=3]Short Date
Short Date formats numbers as M/D/YYYY.
For example, August 8th, 2010 would be "8/8/2010".
