Computer Excel Vocabularies

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Workbook

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An Excel file with one or more worksheets.

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Worksheet

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The work area for entering and calculating data made up of columns and rows separated by gridlines (light gray lines). Also called a spreadsheet.

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Cell

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A cell is the intersection of a column and a row on a worksheet. You enter data into cells to create a worksheet.

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Active Cell

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The active cell contains the cell pointer. There is a dark outline around the active cell.

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Task pane

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A vertical window that provides quick access to common command such as opening and creating workbooks, searching for workbooks, getting help, and so on.

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Formula bar

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As you enter data into a cell, it simultaneously appears in the Formula bar, which is located above the worksheet frame.

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Cell reference

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The location of a cell in a worksheet as identified by its column letter and row number. This is also known as the cell’s address.

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Scroll

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A way to view locations on the worksheet without changing the active cell.

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Sheet tabs

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Tabs that appear at the bottom of the workbook window, which display the name of each worksheet.

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Tab scrolling buttons

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Buttons that appear just to the left of the sheet tabs, which allow you to scroll hidden tabs into view.

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Blank workbook

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The excel default workbook contains three worksheets or sheets.

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Template

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A workbook with certain labels, formulas, and formatting preset, saving you time in creating commonly used worksheets, such as sales invoices or balance sheets.

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Label

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Text in the first row or column of a worksheet that identifies the type of data contained there.

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Default

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The standard settings Excel uses in its software, such as column width or number of worksheets in a workbook.

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AutoComplete

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A feature used to complete an entry based on previous entries made in the column containing the active cell.

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Pick from list

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A shortcut used to insert repeated information.

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AutoCorrect

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A feature used to automate the correction of common typing errors.

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Spelling Checker

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A tool used to assist you in finding and correcting typographical or spelling errors.

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Value

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A number entered in the worksheet.

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Numeric label

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A number entered in the worksheet as a label, not as a value---such as year 2005 used as a column label.

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Label prefix

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An apostrophe (‘) used to indicate that a number is really a label an dnot a value.

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Series

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A list of sequential numbers, dates, times, or text.

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Standard

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column width The default number of characters that display in a column based on the default font.

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Formula

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An instruction Excel uses to calculate a number

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Mathematical operators

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Symbols used in mathematical operations: + for addition, -for subtraction, * for multiplication, / for division, and ^ for exponentiation.

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Order of mathematical operations

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The order in which Excel performs the calculations specified in a formula.

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Number format

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A format that controls how numerical data is displayed, including the use of commas, dollar signs (or other symbols), and the number of decimal places.

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Percent format

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A style that displays decimal numbers as a percentage.

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Comma Format

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A style that displays numbers with a thousands separator (,).

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Active sheet tab

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The selected worksheet; the tab name of an active sheet is bold.

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Function

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A predefined formula that uses the values in the cells you select to calculate its answer.

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Function name

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The name given to one of Excel’s predefined formulas.

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Argument

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The parts of a formula that are variable. You select the cells or cells for each argument, and Excel calculates the answer based on their values.

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Nest

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to use a function as an argument within another function

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AutoCalculate

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A feature that temporarily performs the following calculations on a range of cells w/o making you write a formula: Average, Count, Count nums, Max,, Min or Sum

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Natural Language formula

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A formula that refers to column or row heading labels instead of a cell reference or range

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Comment

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A text note attached to a worksheet cell.

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Function

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A preprogrammed Excel formula for a complex calculation.

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Condition

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A statement in an IF function that if true yields one result and if false yields another result.

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Nesting

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using a function as an argument within another function

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Argument

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A variable used in a function. An argument can be a #, text, formula, or a cell reference. A comma separates each argument in a function.

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Criteria

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Similar to a condition. In the case of a SUMIF or COUNIF function, the criteria tells Excel which cells to count or sum. You list the criteria, such as >2000, and Excel counts or sums only the cells w/ values greater than 2000.