How to Use Excel Effectively

Learning Excel
1. Open the program, and from the Help menu (the blue '?' button), access office.microsoft.com. You'll be asked to identify or let Microsoft identify the installed versions of Office products on your system. A browser will open.
2. Select the 'Tutorial' option on the help screen, which now displays in the Internet browser.
3. Select the first tutorial offered, explaining the differences between Excel 2000, 2003 and Excel 2007 and 2010. Follow onscreen instructions and lessons. Learning the improvements to the newer versions is key to efficiently using Excel.
Options
4. Select 'Options' from the Office Button in Excel 2007 and the File tab in Excel 2010 at the bottom of the window and make changes to the default options to make the basic program operation as personally efficient as possible for its regular use. In both versions, the Quick Access Toolbar can be customized to place buttons for commonly used commands. In Excel 2010, the Ribbon can also be customized.
5. Select 'Backup file when saving' In the 'Save' tab. This is unchecked by default. Back-up files are critically important, especially if converting from Excel 2000 or 2003 to the new versions. When the active workbook is saved, the older copy will be renamed with an 'wbk' file extension, allowing the file to be used again if the 'xlsx' file becomes corrupted or damaged.
6. Customize the Quick Access Bar and the Ribbon with commands used frequently. The Quick Access Bar, if placed below the ribbon (default is above ribbon) and customizing options resembles the tool bars that would have been used in earlier versions of Excel.