How to Create a Custom Sort in MS Excel

1. Open the Excel worksheet.
2. Click and drag to select the range of cells you wish to custom sort.
3. Click the 'Home' tab on the command Ribbon.
4. Click the 'Sort Filter' button in the 'Editing' group. A list of options appears.
5. Click the 'Custom Sort' option. A dialog window opens. The categories include 'Column,' 'Sort On' and 'Order'
6. Select or deselect the check box for 'My data has headers.'
7. Click the arrow next to the 'Sort by' text box in the 'Column' category. Select the 'Column.'
8. Click the arrow in the text box under 'Sort On.' Select the preferred option, such as values or cell color.
9. Click the arrow in the text box under 'Order.' For example, 'Smallest to Largest' for values, or 'A to Z' for text.
10. Click the 'Options' button. A small dialog window opens. Select the orientation for sorting, such as 'Sort left to right' or 'Sort top to bottom.' Click 'OK.' This window closes.
11. Click 'OK.' The 'Sort' window closes. The range of cell contents display the new order.

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How to Calculate Fractions in Excel 2007

1. Open the Excel spreadsheet you want to use to calculate fractions.
2. Click an empty cell and enter a number in decimal format, for example, '1.875.' Press 'Enter.' The number should show up exactly as you entered it.
3. Click the cell again and then click the 'Home' tab on the menu ribbon. Click the down arrow in the text formatting window in the 'Number' group. The text formatting window might display 'General' initially or something else. Click 'Fraction' from the drop-down list. The number displays as a fraction now.
4. Add, subtract, multiply, divide or otherwise create any equation using fractions in the formula bar. For example, to add two fractions, enter '=1/2 1/4.' Excel will display '3/4' in the cell if the cell is formatted as a fraction.

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How to Lock Column Headers on Microsoft Excel

1. Open a worksheet in Microsoft Excel. Add row and column header text as desired.
2. Click on the column letter on the right side of the column you want locked. This highlights the entire column. Highlight a group of columns by clicking on the first column and dragging the mouse, with the left button depressed, across the desired columns to highlight.
3. Click on the 'View' tab if using Microsoft Excel 2007. Under the Window group item in the menu, click on the arrow for 'Freeze Panes.' Select the option to 'Freeze First Column' to lock only the one column highlighted. Select the option to 'Freeze Panes' if you want to freeze a group of panes at one time.
4. Click on the 'Window' menu if using Microsoft Excel 2003 and select 'Freeze Panes' to lock one or a group of columns.
5. Repeat the process listed in steps 1 through 4 to unlock the column by selecting 'Unfreeze Panes.'

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How to Make a Histogram From a List of Data in Excel

1. Open a new Microsoft Excel 2010 spreadsheet. Select cell 'A1' and type in 'Input Range.' Select cell 'B1' and type in 'Bin Range.'
2. Click on cell 'A2' and type in the first value in your data set. Enter the rest of the data set into the cells down the first column.
3. Select cell 'B2' and enter your bins down the second column. Each actual bin number will stand for the top value in that bin's range. So, if you enter bins of '20,' '40' and '60,' the ranges will be anything below 20, 21 to 40, and 41 to 60, respectively. Excel will automatically add an additional bin called 'More,' which will collect every value higher than your highest bin number. The More bin will appear even if your highest bin is equal to or greater than your highest value. In addition, you have the option of not entering any bins and allowing Excel to automatically determine your bins.
4. Click the 'File' tab at the top of the screen and click 'Options' from the menu that appears on the left side of the Excel window. Click on 'Add-Ins' on the left edge of the Options window, then click the 'Go' button. Click the check box next to 'Analysis ToolPak' and click 'OK.' This will load the add-on that is required to create a histogram. You will only need to load this add-on once, as Excel will now load it automatically.
5. Select the 'Data' tab and click the 'Data Analysis' button. Select 'Histogram' and click 'OK.' The Histogram window will appear.
6. Click the radio button next to 'Output Range' and then click on cell 'C1.' Click the check box next to 'Chart Output.' This process will begin the histogram table at cell 'C1' and create the actual histogram to the right of the table on the spreadsheet.
7. Place your cursor into the 'Input Range' field and press 'Backspace' to erase whatever was in the box. Click and hold the mouse button over cell 'A1' on your worksheet, then drag the mouse down until you reach the last value in your data set and release the mouse button. If you entered your own bins on the worksheet, repeat this process with your bins in the 'Bin Range' field.
8. Click the check box next to 'Labels' as your data has labels in the first row, then click 'OK.' Excel will display your histogram.

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How to Unlock an Excel Workbook

1. Open the Excel workbook you want to unlock.
2. Select 'Tools,' 'Protection' and 'Unlock Workbook' from the toolbar. If you added a password initially (when you locked the file), you will be prompted to type it in. Click on 'OK' in the 'Unprotect Workbook' box. The workbook will be unlocked.
3. Select 'Tools,' 'Protection' and 'Unprotect Shared Workbook' from the toolbar to unlock a shared workbook. Enter the password into the 'Unprotect Sharing' box if you inserted one initially. Then click on 'OK.' Click on 'Yes' to remove the workbook's shared settings if you are prompted to.
4. Select 'File' and 'Save As' from the toolbar to remove the password from a password-protected workbook file. Click on 'Tools' and 'General Options' in the 'Save As' dialog box. Remove the password from the 'Password to open' field (to allow users to open it) and/or 'Password to modify' field (to allow users to modify it) and click 'OK.' Click on 'Save' to save the workbook without a password.

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Excel 2003 Menu Bar Tutorial

1. Click 'File' to view options that are related to file operations. You can create new files, open files, save files, print files and change file properties from this menu.
2. Click 'Edit' to view common options for performing Excel edits. This menu contains options that allow you to copy and paste data, find and replace text strings and delete cells or cell contents.
3. Click 'View' to change the Excel 2003 display. You can use this menu to change the Excel toolbars, document headers and footers and change the screen view.
4. Click 'Insert' to add something new to your document. You can use this menu to add blank cells, columns or rows. You can also add formula functions and graphics to a cell via this menu.
5. Click 'Format' to change the appearance of elements in your document. You can change the format of individual cells, rows, columns and entire worksheets using the functions under this menu heading.
6. Click 'Tools' to access a menu of tools that you can use to augment the contents of your workbook. The Tools menu includes entries for spell-checking, sharing your document and protecting cells with a password. The menu also contains entries for changing Excel options and editing the Excel AutoCorrect feature.
7. Click 'Data' to perform categorical edits on your worksheet's data. You can sort data, create forms and filters, insert pivot tables and import external data to your spreadsheet.
8. Click 'Window' to change the active window, freeze panes in your spreadsheet or split your view of the spreadsheet into multiple parts.
9. Click 'Help' to view Excel 2003 help documentation.
10. Click the 'Double Arrow' icon at the bottom of any menu to view all menu items. When you first click on the menu, the menu only displays items that you have used recently.

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How to Compare Two Lists in Excel 2007

1. Open a new workbook (click the 'Office' button, 'New' and 'Blank Workbook') as well as the two lists you intend to compare. In the new spreadsheet, make headers across the top: 'Original List,' 'Comparison List' and 'Missing?'
2. Copy and paste the original list into the new spreadsheet. Move over a column and paste the comparison list into the spreadsheet.
3. Move your cursor to cell C2, the first empty cell in the 'Missing?' column. Type the function into this cell. Type in '=isna(match(' then either click the first cell in the 'Comparison' list or type B2 (if that's the cell number). Type a comma, then either click and drag to select the whole 'Original List' or type the range in--this might be something like 'A2:A18.' Type in another comma, then the word 'FALSE.' Finally, type two closed parentheses. The whole function should look like =isna(match(B2,A2:A18,false)).
4. Press 'Enter.' The function should return a 'TRUE' if the item in cell B2 does not appear in the list under column A, and 'FALSE' if it does.
5. Click to select the cell with the function in it. Change the cell range of the 'Original List' so there are two dollar signs in it. It should now read A$2:A:$18. These dollar signs will prevent Excel from changing that range in the next step.
6. Press 'Enter' again, then click and select the function again. Click the small black fill handle on the bottom-right corner of the cell and drag that cell down to the last row in the 'Comparison List.''
7. Look at the list you just created. If the lists are similar, most of the items under 'Missing?' should say FALSE.' Any items marked 'TRUE' don't appear in the 'Original' list.

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How to Copy Paste Filtered Data

1. Drag your mouse over the filtered data so it is highlighted. This identifies to the program which data you wish to copy.
2. Press the 'F5' button on your computer keyboard, if you are using Excel 2007 or later. A pop-up window will appear. Alternately, you can click the 'Go To' button in the 'Find Select' section of the Excel toolbar. This step is not necessary for versions of Excel prior to 2007.
3. Click the 'Special' button on the pop-up window.
4. Click the 'Visible cells only' option, and press 'OK'. This instructs Excel to only select the data included in the filtered results. Hidden data from the original unfiltered data set is ignored. You are now ready to copy.
5. Press the Control-C keyboard combination to copy the data. Alternately, select the 'Copy' button on the Excel toolbar.
6. Click on the spreadsheet, file, or other document where you wish to paste the filtered data.
7. Press the Control-V keyboard combination to paste. The filtered data is pasted into the new file.

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How to Copy a Microsoft Excel Sheet

Excel 2007
1. Click on the tab of the worksheet you want to copy.
2. Right-click with your mouse on the tab, then choose 'Move or Copy.'
3. Select where you want the worksheet to go. Use the drop-down menu to select a workbook.
4. Click on the check box next to 'Create a Copy.'
5. Click on 'OK.'
Excel 2003
6. Open the worksheet you want to copy.
7. Click on 'Edit,' then click on 'Move or Copy worksheet.'
8. Click on 'Create a Copy' in the dialog option box.

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How to Format Number Currency in Excel 2003

1. Click 'Start' in Windows, select 'Microsoft Office' and then click 'Microsoft Office cell 2003.'
2. Click the cell that contains the number you want to display in the currency format.
3. Click 'Cells' on the 'Format menu.'
4. Click 'Currency' in the 'Category' box on the 'Number' tab.
5. Click the currency symbol you choose in the 'Symbol' list.
6. Enter the number of decimal places that you want to display in the 'Decimal Places.'
7. Select the display style for negative numbers in the 'Negative Numbers'.
8. Click 'File' and then click 'Save' to apply the change to your Excel spreadsheet.

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How to Draw a Histogram in Excel 2007

1. Type the word 'Bins' into cell A1.
2. Type the word 'Frequencies' into cell B1.
3. Enter the minimum values for each histogram bucket in column A, under the word 'Bins.' For example, in cell A2 begin with '0.2,' and continue down the column with increasingly large numbers.
4. Enter the number of data items that belong in each given bin in column B, under the word 'Frequencies.' For example, if the first two bins are 0.2 and 0.3, and there are 12 data items that fall between the values 0.2 and 0.3, then type '12' to the right of 0.2 in column B.
5. Select all the data (including the header title) in column B. To select it, left-click on the title, and drag the mouse to the bottom of the list.
6. Click the 'Insert' ribbon.
7. Click the 'Column' button in the Charts section of the Insert ribbon.
8. Click the first icon on the top left of the Column drop-down. It looks like a flat bar graph.

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How to Design a Crossword Puzzle With Excel 2003

Designing the Crossword Puzzle
1. Open a new document in Microsoft Excel 2003.
2. Select the area of your spreadsheet where the crossword puzzle will go. (Make sure to keep this same area highlighted throughout all of the steps in this first section.) Then right-click over the selected area and choose 'Format Cells' from the pop-up list.
3. Select the 'Alignment' tab. Then choose 'Right Indent' for the horizontal text alignment and 'Top' for the vertical text alignment.
4. Select the 'Font' tab. Then pick 'Arial' for the font, '10' for the font size and 'Superscript' for the effects and click 'OK.'
5. Select 'Format,' 'Row' and 'Height' from the toolbar. Type '20' into the 'Row Height' dialog box and click 'OK.'
6. Select 'Format,' 'Column' and 'Width' from the toolbar. Type '4' into the 'Column Width' dialog box and click 'OK.' The selected cells should now be square.
7. Select the 'Border' button from the 'Formatting' toolbar. Choose 'All Borders' to create a border around each selected cell.
Adding Content
8. Place your cursor in the cell where you want to add a number. Type in the number you want. Then press 'Enter' or use your arrow keys to move to the another cell in the crossword.
9. Insert additional numbers into the desired cells until they are all in.
10. Select any cells within the crossword puzzle that you want to shade (areas where letters/words will not be entered when printed). To select multiple cells at the same time, hold down the 'ctrl' key on your keyboard as you select each cell.
11. Click on the arrow beside the 'Fill (Color)' button in the 'Formatting' toolbar and choose black. The selected areas will be shaded.
Inserting the Clues
12. Place your cursor outside the crossword puzzle (below it) to insert the clues for the crossword puzzle. Type in 'ACROSS' and bold the text by using the 'Bold' button in the 'Formatting' toolbar. Then press 'Enter.'
13. Type in the number '1' and your first clue for the 'ACROSS' category and press 'Enter.' Continue typing in all of the other clues until you are finished.
14. Next to the Across clues, enter the Down clues in a different column. Type in the word 'DOWN' and bold it. Then press 'Enter.'
15. Type in each number and clue for the 'DOWN' category, pressing 'Enter' after each one. Continue typing in other numbers and clues until they are complete.
16. Save your work by selecting 'File' and 'Save' from the toolbar. Name your crossword puzzle file and click 'Save.'

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How to Use a Reference in a Different Worksheet in Excel

1. Open the Excel workbook with multiple worksheets that you want to use.
2. Click the tab at the bottom of the Excel window to select the worksheet in which you want to enter a formula.
3. Click an empty cell to insert a formula. Type an equal sign, an Excel function and an open parenthesis to begin building your formula. For example, if you want to add numbers from different worksheets, enter:=SUM(
4. Enter a cell number or another function from the current worksheet you want to work with. For example, if you are adding a number from cell A2 in the first worksheet to a number in cell A2 in the second worksheet, click or type cell 'A2.' Follow that with an operator. For example:=SUM(A2
5. Click a different worksheet tab at the bottom of the Excel application window. Click the cell you want to add to the formula next or type the cell address. Excel will insert the name of the worksheet you are referencing along with the cell number. For example:=SUM(A2 Sheet2!A2
6. Type a closing parenthesis when you are finished building the formula and press 'Enter.' Excel will return you to the original worksheet. Your complete formula might look like this:=SUM(A2 Sheet2!A2)

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How to Work With Pivot Tables in Excel 2003

1. Open the Excel 2003 file that contains the data you want to work with.
2. Ensure that each column of data has a header at the top. If you do not have a header row, you can right-click the number on the left side of your data's top row and choose 'Insert' from the pop-up menu. Type headers for each column into the new row. You also need to remove any subtotal cells from the middle of the data field, as the PivotTable can't handle these types of cells.
3. Click the 'Data' menu at the top of the screen and choose 'PivotTable and PivotChart Report.' This launches the PivotTable wizard. Select the 'Next' button on the first screen of wizard.
4. Click the small box next to the 'Range' field and the wizard will minimize. Select the data that you want to include in the PivotTable. Click the top-left cell of your desired data range, then hold down 'Shift' and click the bottom-right cell. Don't include any subtotal cells on the bottom or the right side of the data area. Click the small box again to bring the wizard back up, and choose 'Next.'
5. Choose between placing the PivotTable on a new worksheet, or an existing worksheet. If you choose to use an existing worksheet, you will have to select the cell where you want the PivotTable to start. The table will expand down and to the right of your selected cell. Click 'Finish' to complete the wizard and create your PivotTable. You will see an empty PivotTable along with a field list that contains the names of all your column headers.
6. Click an item in the field list, then drag and drop it to one of the four areas of the PivotTable. The first area sits just above the actual PivotTable and acts as a global filter for the data in the table. Then, there are the two areas that make up the rows and columns of the PivotTable. Finally, there is a large area in the middle of the PivotTable that comprises the main data for the table. Each area can have multiple fields, as they will just stack onto one another automatically.
7. Rearrange the PivotTable by clicking the name of the field in the PivotTable and dragging that name to a different area. You can also drag and drop the field name off the PivotTable to remove it.
8. Click the arrows next to any of the field names on the PivotTable to filter the report. Remove check marks from any item you want to remove from the table, or add check marks to bring any item back onto the table. By using this feature on the page field area above the PivotTable, you can filter the entire table based on the elements in this list.
9. Double-click any data or subtotal cell in the PivotTable to see a list of all the source data that Excel used to create that number. The list will appear on a new worksheet that Excel adds to the workbook.

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How to Export the Outlook Calendar to Excel

1. Open Microsoft Outlook and allow the main screen to fully load. Click on the 'File' menu at the top of the page and select 'Import and Export' from the subsequent menu. Select 'Export to a file' from the next page and click the 'Next' tab at the bottom of the window.
2. Select 'Microsoft Excel' from the list of programs and click the 'Next' button. Select the 'Calendar' folder from the list of options on the next page and click the 'Next' button at the bottom of the screen.
3. Select a name for the calendar file and type it into the text box. This will be the name of the file used for the calendar in Excel. Click the 'Finish' tab at the bottom of the screen to share the calendar with Excel.

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