Spreadsheet Tips: Protection, Formatting, and Printing

Tasks 10–20

10. Protect and password-protect sheets in a workbook: Tools > Protection > Protect Sheet > enter a password to unprotect.
11. Set a background image on a sheet: Format > Sheet > Background > Browse > select image file.
12. Fill a series (numeric or chronological): numerical and chronological (date, month, etc.): write the first two values, select them, click the bottom-right corner (AutoFill handle) of the selected range and drag.
13. Apply color to cells or ranges: Format > Cells > Fill (Shading) or Format > Font > Color, respectively.
14. Draw cell borders: Format > Cells > Border (choose line style, color, and which edges to apply).
15. Hide gridlines on a sheet: Tools > Options > View > uncheck Gridlines.
16. Change page orientation: File > Page Setup > choose Landscape or Portrait orientation.
17. Print a selection of data: select the data with the mouse, then choose Print.
18. Insert and edit charts or graphics: select the data > Insert > Chart/Graphic > follow the wizard; then customize background color, move, etc.
19. Sort data: select the range > Data > Sort > enter the criteria (ascending or descending).
20. Apply conditional formatting to a range: select the data range > Format > Conditional Formatting > set the condition. You can add up to three conditions for the same range.

Tasks 1–9

1. Cell names and named ranges: a cell name is the column letter followed by the row number (for example, A1). Named ranges are specified as firstCell:lastCell (for example, A1:B10).
2. Change a cell's format: Format > Cells > Number > select the category (General, Number, Text, Date, Percentage, Currency, etc.).
3. Align text in cells: Format > Cells > Alignment > choose Horizontal or Vertical alignment and Top, Middle/Center, or Bottom.
4. Wrap text inside a cell: Format > Cells > Alignment > check Wrap text to display multiple lines inside the cell.
5. Move and copy ranges: Move ranges by clicking the edge and dragging; copy ranges by holding Ctrl and dragging the edge.
6. Insert rows and columns: right-click on the first cell of the row or column and choose Insert > Row or Insert > Column. A new column is inserted to the left of the current column; a new row is inserted above the current row.
7. Select ranges and whole rows/columns: select a range by clicking and dragging or by typing the range name in the Name Box. Select entire rows or columns by clicking the row number or column letter.
8. Name and color worksheet tabs: right-click the sheet tab > choose Rename to change the name or Tab Color to change the tab color.
9. Create new sheets in a workbook: right-click a sheet tab > Insert (or New) to create a new sheet to the left of the selected tab.