XL7: Description of What's New in Microsoft Excel

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0

SUMMARY

The following information describes the new features in Microsoft Excel version 7.0. Note that this information is available on the Contents tab of the Microsoft Excel Help file when you open the What's New book.

MORE INFORMATION

The following is a list of the new items in Microsoft Excel version 7.0, followed by a description of each new feature:

   Answer Wizard
   AutoCalculate
   AutoComplete
   AutoCorrect
   AutoFilter With Top 10
   Background for Worksheet (Note, this is not in the What's New list in
      Microsoft Excel help)
   Better Drag And Drop Editing
   CellTips And ScrollTips
   Data Map
   Easier Document Retrieval And Management
   Easier Number Formatting
   Shared Lists
   Templates And The Template Wizard

ANSWER WIZARD

To get help while you're working in Microsoft Excel, you can click Answer Wizard on the Help menu. The new Answer Wizard uses IntelliSense technology to determine the type of help you need. When you type a request in your own words on the Answer Wizard tab, the wizard will supply answers that will help you get your work done. You can also find assistance on the Contents tab or the Index tab. To look for specific words or phrases, you can click the Find tab.

AUTOCALCULATE

You no longer need to use a calculator or enter temporary formulas on a worksheet when you want to quickly check a total. Now you can just select the range you want to sum, and the answer will appear in the status bar at the bottom of the screen. You can also average the selected numbers or count the entries by clicking the AutoCalculate area in the status bar with the right mouse button.

AUTOCOMPLETE

When you type the first few letters of an entry in a cell, Microsoft Excel can complete the entry for you, based on the entries you've already made in that column.

To see a custom list of possible cell entries on your worksheet, you can click a cell using the right mouse button, and then click Pick From List.

IntelliSense technology automatically creates the list from the words you've already typed in the column.

AUTOCORRECT

Like Word, Microsoft Excel can now automatically correct common mistakes as you type. When you press ENTER, the correct text will be entered in the cell. You can add entries to the AutoCorrect list by clicking AutoCorrect on the Tools menu. You can also use AutoCorrect as a form of "shorthand." For example, you can replace "Q1" with "1st Quarter" as you type.

AUTOFILTER WITH TOP 10

Using AutoFilter is a quick way to view a subset of your list, displaying only those rows that contain selected values. You can now quickly find the top or bottom values in a list without sorting. By customizing the Top Ten options, you can find the values or percentages you want.

BACKGROUND FOR WORKSHEET

You can add a background graphic to worksheets. But, this background will not be visible in Print Preview nor will it print out when you print your workbook.

To insert a graphic as a background image for your worksheet, point to Sheet on the Format menu and then click Background. Locate the graphic file you want to use as the background image and then click OK.

BETTER DRAG AND DROP EDITING

You can easily move or copy selected ranges between worksheets and workbooks. You can drag a range to another workbook by selecting the range and then dragging it to a visible workbook window.

You can also drag a range to another worksheet in the same workbook by holding down ALT while you drag the range to the tab for the other workbook.

CELLTIPS AND SCROLLTIPS

When you click and drag the scroll box to see other parts of a worksheet, a scroll tip shows the row or column you will move to. You can add explanatory information to individual worksheet cells. CellTips automatically display the notes you've added to cells. You an add a note to a cell by clicking Note on the Insert menu. You can view a CellTip by pointing to a cell with a red dot in its upper-right corner.

DATA MAP

With a map, you can analyze sales or market research by geographic region. You can do this by first arranging the information in columns on a worksheet. One column must contain geographic data, such as names of countries or states. You can create a map on your worksheet by selecting the cell range, and then clicking the Data Map button.

You can use the demographic data included with Microsoft Data Map--such as population or household income, along with your own data to recognize trends and perform analysis in a map.

You can automatically add labels to map features, such as countries. You can even create sets of custom labels to mark your important locations on a map. You can save the custom labels as a pin map, and use them over and over again. The Add Text button lets you add your own remarks to a map.

You can display different columns of data from the worksheet on the map to perform analysis or to get the look you want for presentation. You also specify a format for the data, such as dot density or graduated symbol.

EASIER DOCUMENT RETRIEVAL AND MANAGEMENT

Finding, opening, or managing documents is easy with Microsoft Office applications. No matter which application you're using, you can click Open on the File menu to open or find documents.

You can manage your documents right from the Open dialog box. You can use the right mouse button to click the document name, and then click a command on the shortcut menu. This procedure allows you for example to open, print, delete, or create a shortcut for the selected file.

To find documents, you can open the folders you want to search, and then specify search criteria. For example, you can find all documents that contain a particular word or phrase. With the Advanced search options, you can specify more detailed criteria based on file properties, and then save the search criteria to use again.

You don't have to open a document to see its contents. You can select the document, and then click the Preview button to preview its contents. You can also click the List, Details, or Properties button to vary the information shown for a selected document.

When you install your Microsoft Office applications, the Find Fast feature can automatically index your documents so that you can find them faster. You can also choose to run Find Fast manually from the Control Panel.

EASIER NUMBER FORMATTING

Microsoft Excel makes it easy to change number formats, without using codes. New built-in formats have been added for some of the most common number formatting tasks. New formats include Zip Code, Zip Code + 4, Phone Number, and Social Security Number.

SHARED LISTS

You don't have to gather other users' information and update your tracking lists yourself. You can now save the workbook as a shared list that everyone can access, and you'll always have the latest information.

With a shared list, you and your coworkers can work on the list at the same time, and Microsoft Excel keeps the information up to date. You can also see who is working on a shared list.

In a shared list, you can enter data, insert rows and columns, and sort, but you can't change cell formatting or save formulas.

When you click the Save button, the shared list is updated with your changes. You'll also get everyone else's changes.

If entries in the shared list conflict, a message will ask you which change to accept. You can also view a worksheet that lists conflicts and their resolutions.

TEMPLATES AND THE TEMPLATE WIZARD

Microsoft Excel comes with new templates that can help you run your business, plan your finances, and add consistency to the appearance and organization of your data. Templates can contain formulas, formatting text, and macros. You can create a workbook based on a built-in template. You can also create templates from your own worksheets. You view CellTips on the built-in templates to help you get started, and you can also customize the built-in templates.

You can automatically copy the contents of cells to a database each time you save a workbook that is based on a template. The Template Wizard walks you through the steps of linking cells in the template to fields or a Microsoft Excel list.

Some of the built-in templates already have links to a database. For example, the Template Wizard links cells in the Invoice template to cells in a Microsoft Excel list.