FastTips for Excel 4.0 for Windows: Usage Q&A

Summary:

  Microsoft(R) Product Support Services Application Note (Text File)
                  WE0611: USAGE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

                                                   Revision Date: 9/92
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1. Q. How can I take advantage of workbooks in version 4.0 of
      Microsoft Excel for Windows?

   A. Microsoft Excel 4.0 includes a new feature called workbooks.
      Workbooks allow you to assemble worksheet, macro sheet, and
      chart files together in one working unit so that when you open a
      workbook file, you can access all the files in that particular
      workbook. Microsoft Excel 4.0 workbooks have many of the
      features of Excel 3.0 workspace files, but with added
      functionality.

      To create a workbook:

      1. From the File menu, choose New.

      2. Select Workbook, then choose the OK button.

      At this point, Microsoft Excel 4.0 opens a new Workbook Contents
      window. You can add files to the workbook by choosing the Add
      button at the bottom of the window. If you have already created
      some files that you want to add, choose the Open button and
      select the files you want. If you want to add a new file, choose
      the New button, select the file type you want to add, and choose
      the OK button.

      To save the workbook, choose Save Workbook from the File menu.
      Type a filename for the workbook, then choose the Save button.

      If you want to change the name of any of the files within a
      workbook, select the file while in the Workbook Contents window,
      and choose the Options button. In the Document Option dialog
      box, type a new name for the file, and select either the
      Workbook File (Bound) option button or the Separate File
      (Unbound) option button. In most situations, the default
      selection is bound, meaning that the file is stored as part of
      the workbook file on disk. If you select unbound, the file is
      saved as a separate file from the workbook; although, whenever
      you open the workbook, that file is still opened. The main
      advantage to maintaining an unbound file is that you can
      transfer the file to another computer without having to take the
      entire workbook file.

      To open a file that is already in a workbook, double-click the
      file in the Workbook Contents window. In the lower-right corner
      of the window, there are three icons. If you click the leftmost
      icon, Microsoft Excel returns you to the Workbook Contents
      window so that you can see all the files and open the one of
      your choice. If you click the other two icons, Microsoft Excel
      cycles through the available worksheets, macro sheets, and
      charts that are in the workbook.

      For more information, please refer to Book 1, Chapter 4, pages
      13-20, of the "Microsoft Excel User's Guide."

2. Q. How can I view more than one file at a time in my workbook?

   A. When you are working with workbooks, Microsoft Excel 4.0 usually
      displays only one workbook item at a time; however, you can
      display more than one item at a time. To display two items at
      once:

      1. Open the workbook and go to the Workbook Contents window.
         (To display the Workbook Contents window, click the leftmost
         icon of the three that are located in the lower-right corner
         of the workbook window.)

      2. Hold down the CTRL key and double-click the name of one of
         the files you want to view. Alternatively, you can select the
         filename in the Workbook Contents window and then choose New
         Window from the Window menu. (This opens the selected
         document in its own window.)

      3. From the Window menu, choose the name of the workbook.

      4. Hold down the CTRL key and double-click the filename of
         the second document you want to view. Again, you can select
         the filename in the Workbook Contents window and then choose
         New Window from the Window menu.

      5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have opened all the files
         you want to view.

      To arrange the document windows neatly on the screen:

      1. From the Window menu, choose the name of the workbook.

      2. From the Window menu, choose Arrange.

      3. Select the arrangement method that you prefer, select the
         Documents Of Active Workbook check box, then choose the OK
         button.

      Microsoft Excel 4.0 neatly arranges all the open workbook
      documents on your screen. If you save the workbook at any point,
      the window configuration is also saved so that any open windows
      remain visible the next time you open the workbook.

3. Q. What does the Alternate Navigation Keys option do, and why
      would I want to use it?

   A. The Alternate Navigation Keys option in version 4.0 of Microsoft
      Excel for Windows allows former Lotus(R) 1-2-3(R) users to make
      a smooth transition when they upgrade to Microsoft Excel.

      Choosing Workspace from the Options menu and selecting the
      Alternate Navigation Keys check box causes Microsoft Excel to
      react to keyboard commands as Lotus 1-2-3 would. For example,
      with this option selected, holding down the CTRL key and
      pressing the END key moves you to the end of a row, as in Lotus
      1-2-3. With this option deactivated, the same keystroke
      (CTRL+END) moves you to the lower-right corner of the
      spreadsheet.

      If you find that keyboard commands are not acting as you expect,
      choose Workspace from the Options menu, and change the Alternate
      Navigation Keys setting.

      For more information on the Alternate Navigation Keys option,
      please refer to Book 1, Chapter 17, pages 20 and 21 of the
      "Microsoft Excel User's Guide."

4. Q. Can I change the new toolbars in version 4.0 of Microsoft
      Excel for Windows to better suit the way I work with the
      program?

   A. Microsoft Excel 4.0 has many new toolbars in addition to the
      Standard toolbar. Although there are many new toolbars, you may
      want to customize them to improve the way you work. Microsoft
      Excel gives you the ability to both customize the built-in
      toolbars and create your own new toolbars.
      To modify a built-in toolbar:

      1. From the Options menu, choose Toolbars.

      2. If the toolbar is not already visible, select the name of
         the toolbar that you want to modify, then choose the Show
         button. You must then choose Toolbars from the Options menu
         again.

      3. Choose the Customize button.

      4. Select any of the tools shown in the Tools box and then
         drag their associated buttons to the toolbar of your choice.
         Different tools are displayed when you select a different
         category. If you are uncertain of the function of a
         particular tool, click the tool once and a brief description
         of its function appears at the bottom of the dialog box.

      To create your own toolbar:

      1. From the Options menu, choose Toolbars.

      2. In the Toolbar Name box, delete the existing text, and
         type a name for your new toolbar.

      3. Choose the Add button. Microsoft Excel then creates your
         toolbar in the upper-left corner of the screen and opens the
         Customize dialog box.

      4. Under Categories, select any tool category, and drag any
         of the associated buttons to your newly created toolbar.

      For more information, please refer to Book 2, Chapter 4 of the
      "Microsoft Excel User's Guide."

5. Q. How can the Crosstab ReportWizard in version 4.0 of
      Microsoft Excel for Windows help me, and how do I use it?

   A. Microsoft Excel 4.0 includes a new Crosstab ReportWizard. This
      tool allows you to summarize, analyze, and compare selected
      database information.

      To create a new Crosstab table:

      1. Open a worksheet that contains a database you want to
         tabulate.

      2. If you have not already done so, select the database range
         on your worksheet and choose Set Database from the Data menu.

      3. From the Data menu, choose Crosstab to open the first
         window of the Crosstab ReportWizard.

      4. Choose the Create A New Crosstab button. A dialog box
         showing the fields included in your database is displayed.

      5. Select the field that you want to see on the left side of
         the Crosstab table, then choose the Add button. Choose the
         Next button to move to the next dialog box.

      6. Excel again displays the list of fields in your database.
         Select the field you want to see across the top of the
         Crosstab table, then choose the Add button. Choose the Next
         button to move to the next dialog box.

      7. From the list of fields in your database, select the field
         you want to summarize. If you do not select any field name,
         Microsoft Excel counts the number of instances that the
         particular record is found in the database. Choose the Next
         button to move to the next dialog box.

      8. The Crosstab ReportWizard summarizes your selections on
         the left side of the dialog box. If the selections are
         correct, choose the Create It button; the Crosstab
         ReportWizard then creates your table in a new worksheet.

      If you have a question at any point during the selection
      process,you can choose the Explain button in the lower-left
      corner of the dialog box to display a brief explanation of the
      information Microsoft Excel is expecting.

      During the selection process, you have the option of selecting
      all three categories (row, column, and value); however, you must
      select at least two categories to summarize. For example, you
      can select a row category and a value category but leave the
      column category blank. Or, you can select a row category and a
      column category but leave the value category blank.

      To modify or recalculate a Crosstab table that you have already
      created, activate the worksheet that contains the table by
      choosing the name of the worksheet from the Window menu. Choose
      Crosstab from the Data menu. Microsoft Excel gives you the
      option of modifying or recalculating the existing Crosstab
      table. Choose the Recalculate Current Crosstab button if your
      database has changed, or choose the Modify Current Crosstab
      button if you want to change any options used in the current
      table.

6. Q. Microsoft Product Support technicians often ask what version
      of Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Windows, or MS-DOS I am running.
      How can I easily find this information?

   A. Microsoft has included a special add-in tool called Checkup with
      version 4.0 of Microsoft Excel for Windows. This tool provides
      much of the information that our technicians request, or that
      other support technicians for other Windows-based products may
      inquire about.

      To run the Checkup tool:

      1. From the File menu, choose Open.

      2. Move to your Microsoft Excel 4.0 directory. (Several
         subdirectories should be listed.)

      3. Move to the Library directory, then move to the CheckUp
         directory.

      4. Open the CHECKUP.XLA file. Microsoft Excel automatically
         displays a dialog box listing the pertinent information about
         your machine.

       NOTE: You can print this information by choosing the Print
       button.