XL: How to Find Technical Information About Microsoft Excel

ID: Q146197

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel 2000
  • Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
  • Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 3.0, 4.0, 5.0
  • Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 3.0, 4.0, 5.0
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows NT, version 5.0

SUMMARY

When you use Microsoft Excel, you may have questions regarding how to perform a task or how to troubleshoot a problem. This article discusses resources that you can use to find answers to your questions.

The following resources contain useful product information:

  • The Knowledge Base


  • The Office Assistant


  • The Answer Wizard


  • Microsoft Excel Help


  • Sample files



MORE INFORMATION

THE KNOWLEDGE BASE

When to Use the Knowledge Base

The Microsoft Knowledge Base includes thousands of articles that answer common questions about using Microsoft Excel. The articles contain technical information regarding a wide variety of basic- and advanced- level product issues and problems. The variety of content available makes the Knowledge Base an excellent resource for topics of any level of complexity.

How to Access the Knowledge Base

The Knowledge Base is available on the World Wide Web and The Microsoft Network. You can also access the Knowledge Base if you purchase a Microsoft TechNet compact disc subscription.

The Microsoft Knowledge Base on the World Wide Web

Connect to the Knowledge Base by using the following address

http://support.microsoft.com/support/default.asp

and follow the detailed instructions on the page.

The Microsoft Knowledge Base on The Microsoft Network

  1. On the Edit menu, click Go To.


  2. Click Other Location.


  3. When the prompt "Type a Go word for a particular service" appears, type "mssupport" (without the quotation marks).

    NOTE: It may take a minute or more for the Knowledge Base toappear while it prepares the necessary files to run.


  4. Double-click MS Knowledge Base.


For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q138894 XL: Excel Product Articles on Internet and MSN

Q129725 XL: Obtaining Knowledge Base Articles on the World Wide Web



How to Find Information in the Knowledge Base There are thousands of articles in the Knowledge Base. To find information without looking at every article, search for a list of articles that are related to your topic. To query for articles, decide on the search criteria, type the search words in the appropriate text box and then initiate the search. Note that each search method supports Boolean operators.

Search Criteria:

  • Keywords


  • Boolean operators such as NOT, AND, or OR


  • Descriptive words you think may be in the article


  • The Q number (identification number) of the article


Using Keywords to Search for Information in the Knowledge Base Keywords are used to categorize all articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base and to make information easier to find. Microsoft Excel articles contain some additional product-specific keywords.

Listed below are several useful words to use when performing searches for information regarding Microsoft Excel.

Keywords: 


   kbtool     For articles discussing Microsoft Query, add-ins, ToolPak
              functions, spelling checker, function wizard, chart wizard
   kbprg      For articles discussing programming issues (macros or
              Visual Basic procedures)
   kbcode     For articles that contain sample Visual Basic code
   kbmacro    For articles that contain Microsoft Excel version 4.0
              macro code
   kbbuglist  For articles that contain the program's official
   kbfixlist  published bug/fix list or are listed in the program's
              bug/fix list
   kbsetup    Setup and installation


Product-Specific Keywords: 


   Major Topic

      Minor Topic                                        Keyword
   -------------------------------------------------------------------

   Microsoft Excel
      Applies only to Microsoft Excel for the Mac        xlmac
      Applies only to Microsoft Excel for Windows        xlwin
      Microsoft Excel for Windows setup                  xlwinsetup
      Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh setup            xlmacsetup
      Article applies to Microsoft Excel for Windows NT  xlnt
      Disk contents/directory for Microsoft Excel        xldir
      Microsoft Query                                    xlquery
      Printing                                           xlprint
      Charting                                           xlchart
      Formatting                                         xlformat
      PivotTables                                        xlpivot
      Formulas                                           xlformula
      Templates                                          xltemp
      Wizard                                             xlwiz
      Quattro 123                                        xl123Quattro
      Internet                                           xlweb
      Help                                               xlhelp
      User Interface                                     xlui
      Visual Basic for Applications information          xlvbainfo
      Visual Basic for Applications how to               xlvbahowto
      Data Access Objects                                xldao
      Microsoft Excel version 4.0 macro code information xlminfo
      Microsoft Excel version 4.0 macro how to           xlmhowto
      Drawing Layer                                      xldraw
      Proofing tools                                     xlproof
      Workgroups                                         xlwgroups
      Load/Save                                          xlloadsave
      Add-Ins                                            xladdins
      Microsoft Small Business Financial Manager         xlsbfm

   Microsoft Office
      Applies only to Microsoft Office for the Mac       offmac
      Applies only to Microsoft Office for Windows       offwin
      Disk contents/directory for Microsoft Office       offdir
      Interoperability between Office products           offinterop
      Office Assistant                                   offasst
      Microsoft Office for Windows setup                 offwinsetup
      Microsoft Office for the Macintosh setup           offmacsetup
      Microsoft Binder                                   offbinder
      Office Shortcut Bar                                offosb
      Internet                                           offweb
      Interoperability                                   offinterop
      Help                                               offhelp
      Microsoft Office Resource Kit                      offork
      Network Install Wizard                             offniw
      Microsoft Office Developer Kit                     offdevkit
      Web Find Fast                                      offwebfind
      Microsoft Office Personal Web Server               offpws
      Microsoft Office Service Pack                      offsrvpak
      Microsoft Office Value Pack                        offvalpak
      Microsoft Office Small Business Pack               offbundle


Performing a Query on the Microsoft World Wide Web Site:

  1. Connect to the Knowledge Base.


  2. Select a Microsoft product.


  3. Enter your search phrase.


  4. Select the type of results you would like to see.


  5. Click the Next>> button to see the list of articles.


Performing a Query on The Microsoft Network:

  1. Access the Knowledge Base.


  2. Select the product you are using from the Entire Contents list.


  3. Click Query on the Tools menu.


  4. Type the search words in the Query box.


  5. Click Run Query.


Using Boolean Operators to Search for Information in the Knowledge Base Boolean is an adjective that describes a symbolic relationship, as in that implied by the logical operators AND, OR, and NOT. Note that each search method supports Boolean operators. Use the following Boolean operators to qualify your search:

  • AND (logical conjunction)


  • OR (logical inclusion)


  • XOR (exclusive or)


  • NOT (logical negation)


MICROSOFT EXCEL HELP

Help allows you to search for a usage topic, browse through a list of topics, or search for specific words and phrases instead of topics.

When to Use Help

Use online Help to find more information regarding a specific topic or to browse the topics and get a better idea of what information is available. You can also use context-sensitive Help to view information that pertains to the task at hand.

How to Access Help

The Help files must be installed in order for you to access them. If Help is not installed, run the Setup program again and click Add/Remove to install the files.

Microsoft Excel 2000



To access Help, click "Microsoft Excel Help" on the Help menu.

Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition



To access Help, click "Contents and Index" on the Help menu.

Microsoft Excel 97



To access Help, click "Contents and Index" on the Help menu.

Microsoft Excel version 7.0



To access Help, double-click the Help button on the Standard toolbar, or click "Microsoft Excel Help Topics" on the Help menu.

Microsoft Excel version 5.0



To access Help, double-click the Help button on the Standard toolbar, or click Contents on the Help menu.

Help on the Microsoft Network

You can access online information and forums for Office programs on the Microsoft Network. To do this, click The Microsoft Network on the Help menu, click the forum that pertains to the type of information that you want, and click Connect to connect to the forum. For more information, look up Microsoft Network in Windows 95 online Help.

HELP FOR LOTUS 1-2-3

If you are switching from Lotus 1-2-3 to Microsoft Excel click Lotus 1- 2-3 Help on the Help menu for commands that provide information on switching.

THE OFFICE ASSISTANT

The Office Assistant, which is available in Microsoft Excel 97, can answer your questions, offer tips, and provide help for a variety of features that pertain to the Office program you are using. The Office Assistant is shared by all of the Office programs. Any option you change, such as the type of tips that appear in the Office Assistant, affect the Office Assistant in all the Office programs.

How to Access the Office Assistant

To access the Office Assistant, click Microsoft Excel Help on the Help menu, click Office Assistant on the Standard toolbar, or press F1.

THE ANSWER WIZARD

The Answer Wizard is available in Microsoft Excel version 7.0. The wizard allows you to type, in your own words, a description of the task at hand. When you type a question or a topic in your own words, the Answer Wizard lists online Help topics that can assist you with your task.

How to Access the Answer Wizard

To access the Answer Wizard, double-click the Help button, or click "Answer Wizard" on the Help menu.

TipWizard

Another component of Help that is available in Microsoft Excel versions 5.0 and 7.0 is the TipWizard. The TipWizard offers tips about more efficient ways to accomplish tasks while you are doing them. It suggests related and new features. The TipWizard also presents a tip of the day each time you start Microsoft Excel. To access TipWizard, click the TipWizard button on the Standard toolbar.

ADDITIONAL ONLINE INFORMATION

In addition to the Help files, Microsoft Excel provides online examples and demos, help with worksheet functions, and sample files.

Examples and Demos (Microsoft Excel 5.0)

By clicking Examples And Demos, a button included in many Help topics, you can participate in short, interactive lessons that focus on a specific task.

Worksheet Functions

The Function Wizard makes creating formulas easier. To start the Function Wizard, click Function on the Insert menu, or click Function Wizard on the toolbar. The functions are listed by category, for example, "Financial," "Math & Trig," and "Statistical." When you select a function from the list box, the definition of the function and the definitions of its arguments automatically appear, as well as the correct placement of commas and parentheses.

Sample Files

Sample files for Microsoft Excel are examples that you can use to help you create and enhance your own work. The sample files must be installed in order for you to access them. If they are not installed, run the Setup program again and click Add/Remove to install the files.

Where the Sample Files Are Located:

The sample files are installed to the default locations listed in this section. Note that the folder names will be different if you did not pick the default locations during Setup.

  • Microsoft Excel 97:

    \Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Samples folder


    Samples.xls


  • Microsoft Excel 97:

    \Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Samples folder

    Samples.xls


  • Microsoft Excel version 7.0: 

    
   Msoffice\Excel\Examples folder

      Samples.xls

   Msoffice\Excel\Examples\Solver folder

      Solverex.xls
      Solvsamp.xls


  • Microsoft Excel version 5.0 for Windows: 

    
   \Excel\Examples
      Bookst.xls
      Sales.xls
      Samples.xls

   \Excel\Examples\Solver
      Solverex.xls
      Solvsamp.xls


  • Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition:

    <hard disk>: Microsoft Office 98:Office:Examples Excel Sample VBA Code


  • Microsoft Excel version 5.0 for the Macintosh:

    <hard disk>: Microsoft Office: Microsoft Excel: Examples: Microsoft Excel 5.0 Samples folder 

    
      Blue Sky Sales
      Bookstore Inventory
      Microsoft Excel 5.0 Samples

    where <hard disk> is the name of the hard disk.

    <hard disk>: Microsoft Office: Microsoft Excel: Examples: Microsoft Excel 5.0 Samples: Solver Examples folder 

    
      Solver Example
      Solver Samples

    where <hard disk> is the name of the hard disk.


THE MICROSOFT EXCEL MANUAL

The "Getting Results with Microsoft Excel for Windows 95" manual has been redesigned to help you find the information you need to complete your tasks quickly in Microsoft Excel 7.0. If you are using an earlier version of Microsoft Excel, refer to the "Microsoft Excel User's Guide" manuals.

How to Find Information in the Manual

The easiest way to find information in the manual is to look in the Contents at the front of the book for the title that pertains to the task at hand. The Contents lists sixteen broad categories that describe usage categories for Microsoft Excel.

If you do not find a topic in the Contents, flip to the back of the book and look in the Index. If you are not sure what the task is called, take a guess as to the name of the task or feature, find the word, and turn to the page referenced in the Index.

If you are unable to find any pertinent information, broaden your criteria and look for words in the index that relate to the broader topic.

Additional query words: 3.00 4.00 5.00a 5.00c 8.00 97 XL97

Keywords : kbkeyword kbpolicy
Version : MACINTOSH:3.0,4.0,5.0,98; WINDOWS:2000,3.0,4.0,5.0,7.0,97; winnt:5.0
Platform : MACINTOSH WINDOWS winnt
Issue type : kbinfo


Last Reviewed: November 4, 1999
© 2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.