One of the primary programs within the Microsoft suite is Excel. This spreadsheet was developed by Microsoft and released for Mac in 1985. The first Windows version was launched two years later in 1987. This program features calculation, tables, graphing tools, pivot tables, and a macro programming language called Visual Basic for Applications.
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All active students enrolled in classes are eligible for free downloads of Office 365 ProPlus—including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more—on up to fifteen personally-owned devices: five computers, five tablets and five phones.
For more details on how to download, visit the FSU ITS Office 365 Resource Page.
Beginning with Excel 2007, the file extension for the program changed from .xls to .xlsx. While all versions of Excel will be able to open files with a .xls format (they are backward compatible), older editions will not be able to display all of the tools and features included in a .xlsx file. These glitches may cause errors either in the program functionality or within the file itself.
In Microsoft 365, you can follow this path to save a file in an older format:
File → Save As → Browse → Save as type
For a list of articles and tutorials relating to accessible features, click here.
What to fix |
How to find it |
Why fix it |
How to fix it |
---|---|---|---|
Include alternative text with all visuals. Visual content includes pictures, SmartArt graphics, shapes, groups, charts, embedded objects, ink, and videos. |
To find all instances of missing alternative text in the spreadsheet, use the Accessibility Checker. |
Alt text helps people who can’t see the screen to understand what’s important in images and other visuals. Avoid using text in images as the sole method of conveying important information. If you must use an image with text in it, repeat that text in the document. In alt text, briefly describe the image and mention the existence of the text and its intent. |
Add alt text to visuals in Office 365 |
Add meaningful hyperlink text and ScreenTips. |
To determine whether hyperlink text makes sense as standalone information and whether it gives readers accurate information about the destination target, visually scan the workbook. |
People who use screen readers sometimes scan a list of links. Links should convey clear and accurate information about the destination. For example, instead of linking to the text Click here, include the full title of the destination page. Tip: You can also add ScreenTips that appear when your cursor hovers over a cell that includes a hyperlink. |
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Use sufficient contrast for text and background colors. |
To find insufficient color contrast, use the Accessibility Checker. You can also look for text in your spreadsheet that’s hard to read or to distinguish from the background. |
If your spreadsheet has a high level of contrast between text and background, more people can see and use the content. |
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Give all sheet tabs unique names, and remove blank sheets. |
To find out whether all sheets that contain content in a workbook have descriptive names and whether there are any blank sheets, use the Accessibility Checker. |
Screen readers read sheet names, which provide information about what is found on the worksheet, making it easier to understand the contents of a workbook and to navigate through it. |
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Use a simple table structure, and specify column header information. |
To ensure that tables don’t contain split cells, merged cells, or nested tables, use the Accessibility Checker. You can also visually scan your tables to check that they don't have any completely blank rows or columns. |
Screen readers keep track of their location in a table by counting table cells. If a table is nested within another table or if a cell is merged or split, the screen reader loses count and can’t provide helpful information about the table after that point. Blank cells in a table could also mislead someone using a screen reader into thinking that there is nothing more in the table. Screen readers also use header information to identify rows and columns. |
To download an example of a workbook with data validation, click here.
For a video displaying these features, click here.
For a video on how to create a chart, click here.
For a video on instant analysis, click here.
For additional details on quick analysis tools, click here.
For a video on creating tables, click here. To learn more about the basic elements of a table, click here.
Please note: Excel tables are not the same as applying a What-If analysis. A What-If analysis changes the values in cells to see how those changes will affect the outcome of formulas on the worksheet. For more details on this type of analysis, click here.
To create a basic table:
Excel has some features that enable you to work efficiently with your table data:
For additional details on tables, including sorting, filtering, totaling, and slicers, click here.
A PivotTable is a powerful tool to calculate, summarize, and analyze data that lets you see comparisons, patterns, and trends in your data. For a video about basic pivot tables, click here.
The Field List should appear when you click anywhere in the PivotTable. If you click inside the PivotTable but don't see the Field List, open it by clicking anywhere in the PivotTable. Then, show the PivotTable Tools on the ribbon and click Analyze > Field List.
The Field List has a field section in which you pick the fields you want to show in your PivotTable, and the Areas section (at the bottom) in which you can arrange those fields the way you want.
For a video on using Fields, click here.
NOTE: Typically, nonnumeric fields are added to the Rows area, numeric fields are added to the Values area, and Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) date and time hierarchies are added to the Columns area.
Fields that you place in different areas are shown in the PivotTable as follows:
If you have more than one field in an area, you can rearrange the order by dragging the fields into the precise position you want. To delete a field from the PivotTable, drag the field out of its areas section.
For a video overview of basic formulas, click here.
To download the Microsoft Formulas workbook that will provide examples of various formulas and functions, click here.
By using names, you can make your formulas much easier to understand and maintain. You can define a name for a cell range, function, constant, or table. Once you adopt the practice of using names in your workbook, you can easily update, audit, and manage these names.
For a video about these functions, click here.
For a video about VLOOKUP, click here.
In its simplest form, the VLOOKUP function says:
=VLOOKUP(lookup value, range containing the lookup value, the column number in the range containing the return value, optionally specify TRUE for approximate match or FALSE for an exact match).
For example: =VLOOKUP(A7, A2:B5, 2, FALSE).
To set up VLOOKUP:
The SUM function, one of the math and trig functions, adds values. You can add individual values, cell references or ranges or a mix of all three.For example:
=SUM(A2:A10)
=SUM(A2:A10, C2:C10)
Use COUNTIF, one of the statistical functions, to count the number of cells that meet a criterion; for example, to count the number of times a particular city appears in a customer list.
In its simplest form, COUNTIF says:
=COUNTIF(Where do you want to look?, What do you want to look for?)
For example:
=COUNTIF(A2:A5,"London")
=COUNTIF(A2:A5,A4)
For examples and a video about this function, click here.
Use the DATEDIF function when you want to calculate the difference between two dates. First put a start date in a cell, and an end date in another. Then type a formula like one of the following.
Warning: If the Start_date is greater than the End_date, the result will be #NUM!.
In this example, the start date is in cell D9, and the end date is in E9. The formula is in F9. The “d” returns the number of full days between the two dates.
For more examples of date calculation functions, click here
You can also calculate age or someone’s time of service. The result can be something like “2 years, 4 months, 5 days.”
In this example, the start date is in cell D17, and the end date is in E17. In the formula, the “y” returns the number of full years between the two days.
For more examples of date calculation functions, click here.
The following tables describe the file formats that are supported in Excel.
Extension |
Format Name |
Description |
---|---|---|
.csv |
CSV (Comma delimited) |
Saves a workbook as a comma-delimited text file for use on another Windows operating system, and makes sure that tab characters, line breaks, and other characters are interpreted correctly. Saves only the active sheet. |
.csv |
CSV (Macintosh) |
Saves a workbook as a comma-delimited text file for use on the Macintosh operating system, and makes sure that tab characters, line breaks, and other characters are interpreted correctly. Saves only the active sheet. |
.csv |
CSV (MS-DOS) |
Saves a workbook as a comma-delimited text file for use on the MS-DOS operating system, and makes sure that tab characters, line breaks, and other characters are interpreted correctly. Saves only the active sheet. |
.dbf |
DBF 3, DBF 4 |
dBase III and IV. Users can open these files formats in Excel 2019, Excel 2016, and Excel 2013, but, users can't save an Excel file to dBase format. |
.dif |
DIF (Data Interchange Format) |
Saves only the active sheet. |
.htm, .html |
Web Page |
A web page that is saved as a folder that contains an .htm file and all supporting files, such as images, sound files, scripts, and more. |
.mht, .mhtml |
Single File Web Page |
A web page that is saved as a single file that includes an .htm file and all supporting files, such as images, sound files, scripts, and more. |
.ods |
OpenDocument Spreadsheet |
A file format for saving Excel 2019, Excel 2016, and Excel 2013 files so that they can be opened in spreadsheet applications that use the OpenDocument Spreadsheet format, such as Google Docs and OpenOffice.org Calc. Users can also open spreadsheets in the .ods format in Excel 2019, Excel 2016, and Excel 2013. When users save and open .ods files, they might lose formatting. |
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|
Portable Document Format, a format that preserves document formatting and enables file sharing. When the PDF format file is viewed online or printed, it keeps the format that users intended. Data in the file cannot be easily changed. The PDF format is also useful for documents that will be reproduced by using commercial printing methods. |
.prn |
Formatted Text (Space delimited) |
Lotus space-delimited format. Saves only the active sheet. |
.slk |
SYLK (Symbolic Link Format) |
Saves only the active sheet. |
.txt |
Text (Tab delimited) |
Saves a workbook as a tab-delimited text file for use on another Windows operating system, and makes sure that tab characters, line breaks, and other characters are interpreted correctly. Saves only the active sheet. |
.txt |
Text (Macintosh) |
Saves a workbook as a tab-delimited text file for use on the Macintosh operating system, and makes sure that tab characters, line breaks, and other characters are interpreted correctly. Saves only the active sheet. |
.txt |
Text (MS-DOS) |
Saves a workbook as a tab-delimited text file for use on the MS-DOS operating system, and makes sure that tab characters, line breaks, and other characters are interpreted correctly. Saves only the active sheet. |
.txt |
Unicode Text |
Saves a workbook as Unicode text, a character encoding standard that was developed by the Unicode Consortium. Saves only the active sheet. |
.xla |
Excel 97-2003 Add-In |
The Excel 97-2003 Add-In, a supplemental program that runs additional code and supports VBA projects. |
.xlam |
Excel Add-In |
The XML-based and macro-enabled Add-In format for Excel 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2013, and Office Excel 2007. An Add-In is a supplemental program that runs additional code. Supports VBA projects and Excel 4.0 macro sheets (.xlm). |
.xls |
Excel 97-Excel 2003 Workbook |
The Excel 97-Excel 2003 Binary file format. |
.xls |
Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook |
The Excel 5.0/95 Binary file format. |
.xlsb |
Excel Binary Workbook |
The binary file format for Excel 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2013, and Excel 2010 and Office Excel 2007. This is a fast load-and-save file format for users who need the fastest way possible to load a data file. Supports VBA projects, Excel 4.0 macro sheets, and all the new features that are used in Excel. But, this is not an XML file format and is therefore not optimal for accessing and manipulating content without using Excel 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2013, Excel 2010 or Excel 2007 and the object model. |
.xlsm |
Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook |
The XML-based and macro-enabled file format for Excel 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2013, Excel 2010 and Office Excel 2007. Stores VBA macro code or Excel 4.0 macro sheets (.xlm). |
.xlsx |
Excel Workbook |
The default XML-based file format for Excel 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2013, Excel 2010, and Office Excel 2007. Can't store VBA macro code or Microsoft Excel 4.0 macro sheets (.xlm). |
.xlsx |
Strict Open XML Spreadsheet |
An ISO strict version of the Excel Workbook file format (.xlsx). |
.xlt |
Excel 97 - Excel 2003 Template |
The Excel 97 - Excel 2003 Binary file format for an Excel template. |
.xltm |
Excel Macro-Enabled Template |
The macro-enabled file format for an Excel template for Excel 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2013, Excel 2010, and Office Excel 2007. Stores VBA macro code or Excel 4.0 macro sheets (.xlm). |
.xltx |
Excel Template |
The default file format for an Excel template for Excel 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2013, Excel 2010, and Office Excel 2007. Can't store VBA macro code or Excel 4.0 macro sheets (.xlm). |
.xlw |
Excel 4.0 Workbook |
An Excel 4.0 file format that saves only worksheets, chart sheets, and macro sheets. Users can open a workbook in this file format in Excel 2019, Excel 2016, and Excel 2013. But, users can't save an Excel file to this file format. |
.xml |
XML Spreadsheet 2003 |
XML Spreadsheet 2003 file format. |
.xml |
XML Data |
XML Data format. |
.xps |
XPS Document |
XML Paper Specification, a file format that preserves document formatting and enables file sharing. When the XPS file is viewed online or printed, it maintains exactly the format that users intended, and the data in the file cannot be easily changed. |
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