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Get Rid of Those Pound Signs
If you enter a formula and receive a plethora of pound signs (#), things aren't as bad as
you might think. This return simply indicates that the calculation for your formula is too
large for the column. Drag the column to a larger width until your numerical value
returns.
Squint Less by Zooming In
Diminish eyestrain by magnifying your spreadsheet display. From the Zoom box, select the
size you want or enter a number from 10 to 400. The higher the number you choose is, the
bigger your display will become. Adjusting the magnification will make the display easier
to read, but will not affect the size in which the spreadsheet is printed. If you wish to
change the actual print size, adjust the scaling by selecting File/Page Setup and
accessing the Page tab in the pop-up window.
Use Trendlines to Forecast With Your Data
Trendlines help you forecast a trend using the data you've already collected. You can
create a trendline from the data you already have and extend it forward or backward to
forecast a range of numbers (hours, sales, or quantities) over a defined period of time.
Here's how.
1. Select the range of cells in your table that you want included in the forecast.
2. Click the Chart Wizard icon. Leave all the options as they are and click Finish to
create a default column chart.
3. correct-click any data column in the chart and select Add Trendline. Click Linear, then
select the Options tab.
4. On the Options tab under Forecast, click the up arrow until it shows the range of
periods you want included. For example, if your chart is set up for the periods to equal
quarters and you want to forecast for the next six quarters, you would click Forward six
Periods. Click OK.
The trendline will appear on the chart.
Using these basic instructions, you can experiment with other types of trendlines to
determine which yields the most effective forecast.
Create Exponential Values
There's more than one way to conjure up numerical
powers. To create exponential values in Microsoft Excel,
you can use a caret before the power you wish to use.
For example, four to the 2nd
power (four squared)
would be denoted by 4^2. You can also create
exponential figures with the POWER value, with the
primary number and its power listed as an ordered pair.
In this method, you would denote four to the 2nd
power simply with the formula line =POWER(4, 2).
Use the Excel Sample Files
Excel 2000 includes a handy sample file, samples.xls,
that contains information about worksheet functions,
macros, conditional formatting, and other useful options.
It also contains demonstrations that you can run to test
the options for yourself. You'll find the samples directory
file in your Microsoft Office directory.
Change the Cursor's Default Direction
By default, Excel moves your cursor down one cell
whenever you press the Enter key. To change the
direction the cursor moves when the Enter key is
pressed, select Options from the Tools menu. Click the
Edit tab and select the direction you want the cursor to
move from the pull-down menu labled Move Selection
after Enter. Finally, click OK to save your settings.
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