Basics of text input and number formatting in Excel

Inputs in Excel are not just simple numbers. They are the foundation of your work and offer countless possibilities to structure and visualize information. In this guide, you will learn the basics of entering text and numbers in Excel cells and discover how you can effectively combine them to fully design your worksheet.

Key Takeaways

• Excel interprets text and numbers differently: text is displayed aligning to the left, numbers to the right.
• You can format numbers as currency, allowing Excel to perform calculations for you.
• Different cell formats such as date, currency, and standard can be easily applied.
• Deleting and adjusting cells is uncomplicated and can be done at any time.

Step-by-Step Guide

Entering Text and Numbers into Cells

Start by opening an Excel table. In your test file, you can enter text into cell A1. For example: Shopping List. This is the first step to structuring the entries. To add more content, write below A1 the names of the groceries you want to buy, such as: Oranges, Bananas, Apples.

Adding Prices as Text

Now, click on cell B1 to add the price for the oranges. Enter the price there: 2.50. Then you can enter the price for the bananas in B2 and for the apples in B3, indicating maybe a price of 3.99 for the bananas and 1 for the apples.

Understanding Alignment Differences

You will notice that text in cells appears left-aligned and numbers appear right-aligned. This is because Excel interprets texts as such and numbers for calculation by default. When you enter a price like 1€, it will also be recognized as a number, allowing you to perform calculations like sums.

Utilizing Cell Operations with Status Bar

When you select all cells, you can view the sum, average, and number of selected cells in the status bar. If you add a new value, like 1 Euro, Excel should consider this as an additional item, but it will not appear in calculations if formatted as text. Experimenting helps understand how Excel interprets entries.

Deleting or Overwriting Cell Content

If you want to clear a cell, click on it and press the delete key or overwrite the content with something new. For example, if you want to change the price of bananas from 3.99€ to 2.49€, simply click on the cell and type in the new value. Excel will immediately recognize the new format.

Changing Cell Formats

Excel gives you the option to change the cell format. Click on the "Home" tab and then, under the "Number" section, select the desired format, such as currency or standard. This way, you can ensure that your numbers are displayed in the format you prefer.

Working with Date Formats

To enter a date, simply write 1/1/2016. Excel will recognize this as a date. You can customize the format according to your preferences by accessing the dropdown menu for date formats and selecting the desired representation.

Performing Cell Operations

If you want to select and delete multiple cells, hold down the left mouse button and drag over the desired cells. Then, right-click and choose "Delete Cells." Confirm, and Excel will shift the remaining cells to the left or up.

Final thoughts: Experiment with your inputs

It is important that you have no inhibitions about trying out different input options in Excel. The possibilities are diverse, and over the course, you will delve deeper into many techniques. Experiment with the formats and inputs to develop a better understanding of Excel.

Summary

In this guide, you have learned the basics of entering text and numbers in Excel cells. You now know how important formatting and entering information is to optimize your relationship with Excel. Keep learning, experimenting, and developing your skills to make the most out of your Excel usage.