How to Insert a Comment Box in Microsoft Excel

When you are working on a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel, you may find it necessary from time to time to add a comment box to a cell to add explanatory information or instructions. This will be designated by a small red triangle in the corner of the cell. When you roll the mouse pointer over the cell, the comment box will pop up. This feature is especially useful when there is more than one person using the spreadsheet.

Instructions

Microsoft Excel 2007

1. Open your spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel.

2. Click on the cell where you want the comment to appear. Click on the "Review" menu, and then "New Comment" in the "Comments" section. You can also right-click on the cell and click "Insert Comment." A text box will appear with your user name in it.

3. Type your comment. When you are finished, click anywhere in the spreadsheet outside of the text box. The comment box will disappear, but will reappear when you roll the mouse pointer over the cell.

4. Click on the cell, and then the "Edit Comment" button to edit the comment or "Delete Comment" to delete it. Use the "Previous" and "Next" buttons to jump from comment to comment, the "Show/Hide Comment" button to display that cell’s comment without having to keep your mouse on it and the "Show All Comments" button to show all of the comments on the sheet. Click it again to hide them.

Microsoft Excel 1997-2003

1. Open your spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel.

2. Click on the cell where you want the comment to appear. Click on the "Insert" menu, and then "Comment." You can also right-click on the cell and click "Insert Comment." A text box will appear with your user name in it.

3. Type your comment. When you are finished, click anywhere in the spreadsheet outside of the text box. The comment box will disappear, but will reappear when you roll the mouse pointer over the cell.

4. Click on the cell and then the "Insert" menu and "Edit Comment" to edit the comment. You can also right-click on the cell and click "Edit Comment" to edit it, or "Delete Comment" to delete it or "Show/Hide Comment" to display the comment without rolling your mouse over it. Click it again to hide the comment.