How to Create Simple Spreadsheets

A simple spreadsheet can be used to electronically store data.

You can create simple spreadsheets to track monthly budgets, create time sheets, assemble to-do lists and to perform other simple tasks. In addition to storing information, your simple spreadsheet can also perform mathematical functions such as calculating the sum of a set of numbers. Any spreadsheet software will allow you to create simple spreadsheets. All spreadsheet software are similar in appearance with an area of rectangles where you put in your data and perform calculations with the particular software's toolbars on top.

Things You'll Need

• Spreadsheet software

Instructions

1. Open your particular spreadsheet program by locating the program's executable file on your computer's hard drive and double-clicking on it. If you are using an Apple computer, find your program and click on it to open it.

2. Decide what information you would like to store and/or calculate in your simple spreadsheet. Collect all your data and prepare it for entry into your spreadsheet by placing it in front of you or to your side so you can see what you will be entering. If your data is not already in table form, organize it into table form. Label your columns and rows with names that describe their contents.

   For example, if you are creating an address spreadsheet, you would label your columns with titles such as "First Name," "Last Name," "Address," etc. In this example, the rows are not labeled.

3. Enter the column and/or row labels into your simple spreadsheet. Begin by clicking on a cell in which you want to label. Cells are the rectangles in the spreadsheet. Each cell has an address, similar to the squares on a map. The very first rectangle or cell on the upper left corner of your screen has an address of A1. The cell to the right of it has an address of B1. Most likely you will begin at cell A1 and work your way across or down. Title the first column. Click on the next cell and title the next column. Continue until you have labeled all necessary columns and rows.

4. Input your data into each corresponding cell in your spreadsheet. Refer to your collected data for the information to input. Also refer to the titles of your columns and rows to ensure you are entering the data into the correct cell.

5. Determine if you need the spreadsheet to perform a simple calculation such as the sum of a set of numbers. Click on the cell in which you want the sum to appear. Write the following into that cell: "=sum('address of first cell':'address of last cell')."

   For example, column C has 20 rows of numbers that you want to get the total of. You want the answer to appear in cell C23. So, you click on cell C23 and write the following into it: "=sum(C2:C21)." Your starting cell is C2 assuming you have a title for column C in cell C1.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the help included with your spreadsheet program to find useful hints and tips as well as more equations and formulas you can use.

• Save your spreadsheet often to prevent loss of data in case your computer crashes or there is an unexpected power outage.

References

• Microsoft Office: Enter Data in a Worksheet
• The University of Texas at Austin: Getting Started with Microsoft Excel