Entering Data

Lesson 5: Enter Data & Navigate Cells

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In Lesson 5, we will walk through the process of entering data into your first spreadsheet. We will cover how to select cells, move around using both the mouse and keyboard, and enter headers and sample data for a sales summary sheet. I will show you how to add column headers, input names and sales figures, and use Enter and Tab for efficient data entry. Additionally, we will discuss how Excel automatically aligns text and numeric values, and mention that we will talk about formatting cells in future lessons. This lesson focuses on the basics of entering data in Excel.

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Next: Lesson 06

Keywords

TechHelp Excel, Excel data entry, Excel spreadsheet, Excel columns, Excel rows, Excel cells, sales summary sheet, Excel headers, Excel formula bar, Excel keyboard shortcuts, Excel navigation, Excel sales reps, Excel sample data, Excel cell selection, spre

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Transcript

In lesson 5, we are going to learn how to enter data into our first spreadsheet.

Now that we know all about the different parts of the Excel interface, let's begin creating our own spreadsheet. We will begin by entering in some sample text.

We are going to create a sales summary sheet for a fictional company. So let's start by typing in a list of our sales reps.

Make sure that you are currently sitting in cell A1. That is the very first cell in our sheet. If for some reason you are sitting over in a different cell, all you have to do is take your mouse, move it over A1 right in the middle of it, and click. That is how you move the selected cell to a different location.

So now I am in cell A1. You can also use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move around inside of the spreadsheet. So again, if I am sitting in some other cell, let's say C3, and I want to move up to cell A1, I will just use the up and left arrow keys. I will go up, up, left, left. That is again how you can move around inside your spreadsheet, either with the mouse or with the keyboard.

So sitting in cell A1, I want to type in the header for that column. What is this column going to represent? Well, I want to put a list of sales reps in here. So I will type in the words sales space and then rep.

Notice as I type, sales rep appears in the cell itself, and it also appears up here in the formula bar. You can see it in two places.

When I am done, I am going to press Enter, the Enter key on my keyboard. That moves me down to cell A2. If you are entering data in the columns and you want to move down to the next row each time you finish an item, press the Enter key. Enter, enter, enter, enter, enter. It is the same as pressing the down arrow.

If you want to enter data into rows and go across, you can use the Tab key. Tab, tab, tab, tab. That is the same as using the right arrow key.

I will go back over here to cell A2 using my left arrow key.

Now let's type in the names of our sales reps. So make sure you are sitting in cell A2, and then I will type in Chris, Enter, Alex, Enter, Jan, Enter, and Pat, Enter. There are my four sales reps.

Now I want to move up to the top of the next column to cell B1. I can either use the arrow keys, or I can just grab the mouse and click on cell B1. Now I am ready to enter in the next column of data.

Now we are tracking monthly sales for each sales rep. So in the header row, I am going to type in a list of months. I will type in January, I will abbreviate JAN, Tab, February, Tab, March, Tab, and April. We will just do four months for now.

Now let's type in some sales figures. I will use my arrow keys and move down over here to cell B2, and I will type in some data. I will type in 9, Enter, 50, Enter, 30, Enter, and 12, Enter.

Now I am ready to move up to the top of the next column, so I will use the arrow keys. Or of course, you can use the mouse.

Personally, I am partial to the keyboard. I like to use the keyboard whenever possible. I have to stop and grab the mouse and click on something unless I absolutely have to, so if I can use a keyboard for it, I will. And yes, there are a lot of different keyboard shortcuts that you can use to access many of Excel's features.

I am going to teach you some of the more popular ones today, and we will learn a lot more as we go into our more advanced classes.

Let's type in February's data: 45, Enter, 65, Enter, 56, Enter, and 77, Enter.

Move to the top of the next column using the arrow keys. Now go ahead and fill in March and April. The exact numbers that you use do not make a difference for this class. Just put in some random numbers.

Now, notice in Excel that all the numeric values, the numbers, line up on the right side of the cell. But all of the text values, like these headers here with April, line up to the left side of the cell. We will see how to correct that when we get to cell formatting.

Intro

Quiz

Q1. What is the first cell in an Excel sheet called?
A. A1
B. A0
C. B1
D. 1A

Q2. How can you move the selected cell to a different location in your spreadsheet?
A. Only by using the mouse
B. Only by using the keyboard arrow keys
C. By using either the mouse or the keyboard arrow keys
D. By clicking the File menu

Q3. After typing "sales rep" in cell A1, what should you press to move to cell A2?
A. Tab
B. Space bar
C. Enter
D. Shift

Q4. What happens when you press the Enter key while entering data in a column?
A. The cell selection moves right to the next column
B. The cell selection moves up to the previous row
C. The cell selection stays in the same cell
D. The cell selection moves down to the next row

Q5. Which key can you use to move across to the next cell in the same row?
A. Shift
B. Esc
C. Ctrl
D. Tab

Q6. Where else does your typed text appear besides in the selected cell?
A. In the menu bar
B. In the formula bar
C. In the status bar
D. In the title bar

Q7. When entering the list of sales reps, which cell do you start in?
A. B2
B. A1
C. B1
D. A2

Q8. When typing in the months as headers, which row are you working in?
A. Row 2
B. Row 1
C. Row 5
D. Row 3

Q9. If you prefer using the keyboard rather than the mouse in Excel, what can you use to move between cells?
A. The Enter and Tab keys, plus arrow keys
B. Only the Tab key
C. Only the mouse
D. The Esc and Shift keys

Q10. How are numbers aligned in Excel by default?
A. Centered
B. Aligned to the left
C. Aligned to the right
D. Randomly aligned

Q11. How is text (like headers) aligned in Excel by default?
A. Centered
B. Aligned to the left
C. Aligned to the right
D. Randomly aligned

Q12. What can you create using the steps described in the lesson?
A. A sales summary sheet for a fictional company
B. A chart of global populations
C. A photo gallery
D. A weather forecast table

Answers: 1-A; 2-C; 3-C; 4-D; 5-D; 6-B; 7-D; 8-B; 9-A; 10-C; 11-B; 12-A

DISCLAIMER: Quiz questions are AI generated. If you find any that are wrong, don't make sense, or aren't related to the video topic at hand, then please post a comment and let me know. Thanks.

Summary

Today's video from Excel Learning Zone is all about getting started with data entry in your very first spreadsheet.

Since we have already taken some time to get familiar with the Excel interface and its different elements, we are now ready to make our own spreadsheet. We're going to create a simple sales summary for a fictional company. We'll begin by adding a list of sales representatives.

To start, make sure you are positioned in cell A1, which is the very first cell at the top left of the sheet. If you find yourself somewhere else on the spreadsheet, just use your mouse to click on A1, or navigate using the arrow keys. For example, if you are in cell C3, you can move up and left with the arrow keys until you reach A1. Both the mouse and keyboard can move you anywhere you need to go within your worksheet.

Once you're in cell A1, we'll create the column header that describes what this column will hold. Here, since we are listing our sales reps, type "Sales Rep" in cell A1. As you type, you will notice that the text displays directly in the cell and also up in the formula bar.

After you finish typing the header, press Enter. This action will drop you down automatically to cell A2. Whenever you press Enter, you move down to the next row, which is helpful when you are entering data in a column. You can keep pressing Enter to continue moving down the column. If you prefer to move across a row instead, use the Tab key, which works the same as using the right arrow key.

Let's continue with our sales reps list. In cell A2, type the first name, "Chris," and press Enter. Then for the next rows, type "Alex," then "Jan," and finally "Pat," pressing Enter after each name. Now you have a column containing four sales reps.

Next, let's move to the top of the second column in cell B1. You can get there using the arrow keys or by clicking with the mouse. In cell B1, we'll add the heading for our monthly sales figures. For this example, we will only track four months. Type in "Jan" for January, then press Tab to move to the right. Next, enter "Feb" for February, Tab again, then "Mar" for March, Tab, and finally "Apr" for April. This gives us headers for each of our months.

Now we'll put in some sales data for each of our reps. Start by moving to cell B2, which is the first cell under "Jan." Here, type in any number you'd like, such as 9, and hit Enter to move down. Continue entering numbers for the rest of the reps, using numbers like 50, 30, and 12, each time pressing Enter. Repeat this process for the columns for February, March, and April as well, filling in random numbers for each month and sales rep. Again, the actual numbers do not matter at this stage since we're just practicing data entry.

One thing to observe is that text entries, like our column headings, will align to the left side of the cell by default, while any numbers you enter will automatically line up on the right. We'll explore why this happens and how to adjust these alignments when we get to the lesson on formatting cells.

That's the basic process for getting started with entering information into Excel: headers across the top, names down the side, and then numbers to build out your table. As you become more comfortable, you'll find that using keyboard shortcuts can help you work more efficiently without switching back and forth between your keyboard and mouse.

If you would like to see all of these steps in detail, you can find a complete video tutorial with step-by-step instructions on everything discussed here on my website at the link below. Live long and prosper, my friends.

Topic List

Navigating to a specific cell in Excel
Selecting cells using the mouse
Selecting cells using the keyboard
Entering column headers in a spreadsheet
Entering data into cells
Using Enter to move down columns
Using Tab to move across rows
Entering a list of sales reps
Entering monthly sales data
Understanding text and numeric cell alignment
Moving between cells using arrow keys
Basic use of the formula bar

Article

If you are ready to create your first spreadsheet in Excel, the first step is entering data. Now that you are a little more comfortable with the different parts of the Excel interface, let us go through an example together to make things clear.

Start by opening a new Excel worksheet. The first cell in the worksheet is A1. That is the cell in the top left corner. Before you type anything, make sure you are sitting in cell A1. If your selection is somewhere else, you can click directly on cell A1 with your mouse, or you can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move around until you get there. For example, if you are currently in cell C3, simply use the up and left arrow keys to navigate up to the top left, landing on A1.

Once you are in cell A1, you are ready to type your first item. For this example, we will create a sales summary for a fictional company. In column A, we will list all our sales reps. Since column A will be dedicated to their names, it makes sense to give this column a header. In cell A1, type Sales Rep. You will notice that whatever you type will appear both inside the cell you are working in and in the formula bar just above the grid of cells.

When you finish typing, press the Enter key on your keyboard. This will move you down to the next cell in column A, which is A2. If you prefer, pressing Enter always moves you down by one row in the same column, so it is handy when entering data in a list going down the page. You can also use the down arrow key, and it works in a similar way.

If, instead, you are entering data across a row and want to move to the next cell to the right, you can use the Tab key. Every time you press Tab, you move one column to the right, which is perfect for entering data across several columns.

For now, let us continue our example of entering sales reps. Make sure you are in cell A2. Type Chris and press Enter. You will automatically move to cell A3. Then type Alex and press Enter again. Repeat this for Jan and Pat, pressing Enter after each name. Now you have a simple list of four sales reps running down the first column.

Next, move over to cell B1. You can use your mouse and click directly on the cell, or use the arrow keys to move right and up. In cell B1, type Jan for January. This will be your header for the first month of recorded sales. If you want to keep the headers short, you can use just the three-letter abbreviations: Jan, Feb, Mar, and Apr. After you type Jan in B1, instead of pressing Enter, press the Tab key to move to C1 and type Feb, then Tab again to move to D1 and type Mar, and so on until you finish with Apr in E1.

With your headers in place, you are ready to enter the sales numbers. To enter sales numbers for each sales rep, move down to B2. Type a number, such as 9, and press Enter. This jumps you down to B3. Enter each sales figure for the sales reps in the same column, pressing Enter to quickly move down the list. For our four reps, you might fill in 9, then 50, 30, and 12 beneath Jan for each person.

Once you have filled in the sales for one month, move to the next column at the top. Use the arrow keys or your mouse to travel back up to C2 (the February column, first sales rep). Type in some sales numbers for February, pressing Enter after each one to move down and fill out the sales for each rep. Do the same for March and April, filling in random or sample numbers as you like.

Along the way, you will notice how Excel automatically aligns your text and numbers. Numeric values will line up on the right side of the cell, while any text you type, such as headers, aligns on the left by default. This is simply for readability. Later on, when we go over formatting, you will learn how to change these alignments if you want to give your spreadsheet a specific look.

As you work, remember you can navigate the spreadsheet using either your mouse or the arrow keys. For quick data entry, many people prefer using the keyboard as much as possible. There are many keyboard shortcuts available in Excel to help you move and manage your data even faster, and you will get more familiar with them as you keep practicing.

By following these steps, you will have created a basic sales summary spreadsheet listing sales reps along the side and months across the top, with sales figures filled in for each person in each month. As you continue using Excel, these simple techniques for entering and navigating data will become second nature.

Primary Topics

Excel data entry, cell navigation, spreadsheet layout, headers, row and column usage, keyboard shortcuts

Secondary Topics

cell selection, formula bar, text vs numeric alignment