Lessons

Resources

Questions?

Please feel free to post your questions or comments below. If you have questions about a specific lesson, please specify the lesson number and the time index in the lesson where the issue occurs. Thank you!

Subscribe for Updates

If you would like to be notified whenever changes are made to this page, new lessons are posted, or comments are made, click on the subscribe button.

Comments for Excel Beginner 1

Age	Subject	From
4 years	Ship Handbook	Armand Ratelle

Subscribe to Excel Beginner 1
Get notifications when this page is updated

Intro

In lesson 1 of Microsoft Excel 2010 Beginner, you will learn how to navigate the Excel interface, including the ribbon, Quick Access Toolbar, and spreadsheet layout. I will show you how to enter and edit data, format your spreadsheets for a professional look, and perform basic math operations. We will also cover how to save, open, and print your work. This lesson is designed for the novice user with little or no experience in Microsoft Excel 2010.

Transcript

Welcome to Microsoft Excel 2010 Beginner, Level 1, brought to you by ExcelLearningZone.com. I am your instructor Richard Rost.

For those of you who are beginners, our goal for today is to get you up and running with Excel 2010 as quickly as possible. The first hour of tutorials will cover using Excel 2010's interface, including the ribbon, the Quick Access Toolbar, and more. You will learn how to enter data into a spreadsheet and then edit that data. You will learn how to format a spreadsheet to make it look more professional. You will also learn to perform some basic math operations in a spreadsheet.

Finally, you will learn how to save your spreadsheet to disk, load it back up again, and print it to your printer. This class is designed to be used with Microsoft Excel 2010, a part of Microsoft's Office 2010. If you are using an older version of Excel, you should visit my website at ExcelLearningZone.com and look for my older tutorials covering Excel 2000 through 2007.

If you are using Excel 2007, you should have little difficulty following along as most of the topics covered in this course are the same. If you are using Excel 2003 or earlier, you really should either upgrade to Excel 2010 or purchase a tutorial for your version of Excel, which again you can find on my website.

Before taking this course, I strongly recommend that you take one of my beginner Windows courses, either Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7, depending on which version you have. You should have a good understanding of how to use Windows before taking this course. You should be familiar with topics such as how to log on to Windows, how to use the keyboard and mouse, how to launch programs, how to maximize and minimize a window, how to use the scroll bars, and you should know the difference between the Backspace and Delete keys. All of these things are essential for understanding Excel. If any of these concepts seem unfamiliar to you, please stop now and take one of my beginner Windows courses first.

If you are planning to learn Microsoft Word in addition to Excel, I recommend that you take my Word 2007 beginner course first, then move on to Excel. Microsoft Word and word processing in general is easier to learn than working with spreadsheets. If you are new to computers, you will find it is easier to get some experience and practice using Word first, then move on to Excel. Learning the Word interface will help you to learn the Excel interface as many features such as the ribbon are very similar.

In my Word 2010 Beginner Level 1 course, you will learn how to use the Word interface, enter and edit text, format text, use the clipboard, save and load files, and lots more.

This is the Beginner Level 1 course for Microsoft Excel 2010. This class is for the novice user who has little or no experience with Excel. In today's course, we will cover just the most basic features of Excel and teach you how to edit spreadsheets effectively. Our goal for today is to get you up and running quickly with a simple Excel spreadsheet.

My courses are broken up into four groups: beginner, expert, advanced, and developer. My beginner courses are for novice users who have little or no experience with Microsoft Excel. They are designed to give you an overview of the basic features of Excel and cover just what you need to know to be productive.

When you finish the basics, it is time to move up to the expert series, which is designed for users who are already comfortable with Excel. Expert classes are designed to teach you more about all the standard features of Excel that people use from day to day and will go into more depth about each topic than the beginner classes. You will learn all about the options, alternatives, shortcuts, tips and tricks, and extra features that we might have skipped over in the beginner lessons.

When you have mastered the expert classes, the advanced lessons are for Excel power users. You will learn how to record macros, build user forms, create your own templates, and many more advanced features that not everyone will use, but they really add enhanced functionality and professionalism to your spreadsheets.

Finally, my developer level courses are designed to teach you how to program in Visual Basic for Applications with Microsoft Excel. This will allow you to create Excel-based programs for your users, automate your spreadsheets, and integrate Excel tightly with other Microsoft Office applications.

Each of my series is broken down into different levels. For example, the beginner series starts with Level 1, which is this class, and is followed by Levels 2 through 5. Each level teaches you new and different topics in Microsoft Excel, building on the lessons learned in the previous levels. When you have finished all the beginner classes, move up to the expert series, then advanced, and finally developer.

Now let's take a more detailed look at what we're going to learn in today's class.

In Lesson 1, we're going to begin by learning about the Excel interface. We'll learn how to start Microsoft Excel, we'll learn about the title bar, the window controls, and the File tab.

In Lesson 2, we're continuing our look at the Excel interface. We'll look at the ribbon, ribbon tabs, groups, commands, and dialog box launchers.

Continuing on with the Excel interface, in Lesson 3, we'll learn about the Quick Access Toolbar, the status bar, the zoom control, and the scroll bars.

In Lesson 4, we're going to finish our look at the Excel interface. We'll start with the formula bar, then learn about the parts of the spreadsheet, including rows, columns, and cells. We'll learn about the mouse pointer and the different sheet tabs.

In Lesson 5, we're going to learn how to enter data into our first spreadsheet.

In Lesson 6, we'll learn how to edit the data that we entered into our spreadsheet in the last lesson.

In Lesson 7, we're going to start looking at how to format our spreadsheets to make them look more professional. We'll learn about cell alignment, cell ranges, bold, italics, and underline.

In Lesson 8, we're going to continue learning about formatting our sheets. We'll learn how to change the font, the font size, we'll learn how to resize rows and columns, and we'll learn how to change the foreground and background colors.

In Lesson 9, we'll learn how to perform calculations in Excel. We'll learn how formulas work, and we'll learn about the basic math operators.

In Lesson 10, we're continuing on with basic math and Excel. We'll learn how to add multiple cells together, take an average of a group of cells, and we'll learn about the order of operations in mathematics.

In Lesson 11, we'll learn how to save our workbook to our computer hard disk, load it back up again, and print our spreadsheet to the printer.

If you need help with the topics covered in today's lessons, please feel free to post your questions in the Excel Interactive Student Forums. If you're watching this course using my custom video player software or online in my web theater, you should see the student forum for each lesson appear in a small window next to the class videos if you have an active internet connection. Here, you will see all of the questions that other students have asked, as well as my responses to them, and any other comments that other students have made. I encourage you to read through these questions and answers as you start each lesson, and feel free to post your own questions and comments as well.

If you're not watching your lessons online, you can still visit the student forums later by visiting ExcelLearningZone.com/forums.

To get the most out of this course, I recommend you sit back, relax, and watch each lesson completely through once without trying to do anything on your computer. Then replay the lesson from the beginning, and follow along with my examples. Actually create the same spreadsheet that I make in the video. Build a spreadsheet with me step by step.

Don't try to apply what you're learning right now to other projects until you've mastered the sample spreadsheet. If you get stuck or don't understand something, watch the video again from the beginning, or tell me what's wrong in the student forums.

Most importantly, keep an open mind. Excel might seem intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, you'll see that it's really easy to use.

Quiz

Q1. What is the primary goal of the Microsoft Excel 2010 Beginner, Level 1 course?
A. To teach advanced programming in Excel
B. To get beginners up and running with Excel 2010 as quickly as possible
C. To prepare users for certification exams
D. To focus on database management in Excel

Q2. According to the course, which of the following is a topic covered in the first hour of tutorials?
A. Building complex pivot tables
B. Using the Excel 2010 interface like the ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar
C. Creating advanced macros
D. Developing custom Excel add-ins

Q3. Before taking this Excel course, students should be familiar with which basic computer skill?
A. Writing HTML code
B. Basic use of Windows, such as using the keyboard, mouse, and window controls
C. Installing computer hardware
D. Programming in Visual Basic

Q4. What is recommended if you are using Excel 2003 or earlier?
A. Proceed with the course as normal
B. Upgrade to Excel 2010 or purchase a tutorial for your version
C. Switch to using Google Sheets
D. Skip directly to advanced lessons

Q5. Why is it suggested that new computer users start with a Microsoft Word course before Excel?
A. Excel is not useful for beginners
B. Spreadsheets are easier than word processing
C. Word processing is generally easier and helps users become familiar with common interface features
D. Word contains more advanced features than Excel

Q6. Which of the following topics is NOT covered in this Beginner Level 1 Excel 2010 course?
A. Formatting a spreadsheet to look professional
B. Performing basic math operations in a spreadsheet
C. Programming Visual Basic for Applications in Excel
D. Saving, loading, and printing spreadsheets

Q7. What is the progression order of courses suggested for mastering Excel based on the instructor's curriculum?
A. Advanced - Beginner - Expert - Developer
B. Beginner - Expert - Advanced - Developer
C. Developer - Advanced - Beginner - Expert
D. Beginner - Advanced - Expert - Developer

Q8. In the lessons described, which lesson will cover how to enter data into a spreadsheet?
A. Lesson 3
B. Lesson 5
C. Lesson 7
D. Lesson 9

Q9. Which lesson focuses on basic mathematical calculations and understanding math operators in Excel?
A. Lesson 4
B. Lesson 7
C. Lesson 9
D. Lesson 11

Q10. What is the recommended approach to learning from the course videos, according to the instructor?
A. Take notes while skipping lessons that seem too easy
B. Try to apply lessons to all your personal projects immediately
C. Watch the lesson once completely, then replay it and follow along step by step
D. Only read the transcript instead of watching the videos

Q11. What should a student do if they do not understand something in the course?
A. Ignore it and move ahead
B. Watch the video again from the beginning or ask questions in the student forums
C. Search for unrelated topics online
D. Ask for help outside of the provided forums

Q12. What is the purpose of the student forums as described in the video?
A. To report technical issues only
B. To download course materials
C. To ask questions, see responses, and interact with other students about the lessons
D. To submit finished homework

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

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 introducing you to Microsoft Excel 2010 at the beginner level. My main goal is to help those of you who are brand new to Excel get started quickly and confidently. In the first hour, we will cover everything you need to know to become familiar with Excel 2010's interface, including how to work with the ribbon and the Quick Access Toolbar. I will show you how to enter and edit data in a spreadsheet, format your sheets so they look professional, and carry out basic calculations.

We will also go over the process of saving your spreadsheets, opening them again, and printing your work. This course is designed specifically for Microsoft Excel 2010, which is part of the Office 2010 suite. If you are using an older version such as Excel 2000 through 2007, I have tutorials on my website that will be more appropriate for those versions.

For users on Excel 2007, you should be able to keep up with this course, since most of the material is still relevant. However, if you are using Excel 2003 or earlier, it is important to either upgrade to a newer version or use a tutorial suited to your version, which you can also find on my site.

Before you begin this Excel course, it is helpful to already have some basic Windows skills. You should know how to log on, use a keyboard and mouse, open programs, move and resize windows, use scroll bars, and understand the difference between the Backspace and Delete keys. If any of these concepts are unfamiliar to you, I strongly suggest you start with one of my beginner Windows courses so you have a solid foundation.

If you plan to also learn Microsoft Word, I recommend starting with my Word 2007 beginner class before moving on to Excel. Word processing is generally easier to pick up, and learning how Word works will make it easier to get used to Excel's interface, since they share many features such as the ribbon.

In my Word 2010 Beginner Level 1 course, you learn how to get around in Word, work with text, use formatting and clipboard tools, save and load files, and more.

This Excel 2010 Beginner Level 1 class is designed for those with little or no prior experience working with Excel. We will focus on the most important and basic features you need to know in order to edit spreadsheets and become productive right away.

I organize my courses into four levels: beginner, expert, advanced, and developer. The beginner series is for those just starting out, and will give you the essentials to become comfortable with Excel. After you complete the beginner classes, you can move to the expert series, which covers more of the standard features in detail, along with tips, tricks, and shortcuts. Once you are comfortable with those topics, the advanced lessons are tailored to power users, teaching you about recording macros, building user forms, and creating custom templates for added professional results. Finally, developer courses cover programming with Visual Basic for Applications, allowing you to automate Excel and extend its capabilities.

Each series is divided into levels. This class is beginner level 1, but there are additional levels that cover more topics as you progress. After completing all the beginner lessons, you should continue to expert, then advanced, and finally developer courses.

Let me give you a breakdown of what we will cover today.

Lesson 1 introduces the Excel interface, including how to launch Excel, the title bar, window controls, and the File tab.

Lesson 2 continues with the interface, examining the ribbon, its tabs, groups, and commands, as well as dialog box launchers.

In Lesson 3, we take a look at the Quick Access Toolbar, the status bar, the zoom controls, and scroll bars.

Lesson 4 finishes our exploration of the Excel interface. You will learn about the formula bar, how rows, columns, and cells work, along with the mouse pointer and sheet tabs.

Lesson 5 teaches you how to enter your own data into a spreadsheet for the first time.

In Lesson 6, we focus on editing the data you have previously entered.

Lesson 7 starts to look at spreadsheet formatting. You will learn about cell alignment, working with ranges, and using options like bold, italic, and underline.

Lesson 8 continues formatting with topics such as changing fonts, adjusting font sizes, resizing rows and columns, and changing colors for both text and cell backgrounds.

In Lesson 9, we learn how to do calculations in Excel, explore how formulas operate, and discuss basic math functions.

Lesson 10 builds on that and looks at more math concepts. We cover how to add up multiple cells, calculate averages, and explain the order in which Excel handles different math operations.

Lesson 11 walks you through saving your workbooks, opening them again, and printing your spreadsheets.

If you have any questions or want to discuss the course material, I encourage you to use the interactive student forums. These forums are available through my website, and if you are watching the lessons online, you will see the forum appear alongside the videos. The forum contains questions from other students and my answers, and I welcome your participation as well.

The best way to learn from this course is to watch each lesson through fully before trying the steps yourself. Then replay the lesson and follow along with my examples so you can build the same spreadsheet I create. Work through the lessons step by step before trying to apply what you've learned to your own projects. If you find yourself stuck at any point, just watch the lesson again or reach out in the student forums.

Remember, Excel can seem complex at first, but it becomes much easier as you get familiar with its features.

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

Starting Microsoft Excel 2010
Understanding the Excel interface
Using the title bar and window controls
Navigating the File tab
Exploring the ribbon, tabs, and groups
Using ribbon commands and dialog box launchers
Quick Access Toolbar overview
Status bar, zoom control, and scroll bars
Using the formula bar
Understanding rows, columns, and cells
Mouse pointer functions in Excel
Working with sheet tabs
Entering data into a spreadsheet
Editing data in a spreadsheet
Cell alignment options
Selecting and formatting cell ranges
Using bold, italics, and underline
Changing font and font size
Resizing rows and columns
Changing cell foreground and background colors
Creating basic formulas in Excel
Using math operators in formulas
Adding multiple cells together
Calculating averages in Excel
Understanding order of operations
Saving an Excel workbook
Loading a saved workbook
Printing a spreadsheet