Introduction

Welcome! Functions, Styles & Layout Tips

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Welcome to Excel Beginner Level 3. In this course we will cover essential Excel skills, starting with using basic functions such as Sum, Average, Count, Max, and Min. We will discuss styles and themes to give your spreadsheets a professional appearance, explore page layout options including margins and print settings, and begin working with illustrations like pictures, clip art, and shapes. This course builds on skills learned in Levels 1 and 2, and is intended for users who want to expand their knowledge with practical Excel features and formatting techniques.

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Keywords

TechHelp Excel, Excel 2010 functions, Sum function, Average function, Count function, Max function, Min function, styles, themes, page layout, margins, orientation, paper size, print area, inserting pictures, clip art, shapes, WordArt, SmartArt

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Intro

Transcript

Welcome to Excel 2010 Beginner Level 3, brought to you by ExcelLearningZone.com. I am your instructor, Richard Rost.

In today's class, we will begin by learning about functions, what functions are, how to use them, and we will cover some basic functions like Sum, Average, Count, Max, and Min. We will learn about styles and themes, and how you can use them to quickly add a professional look and feel to your Excel spreadsheets.

We will learn about page layout and how to change the way your spreadsheets look when printed. You will be able to adjust the margins, the orientation, the paper size, and lots more. Finally today, we will begin working with illustrations. You will learn how to insert pictures, clip art, screen captures, shapes, and WordArt into your spreadsheets.

Before taking this course, I strongly recommend that you take my Excel Beginner Level 2 course first. That class covers cut, copy, and paste, autofill, cell formatting, working with rows and columns, working with sheets, sorting data, conditional formatting, and find and replace. If any of these concepts seem unfamiliar to you, please stop now and take Excel 2010 Beginner Level 2 first.

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 old 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.

This is the Beginner Level 3 course for Microsoft Excel 2010. This class is for the novice user who has little or no experience with Excel outside of my Level 1 and Level 2 classes. In today's course, we will cover additional topics building on the lessons from the first two courses.

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 started with Levels 1 and 2, which you should have taken previously, and is followed by Level 3, that is this class, through Level 5. Each level teaches you new and different topics of 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 are going to learn in today's class.

In lesson 1, we are going to learn about functions. We are going to learn what a function is, what the benefits of using functions are, and we are going to learn how to use the Sum function.

In lesson 2, we are going to learn a few additional functions: Average, Count, Max, and Min.

In lesson 3, we are going to practice with the functions that we learned in the previous two lessons, and we are going to learn some new tips and tricks for working with functions.

In lesson 4, we are going to learn how to quickly change the formatting of our entire workbook using styles and themes.

In lesson 5, we are going to study the Page Layout tab. We are going to learn about Page Layout View, how to set margins, orientation, page size, specifying a print area, inserting page breaks, creating a background image, and viewing guidelines and headings.

In lesson 6, we are going to move to the Illustrations tab. In part 1, we are going to learn how to insert a picture or piece of clip art into our spreadsheets, and we will learn about the Format Picture tab.

In lesson 7, we are still working with illustrations. We are going to learn how to insert a shape, format the shape, and then add text to it.

In lesson 8, we are going to learn about SmartArt, inserting screenshots, and WordArt.

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 are 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 are 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. Do not try to apply what you are learning right now to other projects until you have mastered the sample spreadsheet. If you get stuck or do not understand something, watch the video again from the beginning, or tell me what is 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 will see that it is really easy to use.

Quiz

Q1. What is a function in Excel?
A. A built-in formula that performs calculations using specific values
B. A shortcut key for formatting cells
C. A method to copy worksheets
D. A way to change worksheet names

Q2. Which of the following is NOT one of the basic functions covered in this course?
A. Average
B. Sum
C. Divide
D. Min

Q3. What is the main advantage of using themes and styles in Excel?
A. They allow you to quickly apply a professional look to your spreadsheets
B. They calculate totals automatically
C. They increase the worksheet's calculation speed
D. They insert charts automatically

Q4. Which of these page layout features can you adjust in Excel?
A. Margins, orientation, and paper size
B. Only the color of the worksheet
C. Formula bar location
D. Workbook password

Q5. Which illustration types can you insert into an Excel spreadsheet according to this course?
A. Pictures, clip art, shapes, and WordArt
B. Only charts
C. Custom macros
D. Data tables

Q6. Before taking this Level 3 course, what is recommended?
A. Complete the Level 2 course first
B. Start with Level 4
C. Learn macros
D. Use only the Expert series

Q7. What features does the Expert level teach compared to the Beginner level?
A. More in-depth information about features, options, and tricks
B. Only basic formatting
C. How to use Excel online
D. Nothing new, only a review

Q8. What are Developer level courses mainly focused on?
A. Programming in Visual Basic for Applications and automating spreadsheets
B. Creating charts only
C. Printing options
D. Data entry shortcuts

Q9. In what order should you progress through the Excel courses offered?
A. Beginner > Expert > Advanced > Developer
B. Expert > Beginner > Developer > Advanced
C. Developer > Expert > Beginner > Advanced
D. Advanced > Beginner > Expert > Developer

Q10. What is the recommended way to get the most from each lesson in the course?
A. Watch the lesson first, then follow along and build the sample spreadsheet step by step
B. Take notes and do not use Excel at all
C. Try to apply tips to your own big project immediately
D. Only read the transcript

Q11. Where can you find help if you have questions about a lesson?
A. In the Excel Interactive Student forums
B. Only via email support
C. From the Excel print menu
D. In the Insert tab

Q12. Which of the following is TRUE about the functions covered in these lessons?
A. You will learn about Sum, Average, Count, Max, and Min
B. Only Sum and Average are discussed
C. No functions are covered
D. Only text formatting is taught

Answers: 1-A; 2-C; 3-A; 4-A; 5-A; 6-A; 7-A; 8-A; 9-A; 10-A; 11-A; 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 Excel 2010 Beginner Level 3. I am Richard Rost, and I will be your instructor as we continue building your skills in Microsoft Excel.

At this stage, we focus on the concept of functions, exploring what they are, how they work, and why they are helpful. I will introduce you to some basic but essential functions including Sum, Average, Count, Max, and Min. Along with functions, you will learn how styles and themes can quickly give your spreadsheets a polished, professional appearance.

We'll also discuss the Page Layout options in Excel, which determine how your spreadsheets will look when you print them. You will learn how to adjust margins, change page orientation, select the right paper size, and customize other print settings.

Another key part of this class is working with illustrations. I will show you how to insert pictures, clip art, screen shots, shapes, and even WordArt into your spreadsheets, enhancing both presentation and clarity.

Before getting started with Level 3, I suggest you complete my Excel Beginner Level 2 course. That class covers cut, copy, and paste functions, autofill, cell formatting, managing rows and columns, working with multiple sheets, sorting, conditional formatting, and find and replace. If any of these topics are unfamiliar, I recommend you take Level 2 first to build a solid foundation.

This course is taught using Microsoft Excel 2010, part of the Office 2010 suite. If you are using an older version, such as Excel 2007, you should still be able to follow along, as most features are similar. However, users with Excel 2003 or earlier should either upgrade to a newer version or seek tutorials specific to those versions, which you can also find on my website.

Excel 2010 Beginner Level 3 is designed for novice users who have completed my first two beginner levels. This course expands on what you have already learned, helping you grow your skills further.

My training system is divided into four groups: Beginner, Expert, Advanced, and Developer. Beginners get a strong overview of essential Excel features, so you can become productive quickly. Once you complete the basics, move up to the Expert series, where you'll explore more detailed options, discover shortcuts and tips, and work with features that are commonly used day to day. For those who become comfortable at the Expert level, Advanced lessons introduce power user topics like recording macros, creating user forms, and designing custom templates that make your spreadsheets more dynamic and functional. The final series is Developer, which teaches how to program with Visual Basic for Applications and automate your workflow.

Each group is broken into multiple levels. For example, the Beginner track starts with Levels 1 and 2, moves to 3 - which you are taking now - and continues through Level 5. Each level builds on the previous, allowing your skills to grow in an organized way. Once finished, you can move up through the next groupings as your confidence and experience increase.

Let me give you a more detailed outline of what we will cover in today's class:

Lesson 1 introduces the concept of functions, explaining not just what they are, but also their benefits and how to use the Sum function.

Lesson 2 focuses on additional functions, specifically Average, Count, Max, and Min.

Lesson 3 gives you opportunities to practice with these functions, along with sharing some practical tips and techniques to help you use them efficiently.

Lesson 4 shows you how to use styles and themes to transform the formatting of your entire workbook in just a few clicks.

Lesson 5 takes you through the Page Layout tab. Here, you will learn about different views, setting margins, choosing orientation and page size, selecting the print area, inserting breaks, creating background images, and adjusting gridlines and headings for print.

Lesson 6 moves into the Illustrations section, where you will see how to insert images and clip art, along with learning what features are available in the Format Picture tab.

Lesson 7 continues with illustrations, this time demonstrating how to add shapes, format them, and include text within them.

Lesson 8 covers SmartArt, screenshots, and WordArt, giving you more creative tools for your spreadsheets.

If you have any questions or need help during this course, you can post in the Excel Interactive Student forums. If you're viewing this tutorial on my custom video player or online in the web theater, the forum should appear next to each lesson video if you're connected to the internet. This is where you can read questions from fellow students, see my answers, and join in with your own comments.

I recommend reviewing these forums at the start of each lesson for additional insights and support. Even if you are not watching the lesson online, you can visit the forums anytime at excellearningzone.com/forums.

To get the most benefit from this course, I advise you to first watch each lesson all the way through without doing anything on your computer. Then, replay the lesson while working along with me. Create the same sample spreadsheet I show in the video. Focus on mastering these steps before trying to apply them to your own projects. If you run into trouble, rewatch the lesson or post in the student forums for help.

Above all, stay open-minded and patient. While Excel may seem overwhelming at the beginning, with practice, you will see that it quickly becomes straightforward and manageable.

You can find a complete video tutorial with step-by-step instructions for everything we discussed here on my website at the link below. Live long and prosper, my friends.

Topic List

Introduction to functions in Excel
Benefits of using functions
How to use the SUM function
Using the AVERAGE function
Using the COUNT function
Using the MAX function
Using the MIN function
Tips and tricks for working with functions
Applying styles to spreadsheets
Using themes for workbook formatting
Changing page layout view
Setting margins and orientation
Adjusting page size
Specifying a print area
Inserting page breaks
Creating a background image
Viewing gridlines and headings
Inserting pictures
Adding clip art
Using the Format Picture tab
Inserting shapes
Formatting shapes
Adding text to shapes
Inserting SmartArt
Inserting screenshots
Inserting WordArt

Article

Welcome to your next step in mastering Microsoft Excel. In this tutorial, we will explore some of the most important basic skills you will need to work efficiently and create professional looking spreadsheets. We will begin by looking at functions, including what they are, why you would use them, and how to get started with some of the most commonly used functions such as SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, MAX, and MIN. You will also learn how to improve the appearance of your spreadsheets by using styles and themes, which allow you to quickly apply attractive formatting. We will cover ways to prepare your sheets for printing, including adjusting page layout settings like margins, orientation, and paper size. Finally, you will get an introduction to adding illustrations, including inserting pictures, clip art, screenshots, shapes, and WordArt.

Before you start, it is important to have a basic understanding of working in Excel. If you need to review how to cut, copy, and paste, use autofill, format cells, work with rows and columns, switch between sheets, sort data, use conditional formatting, or perform a find and replace, make sure you are comfortable with those concepts first. These are foundational skills that will make it easier to follow along with the tasks we cover in this tutorial.

Let us begin by talking about functions. A function in Excel is essentially a predefined formula that makes calculations simple and quick. Functions save you time and reduce the risk of errors compared to manual calculations. For example, if you have a list of numbers in cells A1 to A10 and you want to find their sum, you do not need to add each cell together one by one. Instead, you can use the SUM function, like this: =SUM(A1:A10). Press Enter and Excel will instantly calculate the total for you. The same approach works for finding the average value with =AVERAGE(A1:A10), counting how many cells contain numbers using =COUNT(A1:A10), locating the highest number with =MAX(A1:A10), or identifying the lowest with =MIN(A1:A10).

It is easy to practice these functions. Try creating a small table of numbers in your own worksheet, then enter each of these functions below your list to see how they work. As you get more comfortable, you can explore combining functions or using them with data in other parts of your spreadsheet.

Beyond functions, you can upgrade the look of your spreadsheets by using styles and themes. Styles control formatting for individual cells, allowing you to quickly apply font changes, colors, and borders. Themes go even further by adjusting the overall look of the entire workbook, including fonts, color schemes, and effects. To use styles, select a range of cells, then choose one of the built-in styles from the Styles group in the Ribbon. For a bigger change, apply a theme from the Themes menu. This instantly updates many formatting settings across your spreadsheet, giving it a polished, professional finish.

Getting ready to print your spreadsheet is also important. Often, the default printout does not look how you want it. You can change the page layout to better fit your needs. For example, you can adjust margins to add or reduce white space around the edges, switch the page orientation between portrait and landscape, or select a different paper size if needed. You can also set a specific print area so only part of your sheet is printed, or insert page breaks to control exactly where new pages begin. Adding a background image makes your worksheet more visually interesting. Viewing guidelines and row or column headings can help with alignment and readability, both on screen and in print.

Excel spreadsheets are not limited to just numbers and text. You can make your worksheets more informative and visually appealing by inserting images and illustrations. To add a picture or clip art, go to the Insert tab and choose the appropriate option. You can insert a photo from your computer or search for clip art online. Once an image is in your spreadsheet, you can use the Format Picture tools to resize, crop, and adjust its appearance. Shapes are another useful tool. You can draw rectangles, circles, arrows, and more. After inserting a shape, you can change its color, outline, and add text directly inside it. These tools help illustrate points, highlight important information, or create simple diagrams.

Beyond basic illustrations, you can add SmartArt graphics, which are customizable diagrams for showing processes, hierarchies, and other relationships. Excel also lets you insert screenshots of other windows, which is helpful for documenting procedures or showing evidence. WordArt allows you to create stylized text with special effects and creative designs, making headings stand out.

As you work with these features, the best strategy is to try them out hands-on. Set up the same examples in your own workbook and practice each function and formatting step until you are comfortable. Do not worry if things feel complicated at first. Excel is a very powerful tool, but its basic features are designed to be easy to learn. If you get stuck, take a step back and review what you have learned so far, or ask for help in a user forum.

With practice, these skills will let you build clear, professional spreadsheets that not only calculate data accurately, but also look attractive and print nicely. Once you feel confident with the basics, you can explore more advanced topics like automating tasks with macros, building custom templates, or even programming with Visual Basic for Applications to create your own solutions and integrate Excel with other Office programs. Excel may seem a little intimidating when you are just starting out, but with guided practice and patience, you will soon find that it is both approachable and tremendously useful.