Technical communication - Essay Example

Creating Formulas and Using them to perform Calculations in a Microsoft Excel Workbook Table of illustrations Table NumberPurposeTable 1.0Shows characters used in creating formulasTable of figures Figure NumberPurposeFigure 1Summarizes the steps followed in changing to manual calculations Figure 2Shows how the calculate now option appearsIntroduction Microsoft Excel helps in performing calculations using functions and formulas. Formulas are commands that instruct Microsoft Excel to carry out certain calculations.

In responding to these calculations, Excel spreadsheet uses cell references and designated values. Microsoft Excel has functions that help perform calculations automatically and embedding these functions with formulas helps save on time and work. Understanding how to write and use formulas in Microsoft excel requires an understanding of basic formula requirements. An equals sign appears in the beginning of a formula and it informs Excel about the task it is about to do. Operands are values used in the creation of a formula.

Operants are commands that guide Excel on what actions to perform on operands. Addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication are examples of operants. Below are guidelines on how to write formulas that can ease working with a Microsoft Excel workbook (Taylor 17). There are also guidelines on how to change to manual calculation in the workbook. Creating a formula for linking information in a single Microsoft Excel worksheetThe complexity or simplicity of a formula depends on the needs of a user.

It is advisable to insert a function when creating complex but fairly common formulas. This way, users do not have to create the entire formula (Taylor 18). Below are the steps followed in creating a formula used for linking information contained in a single Microsoft Excel worksheet. 1. Pick a cell where the results of the calculation will be displayed 2. Press the equals sign [=]3. Select the first cell that will be included or type the reference of the preferred first cellNote: Users need to consider whether they will be using absolute or relative reference4.

Type the preferred operator for example, [-]5. Select the second cell or type the reference of the second cell to be included6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 as appropriate until the completion of the targeted formula7. Press Enter [Enter] to finish creating the formulaNote: Pressing away from the cell before pressing Enter [Enter] adds that cell onto which you click. Creating formulas for many Excel WorksheetsWriting formulas that include information that are in different worksheets is more complicating that writing a formula that involves information on the same worksheet.

Microsoft Excel allows the linkage of information in different cells in the same or different worksheets contained in the same workbook. Five symbols help make formulas that link information from in worksheets (Taylor 19). The table below summarizes these five symbols, their names and use within formulas. Table 1.0Character Name Use within formulas+Plus signSignify a range[ ]BracketsEncompasses a filename :Colon Signify a range `Apostrophe Places around filenames and sheet names or when sheet names contain spaces!

Exclamation pointPlaces between worksheet names and cell references Note: a) A colon, for example, in A5:A8, signify a range from A5 through to A8b) A plus sign, for example, in D3+G5, means D3 and G5 onlyCreating a formula that link to a Microsoft Excel worksheet in a workbookMicrosoft Excel enables the creation of formulas linking to other worksheets in a workbook. 1. Pick the cell where the formula is to appear2. Type the details of the formula using the format of the example; =name of function(name of worksheet!

cell refence)Note: a) The above format works for worksheets without space in their namesb) Worksheets that have space between their names have apostrophes before and after the names of the worksheet so that their formula would appear in the format: =name of function(‘name of worksheet’!cell refence)3. Press Enter [Enter] to accept the formula (Taylor 20)Creating a link between multiple Microsoft Excel worksheets in a workbook Microsoft allows the creation of links between multiple worksheets at ago.

This helps users to perform calculations that involved a range of worksheets1. Pick the cell in which the formula will appear2. Use the following format in typing the details of the formula: =function(range of worksheets!cell reference)Note:a) Worksheets without space in their names use a formula with the above formulab) Worksheets with space in their names have apostrophes before and after the range of worksheets3. Users have to use a colon or plus sign to indicate the range of worksheets4. Press Enter [Enter] to accept the formula (Taylor 21)Changing to manual calculations Changing to manual calculations helps speed up the rate of entering data.

There are steps used in changing to manual calculations (Taylor 22). These steps are highlighted below. 1. Click on the ribbon and 2. Pick the command tab of formulas3. Select calculations4. Click on options 5. Pick the option of manual These actions can be summarized using the following illustration. Fig. 1 Note: Users can use the option of manual calculation either using the keyboard or using the ribbon. Steps in using the manual calculation option through the keyboard1. Press the F9 [F9] key or Press the Control [Ctrl] key then the plus sign and then the equals sign.

This can be summarized using the following format: [Ctrl] + [=]This updates the data automatically (Taylor 23)Steps in using the manual calculation option using the ribbon1. Pick the command tab of formulas on the ribbon2. Click on calculate now in the calculations groupFig. 2The calculate now option in the calculations groups appears as shown in the figure belowClicking on the Calculate now option in the calculations group updates the data automatically (Taylor 17)Works citedTaylor, Mark. Learn Microsoft Excel at Advanced Level.

Northampton: Paragon Pub, 2009. Print.