Formatting a Worksheet · In addition to column, row, or font changes, you can add colors to cells or fonts, and include pat- ... 12 PM Page 92. 5 Formatting a Worksheet 93 Format

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Formatting a Worksheet

Introduction

Microsoft Office Excel 2003 offers several tools for making yourworksheets look more attractive and professional. Without for-matting, a worksheet can look like a sea of meaningless data. Tohighlight important information, you can change the appearanceof selected numbers and text by adding dollar signs, commas,and other numerical formats or by applying attributes, such asboldface, italics, and underline.

Once you’ve set up your worksheet, additional changes areavailable to customize your worksheets look. You can change thedefault font and font size, or maybe you’d like to adjust thealignment of data in cells. In addition to column, row, or fontchanges, you can add colors to cells or fonts, and include pat-terns to cells. You can also add borders around columns of datato help group them visually, or even add some clip art, a company logo, or some pictures.

By using AutoFormats and styles to apply multiple changes,you can speed up the formatting process and ensure a greaterdegree of consistency among your worksheets. You can use theFind and Replace Formatting feature to find the various format-ting attributes and change them. 5

5What You’ll Do

Format Text and Numbers

Design Conditional Formatting

Copy Cell Formats

Change Fonts

Change Data Alignment

Control Text Flow

Change Data Color

Add Color and Patterns to Cells

Add Borders to Cells

Format Data with AutoFormat

Modify an AutoFormat

Format Tabs and Background

Create and Apply Style

Modify a Style

Find and Replace Formatting

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You can change the appearance of the data in the cells of a worksheetwithout changing the actual value in the cell. You can format text andnumbers with font attributes, such as bolding, italics, or underlining, toenhance data to catch the reader’s attention. You can also apply numericformats to numbers to better reflect the type of information they repre-sent—dollar amounts, dates, decimals, and so on. For example, you canformat a number to display up to 15 decimal places or none at all. If youdon’t see the number format you need, you can create a custom one.

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Formatting Textand Numbers

Format Text Quickly

Select a cell or range with the textyou want to format.

Click one of the buttons on theFormatting toolbar to apply thatattribute to the selected range:

◆ Bold

◆ Italic

◆ Underline

Click the Font or Font Size listarrow, and then select a font orsize.

You can apply multiple attributes tothe range.

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Formatting Toolbar Buttons

Button Name Example

Bold Excel

Italic Excel

Underline Excel

Currency Style $5,432.10

Percent Style 54.32%

Comma Style 5,432.10

Increase Decimal 5,432.10 becomes 5,432.100

Decrease Decimal 5,432.10 becomes 5,432.1

Did You Know?You can remove a numeric format orfont attribute quickly. The buttons onthe Formatting toolbar are toggle but-tons, which means you simply click toturn them on and off. To add or removea numeric format or a font attribute,select the cell, range, or text, and thenclick the appropriate button on theFormatting toolbar to turn the format orattribute off.

You can format numbers in interna-tional currencies. In the Format Cellsdialog box, click the Number tab, clickCurrency in the Category list, click theSymbol list arrow, and then click aninternational currency symbol.

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Formatting a Worksheet 93

Format Numbers Quickly

Select a cell or range thatcontains the number(s) you wantto format.

Click one of the buttons on theFormatting toolbar to apply thatattribute to the selected range.

◆ Currency Style

◆ Percent Style

◆ Comma Style

◆ Increase Decimal

◆ Decrease Decimal

You can apply multiple attributes tothe range.

Format a Number Using theFormat Cells Dialog Box

Select a cell or range thatcontains the number(s) you wantto format.

Click the Format menu, and thenclick Cells.

Click the Number tab.

Click to select a category.

Select the options you want toapply.

To create a custom format, clickCustom, type the number formatcode, and then use one of theexisting codes as a starting point.

Preview your selections in theSample box.

Click OK.7

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You can make your worksheets more powerful by setting up conditionalformatting. Conditional formatting lets the value of a cell determine itsformatting. For example, you might want this year’s sales total to be dis-played in red and italics if it’s less than last year’s total, but in green andbold if it’s more. The formatting is applied to the cell values only if thevalues meet the a condition that you specify. Otherwise, no conditionalformatting is applied to the cell values.

Designing ConditionalFormatting

Establish a Conditional Format

Select a cell or range you want toconditionally format.

Click the Format menu, and thenclick Conditional Formatting.

Select the operator and values youwant for condition 1.

Click the Format button, select theattributes you want applied, andthen click OK.

Click Add to include additionalconditions, and then repeat steps3 and 4.

Click OK.

Delete a Conditional Format

Click the Format menu, and thenclick Conditional Formatting.

Click Delete.

Select the check box for thecondition(s) you want to delete.

Click OK.4

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See AlsoSee “Formatting Data with AutoFormat” on page 106 for information onformatting data more efficiently.

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After formatting a cell on a worksheet, you might want to apply thosesame formatting changes to other cells on the worksheet. For example,you might want each subtotal on your worksheet to be formatted in italic,bold, 12-point Times New Roman, with a dollar sign, commas, and twodecimal places. Rather than selecting each subtotal and applying theindividual formatting to each cell, you can paint (that is, copy) the for-matting from one cell to others.


Copying Cell Formats

Copy a Cell Format

Select a cell or range containingthe formatting you want to copy.

Click the Format Painter button onthe Standard toolbar. If necessary,click the Toolbar Options list arrowto display the button.

Drag to select the cell(s) you wantto paint. When you release themouse button, the cells appearwith the new formatting.

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Did You Know?You can use the Esc key to cancel for-mat painting. If you change your mindabout painting a format, cancel themarquee by pressing Esc.

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A font is a collection of alphanumeric characters that share the sametypeface, or design, and have similar characteristics. Most fonts areavailable in a number of styles (such as bold and italic) and sizes. Thesize of each font character is measured in points (a point is approxi-mately 1/72 of an inch). You can use any font that is installed on yourcomputer on a worksheet, but the default is 10-point Arial.

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Changing Fonts

Change Font, Font Style, andFont Size

Select a cell or range thatcontains the font you want tochange.


Click the Font tab.

Select a font.

Select a font style.

Select a font size.

Select any additional formattingeffects.

Click OK.8

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Did You Know?Each computer has different fontsinstalled. Users with whom you sharefiles may not have all the fonts you’veused in a workbook installed on theircomputers.

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Change Font and Font Size Usingthe Formatting Toolbar

Select a cell or range whose fontand font size you want to change.

Click the Font list arrow on theFormatting toolbar.

If necessary, scroll to find the fontyou want to use, and then click it.

Click the Font Size list arrow onthe Formatting toolbar. Ifnecessary, click the ToolbarOptions list arrow to display thebutton.

If necessary, scroll to find the fontsize you want to use, and thenclick it.

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Did You Know?You can tell the difference between aTrueType and printer font. A TrueType(outline) font is a font that uses specialsoftware capabilities to print exactlywhat is seen on the screen. A printer(screen) font is a font that comes onlyin specified sizes. If you are creating aworksheet for publication, you need touse printer fonts.

You can display font names in theirfont. Click the Tools menu, clickCustomize, click the Options tab, andthen click to select the List FontNames In Their Font check box.

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When you enter data in a cell, Excel aligns labels on the left edge of thecell and aligns values and formulas on the right edge of the cell.Horizontal alignment is the way in which Excel aligns the contents of acell relative to the left or right edge of the cell; vertical alignment is theway in which Excel aligns cell contents relative to the top and bottom ofthe cell. Excel also provides an option for changing the flow and angle ofcharacters within a cell. The orientation of the contents of a cell isexpressed in degrees. The default orientation is 0 degrees, in whichcharacters are aligned horizontally within a cell.

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Changing DataAlignment

Change Alignment Using theFormat Dialog Box

Select a cell or range containingthe data to be realigned.


Click the Alignment tab.

Click the Horizontal list arrow orthe Vertical list arrow, and thenselect an alignment.

Select an orientation. Click a pointon the map, or click the Degreesup or down arrow.

If you want, select one or more ofthe Text Control check boxes.

Click OK.7

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Did You Know?You can use the Format Cells dialogbox to select other alignment options.Many more alignment options areavailable from the Format Cells dialogbox, but for centering across columnsand simple left, right, and center align-ment, it’s easier to use the Formattingtoolbar buttons.

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Change Alignment Using theFormatting Toolbar

Select a cell or range containingthe data to be realigned.

Click the Align Left, Center, orAlign Right button on theFormatting toolbar.

To center cell contents acrossselected columns, click the MergeAnd Center button on theFormatting toolbar.

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Alignment Toolbar Buttons

Button Name Description

Align Left Aligns cell contents on the left edge of the cell.

Center Centers cell contents in the middle of the cell.

Align Right Aligns cell contents on the right edge of the cell.

Merge and Center Centers cell contents across the columns of a selected range.

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See AlsoSee “Add Color to Worksheet Tabs” onpage 108 for information on addingbackground color or pictures.

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The length of a label might not always fit within the width you’ve chosenfor a column. If the cell to the right is empty, text spills over into it, but ifthat cell contains data, the text will be truncated (that is, cut off). A cellcan be formatted so its text automatically wraps to multiple lines; thatway, you don’t have to widen the column to achieve an attractive effect.For example, you might want the label Interior Vanity Strips to fit in a col-umn that is only as wide as Interior. Cell contents can also be modified tofit within the available space or can be combined with the contents ofother cells.

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Controlling Text Flow

Control the Flow of Text in a Cell

Select a cell or range whose textflow you want to change.


Click the Alignment tab.

Click to select one or more TextControl check boxes.

◆ Wrap Text moves the text tomultiple lines within a cell.

◆ Shrink To Fit reduces charactersize to fit within a cell.

◆ Merge Cells combines selectedcells into a single cell.

Click OK.5

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You can change the color of the numbers and text on a worksheet.Strategic use of font color can be an effective way of tying similar valuestogether. For instance, on a sales worksheet you might want to displaysales in green and returns in red. Or, you may want to highlight columnor row headers with colored labels. Either way, using color to highlightnumbers and texts makes deciphering your worksheet data easier.


Changing Data Color

Change Font Color Using theFormatting Toolbar

Select a cell or range thatcontains the text you want tochange.

Click the Font Color button listarrow on the Formatting toolbar.

Click a color.3

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Did You Know?The Font Color button on theFormatting toolbar displays the lastfont color you used. To apply this colorto another selection, simply click thebutton, not the list arrow.

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You can fill the background of a cell with a color and a pattern to makeits data stand out. Fill colors and patterns can also lend consistency torelated information on a worksheet. On a sales worksheet, for example,formatting all fourth-quarter sales figures with a blue background and allsecond-quarter sales with a yellow background would make each groupof figures easy to identify. You can use fill colors and patterns in conjunc-tion with text attributes, fonts, and font colors to further enhance theappearance of your worksheet.

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Adding Color andPatterns to Cells

Apply Color and Patterns

Select a cell or range to which youwant to apply colors and patterns.


Click the Patterns tab.

To add shading to the cell, click acolor in the palette.

To add a pattern to the cell, clickthe Pattern list arrow, and thenclick a pattern and color in thepalette.

Click OK.6

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Did You Know?You can paint a format. When youpaint a format using the Format Painterbutton on the Standard toolbar, the fillcolors and patterns get copied too.

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Apply Color Using theFormatting Toolbar

Select a cell or range.

Click the Fill Color button list arrowon the Formatting toolbar.

If necessary, click the ToolbarOptions list arrow to display thebutton.

Click a color.3

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Did You Know?You can use the Print Preview buttonon the Standard toolbar to save time.Preview your worksheet before youprint it, especially if you don’t have acolor printer. Some colors and patternslook great on screen but can make aworksheet difficult to read whenprinted in black and white.

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The light gray grid that appears on the worksheet helps your eyes movefrom cell to cell. Although you can print these gridlines, sometimes a different grid pattern better emphasizes your data. For example, youmight put a decorative line border around the title, a double-line bottomborder below cells with totals, or a thick border between sections of acomplicated worksheet. You can add borders of varying colors andwidths to any or all sides of a single cell or range.

Adding Borders to Cells

Apply a Border

Select a cell or range to which youwant to apply borders.


Click the Border tab.

Select a line style.

Click the Color list arrow, and thenclick a color for the border.

If you want a border on the outsideof a cell or range, click Outline. Ifyou want a border between cells,click Inside. If you want to removea border, click None.

To set a custom border, click aBorder button, or click the PreviewBorder box where you want to adda border.

Click OK.8

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Apply a Border Using theFormatting Toolbar

Select a cell or range to which youwant to apply a border.

Click the Borders list arrow on theFormatting toolbar or the Bordersbutton to select the default borderstyle. If necessary, click theToolbar Options list arrow todisplay the button.

Select a border from the submenuof available borders. The previousborder style you have chosenappears as the default Bordersbutton on the Formatting toolbar.

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Did You Know?You can use the Select All button. Toplace a border around the entire work-sheet, click the Select All button, andthen apply the border.

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Formatting worksheet data can be a lot of fun but also very intensive. Tomake formatting data more efficient, Excel includes 18 AutoFormats. AnAutoFormat includes a combination of fill colors and patterns, numericformats, font attributes, borders, and font colors that are professionallydesigned to enhance your worksheets. If you don’t select any cellsbefore choosing the AutoFormat command, Excel will “guess” whichdata it should format.

Formatting Data with AutoFormat

Apply an AutoFormat

Select a cell or range to which youwant to apply an AutoFormat, orskip this step if you want Excel to“guess” which cells to format.

Click the Format menu, and thenclick AutoFormat.

Click an AutoFormat in the list.

Click Options.

Select one or more Formats ToApply check boxes to turn afeature on or off.

Click OK.6

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Did You Know?You can copy cell formats with FormatPainter. Select the cell or range whoseformatting you want to copy, double-click the Format Painter button on theStandard toolbar, select the cells youwant to format, and then click theFormat Painter button.

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Excel AutoFormats give any worksheet a professional look, but you mayneed to modify an AutoFormat to better suit the needs of a particularproject. For example, the AutoFormat you applied might be perfectexcept that the font used should be different—to match the font in therest of your report. You can control individual elements in an AutoFormatso that not all are applied to the current worksheet. These changes aretemporary; you can’t permanently alter an AutoFormat.


Modifying anAutoFormat

Modify an AutoFormat

Select a cell or range whoseAutoFormat you want to change,or skip this step if you want Excelto “guess” which cells to format.

Click the Format menu, and thenclick AutoFormat.

Click the AutoFormat you want tomodify.

Click Options.

Click to select or clear one ormore Formats To Apply checkboxes to turn a feature on or off.

Click OK.6

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Did You Know?You can let Excel choose the range toformat. If you don’t select the cells youwant to apply the AutoFormat to, Excelwill guess which cells you want formatted.

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Depending on your screen size, the sheet tabs at the bottom of yourworkbook can be hard to view. You can add color to the sheet tabs tomake them more distinguishable. If you want to add artistic style to yourworkbook or you are creating a Web page from your workbook, you canadd a background picture. When you add a background to a worksheet,the background does not print, and it’s not included when you save anindividual worksheet as a Web page. You need to publish the entireworkbook as a Web page to include the background.

Formatting Tabs andBackground

Add Color to Worksheet Tabs

Click the sheet tab you want tocolor.

Click the Format menu, point toSheet, and then click Tab Color.

Click a tab color.

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3Add or Remove a Background

Click the sheet tab you want to adda background to.

Click the Format menu, point toSheet, and then click Background.

Select the folder with the graphicfile you want to use.

Select the graphic you want.

Click Insert.

To remove the background, clickthe Format menu, point to Sheet,and then click RemoveBackground.

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A style is a defined collection of formats—font, font size, attributes,numeric formats, and so on—that you can store as a set and later applyto other cells. For example if you always want subtotals to display inblue 14-point Times New Roman, bold, italic, with two decimal placesand commas, you can create a style that includes all these formats. Ifyou plan to enter repetitive information, such as a list of dollar amountsin a row or column, it’s often easier to apply the desired style to therange before you enter the data. That way you can simple enter eachnumber, and Excel formats it as soon as you press Enter. You can alsocopy styles from one workbook to another. Once you create a style, it isavailable to you in every workbook.

Creating and ApplyingStyles

Create a New Style

Select a cell or range that youwant to create a style.

Click the Format menu, and thenclick Style.

Type the name of the new style.

Clear the check boxes with theoptions you do not want.

Click Modify.

Click any of the formatting tabs,and then make additionalformatting changes to the style.

Click OK.

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Did You Know?You can merge a style from anotherworkbook. Click the Format menu,click Style, click Merge, click theworkbook that contains the style youwant, click OK, and then click OKagain.

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Apply a Style

Select a cell or range to which youwant to apply a style.


Click the Style Name list arrow,and then select the style you wantto apply.

Click OK.4

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Any style—whether it was supplied by Excel or created by you or some-one else—can be modified. Suppose you created a style containingfonts and colors your company uses. If those specifications changed,you could modify the style to include the new attributes. If you want touse styles created or modified in another workbook, you can merge thestyles into the open workbook. If you no longer use a style, you candelete it from the workbook.

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Modifying a Style

Modify a Style


Click the Style Name list arrow.

Click the style you want to modify.

Click Modify.

Make any changes you want in theFormat Cells dialog box.

Click OK.

Click OK.7

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Merge Styles

Open the worksheet that containsthe styles you want to merge.


Click Merge.

Click the workbook that containsthe styles you want to merge withthe current workbook.

Click OK.

Click OK.

Delete a Style


Click the Style Name list arrow,and then click the style you wantto delete.

Click Delete.

Click OK.4

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5Did You Know?You can use the Add button to create anew style based on a current style.You never know when you might wantto use an original style supplied byExcel. To keep the original style intact,modify the formatting in the Style dia-log box as desired, click Add, and thengive the modified style a new name.

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The Find and Replace commands make it easy to locate or replace spe-cific text, numbers, and formatting in a workbook. For example, you mightwant to replace all the references to cell A6 in your formulas with datacontained in cell H2, or you might want to replace bold text with italictext. Or, you may want to change a client name or contact on all of yourfinancial reports. You can be specific in your replacing, by replacing oneat a time, or all matches found.

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Finding and ReplacingFormatting

Find or Replace Formatting

Click the Edit menu, and then clickFind or Replace.

Enter the word or words you wantto find.

Click Options to display formattingoptions. If necessary, click Format,and then click Clear FormattingFrom Cell to clear previous criteria.

Click Format, specify theformatting you want to locate, andthen click OK.

Click Find Next to find theformatting options you specified.

To replace text and formatting,click the Replace tab, and thenenter the word or words you wantto replace in the Replace With textbox.

Click the Replace With Formatbutton, specify the formatting youwant to replace, and then click OK.

Click Find Next to select the nextinstance of the formatted text orclick Replace or Replace All tosubstitute formatting.

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Documents

Formatting a Worksheet · In addition to column, row, or font changes, you can add colors to cells or fonts, and include pat- ... 12 PM Page 92. 5 Formatting a Worksheet 93 Format