LESSON 6: EXAMPLES/TYPES OF SPREADSHEET
Difference between a
workbook, worksheet, and spreadsheet
Because the terms spreadsheet,
workbook, and worksheet are so similar, there is a lot of confusion when trying
to understand their differences. When you open Microsoft Excel (a spreadsheet
program), you're opening a workbook. A
workbook can contain one or more different worksheets that are accessed through
the tabs at the bottom of the worksheet your currently viewing. What's often
most confusing is that a worksheet is synonymous with a spreadsheet. In other
words, a spreadsheet and worksheet mean the same thing. However, most people
only refer to the program as a
spreadsheet program and the files it creates as spreadsheet files or worksheets.
Examples of spreadsheet
programs
Today, Microsoft
Excel is the most popular and
widely used spreadsheet program, but there are also many alternatives. Below is
a list of spreadsheet programs used to create a spreadsheet.
·
Google Sheets -
(online and free).
·
iWork Numbers -
Apple Office Suite.
·
LibreOffice ->
Calc (free).
·
Lotus 1-2-3 (discontinued).
·
Lotus Symphony -
Spreadsheets.
·
OpenOffice ->
Calc (free).
·
VisiCalc (discontinued).
Examples and uses of a
spreadsheet
Although spreadsheets are most
often used with anything containing numbers, the uses of a spreadsheet are
almost endless. Below are some other popular uses of spreadsheets.
Finance
Spreadsheets are ideal for
financial data, such as your checking account information, budgets, taxes,
transactions, billing, invoices, receipts, forecasts, and any payment system.
Forms
Form templates can be created
to handle inventory, evaluations, performance reviews, quizzes, time sheets,
patient information, and surveys.
School and grades
Teachers can use spreadsheets
to track students, calculate grades, and identify relevant data, such as high
and low scores, missing tests, and students who are struggling.
Lists
Managing a list in a
spreadsheet is a great example of data that does not contain numbers, but still
can be used in a spreadsheet. Great examples of spreadsheet lists include
telephone, to-do, and grocery lists.
Sports
Spreadsheets can keep track of your favorite player stats or stats on the whole team. With the collected data, you can also find averages, high scores, and statistical data. Spreadsheets can even be used to create tournament brackets.
Why not use a word
processor instead of a spreadsheet?
Although some of
the above uses could be done in a word processor,
spreadsheets have a considerable advantage over word processors when it comes
to numbers. It would be impossible to calculate multiple numbers in a word
processor and have the value of the calculation immediately appear.
Spreadsheets are also much more dynamic with the data and can hide, show, and
sort information to make processing lots of information easier.
What is an active
worksheet?
An active
worksheet is the worksheet that is currently open. For example, in the
earlier Excel picture, the sheet tabs at the bottom show "Sheet1,"
"Sheet2," and "Sheet3," with Sheet1 being
the active worksheet. The active tab usually has a white background behind the
tab name.
How many worksheets open by
default?
In Microsoft Excel
2016 and earlier and OpenOffice Calc, by default, there are three sheet
tabs that open (Sheet1, Sheet2, and Sheet3). In
Google Sheets, your spreadsheets starts with one sheet (Sheet1).
In Microsoft Excel
365, by default, there is only one sheet tab that opens (Sheet1).
What is the length limit of
a worksheet name?
Not to be confused
with the file name, in
Microsoft Excel, there is a 31 character limit
for each worksheet name.
How are rows and columns
labeled?
In all spreadsheet
programs, including Microsoft Excel, rows are
labeled using numbers (e.g., 1 to
1,048,576). All columns are labeled
with letters from
A to Z, then with two letters. For example, after the letter Z, the next column
is AA, AB, AC, ..., AZ and then incrementing to BA, BB, BC, etc., to the last
column XFD.
When working with
a cell, you combine the column with the row. For example, the
very first cell is in column A and on row 1, so the cell is labeled as A1.
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