Absolute Beginners Guide to Microsoft Office Excel 2003

The rectangular portion of a worksheet that contains data. If you choose to print a worksheet, Excel prints only the entries in the data area. Excel does not print the blank cells that fall outside the data area.

The process of typing labels, values, and formulas into blank cells to create a functioning worksheet.

A collection of records, each of which is entered in its own row. When you create a worksheet to store records, such as names and addresses, rather than to perform calculations, Excel refers to the records as a data list.

Related data points plotted in a chart. For example, if a chart contains sales amounts for two different years , the sales data for each year would be plotted as separate data series.

A collection of records, each of which is made up of two or more field entries. A phone book, collection of recipes, and membership list are all examples of databases.

An original setting. In Excel, for instance, the default font is Arial 10-point type. Unless you change the setting, everything you type will appear in Arial 10-point type.

To remove selected cells and their contents from a worksheet. Compare to clear .

A cell that contains a formula or function that depends on this cell to supply a value. Compare to precedent .

An arrangement of entries from the highest to the lowest value or in alphabetical order from Z to A.

A box that appears when you enter a command that requires additional input. If, for instance, you select the Format, Cells command, the Format Cells dialog box appears, prompting you to enter the desired format settings.

A place in the Excel program window where you can drag toolbars to "lock" them in place.