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Getting Started

Exploring the Excel Interface

When you first open Microsoft Excel, the window displays a new, blank worksheet, in which you can enter, format, and analyze data using the various commands available in the menu bar. Toolbars provide easy access to common commands, as do shortcut menus, which you access by right-clicking the cells in the worksheet.

You enter formulas into the formula bar, which is located below the toolbars. The formula bar also provides access to all the functions available in Excel; these functions let you perform a variety of simple and complex calculations on the data contained in your worksheets.

The horizontal and vertical scroll bars at the right and bottom of the Microsoft Excel window let you navigate to parts of the worksheet outside the visible area.