While creating an Excel worksheet, several decisions will determine the appearance and characteristics of the finished worksheet. List and explain the general guidelines you should follow as you create a worksheet.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

While creating an Excel worksheet, you need to make several decisions that will determine the appearance and characteristics of the finished worksheet.
1. Select titles and subtitles for the worksheet. Follow the less is more guideline. The less text in the titles and subtitles, the more impact the titles and subtitles will have. Use the fewest words possible to specify the information presented in the worksheet to the intended audience.
2. Determine the contents for rows and columns. Rows typically contain information that is analogous to items in a list, such as the fundraising techniques used by an organization. Columns typically contain descriptive information about items in rows or contain information that helps to group the data in the worksheet, such as the locations in which the organization operates. Row headings and column headings are usually placed in alphabetical sequence, unless an alternative order is recommended in the requirements document.
3. Determine the calculations that are needed. You can decide to total data in a variety of ways, such as across rows or in columns. You also can include a grand total.
4. Determine where to save the workbook. You can store a workbook permanently, or saveit, on a variety of storage media including a hard disk, USB flash drive, CD, or DVD. You also can indicate a specific location on the storage media for saving the workbook.
5. Identify how to format various elements of the worksheet. The overall appearance of a worksheet significantly affects its ability to communicate clearly. Examples of how you can modify the appearance, or format, of text include changing its shape, size, color, and position on the worksheet.
6. Decide on the type of chart needed. Excel can create many different types of charts, such as cylinder charts and pie charts. Each type of chart relays a different message about the data in the worksheet. Choose a type of chart that relays the message that you want to convey.
7. Establish where to position and how to format the chart. The position and format of the chart should command the attention of the intended audience. If possible, position the chart so that it prints with the worksheet data on a single page.
8. Choose a name for the worksheet. Each worksheet in a workbook should be named to clarify its purpose. A good worksheet name is succinct, unique to the workbook, and meaningful to any user of the workbook.
9. Determine the best method for distributing the workbook. Workbooks and worksheets can be distributed on paper or electronically. The decision regarding how to distribute workbooks and worksheets greatly depends on your intended audience. For example, a worksheet may be printed for inclusion in a report, or a workbook may be distributed using e-mail if the recipient intends to update the workbook.