Unlock the Secret to Free Excel Mastery: Learn How to Create, Edit, and View Excel Documents like a Pro!

Are you struggling with basic Excel functionalities and wondering how to improve your proficiency with the application? Do you feel overwhelmed when you have to create or edit Excel spreadsheets? Fear not, for this article will teach you how to master Excel for free!

Excel is a powerful computing tool that helps individuals and organizations organize and manage vast amounts of data. If you are a business professional, accountant, financial analyst, or student, Excel is an indispensable tool for your daily work. But to get the most out of Excel, you need to learn how to use it effectively. The following tips will help you master Excel for free and become a pro at creating, editing, and viewing Excel documents.

Tip 1: Understand Basic Excel Terminology

Before you begin using Excel, you must familiarize yourself with some basic Excel terminologies. Learning these terminologies is essential as they will help you understand how to use Excel most effectively. Here’s a quick rundown of some essential Excel terminologies that you need to learn:

  • Workbook: A workbook is a collection of spreadsheets in Excel. Each spreadsheet is called a worksheet.
  • Cells: Cells are the basic building blocks of a worksheet. You enter data in each cell.
  • Columns: Columns are vertical blocks of cells in a worksheet. Each column is labeled with a letter from A to Z.
  • Rows: Rows are horizontal blocks of cells in a worksheet. Each row is labeled with a number.
  • Formulas: Formulas are expressions that perform calculations in Excel. Formulas always begin with an equal sign (=).

Tip 2: Get Familiar with Excel Features

Once you understand basic Excel terminology, you can begin exploring some of Excel’s features. Some of the essential features you need to master include:

  • Data Entry: Excel allows you to enter data in its cells. You can use data entry to input data, such as names, addresses, numbers or formulas, into a worksheet.
  • Formatting: You can format cells in Excel in various ways. You can change font size, font color, background color, cell borders, and more.
  • Functions: Excel has over 400 built-in functions that you can use to manipulate data in various ways.
  • Charts: You can use Excel’s chart feature to create graphs and charts that help you analyze data visually.
  • Pivot Tables: With Pivot tables, you can summarize large amounts of data by organizing and presenting it in a meaningful way.

Tip 3: Learn Excel Keyboard Shortcuts

To save time and be more efficient when using Excel, you need to learn some of its common keyboard shortcuts. These shortcuts make it easier to perform some of Excel’s most common tasks. Here are some of the essential Excel keyboard shortcuts that you need to know:

  • Ctrl+C: Copy the selected cells.
  • Ctrl+V: Paste the copied cells.
  • Ctrl+X: Cut the selected cells.
  • Ctrl+Z: Undo the last action.
  • Ctrl+A: Select all cells in the worksheet.
  • Ctrl+B: Apply bold formatting to the selected cells.
  • Ctrl+U: Apply underline formatting to the selected cells.

Tip 4: Practice

The more you practice using Excel, the better you’ll become at it. Start by creating simple spreadsheets and gradually move on to more complex ones. Experiment with various functions, charts, and pivot tables. You could even search the internet for Excel tutorials or videos to help you get started.

Excel is an essential tool that is used in various industries today. It is an excellent skill to have, and with a little effort, you can master it for free. With these tips, you can take the first step in becoming an Excel pro. Start now, and watch your Excel skills grow!

Microsoft Excel is used by many people to open and edit Excel files. However, the full version of Excel costs money. If you want a free alternative, these free apps can open, modify, and create Excel spreadsheets.

Excel Online

Microsoft offers a web-based version of the Office suite, which includes Excel. Excel Online has Excel’s basic functionality but doesn’t include the advanced features of the paid version, such as macro support.

The majority of these apps support files with the XLS or XLSX extension, among others.

Excel Online is accessible in most browsers. You can use it to edit existing XLS and XLSX files and create new workbooks.

Office Online’s integration with Microsoft OneDrive means you can store your spreadsheets in the cloud and collaborate with others in real-time.

Microsoft Excel App and Office App

The standalone Excel app is available for Android and iOS, and the features vary depending on the device. There’s also a unified Microsoft Office iOS app that includes Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

You can create and edit spreadsheets on an Android device with a 10.1 inch or smaller screen at no charge. If you use the app on a larger phone or tablet, you’ll need a subscription to Microsoft 365 to do more than view an Excel file.

With the Excel standalone iOS app or as part of the Microsoft Office iOS app, you can create, edit, save, and view Excel documents for free on an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. Advanced features, however, will require a Microsoft 365 subscription.

Microsoft 365 Home Trial

Microsoft’s free offerings, such as the browser-based Office suite and the Excel app, limit the available features. If you require access to Excel’s advanced functionality but don’t want to pay for Excel, the trial version of Microsoft 365 may be a short-term solution.

Some advanced features are only accessible with a subscription, no matter which device you have.

Once activated, you can run the complete version of Microsoft Office Home Edition (including Excel) on a combination of five PCs and Macs. The Excel app can be installed on up to five Android or iOS phones and tablets.

You must have a valid credit card number to start the 30-day trial. After the trial, you’re charged for a 12-month subscription if you don’t manually cancel the subscription before the expiration date.

Office Online Chrome Extension

The add-on for Google Chrome opens a powerful version of Excel in a browser window. It works on all major desktop operating systems.

LibreOffice

LibreOffice is an open-source software suite that you can download for free. It features Calc, an Excel alternative that supports XLS and XLSX files, and the OpenDocument format.

The Office Online extension only works with an active Microsoft 365 subscription. It functions as expected during the Microsoft 365 free trial period.

Calc offers many of the spreadsheet features and templates that are commonly used in Excel. It contains multi-user functionality that allows for seamless collaboration. It also includes several power-user components, including DataPivot and a comparative Scenario Manager.

Kingsoft WPS Office

The personal, free-to-download version of the Kingsoft WPS Office suite contains Spreadsheets, which is compatible with XLS and XLSX files. Spreadsheets features data analysis and graphing tools along with basic spreadsheet functionality.

Spreadsheets can be installed as a standalone app on Android, iOS, and Windows operating systems.

Apache OpenOffice

Apache OpenOffice has amassed hundreds of millions of downloads since its initial release. It’s available in over three dozen languages. OpenOffice includes a spreadsheet application that’s also named Calc. It supports basic and advanced features, including extensions, macros, and Excel file formats.

A business version is available for a fee. It offers advanced features, cloud storage, and multi-device support.

Calc and the rest of OpenOffice may be shutting down due to an inactive developer community. If this happens, essential updates, including patches for security vulnerabilities, won’t be made available. At that point, we recommend that you quit using this software.

Gnumeric

Gnumeric is a standalone spreadsheet application that is also available for free. This open-source program is frequently updated. It supports all Excel file formats and is scalable to work with large spreadsheets.

Google Sheets

Google’s answer to Excel Online is Sheets. Sheets is a full-featured browser-based spreadsheet. It integrates with your Google account and your server-based Google Drive. This easy-to-use application offers high-end functionality, templates, add-ons, and real-time collaboration.

Sheets is fully compatible with Excel file formats and is entirely free to use. In addition to the web-based version for desktops and laptops, Sheets apps are available for Android and iOS devices.

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