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Microsoft Excel: Formatting Data
Identify proper ways to format data for input, display, and outputPreview the first lesson free — get full access to all 3 lessons.
Intermediate Provider : Bob Akbar 3 Lessons · 8m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese
Course Description
There is nothing more confusing than seeing data that has different types and formats. More dangerous is that a text containing a numeric value is still considered text and is not used in calculating results by formulas. Does any user wish to compile data only to find that the accuracy is not present? In this module, we address this issue from the creation of data to properly display and ensure that our results are accurate. Formatting is the first step to accurate results.
Some errors with formatting are also the most common, such as not all the data fields fitting within the row or column. This produces some known errors most users have seen in Excel. By being able to properly define our data formatting as well as exploring options to group the data together in conditional formatting, we can examine our data prior to presentation to ensure no errors are made. The conditional format also allows us to explore and visually format displays for data types so that we can see if our data range is within reasonably expected numbers.
What You'll Learn
- Understand common display formats for data in Excel
- Apply table formatting using automatic headers
- Use conditional formatting to easily display and group values
- Recognize how text containing numeric values is treated as text and excluded from formula calculations
- Identify and avoid common formatting errors, such as data fields not fitting within a row or column
- Analyze data visually to check whether a data range is within reasonably expected numbers
Key Takeaways
- Formatting is the first step to producing accurate results in Excel.
- A text value containing a numeric value is still treated as text and is not used by formulas when calculating results.
- Some of the most common Excel errors stem from formatting, such as data fields not fitting within a row or column.
- Conditional formatting lets you group data together and visually format displays so you can see whether a data range falls within reasonably expected numbers.
- Properly defining data formatting allows you to examine data prior to presentation to ensure no errors are made.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this Excel module cover?
It addresses data formatting from the creation of data to properly displaying it and ensuring accurate results, including common display formats, table formatting with automatic headers, and conditional formatting to display values.
What lessons are included in this course?
The course includes three lessons: Common Display Formats, Visual Grouping (Conditional Format), and Analyze Data.
What skills will I gain from this course?
You will build skills in spreadsheets, data conversion, data manipulation, data presentation, data validation, and data verification.
Why is formatting data important in Excel?
Formatting is the first step to accurate results; without proper formatting, a text value containing a number is treated as text and excluded from formula calculations, and formatting errors such as data not fitting within a row or column are among the most common in Excel.
How does conditional formatting help when analyzing data?
Conditional formatting allows you to group data together and visually format displays for data types so you can examine the data prior to presentation and see whether the data range is within reasonably expected numbers.
