Entering and editing data

Hello students, welcome to Kwickprep. You type a roll number, zero seven one two, and Excel shows seven one two. Where did the zero go? Today we learn how to enter data, the types of data, and how to edit, delete and undo.

Let us start with entering data. Click a cell to make it the active cell. Type the value, and it appears in the cell and in the formula bar together. Press Enter to confirm and move down, or press Tab to confirm and move right. If you press Esc before Enter, the typing is cancelled.

A cell can hold different types of data. Text, also called a label, is words like a name, and it lines up on the left. Numbers line up on the right, which helps you spot them. Dates are stored as numbers too, so they also line up on the right. A formula starts with an equals sign, and shows its answer, which is on the right when the answer is a number.

Now, the roll number problem. Excel treats zero seven one two as a number, and a number never keeps zeros at the front. So it shows seven one two. To keep the zero, type an apostrophe first, then zero seven one two, and the apostrophe does not show in the cell. Or format the cells as Text before typing. Use this for PIN codes, phone numbers and roll numbers, because we never calculate with them.

Some entries surprise beginners. Dividing by zero shows the #DIV/0! error. A number too wide for its column shows hash signs, so widen the column by double clicking its right border. A value with slashes is read as a date, based on the computer's date setting. Long text spills into the next cell only when that cell is empty, but it is still stored in one cell.

Next, editing. The quickest way is to select the cell and simply type the new value, which replaces the old one fully. To change only part of it, double click the cell to edit inside it. Pressing F2 does the same for the active cell. You can also click in the formula bar and make the change there.

Deleting needs care. The Delete key clears only the contents of the selected cells. Formatting such as bold or colour still stays in the cell. To remove both, use the Home tab, then Clear, then Clear All. To remove a whole row, right click the row number and choose Delete, and the rows below move up.

These shortcuts save a lot of time. Ctrl+Z undoes the last action, and you can press it many times. Ctrl+Y redoes what you just undid. Ctrl+C copies and Ctrl+V pastes, which repeats the same data in another place. Ctrl+X cuts, so the data moves to the new place when you paste.

AutoFill helps you enter a series quickly. The fill handle is the small square at the bottom right corner of the active cell. Drag it down or across to copy the value into more cells. If the cell says Jan, dragging gives Feb, Mar, Apr and so on. For numbers, type one and two in two cells, select both, and drag to get three, four, five.

Pause and predict. Cell B two holds forty five, in bold red. You select it and press the Delete key. Then you type sixty. It shows sixty in bold red, because the Delete key cleared only the contents and kept the formatting.

Data entry operators follow some good habits. Keep one type of data in each column, such as only dates in the date column. Do not leave blank rows inside a table, because sorting and totals may break. Use the same spelling every time, because a filter treats different spellings as different values. And save often with Ctrl+S, so a power cut does not wipe your work.

Let us revise. Enter moves down, Tab moves right, and Esc cancels typing. Text lines up on the left, while numbers and dates line up on the right. An apostrophe before a number keeps its leading zeros. Press F2 or double click to edit a cell. The Delete key clears contents only, and Ctrl+Z undoes a mistake.