3. ✍️ Entering and Formatting Data - rafageist/book-spreadsheet-basics GitHub Wiki
Now that you understand how cells, rows, and columns work, let’s learn how to enter information and format it to make it easier to read and understand.
🧾 Entering Data
To enter data:
- Click on a cell (e.g.
A1) - Type your text, number, or date
- Press Enter or Tab to move to the next cell
You can type:
- Text:
Apple,Name,Total - Numbers:
25,3.14,1000 - Dates:
06/06/2025,March 1,2025-12-31
💡 The software will automatically detect the type of data (number, text, date).
🎨 Formatting Data
Formatting makes your spreadsheet clearer and more professional.
Common Formatting Options
- Bold / Italic / Underline
- Font size and color
- Cell background color
- Text alignment: left, center, right
- Number formats: currency, date, percentage
How to Format
- Select one or more cells
- Use the formatting toolbar or menu options
- Apply the desired style
🔢 Number Formatting Examples
| Raw Value | Format | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 5000 | Currency | $5,000.00 |
| 0.15 | Percentage | 15% |
| 44561 | Date | 01/01/2022 |
Different spreadsheet tools may have different default formats.
🎯 Why Formatting Matters
- Makes your data easier to read
- Helps highlight important values
- Improves presentation and professionalism
- Makes errors easier to detect
✅ What You Should Know After This Page
- How to enter different types of data in a cell
- How to apply basic formatting to improve readability
- The impact of formatting on understanding your data