What Is a Workbook?

Though Excel displays only one worksheet at a time, every file you create and save in Excel is actually a workbook file, consisting of one or more worksheets. When you start Excel, the opening workbook contains three worksheets. In the lower-left corner of the workbook window are three worksheet tabs, labeled Sheet1, Sheet2, and Sheet3, as shown in Figure 1.4. For many people and uses, one worksheet is sufficient, but if you need to track income and expenses for several businesses or want to spread out your budget over several worksheets, the workbook model can help you keep everything organized.

Figure 1.4. A workbook initially has three worksheets.

To change from one worksheet to another, you use your mouse to click the tab for the desired worksheet. You can insert additional worksheets, change the name and color of the worksheet tabs, and even delete worksheets, as explained in Chapter 3, "Working with Workbook Files."