Chapter 2. Starting and Navigating Excel

In this chapter

• Starting Excel for the first time.

• Navigating the Excel program window.

• Understanding the parts of the workbook window.

• Using Excel's menus , dialog boxes, and toolbars .

• Entering preferences in Excel's task panes.

• Obtaining help while working with an Excel worksheet.

Before you can become productive with any program, including Excel, you need to know how to start the program and use its various menus, buttons , and commands to move around in the program and do your work. This chapter provides you with a nickel tour of Excel. Here, you learn how to run Excel; enter commands with Excel's menus, toolbars, and dialog boxes; turn on and use Excel's task panes; and obtain specific instructions using Excel's help system. By the end of this chapter, you will be well primed to start creating your own worksheets.