Spreadsheets Glossary

Definition of terms used in this chapter:

 

3D map a type of map that is three-dimensional and appears to have all three spatial dimensions including length, width, and depth
Absolute a cell reference that refers to cells by their fixed position in a worksheet; an absolute cell reference remains the same when the formula is copied and is indicated by the $ sign
Accounting number format an Excel number format that applies a thousand comma separator where appropriate, inserts a fixed U.S. dollar sign aligned at the left edge of the cell, two decimal places, and leaves a small amount of space at the right edge of the cell to accommodate parenthesis for negative numbers
Active cell the cell surrounded by a black border that is ready to have content typed into it or perform a command
Auto fill an Excel feature that generates and extends values into adjacent cells based on the values of the selected cells
Average an Excel function that adds a group of values and then divides the result by the number of values in the group
Blank workbook a file that data has not been entered into yet and contains one or more worksheets
Cell content anything typed into a cell
Cell styles a defined set of formatting characteristics such as font, font size, font color, cell borders, and cell shading
Chart editor provides options to edit and customize a chart in Google Sheets
Chart sheet a workbook sheet that contains only a chart
Chart title a label that describes the chart’s purpose
Clear all when selected, all formats and comments that are contained in the selected cells will be cleared
Clear contents when selected, clears only the contents in the selected cells while leaving any formats and comments in place
Columns a vertical group of cells in a spreadsheet, indicated by letters
Comma number style an Excel number format that inserts a thousand comma separators when needed, with two decimal places, and leaves a space to the right to accommodate parenthesis for negative numbers
Constant value a set value that does not change and is directly typed into a cell; there are two types: text and number values
COUNTIF a statistical Excel function that counts the number of cells within a range that meet the given condition and has two arguments—the range of cells to check and the criteria
Ctrl + F2 a keyboard shortcut that displays the print preview
Data analyst an IT professional whose responsibilities include inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making
Data labels a text that describes and identifies data in a chart
Decrease decimal for numbers already entered in a worksheet, you can increase or decrease the number of decimal places displayed by using the toolbar buttons
F7 a function key that runs spelling and grammar check when pressed
Fill handle the small square in the lower right-hand corner of a selected cell
Financial analyst a professional career, undertaking financial analysis for external or internal clients as a core feature of the job
Flash fill recognizes a pattern in your data and then automatically fills in values when you enter an example of the desired output; can be used to split data from two or more cells or to combine data from two cells
Formula an equation that performs a mathematical calculation on values in a worksheet
Formula bar an element in the Excel window that displays the value or formula contained in the active cell, you can edit and enter formulas here
Function a predefined formula
Function arguments the values that an Excel function uses to perform calculations or operations
Goal seek a what-if analysis that finds the input needed in one cell to arrive at the desired result in another cell
Keyboard shortcut a key or combination of keys providing quick access to a particular function
Label descriptive words that explain data in a spreadsheet
MAX an Excel function that determines the largest value in a selected range of values
MEDIAN an Excel function that finds the middle value that has as many values above it in the group as is below it
Merge and Center a command that joins selected cells in an Excel spreadsheet into one larger cell and centers the contents of the merged cell
MIN an Excel function that determines the smallest value in a selected range of values
Multiple operators a type of Excel formula that contains more than one operator; mathematical order of operations is followed
Name box an element of the Excel window that displays the name of the selected cell, table, chart, or object
Non-adjacent cells that are not touching one another; to select non-adjacent rows or columns, hold Ctrl and select the row or column numbers
NOW Function an Excel function that retrieves the date and time from your computer’s calendar and clock and inserts the information into the selected cell
Number values Constant values consisting of only numbers
Order of operations the mathematical rules for performing multiple calculations within a formula
Pie explosion when one slice or all of the slices of a pie chart are pulled away from each other to add emphasis
Print preview a backstage view feature that displays on the screen what a hard (printed) copy would look like
Print selection allows you to print a specific selection of cells
Quick Analysis Tool a button that appears at the bottom right corner of the selected data and lets you instantly create different types of charts, including line and column charts, or add miniature graphs called sparklines
Range two or more selected cells on a worksheet that are adjacent or nonadjacent
Range finder an Excel feature that outlines cells in color to indicate which cells are used in a formula; useful for verifying which cells are reinforced in a formula
Rows a horizontal group of cells in a spreadsheet, indicated with numbers
Sheet1 a new spreadsheet will be created with only one sheet, called Sheet1; additional sheets can be added as you need them
Sparklines a tiny chart in the background of a cell that gives a visual trend summary alongside your data
Spreadsheet also known as a worksheet, where data is entered for organization, analysis, and storage in tabular form in rows and columns of a grid and can be manipulated and used in calculations
SUM Function a commonly used predefined formula that adds all of the numbers in a selected range
Summary sheet a worksheet where totals from other worksheets are displayed and summarized
Tab a key on your keyboard that allows you to move to the next cell in Excel
Text values Constant values that are only text, and oftentimes provide descriptions for Number values; may also be called label
Theme a predefined set of colors, fonts, lines, and fill effects that coordinate each other
Underlying formula the formula entered in a cell and visible only on the Formula Bar
What-if analysis the process of changing the values in cells to see how those changes affect the outcome of formulas in a worksheet
Wildcard special characters that can be used to take the place of characters in a formula, including ? (any one character) or * (zero or more characters)
Workbook a file that contains one or more worksheets to help you organize data

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