Microsoft Excel 2003/2004

Working with Rows and Columns

Excel allows you to adjust your worksheets to achieve the desired look.

Adjusting Row Height and Column Width
Using AutoFit to Adjust Rows and Columns
Adding and Removing Rows and Columns

Adjusting Row Height and Column Width

When you start working on a worksheet, all columns are eight characters wide and row heights are set to fit the content of the cell with a maximum of 12 points. Depending on what you are doing, this may be perfect, too big, or too small. In addition, Excel may widen the column or increase the row height to fit the cell content. Adjusting the column width or row height is easy to do and can be done using the menu or the mouse option.

Since columns and rows extend through the worksheet, the setting applies to the entire column or row. If you need to have two settings, you will have to move some of your information.

Adjusting Row Height: Menu Option

To adjust a single row, select any cell from the row to be adjusted
Windows: To adjust multiple non-contiguous rows, press [Ctrl] + select cells from each row to be adjusted
Macintosh: To adjust multiple non-contiguous rows, press [command] + select cells from each row to be adjusted
From the Format menu, select Row » Height...
The Row Height dialog box appears.
In the Row height text box, type the desired height
Click OK
The row height is adjusted.

Adjusting Row Height: Mouse Option

Using this option, you can only adjust the height of one row at a time.

Along the row ID (1, 2, 3, ...), point to the border below the row to be adjusted
When the pointer turns into a double-arrow, click and drag
HINT: For a shorter row, drag up; for a taller row, drag down.
A box appears next to the pointer, indicating the current row height as you drag it.
When the row reaches the desired height, release the mouse button
The row height is adjusted.

Adjusting Column Width: Menu Option

To adjust a single column, select any cell from the column to be adjusted
Windows: To adjust multiple non-contiguous columns, press [Ctrl] + select cells from each column to be adjusted
Macintosh: To adjust multiple non-contiguous columns, press [command] + select cells from each column to be adjusted
From the Format menu, select Column » Width...
The Column Width dialog box appears.
In the Column width text box, type the desired width
Click OK
The column width is adjusted.

Adjusting Column Width: Mouse Option

Using this option, you can only adjust the width of one column at a time.

Along the column ID (A, B, C, ...), point to the border right of the column to be adjusted
When the pointer turns into a double-arrow, click and drag
HINT: For a narrower column, drag left; for a wider column, drag right.
A box appears next to the pointer, indicating the current column width as you drag it.
When the column reaches the desired width, release the mouse button
The column width is adjusted.

Using AutoFit to Adjust Rows and Columns

To adjust the column width or the row height, Excel can determine the best "fit" based on the information in the column or row.

Using AutoFit to Adjust Row Height: Mouse Option

Along the row ID (1, 2, 3, ...), point to the border below the row to be adjusted
When the pointer turns into a double-arrow, double click
The row height adjusts so the largest (tallest) item is displayed in full.

Using AutoFit to Adjust Row Height: Menu Option

To select a row to be adjusted, click the ROW ID (1, 2, 3, ...)
The entire row is selected.
From the Format menu, select Row » AutoFit
The row height adjusts so the largest (tallest) item is displayed in full.

Using AutoFit to Adjust Column Width: Mouse Option

Along the column ID (A, B, C, ...), point to the border right of the column to be adjusted
When the pointer turns into to a double-arrow, double click
The column width adjusts so the largest (widest) item is displayed in full.

Using AutoFit to Adjust Column Width: Menu Option

To select a column to be adjusted, click the COLUMN ID (A, B, C, ...)
The entire column is selected.
From the Format menu, select Column » AutoFit Selection
The column width adjusts so the largest (widest) item is displayed in full.

Adding and Removing Rows and Columns

When working with worksheets, you will often need to make changes to the original worksheets. You will often need to delete old information or add new information. To make this task easier, you can add new rows and columns or delete existing rows and columns. The process is similar for both rows and columns.

Adding Rows

Select a cell below where you want to add a new row
From the Insert menu, select Rows
A new row is added above the selected cell.

Adding Columns

Select a cell to the right of where you want to add a new column
From the Insert menu, select Columns
A new column is added left of the selected cell.

Deleting Rows

WARNING: When you delete a row, everything in the row is deleted. If you do not want to delete the whole row, delete information from specific cells instead.

To delete a single row, select any cell from the row to be deleted
Windows: To delete multiple non-contiguous rows, press [Ctrl] + select cells from each row to be deleted
Macintosh: To delete multiple non-contiguous rows, press [command] + select cells from each row to be deleted
From the Edit menu, select Delete...
The Delete dialog box appears.
Select Entire row
Click OK
The row is deleted.

Deleting Columns

WARNING: When you delete a column, everything in the column is deleted. If you do not want to delete the whole column, delete information from specific cells instead.

To delete a single column, select any cell from the column to be deleted
Windows: To delete multiple non-contiguous columns, press [Ctrl] + select cells from each column to be deleted
Macintosh: To delete multiple non-contiguous columns, press [command] + select cells from each column to be deleted
From the Edit menu, select Delete...
The Delete dialog box appears.
Select Entire column
Click OK
The column is deleted.