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Microsoft Excel XP/X

Enhancing Your Worksheets

Excel allows you to adjust your worksheets to achieve the look you desire. This document provides instructions for the following actions: 

return to topAdjusting Column Widths and Row Heights

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 working on, this may be perfect, too big, or too small. In addition, Excel may widen the column or increase the row height to fit the content. Adjusting the column width or row height is easy to do and can be done with menus or with the mouse.

Since columns and rows extend through the worksheet, the setting will apply 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

  1. Select any cell in the row to be adjusted
    NOTES:
    To adjust multiple rows, select at least one cell from each row.
    To select multiple non-contiguous cells:
    Windows: Press [Ctrl] and click the cell(s)
    Macintosh: Press [Apple] and click on the cell(s)

  2. From the Format menu, select Row » Height…
    The Row Height dialog box appears.

  3. In the Row height text box, type the desired height

  4. Click OK

Adjusting Row Height: Mouse Option

  1. Along the row ID (1, 2, 3, ...), point to the border below the row you want to adjust

  2. When the pointer turns into a double-arrow, click and drag to change the row height 
    NOTE: Drag up for a shorter row, drag down for a taller row.
    Row Height Graphic
    A box appears next to the pointer telling you the current height of the row as you drag it.

  3. When the row reaches the desired height, release the mouse button

Adjusting Column Width: Menu Option

  1. Select any cell in the column to be adjusted
    NOTES:
    To adjust multiple columns, select at least one cell from each column.
    To select multiple non-contiguous cells:
    Windows: Press [Ctrl] and click the cell(s)
    Macintosh: Press [Apple] and click the cell(s)

  2. From the Format menu, select Column » Width…
    The Column Width dialog box appears.

  3. In the Column Width dialog box, type the desired width

  4. Click OK

Adjusting Column Width: Mouse Option

  1. Along the column ID (A, B, C, ...), point to the border to the right of the column you want to adjust

  2. When the pointer turns into a double-arrow, click and drag to change the column width 
    NOTE: Drag to the left for a narrower column, drag to the right for a wider column.
    Column Width Graphic
    A box appears next to the pointer telling you the current width of the column as you drag it.

  3. When the column reaches the appropriate width, release the mouse button

return to topAdjusting Column Widths and Row Heights: AutoFit

When adjusting the column width or the row height, you can have Excel determine the best "fit" based on the information in the column or row. This can be done with the mouse or menus.

Adjusting Column Width with AutoFit: Mouse Option

  1. Along the column ID (A, B, C, …) point to the border to the right of the column you want to adjust

  2. When the pointer changes to a double arrow, double click
    The column width will adjust so that the largest (widest) item will be displayed in full.

Adjusting Column Width with AutoFit: Menu Option

  1. To select a column to be adjusted, click the COLUMN ID (A, B, C, ...) 
    The entire column is selected.

  2. From the Format menu, select Column » AutoFit Selection
     The column width will adjust so that the largest (widest) item will be displayed in full.

Adjusting Row Height with AutoFit: Mouse Option

  1. Along the row ID (1, 2, 3, …) point to the border below the row you want to adjust

  2. When the pointer changes to a double arrow, double click
    The row height will automatically adjust so that the largest (tallest) item will be displayed in full.

Adjusting Row Height with AutoFit: Menu Option

  1. To select a row to be adjusted, click the ROW ID (1, 2, 3, ...) 
    The entire row is selected.

  2. From the Format menu, select Row » AutoFit 
     The row height will automatically adjust so that the tallest item will be displayed in full.

return to topAdding and Removing Rows and Columns

When working with worksheets, changes will most likely be needed after you first create a worksheet. 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 and Columns

Adding Rows

  1. Select a cell below where you want to add a new row
    NOTES:
    To add multiple rows, select at least one cell from the number of rows you want to add.
    To select multiple non-contiguous cells:
    Windows: Press [Ctrl] and click the cell(s)
    Macintosh: Press [Apple] and click the cell(s)

  2. From the Insert menu, select Rows
    A new row is added above each selection.

Adding Columns

  1. Select a cell to the right of where you want to add the new column
    NOTE: To add multiple columns, select at least one cell from the number of columns you want to add.

  2. From the Insert menu, select Columns
    A new column is added to the left of each selected cell.

Deleting Rows and Columns

Deleting Rows

WARNING: Everything in the row will be deleted when you delete a row. If this is not what you want, delete information from a specific cell instead.

  1. Select any cell in the row you want to remove
    NOTES:
    To delete multiple rows, select at least one cell from the number of rows you want to delete.
    To select multiple non-contiguous cells:
    Windows: Press [Ctrl] and click the cell(s)
    Macintosh: Press [Apple] and click the cell(s)

  2. From the Edit menu, select Delete ...
    The Delete dialog box appears.

  3. In the Delete dialog box, select Entire Row

  4. Click OK
    The row is deleted.

Deleting Columns

WARNING: Everything in the column will be deleted when you delete a column. If this is not what you want, delete information from a cell instead.

  1. Select any cell in the column you want to remove
    NOTES:
    To delete multiple columns, select at least one cell from the number of columns you want to delete.
    To select multiple non-contiguous cells:
    Windows: Press [Ctrl] and click the cell(s)
    Macintosh: Press [Apple] and click the cell(s)

  2. From the Edit menu, select Delete ...
    The Delete dialog box appears.

  3. In the Delete dialog box, select Entire Column

  4. Click OK
    The column is deleted.

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