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Beginning Excel 2019

(25 reviews)

Noreen Brown

Barbara Lave

Julie Romey

Last Update: 2019

Publisher: Open Oregon Educational Resources

Language: English

Formats Available

Conditions of use.

Learn more about reviews.

Reviewed by Ashley Hogan, Adjunct Instructor, Linn-Benton Community College on 3/22/24

This is a great basic Excel text. It also covers the mac users (something I have not found with other texts). read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This is a great basic Excel text. It also covers the mac users (something I have not found with other texts).

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I saw no errors and found that the text is addresses multiple versions of Excel and multiple platforms.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The order of the content makes sense and is easy to navigate. Content can easily be updated as newer versions of the program come out.

Clarity rating: 5

Super easy to read and navigate. I love that there are screenshots of the program as well as text explaining what the read should be looking for.

Consistency rating: 5

Consistent terminology and content/layout.

Modularity rating: 5

The headings and subheadings make this text easy to navigate and pull out just what I need for a specific group/class or lesson.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The text is set up so that the reader gains more understanding and flows as the reader moves through the text. The reader doesn't need to flip between chapters to work through in a logical way.

Interface rating: 4

The interface is nearly perfect. Some of the screenshots are ever so slightly blurry (especially when the reader zooms in), but are discernable.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammar errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The text focuses on a business mindset and examples are the same (generic employee names and business content).

Overall, a very easy to use and navigate book. I will be using this text for my community education courses as well as Spreadsheet Analysis.

Reviewed by Xinyu Zhang, Teaching Assistant Professor, West Virginia University on 5/5/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This book is comprehensive for Excel beginners from non-STEM major. It also includes instructions for Mac user, which is very useful for students using Mac. The examples and practice problems are largely related to financial and career decision making. This book doesn't have any science or engineering examples nor topics used frequently in scientific data analysis via Excel such as x-y scatter chart, logical functions (AND, OR, NOT), nested IF statement, functions like SUMPRODUCT, IFS, MATCH, INDEX, etc.

The accuracy of this book is good. But few figures missed the captions and some figures used very small font sizes thus difficult to verify the information.

The title indicates the book for Excel 2019. I suggest the author clarify the relationship between Excel 2019 and Excel 365 to avoid confusion for beginners since Excel 365 also appear in the texts.

The book is easy to follow.

The terminology is consistent. But there is an inconsistency in the headings. The assessment activities are called "scored assessment" in some chapters and "chapter scored" in other chapters. I suggest a consistent subheading and maybe a more self-explanatory subheading for the assessment activities.

The online version is easy to ready, but the pdf version can be improved . Sometimes the font sizes and spacing are not consistent or appealing for readers.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

Overall, good organization. I would suggest covering absolute reference and relative reference together instead of splitting them. I would also suggest covering all the Print topic together instead of splitting into different chapters. Even though your current logic of splitting them makes sense, it makes the "Print" and "Cell reference" topics less easier to be used as independent subunits. The subheadings "Printing" and "Preparing to Print" are not self-explanatory before reading the content.

In the pdf version, font sizes of some figures are too small and the figure styles are not very consistent.

I did not found any grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I didn't find anything relevant to this topic.

This is a good book for Excel beginners, particularly suitable for teaching Excel in a general elective course or business major. It would be better to have more practice and assessment problems in each chapter to for instructors to assign them as homework or self-practice activities.

Reviewed by Angel Escalona, Adjunct Professor, Middlesex Community College on 11/21/22

The book is clear and really easy to understand. read more

The book is clear and really easy to understand.

The book is highly accurate, I teach excel in my classes and I will be replacing the current book with this one.

Even though the book is made for excel 2019 It is still highly relevant since excel doesn't change a lot with the years, maybe a few thinks have changed since 2019 but it is still 99% relevant.

The book is clear, concise and detailed.

It is consistent, it maintains its quality through the chapters.

The book is divided into clear and short modules that provide a really clear workflow

Well organized, the chapters are arranged in a way that helps the reader learn in a systematic manner.

Interface rating: 5

The interface is presented in an organized and appealing way. Charts and images are properly labeled.

The text does not contain grammatical errors. Paragraphs are coherent.

The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way.

Reviewed by Nkechi Obodozie, Instructor, Eastern New Mexico University on 12/10/21

The book is for Beginners on Excel however will have appreciated if some of the BI tools used commonly at workplaces was covered in the book such as PivotTable. In addition there is no index nor glossary , or teacher's guide though it can be... read more

Yes content is accurate, mostly error-free and unbiased

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

Content is relevant and easy to read and implement; basic and fundamental for Excel beginners. Again, in today's business landscape...some BI tools fundamentals in Excel should have been added in the book.

Text is simple, concise and easy to understand for Excel beginners

Consistency is maintained throughout the material. I will employ some of the content in my course content but because some BI are missing I will have to combine this material with another.

The text is sectioned in build-up contents for learning experience. Such a way that the learner builds on graduated blocks of practical exercises on Excel to mastery of the various components of the Excel as the learning progresses

Very logical, clear manner of presentation. I like that the difference between Excel for Mac and Windows were incorporated in the material allowing the student to learn along with either of the tool he or she possesses

Interface is user friendly and easy to navigate

No seen grammatical error

No cultural offensive content observed

I like the book, its simplicity of content as well as the fact that the author took cognizance of the variation between Excel in differnt operating systems. This enables the user to adapt learning to the PC of use, allowing learning across board for all. Some other books stuck to the Excel for Windows without adapting the learning process for MAC users. So this is a plus for this material. Absent the relevant BI tool fundamental in the book, it is a good work from the author

Reviewed by Geethalakshmi Shivanapura Lakshmikanth, Assistant Professor, Emporia State University on 10/18/21

The textbook is comprehensive enough for learners who are learning Excel for the first time, just as the textbook is intended to be. The pictures along the way are a big plus for self- learners and students. The students however need to be reminded that as the version of Excel changes, the pictures of actual pulldown menus or tabs might look different. But, that is common with any textbook that deals with a software tool.

The book's accuracy is good. Some places where Pivot Tables are explained need some work.

It is highly relevant, as Excel is highly multi-disciplinary and the content of this textbook addresses the many facets of application areas with their examples.

It is definitely clear with the pictures and transitions explained clearly in supporting text. A downloadable data set provided with this text with additional examples for exploration beyond the references to the textbook examples would have made it more clear. Also, another improvement suggestion is to add a few points on the pre-requisite knowledge required to read a particular chapter , outcomes from the chapter and suggestions on post-chapter topics for continuity would also improve clarity of flow.

It is definitely consistent as the first chapter flows into the successive ones very consistently with the same kind of explanation aids- Figures, Textual guidance and Pictures of the excel sheet.

The textbook is modular. Some feedback comments in the clarity section might also help with increasing Modularity.

Perfectly arranged!

I do not see any Interface issues. Version adaptability is always expected from readers.

Do not see any errors.

It can be made culturally more inclusive by tuning the examples.

Great recommendation to my students and I highly recommend this to any faculty member looking for an OER textbook for an introductory Excel course.

Reviewed by Maggie Schlerman, Associate Professor of Accounting, Central College on 6/4/21

The concepts covered range from beginner to intermediate and are appropriate for undergraduate coursework. However, the online version does not have an index or glossary, both of which would be helpful for a learner who may be unfamiliar with the terms used in the text. Although there is a search function that acts like an index, it does not take the student directly to the reference (it goes to the top of the section).

Chapters 5 and 6 had a few errors that I suspect happened when updating to Excel 2019. In chapter 5, the screenshots for the pivot table don’t match the correct values while in progress, although the final screenshot does show the correct totals. Also, in chapter 5 the reader is told to place an image in the upper left corner, but the correct screenshot in the text is in the upper right corner. In chapter 6, the text gave some check figures that did not tie out with the totals from the data given. Since the data file for chapter 6 was called ‘Data File-New,’ the check totals likely did not get updated when a new data file was created. None of these would keep me from using this book, but I would point them out to students to decrease their frustration level.

This text will likely need to be continually updated as new versions of Excel are released. However, it appears the authors are doing a great job of continually updating.

Clarity rating: 4

In general, the instructions are clear and straight-forward. There were a few times that extra explanation would have been helpful. For example, the text didn’t explain what TRUE and FALSE means in VLOOKUP instructions until Chapter 5. Before that, the reader was simply told to use one or the other without an explanation. There were several instances in which instructions didn’t match with given data sets and/or screenshots. For example, the reader was asked to update a chart with a title that did not yet exist, and several screenshots included formatting and modified chart elements that weren’t explained. When asked to remove duplicates from a table, the instructions given did not produce the expected result. I had to use a different method to remove the duplicates, so I believe there was an instruction missing.

The text is very consistent in terminology. The textbook is not consistent about using the same method to complete a task. For example, at least four ways to create a footer are introduced. This is ideal, as awareness of multiple methods is important in finding ways to complete unfamiliar tasks.

This could be easily split up into smaller modules and taught in a different order. As other reviewers have noted, modularity is somewhat decreased because many of the skills taught scaffold on each other. In a future version, perhaps including prerequisite skills at the start of each chapter or section might assist with modularity.

I consider the content in chapter 6 to be introductory, so I would include it earlier in the book. However, this is a personal preference.

The table of contents is easy to navigate and the data sets are located within the text exactly when needed.

No grammatical errors noted.

No insensitive/offensive examples noted. Data sets often included names from many ethnicities and backgrounds.

I'm very happy with the quality and organization of the book. Some of my comments are probably pretty nit-picky, but I tried to do this as a student without much Excel experience. I've been the frustrated student trying to self-study before, so I empathize! I plan to incorporate this content into my classes.

Reviewed by Kris Ball, Associate Professor, Kansas City Kansas Community College on 4/14/21

The text is a good, comprehensive review of beginning Excel features, including fundamentals, math, formulas, functions, logical and lookup functions, charts, tables, and working with multiple worksheets. The book contains instructions for Windows... read more

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The book incorporates images from Excel 2016 /2019. The icons have been updated in Office 365, so the instructor should keep that in mind as it will appear slightly different for students using Office 365.

The material is up-to-date and the problems are timeless and relevant to students. As noted earlier, the icons used in illustrations match Excel 2016/2019. They are basically in the same locations as Office 365, but they may appear different to the students.

I found the text to be straight-forward and clear, and the instructions were precise and accurate. The reading level is appropriate for high school or post-secondary students.

The chapters follow a consistent format and are easy to follow. Instructions are presented for both Windows and Mac users without feeling too bulky.

Chapters are further subdivided into sections which are easy to follow and allow for multiple starting and stopping points. The material is organized with all relevant content contained in a section, without the need to refer to other parts of the book.

The text follows a logical and direct pathway, with appropriate material grouped together. The earliest chapters explain the ribbon tasks from left to right, and offers tips on all functions.

The text is not overloaded with excess material--it presents information in a direct manner, without excess data to confuse the lessons.

No grammatical errors were detected.

No culturally insensitive or offensive material were evident. The student and employee names could have been more diverse.

This would be a good text for students with no Excel experience. It is easy to follow and filled with appropriate activities for gaining knowledge and skills in beginning Excel.

Reviewed by Mary Lebens, Assistant Professor, Metropolitan State University on 3/9/21, updated 6/1/21

This book is a fairly comprehensive overview of Excel for beginning students. I would like to see an expansion of the functions and formulas to include a few more commonly used functions and formulas. It would also be helpful to include a chapter... read more

The step-by-step procedures for using Excel and the practice labs at the end of the chapter were highly accurate. I used this text in my course with thirty students, and usually students discover quite a few errors that I've missed in textbooks. This was not the case with Beginning Excel, however. No students reported errors, which was amazing.

The authors have clearly made an effort to update this textbook to keep is relevant as new releases of Excel occur. Software textbooks are challenging to keep relevant, and the authors have done an excellent job of revising this textbook for the new version of Excel 2019.

This textbook describes how to use Excel in a very readable style. The chapters are short and to-the-point. This book is free of the unnecessary fluff that pads a lot of the expensive textbooks on Microsoft Office. The technical terminology used is appropriate for beginning students.

The book is highly consistent in terms of how the Excel terminology is used. The framework is consistent throughout the book. For example, a small icon is used throughout the book to indicate special steps for Mac users. The Excel screenshots are presented in a consistent manner which makes it easier to complete the labs.

The text is well-organized into smaller modules to make it easier for students to digest. The blocks of text are concise, clearly labeled, and illustrated with screenshots from Excel to help students understand the concepts described in the text.

The topics in the textbook are presented in a logical fashion within the chapters. I would recommend covering workbooks with multiple worksheets earlier in the text than the final chapter, since this topic is easier than pivot tables, formulas, and functions, which are covered early in the book. However, since this book is an eBook, I found it easier to assign chapters "out-of-order" for my students since I could include links to the chapters in the course schedule.

The interface for the textbook works well, and seems to be completely free of navigation issues. The Table of Contents on the left side of the screen contains convenient links to the chapters and sub-chapters, making it easy to navigate the textbook.

I did not find an grammatical errors in this textbook. Overall, the book seems to be proofread thoroughly and free of any significant typos. This is important for a software textbook, since small mistakes in the labs can make it difficult for students to complete their work.

There was nothing in the textbook that seemed culturally insensitive or offensive. Since it is a software-based book, there isn't a discussion of social issues, such as race or ethnicity, in this textbook. The spreadsheets that are provided use real-life data examples that students from a variety of backgrounds may find familiar, like calculating a monthly budget or a car payment.

I used this textbook to provide review material for students in a beginning data analytics course, so that they could brush up their Excel skills prior to attempting more challenging data analysis assignments. The book worked very well in that context. Students had positive feedback about this textbook and appreciated being able to access the textbook for free.

Reviewed by Robin Gilcrist, Associate Professor, University of Alaska, Southeast on 11/18/20, updated 12/16/20

The text covers to each topic thoroughly and with tips for PC and Mac users. The glossary is helpful for getting to specific content quickly. Each chapter builds on the prior chapter, providing an excellent sequence for learning the program. This... read more

To the best of knowledge, the book is accurate and unbiased.

The only reason to give this book a 4 rating in relevance has nothing to do with the content but more with the changes that occur as programs are updated. This is always a problem when teaching software programs. Although Excel has not change significantly over the years this is a 2019 version that will need to be updated as the program is updated.

The authors have done a great job of using text and screen capture to add clarity and provide accurate information. I appreciate this style of guidance and so do my students. This is as close to using a video tutorial as you can get with a text book. The only jargon used in the text is that which is directly related to the program and this is carefully explained at each occurance

Very consistent layout from chapter to chapter. The terminology is also consistent, as far as I could tell from the overview I completed.

The modules are easy to follow and are in a sensible order for the learner. Each chapter has good written descriptions augmented with screen captures that provide scaffolding of skills as the learner goes from one chapter to the next. It will be an excellent resource for any course that requires the use of Excel since each chapter can basically stand alone.

The book is organized in a logical order. The text is easy to read, clear and concise, and uses screen captures to illustrate the skills being introduced. The combination of text and illustration allow for easy searching for specific commands or functions.

I found no issues with the navigation, or distortion of images and charts. There are no distracting images or text that would cause confusion for the reader.

I found no grammatical errors.

The text is not culturally insensitive, however this not the type of text that offers any opinion or views on inclusion.

This text will be an excellent resource for many different disciplines. The construction technology program requires an estimating course for which this text will be very beneficial to beginning students who will need to use excel. Thank you for making this an open resource. I know the students will be grateful for the guidance, and for not having to spend additional funding on yet another textbook.

Reviewed by Micheline Al Harrack, Visiting Faculty, Marymount University on 7/31/20

This textbook covers basic Excel topics relevant for an introductory spreadsheet course. It is well produced. It is designed for students freshly exposed to excel/spreadsheets or needing a review. It can also be incorporated as a reference book in Statistics courses. The six chapters cover the basics of Excel necessary for a student pursuing a Bachelor's degree or for professionals needing to refresh their skills. A table of contents lays out the topics clearly. Definitions and summaries are included in each chapter where relevant. No glossary is present but it does not impact the value or relevance of the book.

The book covers the different topics accurately and concisely. It is cleanly written with no fillers.

This book is still relevant. Even though it references Excel 2016 however, the functionalities are similar in different versions of Excel. If any updates are needed later, they would be easy to incorporate or add. Probably, chapter practices or assessments can be updated after few years or some alternative ones included.

All content is clear and easy to follow and read. Any jargon used is defined and simplified for the readers with visual aids as applicable.

The framework is consistent as well as the design and terminology used.

The textbook cab be easily broken down into smaller topics that can be incorporated into an introductory Excel course or a Statistics Course. It is clearly labeled with the text flowing easily. The Instructor can reorganize the units to fit into their course and subject.

This book is well organized. It starts with an introductory overview chapter, then covers formulas, functions, charts, and tables in subsequent chapters. Each chapter starts with well defined learning objectives, then covers each topic in specific sections with examples and step-by-step tutorials. Shortcuts definitions and instructions are provided within each chapter in the relevant section. Multiple data files are offered for homework/practice. Each chapter ends with a practice exercise and a scored assessment.

The interface is free from errors. Charts, graphs, and tutorials are clear, readable and understandable. The book can benefit from an automatic Table of Contents to facilitate reading and switching between different chapters and sections, instead of scrolling or looking for a page number. However, this is a minor issue.

The book is free from grammatical errors. The style is sharp and clean. It is easy to read and understand. Terminology used is defined in plain English.

The book is culturally relevant. No insensitive content was found within. Examples provided are universal and in no way offensive.

The data files provided are an excellent companion for a hands-on introductory course. While time-saving, they provide well prepared material for in-class use.

Reviewed by Eunju Lee, Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Lowell on 6/27/20

This book is comprehensive and well-organized with detailed explanations and screenshots. Learning Objectives at the beginning of each section helps readers understand the key topics of the section, and useful tips are additionally provided in each chapter through Integrity Check, Skill Refreshers, and Key Takeaways. Practice exercises at the end of each chapter are well presented with datasets, leading students to check their understanding and review what they learned. All chapters are connected smoothly so that students happen to acquire solid knowledge by the time they finish reading the book. Also, it describes functional differences between different Excel versions, which is very useful for beginners. Overall, this book is recommended for beginner excel classes or students who want to learn Excel without taking classes.

The content is accurate. I have not found any errors throughout the book.

The book is based on Excel 2016, but the content is still applicable to a newer version (Excel 2019). I have not found any issues reviewing this book with a slightly older or newer version of Excel. This book also contains helpful explanations on differences between different versions. However, charts and datasets need to be updated with recent dates and figures.

All examples and explanations are clear and easy to follow.

The content is consistent within and across the chapters. Concepts and applications are clearly explained step by step. All related topics are well organized under the same umbrella.

The book categorizes basic concepts and their practical applications independently as well as organically. All chapters and sections flow well, so students do not need to waste time going back and forth unnecessarily.

Again, the book is well-organized and reads well. Even students who have not been exposed to Excel before can easily learn it with this book.

I have not found any interface issues. The text and figures are presented neatly.

No grammatical errors were found.

I have not found any cultural sensitivity issues in this book.

Overall, this is a well-structured excel book for beginners. Although the book introduces all useful shortcuts throughout, a summary table containing all the shortcuts will be beneficial for students and instructors who do not want to read back and forth when looking up a specific key. Also, there are several alternative ways of completing a task in Excel. For example, I can calculate the sum of a and b by typing “=a+b” or using the sum function. If the book enumerates these alternative ways for a certain goal and further explains differences among the approaches if any, it will enhance readers’ ability to use different approaches flexibly. The inclusion of a glossary will give readers easy access to specific terms.

Reviewed by Jerome Socolof, Associate Professor, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on 5/27/20

This book covers the ins and outs that all but the most advanced users of Excel will need. For a fairly succinct text, it establishes a sound foundational knowledge of the program, including formulas, formatting, conditional formatting, and shortcuts. All of this information is structured such that a new user could conceivably be making conditionally-formatted charts with ease and confidence by the time they are done with the book.

The content was accurate and error-free as best as I can tell.

This text is written for users of Excel 2016, but a newer edition (Excel 2019) has come out since its publication. However, because the design of the program and the core functions don't change too much from one edition to the next, I had no trouble following along and completing all of the exercises as written in Excel 2019. It is conceivable that a future iteration of the program may require an update of the pictures demonstrating where various features are located, but otherwise, this text looks to be relevant for a good long while.

The prose is clear throughout and uses appropriate terminology without being overly jargon-y. The procedures included in the text are both written as step-by-step instructions and demonstrated with well-labeled pictures. The clarity of the text is akin to having a knowledgable and amiable Excel user sitting next to you and helping you figure it out.

Terminology, formatting, and even chapter structure are consistent throughout.

Each chapter is a clearly delineated and sequentially structured topic unto itself, and each is then subdivided into sections that explain and demonstrate concepts relevant to the chapter topic. In the case of these longer sections, they are themselves subdivided so that one could easily pluck a particular function of the program out to share with students and the students would not feel as though they were missing out.

The topics in the text are presented in a logical, clear fashion that uses previous concepts to build up to new ones. Rather than a reference text, this is built as a teaching text which will build a skill.

The text does not seem to have any interface issues. Navigation is a snap, images rendered well on both a laptop and a phone, and the display is clean and easy to read.

There are no evident grammatical errors.

One would not think that a book on using Excel would be a prime example of cultural sensitivity, but the example names and businesses used throughout reflect a wide array of cultural backgrounds. It is a low-key thing to include, but it is a very important inclusion.

This is an incredibly thorough and well-structured book that can take a new user from 0 to 60 by the end. This would be a great addition to any intro-level finance, accounting, or management survey class so that students have a strong base level of familiarity with Excel before starting in classes for which it is a necessity. Highly recommended!

Reviewed by Nikki (Felecia) May, Assistant Professor, LSUE on 4/29/20

This book is detailed, comprehensive, and teaches concepts in a step-by step manner. All menus and functions are covered in detail. read more

This book is detailed, comprehensive, and teaches concepts in a step-by step manner. All menus and functions are covered in detail.

I found the content to be accurate and error-free.

The content is based on Excel 2016, but still applies to the current version. I completed the tasks using Excel 2019 and didn't have any issues following along. As newer versions of Excel are released, the book would have to be reviewed to make sure there aren't substantial changes.

The step-by-step instructions are very clear. Terms and concepts are simply explained. Illustrations are used extensively and are very helpful.

The book is consistent throughout.

Content is introduced followed by hands-on steps for the user to apply what was discussed. This is done in small sections and is easy to grasp, especially for beginners.

The topics are organized in a logical, clear way. There are downloadable data files for the student to practice each skill. The content and exercises are easy to follow.

Illustrations with labels, tables, text boxes, and main text are displayed well. No interface issues seen.

No errors found.

The examples are nondiscriminatory.

This is a very good book for beginners. Personally, I use a lot of keyboard shortcuts, and this book does a great job of presenting keyboard shortcuts throughout the book. I would like to suggest having an appendix that lists all of the keyboard shortcuts that were presented throughout the book.

Reviewed by Jason Lucas, Associate Director, Radford University on 1/31/20

This book is very comprehensive for all MS Excel basics. It covers basic formatting, formulas, conditional formatting, PivotTables, and even shortcuts. I have used MS Excel and taught MS Excel for over 20 years. This book covers all basics I... read more

All the text appeared accurate but I was unable to check data files and data file names. Some images are unable to be viewed clearly in the book. It is not crucial to the text but impossible to verify accuracy.

This book focuses on MS Excel 2016. It was written in 2017. Currently MS Excel 2019 is available, soon to be something even newer. MS Excel does not change that much year to year so this book is still fairly relevant. It will not be relevant in 5 years but for now it is still well worth utilizing. This is at no fault to the publishers of this book - no books written on an always updating software can be 100% relevant and up-to-date.

The book is quite clear and easy to navigate. Chapters are well defined with terms, figures, and important terms are clearly marked and bold. By the nature of the book it can be somewhat unclear navigating between text and the actual software on a computer but again that is at no fault to the textbook.

The textbook uses the exact same format and terminology definitions throughout. The figures and directions are consistent throughout each chapter. The assignments and tasks are clearly numbered for each chapter. Very easy to follow throughout the textbook.

The text flows easily from chapter to chapter and from section to section in each chapter. The textbook uses scaffolding to build the student's knowledge and skill set from each chapter to chapter and each section to section within each chapter. Many other texts jump too quickly into advanced MS Excel tasks without building a knowledge base. This textbook scaffolds skills at an appropriate pace for a beginner.

The text is organized easily from chapter to chapter and from section to section in each chapter. The textbook uses scaffolding to build the student's knowledge and skill set from each chapter to chapter and each section to section within each chapter. This textbook is well organized for a beginner working through the entire book. It lacks the ability to easily focus on one particular skill. The table of contents does not fully designate all that each chapter covers. This may be difficult to locate a particular skill or task, i.e. PivotTable, without using the appendix to find multiple entries.

Interface rating: 3

The text is perfectly clear and easy to read. Some images are blurred or too dark to see exactly what the student should have on their MS Excel spreadsheet. This contains many charts, graphs, and images. The issue pertains to approximately 10% of the images.

There are no apparent grammatical errors. Multiple images, figures, and charts use abbreviations.

Cultural references do not apply to this textbook on MS Excel. The examples used in the text appear to be from a wide range of gender, race, and ethnicity.

This is a very thorough and comprehensive textbook for beginning MS Excel. The book is easy to follow and scaffolds skills at an appropriate pace for a beginner. The only downside to the book is the quickly dated material. This is the case with all textbooks pertaining to software. I would see no issues using this text for a first and second semester MS Excel course. Unfortunately I could not review the data files for content, clarity or accuracy.

Reviewed by Mindy Bean, Faculty, Linn-Benton Community College on 6/19/18

This book covers the basics of Microsoft Excel 2016. It includes all the basic skills necessary to create most documents in excel. It uses the terminology well so it can be translated precisely. The practical uses of logical and lookup functions,... read more

The book is accurate, the modern take on the assignments that are logical in career application makes it a good addition to any course needing to teach Excel to first-timers.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

Microsoft Excel updates on a trend every three years. It usually takes most businesses/schools a few years before they fully adapt to a newer version. This will stay updated for a two years at least, depending on how different the newer version is.

The books purpose is to introduce Microsoft Excel to a first-time user. Students can learn Microsoft Excel from the learn guide with the program, but this text teaches Excel with its most common practical uses. It expands more on each application or function it reviews within its section.

The book uses consistent language that makes it easy to follow.

This is actually one of the only pieces of work I have been able to find where it teaches Microsoft Excel 2016, that makes it easy to divide into sections. A lot of work out there has each assignment build up slowly for at least 10 or more pages. This keeps assignments clear and concise but also using different skills.

The ideal method of any work written for Microsoft Excel 2016 is that it slowly introduces every basic functionality of uses. The text does a nice job of moving through a little quicker to get to the practicality of using the functions.

The visuals are useful in the work, since it can show where to go from time to time. I did have issues scrolling through and having pages go blank. I would have to re-scroll multiple times back and forth to get the page to show up. The pictures when they showed did a nice job of showing exactly where you need to go to understand how to do a certain function.

I did not find any grammatical errors in the book.

There is no culturally insensitive or offensive material in this book. The book is written well to translate.

Reviewed by Fay Gallacher, Senior Advisor, The Open Univeristy on 2/1/18

The book is covering all of the essential areas which a person will need when starting to use Excel. read more

The book is covering all of the essential areas which a person will need when starting to use Excel.

I have not come across any errors within the book.

The content is based on Excel 2016 which is the most current package. The only issue is that this will need to be reviewed each time a new version of MS Office is released.

It is writing in plain language which is easy to understand.

The text remains consistent throughout.

The sections are presented in a logical order and items are easy to find within specific categories.

The structure has been well thought out and laid out in the right way.

No interface issues which I could identify.

Not applicable in the context of Excel.

Very good books and facility to have available.

Reviewed by Beth Bjerregaard, Professor, UNC-Charlotte on 2/1/18

The book is fairly comprehensive for a beginning book. I would not expect it to cover much more. The table of contents clearly describes the topics covered in each chapter. read more

The book is fairly comprehensive for a beginning book. I would not expect it to cover much more. The table of contents clearly describes the topics covered in each chapter.

The book seems accurate. I did not see any issues.

The version of excel is a bit dated and the text focuses on the Windows version of excel. I was still able to work through most of the examples and the information presented is not really version specific, so most of the information should be alright

The book was easy to follow. Things were well explained and the authors provided breakout boxes and screen shots to help the reader follow.

The terminology was consistent and each chapter followed a consistent pattern.

Modularity rating: 4

The text flows easily from section to section. Many of the sections could be assigned independent of the others, however, due to the nature of the material, you will need to understand the beginning chapters before tackling the later chapters.

The text was organized in a logical manner that was easy to follow.

I did not have any difficulties navigating the text. The screenshots were helpful and rendered fine.

I did not find grammatical errors.

There was nothing offensive. Cultural sensitivity is not really relevant.

I think the book would be useful for an introductory class in Excel or for a supplement in a class using Excel. I liked the fact that each of the chapters provided data for the students to follow along with the exercises and had summary practice exercises for students.

Reviewed by Walter Lambert, Adjunct, Metropolitan State University on 2/1/18

This reviewer’s interest in this text is as a detailed self-paced supplement for students studying business and finance. All of the Excel topics related to those studies are included in a sequence and format that would allow students to review established skills and learn new skills using a split computer screen and a learn by example mode. The detailed hyperlinked Table of Contents was more than adequate for finding search topics.

There are too many versions of Excel in daily use to expect a single book to be completely accurate with items such as screen shots and still be practical. The various versions, however, are close enough to each other to allow a student to pick up the necessary skills while accommodating to whichever version of Excel is available. Otherwise, this text is an accurate tutorial for expanding a student’s skill set.

This text is highly relevant to the computational requirements of the business and finance courses of interest to this reviewer. Recent press releases imply that future versions of Excel might be of even greater use. Longevity is another matter. The continual updating of Excel within and between platforms will make this text too outdated in a few years unless periodic updating is maintained.

This text is sufficiently clear by style and detailed content to allow students to master Excel on their own. This is particularly important to students who need to upgrade their Excel skill set in parallel with handling coursework for which Excel is a necessary support.

The nature of the topic imposes a high degree of consistency. The clear, detailed format used for skill building accommodates to the inherent consistency of the subject matter in a useful manner that supports strong self-learning.

Modularity, in terms of self-standing sections and subsections, is limited by the need to learn various sub-skills in sequence. Introductory material needs to be mastered before more advanced topics can be addressed. The result is that early chapters need to be studies in sequence, but later chapters can be rearranged or skipped depending on the needs of the supported course.

The book’s organization follows the logical sequence of skill building in Excel. Therefore, an individual learner should start at the front and work to the back spending time and effort in inverse proportion to existing Excel skill levels. This reviewer tested this strategy and was pleased with the results.

User interface for the reviewed version of this text appears to depend on the user’s computer (Mac or PC), on which version of Excel is available, and on which format is selected for reading the book. This reviewer used the online format rather than the pdf format on a 2008 iMac, for example, because the links to data files worked with the online format but not with the pdf format. Other than that, the user interface for both formats were free of distortions and distractions. This would facilitate using a split screen on which both the text and example exercises could be displayed together. This is a particularly effective method for Excel skill building. Using dual screens is even better.

No spelling or grammar errors were recognized by this reviewer.

This textbook is cultural neutral.

It would be convenient to mention somewhere in the early sections that Mac users might want to set a keyboard preference for using function keys as standard function keys so many of the shortcuts such as stipulating absolute references are easy to do. It might also be helpful to mention that most of the text’s material applies to other popular spreadsheet programs including recent versions of Excel for the Mac, OpenOffice, LibreOffice, and Google Sheets, recognizing that differences in screen layout and maybe the availability of some formulas and commands might require a small degree of translation from one application to another by the learner. This reviewer will likely recommend this text to future classes as a convenient Excel review tool.

Reviewed by Veronica Gibson, Assistant Professor, Virginia State University on 6/20/17

Very good outline/table of content layout and coverage of basic skills needed. read more

Very good outline/table of content layout and coverage of basic skills needed.

Content Accuracy rating: 3

Unable to check accuracy for Assignments and Test sections for each chapter (was not able to open).

Content is not considered obsolete and could be quickly updated with just changing numbers and wording on Assignments & Test sections for each chapter.

I see no issues with clarity.

I see no issues with consistency.

The text was broken down into appropriate skill sets for the reader to grasp.

I am very pleased with the books' organization/structure/flow.

Images were a little distorted but not to the point of being unreadable.

I did not see any issues with grammar.

I am not aware of any issues with cultural relevance in this text.

I could not open the Assignments and Tests links to check visually and to go through instructions assigned to the assessments. I I would like to see a comprehensive Assignments & Tests (covering all chapters). Overall, I am very pleased with the content, organization, modular breakdown, and the basic skill sets covered.

Reviewed by Paul Ewell, Department Chair , Virginia Wesleyan College on 2/8/17

This is an extremely comprehensive book that provides a significant level of detail guiding the user from the very introductory stages of how to use the software program through more advanced applications. I was particularly appreciative of the level of specific detail that the author used in describing even the most basic of steps. One of the biggest complaints that I've heard from students who use technology textbooks is that authors sometimes assume that students know more than they actually do. This author is clearly not neglected the basics and no minor detail has been left out.

I also particularly like that the author has made the program relevant to a variety of different types of users. This description of Excel is pertinent for students of business who will be using this type of program in their careers but it is also pertinent to students from other majors in that it includes examples such as how to manage personal financial scenarios. Thus, the reach of this textbook goes far beyond just business students.

I was a little disappointed that this book does not include a table of contents nor does it include a glossary. While hyperlinks are included within each chapter that refer the student to other chapters, having a table of contents would help students not only see the broad picture of what the text actually covers but would also provide the opportunity for students to be able to easily access sections that they need to improve on such as in the case where there using the textbook as a reference source.

It is also worthy to note that the book provides a significant number of graphics that actually show students where to click how to click and where certain components are found in the program as well as providing step-by-step instructions on how to perform various steps. The graphics are substantial and frequent and really adds a significant extra dimension to the coverage.

The textbook appears to be very accurate in that the directions provided in each of the assignments appear to be. I can only imagine how much of a challenge that must be given each new edition of the software program. I also found no evidence of any bias although it is difficult to infuse bias into a software manual.

The content in this book is very current and certainly relevant but as I mentioned in the previous section I would hope the author would be able to update as new additions or versions of the software are developed. Much of the material or the processes covered in the book are fairly standard and I believe will not become obsolete at least not in the near future. Generally with the development of new Microsoft programs, minor changes such as the location of the tab or other tool or the addition of minor functionalities seem to be about the norm. I don't suspect it would be very difficult than to update this textbook to reflect those minor changes. The exception, of course, would be if a completely revamped version of the program was developed. I think back to the rollout of Microsoft Vista and how different Vista was from previous operating systems. While most will agree that Vista was not a good product, much of the consternation resulted from the drastic differences that existed with the new rollout.

Again, spreadsheet software, whether it be Excel or a Google worksheet generally maintain standard functionalities so updating a book such as this should be terribly difficult.

I think this book is extremely clear and how it is written and in how the material is laid out. There is an appropriate blend of text, listed instructions and graphics along with appropriate hyperlinks that allow for ease of navigation within the document. I think this is certainly appropriate for an online text book and I think most students would find this to be very user-friendly. Again, as I mentioned in my original narrative beginning of this assessment, one of the things I particularly like about this book is that it is written in a simple and easily understandable or met such that even the most novice of computer users could follow along and master the skills and concepts covered. I think this is a real competitive advantage with this book whether it is being used as a textbook as part of a formal class or if it was being used as a textbook to serve as reference material. Again, adding a table of contents and a glossary and/or Index at the end would make the book complete.

This textbook seems very consistent in how it's formatted and it is difficult to see any variations in either chapter layout, writing style or level of detail from the beginning to the end. The terminology is extremely basic and clear which again makes this textbook ideal for both the novice or the more advanced learner to use as a reference source. I also particularly like the starter files and the links used to access the starter files really blending the chapter material to actual worksheets.

This is a particularly important formatting issue for me because I understand that many students don't necessarily read a textbook from page 1 to the end and given that this textbook has 407 pages I find it highly likely they would do so here. For example, in section 4.41 could easily understand that this section is about using charts or integrating charts with Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint and it is not imperative that one have just finished reading the previous section to be able to refer to the section and very quickly learn how to use charts in this format. Again, that makes the reference capability of this textbook extremely important.

The organizational flow of this textbook is appropriate, especially for an entry-level textbook. It begins with the most basic elements of using Microsoft Excel such as how to open the program or even where to find the program in the start menu. You may be surprised to find the number of students who, when setting down to a computer for the first time, cannot figure out how to open a Microsoft program unless that program specifically has an icon on the desktop. This author starts the very basics in getting students to be able to understand how to even get the program open where to look for it. The text then, at an appropriate pace, develops the students understanding of Excel in a very thorough yet realistic manner. There is little doubt that, again based on the organizational structure of the book, beginning students who have no experience with Excel and maybe even feel very uncomfortable with computers in general, will find the pace appropriate for any level of expertise.

I found no navigational problems. The links, more specifically the hyperlinks, seem to work appropriately and all of the Excel links were present.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

It's really difficult to answer this in terms of cultural relevance technology textbook that is being used to develop the skill set so there is very little cultural relevance that should be evaluated.

In summary, I find this book to be an excellent tool that can be used in either classroom or in a reference setting. When I was trying to decide on which book to review, this book stood out because, at least initially, I noticed the graphics and I noticed a very clear sustained how to format of the chapter sections. It is highly likely that I would use this book in future classes.

Reviewed by Ihab AbuZayda, Assistant Professor, Reynolds Community College on 2/8/17

This textbook is very well-written. It is comprehensive and covers a wide spectrum of important spreadsheet software topics. Nonetheless, there are topics I cover in my class, which are not covered in this textbook (e.g., Excel tables,... read more

I have not found any errors in the content.

The text does a good job explaining spreadsheet software. On the other hand, it uses EXCEL 2010, an older version of EXCEL as we are currently using EXCEL 2016 (as of this writing). This is a typical problem with technical textbooks as technology evolves quickly.

The content is clear, accessible, and easy to follow. I suggest using a sans-serif font throughout the e-book and also additional font colors in the paragraphs to enhance clarity.

The text is of a pleasing level of consistency and conformity.

The text is divided into logical sections that are independent. The e-book's components may be separated and recombined, without presenting much disruption to the reader.

The structure is clear and the organization is well-thought-out.

No interface issues. The navigation is simple and easy to follow. However, many of the figures are outdated.

I have not found any grammatical errors.

Cultural relevance is not applicable in this context and, therefore, cannot be evaluated.

I appreciate the overall quality of this text. The author utilized many means (e.g., screenshots, videos, text) to explain various EXCEL topics. Good job!

I suggest updating the material to show the most recent version of EXCEL, incorporating additional topics, and adding a teacher's reference guide and solution files.

Reviews prior to 2017 are for a previous edition.

Reviewed by Joni Meisner, Instructor, Portland Community College on 8/21/16

The textbook provides comprehensive coverage of the fundamental skills of Excel, including mathematical computations, logical and lookup computations and presenting data with charts. The scope and sequence of the material is sufficiently detailed and logically organized. The step-by-step instructions are clearly written and easy to follow. The content includes screenshot examples and skill refresher and lesson videos which add value to the overall comprehensiveness of the content. The textbook does not cover working with tables which is a required components of our curriculum. There isn’t a glossary or index in the textbook.

The textbook content is accurate, error free and unbiased.

The textbook uses Windows 7 and Excel 2010 which are not the current versions of either, so modifications would be necessary for some sections of the text. With some modifications along with additional supplemental materials, students could complete the chapters and assignments from this text regardless of the version of Windows or Excel being used.

The text is written in clear, understandable language. Terminology is further clarified through the use of screen shots and in many of the skill refresher and lesson videos

The textbook is consistent in terms of both terminology and framework. Each chapter begins with detailed learning objectives followed by an introduction of the chapter content. Each chapter is embedded with guided practice exercises, ‘Integrity Checks’ which are tips to help students avoid and recognize errors, ‘Key Takeaways,’ which summarize the key components of the lesson, ‘Skill Refresher’ videos which quickly demonstrate smaller components within the lesson, and ‘Video Lessons’ (chapter lecture/demonstrations). Section exercises are included which provide multiple choice questions so students can check their understanding of the content as they progress through the chapter, and end of chapter assignments ranging from easy to difficult are provided so students can apply the skills learned. Hands on chapter tests are also included for each chapter.

The text is divided into smaller reading sections within each chapter which could easily be pulled out and used independently.

Each chapter is built around skills which are presented in a logical and clear order. The topics introduced build on each other moving the student from simple understanding to complex application of the skills being taught.

The text is free from any significant interface issues. The text and images are clear and easy to read. Images are appropriately labeled.

I did not find any grammatical errors in the text.

The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. The content is based on business/personal business examples that are culturally unbiased.

While requiring some updating, this text covers most of the bases for a beginning Excel class. Due to the abundant use of screen shots and video components, the text may need to be evaluated for accessibility in order to accommodate students who require educational accommodations.

Reviewed by Carrie Pedersen, Instructor, Portland Community College on 1/7/16

Learning objectives are provided for each section. Review questions are available. Chapter review assignments and chapter tests are provided for evaluation. Comprehensive coverage of the material is provided, but a glossary/index are not.... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

The content is straightforward and without bias or opinion. A high number of instructional graphics are provided with clear indication of relevance. Screenshots provide visual reference to display direction to the student as the student completes the instructional steps.

The textbook refers to Windows 7 (currently 2 versions behind - Windows 8/8.1 and Windows 10) and Excel 2010 (currently 2 versions behind - Excel 2013 and Excel 2016). Also, many students are now using Office 365 which not only provides cloud service for the software and files, but automatically updates the software to current versions without student effort.

The verbiage used in this text is on par with the technical data provided. The jargon and technical terminology used are vital to the learning the material. However, the instructions are clear and easy to understand. Terms are linked to provide further explanation.

The correct terms are used to describe actions and Excel functions. Steps are clearly relayed and easy to follow. The procedure for completing lessons is consistent throughout the text providing a framework for students to follow and understand.

Lessons are broke into small sections reviewing a specific skill. Students are able to complete the task before moving on. The text has the ability to be separated into sections. Each lesson starts with a new document file as if the student had completed the previous section. Students are able to use either their own file or the one provided. This also provides a checkpoint for the student to compare their work with the data file provided.

Topics are presented in a form that builds based upon the assumed knowledge of the learner. The lessons begin in a simple format with short, precise direction and basic terms. As the chapters progress, assignments become longer and more complex, building on the previous learning. The tasks become more complicated and complex to display a higher level of learning.

The pages are clear and easy to read. The graphics are displayed well with limited use of colors and extraneous material. Each graphic is clickable to display a larger, higher definition display. Pages are uncluttered and easy to scroll through. Printing may be an issue due to the high use of graphics and shading of text. A clickable link to just the assignment directions for printing would be useful for students to complete more complex assignments without the need to "click" back and forth.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

The grammar used is easy to understand and accurate. There are various typing errors that do not detract from the meaning of the lesson presented. Sentence structure is at an appropriate level for a college freshman course.

There are few instances of cultural relevance. The lack of cultural integration in the text does not detract from the skills performed by the student. The context is data driven and does not provided opportunity for a great deal of cultural integration.

The entertainment value of the material is fair to low. The directions are simple and easy to follow, but lack a degree of interest. Completing the material for long periods at a time could lead to a lack of focus on the part of the student. The comprehensive nature of the text compensates for this issues and would interest the motivated student.

Reviewed by Diane Shingledecker, Full Time Computer Applications Instructor, Portland Community College on 1/7/16

The skills covered in the text are very comprehensive including a lot of screen prints. Unfortunately, we teach tables and working with multiple sheets/files in our Beginning Excel class, and these topics are not included. read more

I have not found any errors in the text. The directions are accurate and error-free.

My concern with the text is that it is written for Excel 2010, and we are already teaching Excel 2013. At first, I thought this was a major drawback; but I worked through parts of the book in Excel 2013, and it worked fine. The only chapter that would not work in it's entirety is the charts chapter since charts changed significantly in 2013. Thinking about it some more, I think we could possibly teach the basics of charts with the chapter and then use other materials to teach the specific features of charts in 2013.

I plan on testing the book with Excel 2016 which I just installed on my laptop. If most of the text will work with this new version, that would mean the book is largely "version-free", and that's what we're looking for!

I think the text is written is accessible language for students. It has a good deal of business concepts in chapters 2 and 3, but they are explained well. The videos that accompany the book are very easy to understand and the technical language is not overdone.

I really like the framework of the text. Every section has Learning Objectives, Skill Refreshers, Key Takeaways, and Multiple Choice Exercises at the end of each section. At the end of each chapter, there are three levels of skills review and a Level 2 test.

The modularity of the text was good. I felt we could take portions of the text and use them without having to use a whole chapter or the whole text. The videos, exercises, and tests could also be pulled out and use as stand alone resources which is a big plus in computer classes.

As stated in question 5, the consistent layout of each section and chapter made the text flow logically.

The video and data file links did not work in the current copy of the book in www.Saylor.org. This would need to be fixed in order for the book to be useable in our classes.

The screen prints were clear and easily read.

The examples in the book were business-oriented vs. people-oriented, so they were not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way.

I was pleasantly surprised about the possibilities of using this text with its videos and data files in classes taught in various versions of Excel.

Reviewed by Chuck McGill, Teaching Specialist, University of Minnesota on 6/10/15

This book is extremely detailed and comprehensive. It teaches Fundamental Skills, Mathematical Computations, Logical and Lookup Functions, and Presenting Data with Charts in a step-by step fashion and to a detailed level. This level of skill... read more

The book is very accurate and this reviewer found no errors.

The book refers and applies to Excel 2010 on the Windows 7 platform exclusively. It does not refer to other versions, platforms, or operating systems. The relevance and longevity depends on the user’s tolerance for interpreting instructions and graphics that may vary slightly from what is on the user’s screen.

The step-by-step instructions are very clear. Most, though not quite all, terms and jargon are explained. The clearly-labeled screenshots help immensely with the clarity.

The chapters and sections are very consistent, as are the end-of-chapter exercise and test materials.

The 4 chapters are each divided into 4 or 5 clear sections, each with its own objectives and exercises. Each chapter has a sections of exercises and tests at different difficulty levels. These different modules could easily be assigned at different points during a course.

The structure is highly organized. There are downloadable Follow-along Files for the student to practice each skill. The objectives, tips, exercises and tests are all easy to follow.

All screenshots with labels, tables, text boxes, and main text are displayed well.

This reviewer found no grammatical errors.

The personal finance section deals with mortgage payments, but does not assume home ownership in a culturally insensitive way.

The description on the Open Textbook Library site refers to Video Lessons, but this reviewer could not find any or access any through the text book either on PDF or HTML. If they exist, this reviewer could not find them.

Chapter 1 - Fundamental Skills
Chapter 2 - Mathematical Computations
Chapter 3 - Formulas, Functions, Logical and Lookup Functions
Chapter 4 - Presenting Data with Charts
Chapter 5 - Tables
Chapter 6 - Multiple Sheet Files

Ancillary Material

About the book.

This textbook was written for a community college introductory course in spreadsheets utilizing Microsoft Excel. While the figures shown utilize Excel 2019, the textbook was written to be applicable to other versions of Excel as well. The book introduces new users to the basics of spreadsheets and is appropriate for students in any major who have not used Excel before. This textbook includes instructions for Excel for Mac also.

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Free Assignment Tracking Template for Google Sheets

Last updated December 14, 2023

Are you looking for an assignment tracking template? When your tasks begin to pile up into several imaginary towers, it’s easy for you to be overwhelmed, not knowing where to start. Moreover, you might not even be able to keep track of all of them, resulting in missed assignments and potentially bad marks.

Having an assignment tracker to keep every task means you’ll be able to organize, stay on top, and complete all your assignments on time. All you need to do is open our Assignment Tracking Template , hit the “Make a copy” button and start sorting out your to-do list.

Access Template

While it’s easy to navigate, make sure you read ahead to discover how to use our assignment tracking template to the fullest. We also have another assignment tracking template that lets you map out your assignments throughout the semester—a perfect fit for your syllabus.

Table of Contents

What Should a Good Homework Spreadsheet Have?

In general, you’ll want a few fields that will help describe your assigned tasks and some markers for better organization. Here are some essential components to look for:

Assignment description: An efficient assignment tracking template will have space so you can jot down assignment notes. This avoids confusion and lets you anticipate the difficulty of your to-dos.
Dates: Having dedicated fields for your due dates lets you plan your schedule better. This way, you know how much time you have to complete a task. Additionally, when paired with your assignment notes, you can sort them according to priority levels.
Completion status: Keeping track of task statuses lets you know which tasks have started, are in progress, are accomplished, or need revision. Moreover, it’s also a great way to remember which tasks you need to return to.
Subject and type: You also want to categorize your assignments into their respective subjects. Another way to group them is by assignment type, including papers, lab reports, collaborative work, and similar tasks.

The components above are only a few useful fields in an assignment tracking template. For example, some spreadsheets also include monthly views or trackers for semester-wide assignment lists . Templates such as these will undoubtedly have other categories you’d need to explore.

Basic Assignment Tracking Template

With all the considerations laid out above, we created a simple but effective assignment tracking template you can use for free. While it may only feature a single functional tab, it has nine named columns you can organize according to your tasks.

If you haven’t already, you can download our free assignment tracking template here:

Let’s discuss the template in more detail .

Column A—Days Remaining

This is self-explanatory, but you can refer to this column to see the number of days you have left to do or submit your assignment. Depending on the days remaining, you can also decide which tasks to prioritize according to their deadlines.

The cells under this column are automatically updated using our pre-loaded formulas , so avoid modifying them. Instead, you can change the values under the last two columns of this template.

Assignment tracking template—days remaining column

Columns B to D—Tags for Status, Subject, and Task Type

Under these columns, you can set the categories of your assignments either by their completion status, class, or assignment type. You can select the values from the drop-down lists that come with the template based on the American curriculum.

Additionally, these statuses are associated with specific colors, making them more visual so that you can view and handle multiple ongoing tasks more efficiently. If the subjects listed differ from what you’re currently taking, you can modify the options.

To modify the subject options, follow the steps below:

First, click on a cell’s drop-down list and locate the pen icon at the bottom.

Assignment tracking template—drop-down list pen icon

Click the pen icon to open the drop-down settings on the left-hand side of your screen.
Change the values listed on the options, such as editing Math to Physics.
Once you’ve set your preferred selection, click the “ Done” button.

Assignment tracking template—data validation on Google Sheets

Upon clicking, a pop-out might appear on your screen asking whether to apply the changes to a wider cell range.
Simply click “Apply to all” to replicate the changes to the other cells.

Assignment tracking template—apply data validation to all

Another handy feature is the filter option in the “Status” column. You can use this to view your tasks based on their completion level. For example, you can choose to see only the in-progress tasks. Here’s how you do it.

To get started, click on the filter icon next to the “Status” label.

Assignment tracking template—filter icon on Google Sheets

You should see a list of values with checkmarks on their left side once you scroll down.
To deselect all of them, click on “ Clear.”

Assignment tracking template—clearing filter values on Google Sheets

Next, begin selecting the tasks you want to see per status, such as To start and In-progress.
Finally, click “OK.”

Assignment tracking template—change filter value on Google Sheets

To revert the view, simply follow steps one to five, ensuring to select all the categories again.

Columns E to I—Assignment Details

You can start entering the information you know about the tasks at hand. The columns E to G are divided into three categories: Assignment Title, Description, and Files/Links. If your assignment has attachments and URLs, such as resources, you can keep them in the last column mentioned.

Assignment tracking template—assignment details tracker

Meanwhile, columns H to I serve as fields where you can input the dates when your task is given and when you need to submit it. Take note that these are installed with data validation rules—you can’t enter values that aren’t valid dates. These values are also used to calculate the Days Remaining column.

Semester Assignment Spreadsheet

If you are looking to plan your entire semester ahead of time with your potential tasks, this is a helpful assignment tracking template. It’s much simpler than the previous spreadsheet discussed and gives you a semester-wide overview of your assignments.

Get the template here: Semester Assignment Spreadsheet

This assignment tracking template has only three fields that you can update. The first field is the (1) Date , which is located under the seven days of the week (with a total of fifteen weeks in the spreadsheet as per the American semester.)

Assignment tracking template—semester assignment spreadsheet

The second is the (2) Tags field, which allows you to categorize your tasks according to the subject. As with the other template, these tags are color-coded for an easier view. Lastly, you can also populate the (3) Assignment Details , the blank spaces beside the tags.

Why Use Our Assignment Schedule Templates?

You can virtually make a never-ending list of benefits from using a homework spreadsheet, but to name a few, here are some reasons why they’re beneficial for managing your workload.

Organization: As repeatedly emphasized, these assignment tracking templates help you categorize your tasks according to subject, type, and completion status, making it easier to organize your workload.
Time Management: You can keep track of your due dates better with the automated counting of the days remaining for a task. You can manage your time better and learn to prioritize tasks according to deadlines.
Easy Access: Our spreadsheets run on Google Sheets , which you can easily access anywhere, as long as you are connected to the internet. On top of that, they’re also ready to be filled out as soon as you make a copy for yourself.

Wrapping Up

Sticking to your deadlines and organizing your tasks doesn’t need to be complicated. You can easily do this with the help of our assignment tracking template on Google Sheets. Access more of these excellent templates by visiting our other blogs too!

If you want to learn about Google Sheets to the next level, consider checking out relevant courses at Udemy .

5 Useful Google Sheets Project Management Templates [Free]
The Free Google Sheets Task List Template [Easy Guide]
How to Assign a Task in Google Sheets [Easy Guide]
Free Balance Sheet Template for Google Sheets
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Google Sheets for Beginners

Use Google Sheets to create a budget for a celebration and perform calculations.

Example outcome

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access_time 45—90 minutes

Digital tools

Organizing data
Project management
Spreadsheet design
Spreadsheet organization

Download: Rubric for Spreadsheet with Chart .PDF

How to use this file: Download and open this file with a .pdf reader. Print copies as necessary. This spreadsheet rubric can be used to assess spreadsheet assignments for Microsoft Excel, iWork Numbers, Google Docs, and others.

The rubric is good for basic spreadsheets with titles at the top, basic data entries for labels (text), values (numbers), formulas, formatting numbers with dollars signs, and chart formatting. Chart formatting usually involves having X and Y axis labels, chart legends, chart segment values or percentages, and differing colors for each chart segment. The rubric also specifies point values for neatness and organization as well as arranging all elements to fit on a single printed page to conserve resources.

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Beginner’s tutorial for Google Sheets

Beginner Tutorial for Google Sheets (Content created by SpreadshheetClass.com)

In this tutorial, I am going to teach you how to use Google Sheets from the ground up. You will learn all of the important things that you need to know to work with Google Sheets in the professional world, from how to create and format sheet, to using formulas and performing mathematical operations.

This lesson will get you up to speed on a lot of really important Google Sheets concepts, that you should know if you are going to be working in Google Sheets often.

Throughout the tutorial, you will find links to more in-depth lessons for some of the important topics, so feel free to expand your knowledge on these subjects and formulas.

After completing this beginner's course, take your skills to the next level with the free dashboards and data analytics course .

And don't forget to get your free Google Sheets cheat sheet

You may also be interested in learning the most essential formulas in Google Sheets. Check out this template / tutorial on using the best formulas in Google Sheets .

Below you will find a table of contents that shows everything that you will learn in this article / video. Timestamps are also included so that you can easily navigate through the video. These concepts are taught while building a single spreadsheet that displays test grades, and so you can simply follow along to learn each concept.

Table of contents for the VIDEO tutorial

0:00 Introduction / Creating a new sheet 1:13 About cells, cell addresses, rows, columns 2:03 Selecting multiple cells i.e. "Ranges" 2:37 Typing ranges and references 3:04 Navigating through the cells 3:34 Selecting rows and columns 5:30 Selecting non-adjacent cells, rows, and columns 6:10 Adjusting column width and row height 7:46 Adjusting multiple columns or rows at once 8:57 Entering text and numbers (Values) into cells 11:09 Cell formatting: Fill color, text color, font size, font style, alignment, wrap 13:04 Autofit column width (Automatically adjust width) 15:20 Copying and pasting cells (Without formulas) 16:47 Entering formulas (Division) 17:30 Changing the format of the cell values (Percentage) 18:05 Copying and pasting formulas 19:18 Using autofill / fill down to copy formulas 20:19 Fill right 21:29 Deleting cell contents 22:19 Freezing rows and columns 23:29 Adding new rows and columns 24:36 Deleting columns and rows 25:08 Absolute and relative cell references (Locking references) 27:37 Mathematical operators (Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) 28:14 Quick selection shortcuts, and fill down / fill right shortcuts 30:01 Using ARRAYFORMULA to extend formulas 31:43 Cell references (Referring to a single cell) 32:30 Adding new tabs 32:47 Referring to cells from another sheet 33:30 Renaming tabs 34:29 Copying formatting with "Paint Format" 35:05 Referring to an entire column with a single formula 36:17 Moving cells, rows, and columns 38:08 The 3 cursor positions (Select, move, and fill) 39:08 Cutting cells, rows, and columns 40:05 Duplicating tabs 40:31 Deleting tabs 40:58 Using the IF function (If / Then statement)

Table of Contents

How to create a new blank Google spreadsheet

To create a new, blank Google spreadsheet, follow these steps:

Login to your Google / Gmail account
Go to drive.google.com
Click the big button on the top left that says "New"
Click "Google Sheets

An example that shows how to access Google Drive

By following the steps above, a blank Google spreadsheet will open. Change the name of the sheet or edit any of the cells to save the spreadsheet in your Google Drive.

About cells, cell addresses, rows, columns

Every cell in a spreadsheet has an address. With a cell address the column is stated first, and then the row. For example, cell C5 is in column C, and in row 5.

To select a cell, click your mouse one time on the cell that you would like to select.

An example showing cell addresses (Selected cell at specified row and column) in Google Sheets

You must select a cell before you enter text or numbers into it, or before you change the formatting of that cell.

Select multiple cells i.e. "Ranges"

You can also select multiple cells at once in a Google spreadsheet, or in other words you can select a range of cells.

To select a range of cells, follow these steps:

Click once in the middle of the cell that is at the top left of the range that you would like to select, and hold your click
Drag your cursor right, downwards, or both, and then release your click when you have highlighted all of the cells that you want to select

An example that demonstrates how to select multiple cells (i.e. Ranges) in Google Sheets

Type / notate ranges and references

To use formulas, you will need to know how to type references to cell ranges.

To type the reference to a range of cells, type the reference of the first cell (at the top left of the range), then type a colon ":", and then type the reference of the last cell (at the bottom right of the range).

For example, if you wanted to notate the range of cells that spans from cell A1, to cell D7, you would type A1:D7.

This reference can be read as "A1 through D7″.

Navigate through the cells

There are multiple ways that you can navigate to the cell that you want to select in your Google spreadsheet.

To navigate through the cells, do either of the following:

Click once on the cell that you want to select, and use the vertical and horizontal scroll options to access the desired cell if needed)
Or use the arrow keys on the keyboard to move from cell to cell in the direction that you specify.

An example of using the arrow keys to navigate through the spreadsheet cells in Google Sheets

Select rows and columns

In addition to being able to select cells and ranges of cells, you can also select entire columns or rows in a Google spreadsheet.

Select a column

To select a column, click on the top of the column that you want to select, on the letter that represents which column that it is, and you will have selected the entire column and all of the cells within it.

An example of selecting columns and rows in Google Sheets

Select a row

To select a row, click on the left of the row that you want to select, on the number that represents which row that it is, and you will have selected the entire row and all of the cells within it.

Select multiple columns

To select multiple columns at once, click at the top of the first column that you want to select, hold your click, drag your cursor to the right, and release your click when you have selected all of the desired columns.

Select multiple rows

To select multiple rows at once, click at the left of the first row that you want to select, hold your click, drag your cursor downwards, and release your click when you have selected all of the desired rows.

Select non-adjacent cells, rows, and columns

You can also select multiple cells that are not right next to each other in Google Sheets.

Select non-adjacent cells

To select non-adjacent cells, click once on the first cell that you want to select, then hold "Ctrl" on the keyboard, and then click on the other cells that you want to select.

An example of selecting non-adjacent cells in Google Sheets

You can do this same thing with rows and columns.

Select non-adjacent columns

To select non-adjacent columns, click once on the first column that you want to select, then hold "Ctrl" on the keyboard, and then click on the other columns that you would like to select.

Select non-adjacent rows

To select non-adjacent rows, click once on the first row that you want to select, then hold "Ctrl" on the keyboard, and then click on the other rows that you would like to select.

Adjust column width and row height

You can easily adjust the width of columns , and the change the height of rows in your spreadsheet.

Adjust column width

To adjust the width of a column, follow these steps:

Hover your cursor at the top right of the column that you want to adjust (over the line that separates that column and the column beside it), where the double arrows that point left and right appear
Click your mouse and hold the click, then drag your cursor left (to shrink) or right (to expand), and release your click when the column is the desired width.

An example of adjusting column width in Google Sheets

Adjust row height

To adjust the height of a row, follow these steps:

Hover your cursor at the left of the row that you want to adjust (over the line that separates that row and the row below it), where the double arrows that point up and down appear
Click your mouse and hold the click, then drag your cursor upwards (to shrink) or downwards (to expand), and release your click when the row is the desired height.

Note that if there is text in any of the cells within a row, the font size will also determine the row height.

Adjust multiple columns or rows at once

You can also adjust the width of multiple columns or rows at once in Google Sheets.

Adjust width of multiple columns

To adjust the width of multiple columns at once, select the columns that you want to adjust, then adjust the width of one of the select columns, and the changes will apply to all of the select columns.

Adjust height of multiple rows

To adjust the height of multiple columns at once, select the rows that you want to adjust, then adjust the height of one of the select rows, and the changes will apply to all of the select rows.

An example of adjusting the width of multiple columns at one time in Google Sheets

Enter text and numbers into cells (Entering values)

There are multiple ways that you can enter text and numbers into the cells of a spreadsheet.

To enter a value into a cell, select the cell that you want to enter text or numbers into, then do any of the following:

Start typing, then press enter after typing the desired values
Or double click on the cell, then start typing (Press enter when done)
Or click your cursor into the formula bar, then start typing (Press enter when done)

An example of how to enter text and numbers (values) into a cell in Google Sheets

If you choose to simply start typing when a cell is selected, your new text will replace the old text after pressing enter, where the other two methods will allow you to modify existing text.

Cell formatting

Each cell, row, or column can be formatted individually in Google Sheets. Formatting the cells by using color , and different font styles will make your sheet very organized, and professional.

To format a spreadsheet cell, first select the cell or range of cells that you want the formatting changes to apply to, and then apply the formatting that you want.

Change the fill color (Background Color)

To change the background color of a cell, select the cell that you want to format, click the "Fill color" menu on the top toolbar (looks like a spilling paint bucket), and then select the color that you want.

An example of the "Fill color"' menu in Google Sheets

Below is an example of the color palette in Google Sheets, which you will see when opening any of the color selection menus.

Set the font

To change the font in a cell, select the cell that you want to format, click the "Font" drop-down menu on the top toolbar, and then select the font that you want.

An example of the font menu in Google Sheets

Change the text color

To change the color of the text in Google Sheets, select the cell or cells that you want to modify, click the large letter "A" on the top toolbar to open the "Text color" menu, and then select the color that you want your text to be.

An example of the "Text color" menu in Google Sheets

Change the font size

To change the size of the font in Google Sheets, select the cell or cells that you want to modify, click the "Font size" drop-down menu on the top toolbar (directly to the right of the "Font" selection), and then select the size of font that you want to use.

An example of the "Font size" menu in Google Sheets

Set the font style

To change the styling of the font in Google Sheets (bold, italic, etc.), select the cell or cells that you want to modify, and then click "bold" or another desired font style on the top toolbar.

An example of the font style menu in Google Sheets, with "bold" selected

Align the text / values

To change the alignment of the cell contents in Google sheets, select the cell or cells that you want to align, then open the alignment menu on the top toolbar and either select, "Left", "Center", or "Right".

An example of the alignment menu in Google Sheets

Wrap text in the cells

In a spreadsheet you can "Wrap" text , so that when the text reaches the end of the cell it will continue on a new line.

To wrap the text inside cells, select the cell or cells that you want to wrap, then open the "Text Wrapping" menu on the top toolbar, and then select "Wrap".

An example of the "Text wrapping" menu in Google Sheets

Automatically adjust column width

In your spreadsheet, if you want you can automatically adjust the width of the columns (autofit) so that the columns fit the text inside them. This feature is called "Fit to data", and although it can be accessed via menus, the easiest way to use it is by using the shortcut described below.

To automatically adjust column width, follow these steps:

Select the column or columns that you want to adjust
Hover your cursor at the top right of any of the select columns, over the barrier that separates the column to be adjusted and the column to the right of it, where the the double arrows that point left and right appear
Double click your mouse, and all of the selected columns will adjust to fit the longest string of text in each column

An example of automatically adjusting column width in Google Sheets

Copy and paste cells

Copying and pasting cells makes completing spreadsheet tasks much faster and easier. First let's go over simple copying and pasting, and then later I'll show you what happens when you copy and paste cells that have formulas in them.

The easiest way to copy and paste, is by using the keyboard shortcuts that are described and displayed, below.

To copy and paste cells, follow these steps:

Select the cell or range of cells that you want to copy
Hold the "Ctrl" key on the keyboard, and then press "C", to copy the cell
Select the cell where you want to paste your selection
Hold the "Ctrl" key on the keyboard, and then press "V", to paste the selection

An example of the copy and paste shortcut (keyboard keys) in Google Sheets

After copying a cell, you will see a dotted line appear around the cell that has been copied (or the range that was copied).

When you copy and paste a cell that does not have a formula in it, Google Sheets will copy the contents and formatting of the cell, exactly.

If you want to copy and paste only values , without transferring formulas or formatting, hold "Ctrl" on the keyboard and then press "C" to copy the selection like normal, but then hold "Ctrl" AND "Shift" on the keyboard, and then press "V" to paste only values.

The shortcut Ctrl + Shift + V will paste only values in Google Sheets.

How to enter formulas

Formulas allow you to do a wide array of very useful tasks in a spreadsheet.

To enter a formula in a Google spreadsheet, follow these steps:

Select the cell that you want to enter a formula into
Type an equals sign
Type a formula or function, such as =A2/B2 (Cell A2 divided by cell B2)

An example of entering a formula in Google Sheets

Change the format of the cell values (i.e. Percentage)

Another way that you can change the formatting of the cells in a spreadsheet, is by changing the formatting of the values (contents of the cell such as text or numbers).

To change the formatting of the values in a Google spreadsheet (For example: "Plain text", "Number", "Currency, "Percent"), follow these steps:

Select the cell or range of cells that you want to apply the formatting to
On the top toolbar, open the "More formats" menu (Button that says "123")
Select the format that you want the cell values to be in, such as "Percent"

An example of the "More formats" menu in Google Sheets

Copy and paste formulas

We already went over what happens when you copy and paste cells that have normal values entered into them, such as text and numbers, but now let's go over how to copy and paste formulas in your spreadsheet.

To copy and paste formulas in a Google spreadsheet, follow these steps:

Select the cell that contains the formula which you want to copy
Hold "Ctrl" on the keyboard and then press the "C" key, to copy the cell
Select the cell where you want to copy the formula to
Hold "Ctrl" on the keyboard and then press the "V" key to paste the selection / formula

An example of copying and pasting formulas in Google spreadsheets

When you copy and paste a formula, the references to cells / cell ranges will adjust when the formula is pasted into a new cell.

When you copy and paste the formula to the right or left, the column references will change.

When you copy and paste a formula up or down, the row references will change.

For example, as shown in the image above, when the division formula was copied from cell C2 and then pasted into cell C3, the formula changed from =A2/B2 to =A3/B3.

In most cases you will want your formula references to change when you copy and paste, but in some cases you will want to stop this from happening, and I will show you how to do this later.

Use autofill / fill down to copy formulas

Copying and pasting is not the only way to copy formulas into other cells. You can also use "Autofill" to quickly copy formulas . Autofill will allow you to fill formulas downwards, or to the right. Let's go over using "Fill down".

To use autofill / fill down to copy your formulas downwards, follow these steps:

Select the cell that contains the formula that you want to copy
Hover your cursor at the bottom right corner of that cell, until the cross / plus sign (+) appears (this is called the "fill handle")
Click your mouse, hold the click, and then drag your cursor downwards
Release your click when you reach the last cell that you want the formula to be copied into

An example of how to use the fill handle to fill down (autofill) in Google Sheets

Just like with copying and pasting your formulas, using autofill will adjust your cell references when the formula is copied into new cells.

Fill formulas to the right

You can also use autofill to copy formulas to the right.

To use autofill / fill right to copy your formulas to the right, follow these steps:

Hover your cursor near the bottom right corner of the selected cell, until the cross / plus sign (+) appears (Named the "fill handle")
Click your mouse, hold the click, and then drag your cursor to the right

An example of how to use the fill handle to fill right (autofill) in Google Sheets

Delete cell contents

To delete the contents of a spreadsheet cell, select the cell or range of cells that you want to delete the contents of, then press the "Delete" key on the keyboard.

This content was originally created by SpreadsheetClass.com

An example of the delete keyboard key, which will delete the contents of a cell in Google Sheets

Freeze rows and columns

You can freeze rows and columns in Google Sheets, so that when you scroll, the frozen columns will remain in view at the left side of the spreadsheet, and the frozen rows will remain in view at the top of the spreadsheet.

To freeze rows and / or columns in your spreadsheet, follow these steps:

On the top toolbar, click "View"
Hover your cursor over "Freeze"
Select the number of columns or rows that you want to freeze

An example that demonstrates how to freeze rows and columns in Google Sheets

Add new rows and columns

You can choose to add rows at the bottom of your Google spreadsheet, or you can also add rows or add columns to a specified location.

To insert rows at the bottom of the sheet, follow these steps:

Scroll down to the bottom of the sheet
Specify the number of rows to add (Default is 1,000)
Click "Add"

An example that demonstrates how to add rows at the bottom of a Google spreadsheet

To insert a new row at a specified location, follow these steps:

Right-click a row that is either directly above or below the location where you want to add a row. (Select multiple rows before right-clicking, if you want to add multiple rows)
Click "Insert 1 above" or "Insert 1 below"

To insert a new column at a specified location, follow these steps:

Right-click a column that is either directly to the left or the right of the location where you want to add a column. (Select multiple columns before right-clicking, if you want to add multiple columns)
Click "Insert 1 left" or "Insert 1 right"

An example that shows how to add new rows and columns in Google Sheets

Delete columns and rows

To delete rows in Google Sheets, select the row(s) that you want to delete, right-click on the selected row, then click "Delete row"

To delete columns in Google Sheets, select the column(s) that you want to delete, right-click on the selected column, then click "Delete column"

An example that demonstrates how to delete rows and columns in Google Sheets

Absolute and relative cell references (Locking references)

If you want to "lock" your cell references in your formula, so that they do not change when you copy and paste the formula into other cells, there is an easy way to do this in Google Sheets.

To lock the references in your formula, type a dollar sign before the column letter or the row number that you want to remain the same when you copy and paste your formula.

An example of using absolute and relative references in Google Sheets (How and when to use dollar signs in formulas)

For example, the formula shown above =A3/B$1 has a dollar sign before the row number of the reference to cell B1, which means that as the formula is copied and pasted downwards, the row reference will not change, and the formula will continue referring to cell B1.

As you can see in the example above, the "Total Points Possible" is listed in a single cell (B1), and this cell is referred to by each formula that was copied and pasted downwards, because of where the dollar sign is placed.

Relative references

Relative references WILL change when formulas are copied. These are normal references that do not contain dollar signs, such as =A1.

Absolute references

Absolute references do NOT change when formulas are copied. These references contain a dollar sign before the specified row / column, such as =$A$1.

Mathematical operators (Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)

In Google Sheets, there are actual functions for performing mathematics in your spreadsheet (i.e. = ADD or SUBTRACT), but these functions are not used very often, due to the existence of mathematical operators.

To do math in a Google spreadsheet, use the following mathematical operators:

Addition: To add, use a plus sign (+). For example: =1+2 or =A1+B1
Subtraction: To subtract, use a minus sign (-). For example: =2-1 or =B1-A1
Multiplication: To multiply, use an asterisk (*). For example: =5*7 or =C1*D3
Division: To divide, use a forward slash (/). For example: =35/7 or =K2/D3

A graphic that shows the mathematical operators in Google Sheets (Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division)

Keyboard shortcuts

There are several keyboard shortcuts in Google Sheets that will make your spreadsheet work much faster and easier. Some of the most useful shortcuts are those that help you select cells quickly, and those that help you fill formulas quickly.

Select cells to bottom of column shortcut

To select all of the cells to the bottom of a column (or to the bottom of the data if the cells are not blank), starting at a specified cell, follow these steps:

Select the cell that is at the top of the range that you want to select
Hold "Ctrl" on the keyboard
Press the down arrow key

The keyboard shortcut for selecting cells to the bottom of the column in Google Sheets

This will select all of the cells below the current cell… to the bottom of the column if the cells are blank, or to the bottom of the data / non-empty cells if there is data in the cells.

Autofill shortcuts

In addition to being able to use the fill handle / autofill to fill formulas downwards and to the right, Google Sheets provides shortcuts for these features as well.

Use the selection shortcut described above to help you select ranges quickly before using the autofill shortcuts.

Fill down shortcut

To use the keyboard shortcut to fill formulas down in your Google spreadsheet, follow these steps:

Select the range that you want to fill formulas with, where the top cell in the selected range contains the formula that you want to copy downwards
Press the "D" key

This will quickly fill / copy the formula in the top cell of the selected range, down to the bottom of the selected range, without having to take the time to drag the fill handle.

Example of the "Fill down" keyboard shortcut in Google Sheets

Fill right shortcut

To use the keyboard shortcut to fill formulas right in your Google spreadsheet, follow these steps:

Select the range that you want to fill formulas with, where the cell that is farthest to the left in the selected range, contains the formula that you want to copy to the right
Press the "R" key

Example of the "Fill right" keyboard shortcut for Google Sheets

Extend formulas by using a single formula

There is another easy way to apply your formulas to an entire range, column, or row in Google Sheets, by using ARRAYFORMULA to extend the functionality of a formula throughout multiple cells, by using a single formula in a single cell.

For the example below, we will use a division formula.

To extend a formula through a range by using a single formula, follow these steps:

Select the cell that contains the formula that you want to extend downwards or to the right
Type =ARRAYFORMULA( to begin the ARRAYFORMULA function
Type a formula like you normally would, but then change the cell references to column references, for example this division formula =ARRAYFORMULA(A3:A/B$1)

An example showing how to use the ARRAYFORMULA function to extend formulas down the column in Google Sheets

This formula will apply the division formula to the entire column, starting at row 3.

Notice that the reference to cell B1 (B$1) was kept as a single cell reference with a dollar sign listed before the row, which allows the formula to continue referring to cell B1 as the formula is extended downwards.

Cell references (Referring to a single cell)

The simplest formula is a cell reference, which refers to the value that is in a single cell, and displays it in another cell.

To refer to a cell in your spreadsheet with a formula, follow these steps:

Select the cell that you want to enter your formula / cell reference into, such as cell D2
Type an equals sign (=)
Type the address of the cell that you want to refer to, such as B2. The full formula will now look like this: =B2
Press "Enter" on the keyboard

An example of a cell reference in Google Sheets (Referring to a single cell)

If entered into cell D2, the formula above will display the value that is in cell B2, inside of cell D2.

Add new tabs

To add new tabs to your Google spreadsheet, click the plus sign on the bottom left, to the left of the tabs names.

An example of how to add a new tab in Google Sheets

Refer to cells from another sheet

You can also refer to cells from other tabs if you want.

To refer to a a cell from another tab, follow these steps:

Select the cell that you want to enter your formula / cell reference into
Type the name of the tab that contains the cell that you want to reference. If the tab name contains a space, you must put the tab name inside of apostrophes, like this ='Sheet 1′
Type an exclamation point (!)
Type the address of the cell that you want to refer to, such as B2.The full formula will now look like this: ='Sheet 1′!B2

An example that shows how to refer to a cell from another tab in Google Sheets

Again, note that you must include an apostrophe before and after the tab name, if the tab name contains a space in it.

You may include the apostrophes with tab names that do not contain a space and the formula will still function properly.

Rename tabs

To rename a tab in Google Sheets, right-click on the tab that you want to rename, and then click "Rename" (Or simply double-click on the tab name), type the new tab name, then press "Enter" on the keyboard.

Copy formatting with "Paint Format"

If you only want to copy the formatting of one cell / range to another, without copying the values or the formulas, you can do this with the "Paint format" feature.

To copy formatting from one cell or range to another cell or range, follow these steps:

Select the cell or range of cells that contain the formatting that you want to copy
On the top toolbar, click the "Paint format" button, which looks like a paint roller
Select the cell that you want to transfer the formatting to, and if you had selected a range of cells before clicking "Paint format", then click the cell that is at the top left of the range that you want to transfer the formatting to

An example of the "Paint format" feature in Google Sheets

Refer to an entire column with a single formula

In addition to being able to refer to cells, you can also refer to range , rows, and columns in Google Sheets, by using the ARRAYFORMULA function.

To refer to a range of cells with a single formula, follow these steps:

Select the cell where you want to enter your formula / begin your reference, such as cell D2
Type =ARRAYFORMULA(
Type the range that you want to refer to, such as B2:B. The full formula should now look like this =ARRAYFORMULA(B2:B)

An example that shows how to use the ARRAYFORMULA function to refer to an entire column in Google Sheets (Content created by SpreadsheetClass.com)

If entered into cell D2, the formula above will display the values that are in column B, inside of column D, starting at row 2.

Move cells, rows, and columns

To move a cell, row, or column in Google Sheets, follow these steps:

Select the cell, row, or column that you want to move
Hover your cursor near the top of the cell or column that you want to move, or at the right of the row that you want to move, and your cursor will turn into hand, when your cursor is in the correct position
Click your mouse, hold your click, and drag your cursor to the location that you want to move the selection to
Release your click when your cursor is hovering over the place that you want to move the selection to

An example of how to move cells in Google Sheets

The 3 cursor positions (Select, move, and fill)

As a quick review, let's go over the 3 different positions that your cursor can be in before clicking within a cell, and what these 3 different positions are for.

Select: Click in the middle of the cell, where the pointer displays, to select the cell
Move: Click near the top of the cell, where the hand appears, to move the cell
Fill: Click at the bottom right corner of the cell, where the cross / plus sign appears, to use autofill

An example that shows the 3 cell cursor positions in Google Sheets: Select, Move, Fill

Cut cells, rows, and columns

Cutting and pasting cells, rows, and columns has the same effect that moving them does.

To cut and paste a cell, row, or column, follow these steps:

Select the cell, row, or column that you want to cut and then paste into another location
Hold "Ctrl" on the keyboard, and then press "X" to cut the selection
Select the cell, row, or column where you want to paste the selection
Hold "Ctrl" on the keyboard, and then press "V" to paste the selection

An example of the cut and paste keyboard shortcut in Google Sheets

Duplicate tabs

To duplicate a tab in Google Sheets, right-click on the tab that you want to duplicate, and then click "Duplicate"

Delete tabs

To delete a tab in Google Sheets, right-click on the tab that you want to delete, and the click "Delete"

Use the IF function (If / Then statement)

The IF function is a very common and very useful function in Google Sheets. With the IF function, you set a condition, and then you specify what value or formula to use if the condition is met (TRUE), and what value or formula to use if the condition is not met (FALSE).

In the example below, we will use the IF function to check whether or not a student's grade is passing, where the formula will display the word "Yes" if the score is at or above 60% (0.6), and where the word "No" will display if the score is below 60%.

To use the IF function to create and IF / THEN statement in Google Sheets, follow these steps:

Select the cell that you want to enter your formula into
Type a "condition" that compares two values / cells, such as B3>=0.6 (i.e. if cell B3 is greater than or equal to 0.6)
Type a comma, and then enter the value (or cell reference) that you want to display if the condition is TRUE, such as "Yes"
Type a comma, and then enter the value (or cell reference) that you want to display if the condition is FALSE, such as "No" . The full formula should now look like this: =IF(B3>=0.6, "Yes", "No")

A basic and clear example of using the IF function in Google Sheets (Content created by SpreadsheetClass.com)

The formula above will display the word "Yes" if the score in cell B3 is greater than or equal to 0.6, and will display the word "No" if the score in cell B3 is less than 0.6.

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My name is Corey, I have been building spreadsheets for companies for over 7 years, I was a data specialist at an online school for 5 years, and I created this website to help people learn how to use spreadsheets.

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Google Sheets cheat sheet

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Work with your data


	Copy formatting from any text and apply it to another selection of text
	Format data as currency, a percentage, change decimal places, and more
	Add or edit cell borders
	Merge cells
	Change text alignment
	Change how text wraps or rotate text
	Add links, comments, charts, filters, or functions

Note: To improve compatibility with Microsoft Excel keyboard shortcuts, you can override browser shortcuts .

Add rows, columns, or cells

Add rows, columns, and cells :

Select the row, column, or cell near where you want to add your new entry.

Delete, clear, or hide rows and columns :

Right-click the row number or column letter.
Click Delete , Clear , or Hide .

Delete cells :

Select the cells.

Move rows or columns : Select the row number or column letter and drag it to a new location.

Move cells :

Point your cursor to the top of the selected cells until a hand appears.
Drag the cells to a new location.

Group rows or columns :

Select the rows or columns.

Share your spreadsheet

Click Share and choose what collaborators can do. They'll get an email notification, too.

	Share or unshare	Edit content directly	Add comments
Editor
Commenter
Viewer

Collaborate with your team

			Chat with other people viewing the spreadsheet
			Open comments thread
			Share with your team
			Insert comments

Copy, email, or publish your spreadsheet

Make a copy —Create a duplicate of your spreadsheet. This is a great way to create templates.

Download as —Download your spreadsheet in other formats, such as Excel or PDF.

Email as attachment —Email a copy of your spreadsheet.

Version history —See all the changes you and others have made to the spreadsheet or revert to earlier versions.

Publish to the web —Publish a copy of your spreadsheet as a webpage or embed your spreadsheet in a website.

Work with functions

Your most important Excel functions exist in Sheets, too. Here’s a few of the things you can do.

AVERAGE	Returns the numerical average value in a dataset, ignoring text.
AVERAGEIFS	Returns the average of a range that depends upon multiple criteria.
CHOOSE	Returns an element from a list of choices based on index.
COUNT	Returns the count of the number of numeric values in a dataset.
COUNTIF	Returns a conditional count across a range.
DATE	Converts a provided year, month, and day into a date.
FIND	Returns the position at which a string is first found within text.
GETPIVOTDATA	Extracts an aggregated value from a pivot table that corresponds to the specified row and column headings.
IF	Returns one value if a logical expression is true and another if it is false.
INDEX	Returns the content of a cell, specified by row and column offset.
INT	Rounds a number down to the nearest integer that’s less than or equal to it.
LOOKUP	Looks through a row or column for a key and returns the value of the cell in a result range located in the same position as the search row or column.
MATCH	Returns the relative position of an item in a range that matches a specified value.
MAX	Returns the maximum value in a numeric dataset.
MIN	Returns the minimum value in a numeric dataset.
NOW	Returns the current date and time as a date value.
ROUND	Rounds a number to a certain number of decimal places according to standard rules.
SUM	Returns the sum of a series of numbers and/or cells.
SUMIF	Returns a conditional sum across a range.
TODAY	Returns the current date as a date value.
VLOOKUP	Searches down the first column of a range for a key and returns the value of a specified cell in the row found.

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Free Assignment Tracker Template for Google Sheets (2024 Update)

Free assignment tracker template in google sheets.

You can make a copy of this simple assignment tracker template in Google Sheets for free. Don't request for permission to edit, simply go to File > Make a copy .

assignment tracker google sheets template

How to Use the Assignment Tracker Template in Google Sheets

Below we explain how to use our assignment tracker template in Google Sheets:

1. Assignment Name

Enter the name or title of the assignment in Column A.

google sheets assignment tracker template

Write the course or subject name in Column B.

assignment tracker template google sheets

3. Due Date

Input the assignment's due date in Column C, using your preferred date format.

google sheets assignment tracker template free

4. Assigned Date

Mark the date the assignment was given to you in Column D.

Update the current progress status of the assignment in Column E. Choose from statuses like "Not Started", "In Progress", "Completed", or "In Review".

6. Priority

Assign a priority level to the assignment in Column F, such as "High", "Medium", or "Low".

Add any relevant notes, reminders, or additional information about the assignment in Column G.

free assignment tracker template google sheets

Keep the tracker updated regularly to reflect any changes or progress in your assignments.

We hope that this article has helped you and given you a better understanding of how to use our assignment tracker template in Google Sheets. If you enjoyed this article, you might also want to check out our free OKR template and shot list template in Google Sheets .

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IMAGES

SOLUTION: 50 ms excel assignments pdf for practice free download
SOLUTION: 50 ms excel assignments pdf for practice free download
Advanced Excel Exercises with Solutions PDF
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[PDF] 50+ MS Excel Assignments Practice Exercises PDF
Intermediate Microsoft Excel Worksheet: Practice 1. Objectives: The Learner will be able to: Enter data into a Spreadsheet. Use AutoFill with labels, data, and formulas. Format Cell Borders and Contents. Calculate the total across the rows. Calculate the total for each column. Use Conditional Formatting.
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Google Sheets - Assignment #1 A Basic Spreadsheet. Spreadsheets had their start in the business world, but now everyone uses them. They are great for making lists, adding long lists of numbers and creating graphs. Below is a sample spreadsheet that you must recreate in Google Sheets.
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Download our 100% fre e Excel Practice Workbook. The workbook contains 50+ automatically graded exercises. Each exercise is preceeded by corresponding lessons and examples. Download.
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The number assignment at the end of the Title will disappear. Note: you can use New Window command to simultaneously open as many worksheets you want to compare at the same time. ... Open WeekOne worksheet Excel Part4 Functions.xlsx to practice creating arguments. Make sure to freeze the pane by selecting cell B4 so we can see header rows.
Excel Practice Exercises PDF with Answers
Excel Practice Exercises PDF with Answers. To solve the following exercises, you will need to know about the SUM, AVERAGE, IF, VLOOKUP, INDEX, MATCH, ROUNDUP, UNIQUE, COUNTIF, LEFT, SEARCH, MID, RIGHT, LEN, FIND, SUBSTITUTE, AND, and SUMIF functions and the Data Bars feature of Excel. You can use Excel 2010 or later, except for the UNIQUE ...
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4b. Enter "Percent" in the column header of each new column. To enter information into a spreadsheet, click the mouse on the cell where you want data to appear, then type. 4c. In the "Percent" columns, create a formula that will calculate the first student's percentage for that assignment or exam (Raw Mark / Marked Out Of). Use relative ...
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Beginning Excel 2019
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Exercise 04 - Top 3 Items (By Revenue): Your task is to find the top 3 items from the total column. You will need to combine the LARGE, MATCH, and INDEX functions to return the desired output. Here is a screenshot of the solution to the first problem. The solutions to these problems are provided in the PDF and Excel files.
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On the destination worksheet (Sheet2 for example) place the cursor in a blank cell. Select the Advanced icon with your left mouse button. Under Action, select . copy to another location • In the list range, select the range finder icon. The appears. Navigate to the appropriate
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Ctrl+A Selects the entire worksheet. If the worksheet contains data, Ctrl+A selects the current region. Pressing Ctrl+A a second time selects the entire worksheet. When the insertion point is to the right of a function name in a formula, displays the Function Arguments dialog box. Ctrl+Shift+A inserts the argument names and parentheses when the
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4.2 HELPFUL HINTS WHILE USING THE SPREADSHEET A spreadsheet is a grid divided into rows and columns The intersection of a column and row is referred to as a cell (Fig. 4.5). Fig. 4.5 Think of the spreadsheet as a grid divided into rows and columns Right now, cell A1 is selected in the top left-hand corner of the spreadsheet.
50 Ms Excel Assignments Pdf For Practice Free Download
Williams $19,302 UK Qtr - Smith $9,698 USA Qtr - Assignment - - Fall 1998 Amber Ale California $5,54, Season Year Type State Sales $ - Fall 1998 Hefeweizen California $5,40, - Fall 1998 Pale Ale California $5,77, - Fall 1998 Pilsner California $4,55, - Fall 1998 Porter California $4,90, - Fall 1998 Stout California $4,46, - Fall 1998 Amber Ale ...
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This assignment tracking template has only three fields that you can update. The first field is the (1) Date, which is located under the seven days of the week (with a total of fifteen weeks in the spreadsheet as per the American semester.) The second is the (2) Tags field, which allows you to categorize your tasks according to the subject.
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Download: Rubric for Spreadsheet with Chart .PDF
Download: Rubric for Spreadsheet with Chart .PDF. How to use this file: Download and open this file with a .pdf reader. Print copies as necessary. This spreadsheet rubric can be used to assess spreadsheet assignments for Microsoft Excel, iWork Numbers, Google Docs, and others. The rubric is good for basic spreadsheets with titles at the top ...
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This assignment uses worksheet basics, such as entering data, formatting data, and basic formulas. Work through the instructions provided below and submit your completed assignment to the appropriate spot by the due date provided in the Course Schedule. Assignment Instructions: Open Excel file: lu08_excel_spreadsheet_expense_data.xlsx 1.
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Go to drive.google.com. Click the big button on the top left that says "New". Click "Google Sheets. By following the steps above, a blank Google spreadsheet will open. Change the name of the sheet or edit any of the cells to save the spreadsheet in your Google Drive. Get the formulas cheat sheet.
Google Sheets cheat sheet
Copy, email, or publish your spreadsheet. Make a copy—Create a duplicate of your spreadsheet.This is a great way to create templates. Download as—Download your spreadsheet in other formats, such as Excel or PDF.. Email as attachment—Email a copy of your spreadsheet.. Version history—See all the changes you and others have made to the spreadsheet or revert to earlier versions.
Free Assignment Tracker Template for Google Sheets (2024 Update)
Below we explain how to use our assignment tracker template in Google Sheets: 1. Assignment Name. Enter the name or title of the assignment in Column A. 2. Course. Write the course or subject name in Column B. 3. Due Date.