If someone does not remember or do not know, the MS Excel application is one of the most powerful means of working not only with tabular data, but also with database arrays created or imported. Moreover, each value in the program may have its own functionality. The cell formats in Excel are such that they can be set to any value, not only numeric, but also percentage, logical.
Cell formats in Excel: what's this?
For starters, it’s worth looking at the start list of the program itself, which is usually called a book. It has three sheets by default, unless otherwise specified. Switching between adjacent sheets is done by clicking on their name in the status bar.
But data entry is completely different from what many of us are used to seeing in the same Word text editor. Excel includes an automatic data recognition format by default. However, do not be surprised that sometimes when you enter text or numbers, the system converts the data into its own interpretation.
For example, you can enter a numerical sequence that matches the current date. All cell formats in Excel will be automatically converted. The date under the above condition will be displayed in the first cell of the first row of the first column. In the column below, the date will automatically be set one day later.
If the format is set to a numerical value, there are also tricks here. For example, decimal places may not be displayed. The default values for Excel tables are such that only an integer is displayed. Mantissa is displayed only when entering data after the decimal point. At the same time, it is rounded. Thus, having entered, for example, the value of the number pi (3.14), the user will see a value of 3.1 when one character is displayed after the point and the rounding is set. To display all characters, you will have to set their number in the separator parameters.
Another view of cell formats in Excel is also interesting. The time you enter can be the same as the current time if synchronization with the Internet is provided. But you can edit such data manually.
Cell formats in Excel: what to use?
Tables created in Excel or in any other similar programs are not only supported by most programs of this direction, but can also be converted into databases or even into program codes. In a way, this applies to Visual Basic scripts. Their platform is built into the core Microsoft Office suite. Considering the question of what cell formats generally exist in Excel, several basic types of input data can be distinguished:
- numerical
- test;
- date and time;
- exponential;
- financial and monetary;
- fractional;
- interest.
There are also lines of additional formats. But, as a rule, if they are used, it is very infrequent.
How to change cell parameters?
Changing the cell format is done by setting a rectangle on the cell. It indicates its active state, with a context menu via right-clicking, where the corresponding line is selected. In this case, for each type of format, you can specify additional conditions. For example, displaying a certain number of decimal places, the presence of a separator, currency designation, etc. In additional formats, you can use some interesting things: entering a zip code, phone number, or even a personnel number, used, for example, in “1C Accounting” .
By the way, the formats of cells in Excel “1C Accounting” perceives as its own, but in a text version. In this case, you do not even need to export the file. Actually, the files themselves can easily be perceived by other programs working with databases (the same Access, built in the image of Excel). In addition, if the created file provides for links or executable VB scripts, any other program can open all this and save it in its original form.
Additional settings
No less interesting are some additional parameters of the program itself. To facilitate the work and data entry, you can use many settings. They mainly involve tracking links to other sheets, attachments, or even objects. The latter are created in other applications and have a corresponding format, which for Excel is not “native”.
Communication with programming languages
In addition to the above-mentioned Visual Basic language, you can use several other tools. For example, cell formats in Excel Delphi-environment can change quite simply. True, sometimes people writing programs based on this language can have problems. Indeed, many people use the string "exRange.NumberFormat: = '0.0';" to change the same number format. But this option only works if the fractional part of the number in the cells is zero. If there are other numbers, the format remains text. However, this is not about that. In this situation, you just need to change the command or use the correct syntax.
Instead of a total
As you can see from the foregoing, the cell formats in Excel are quite diverse. Naturally, in one short description, it is simply impossible to take into account all the subtleties of working with each format. In addition, if we consider the creation of formulas, the construction of graphs, diagrams or the installation of some additional calculations, it will take a lot of time.
But in general, any entry-level user, even with such brief information, will be able to understand what formats are generally, how to change them and adapt them to your needs. For a novice user, this will be quite problematic at first. However, if you study all the basics, then such a task will not cause difficulties.