Excel 4.0 IVR Fax: Usage

Last reviewed: November 3, 1994
Article ID: Q83217

Summary:

                Microsoft Excel for Windows, Version 4.0
               Automated Product Support Service Fax-Script
                       Questions and Answers: Usage
               --------------------------------------------


1. Q. How can I take advantage of Microsoft Excel version 4.0's Workbooks?

   A. Microsoft Excel 4.0 includes a new feature called Workbooks.
      Workbooks allow you to assemble files together into one working unit,
      so that by opening the workbook file, you will have access to all the
      files in that workbook. Excel 4.0 Workbooks have many of the features
      of Excel 3.0 Workspace files, but with added functionality.

      To create a workbook, follow these three steps:

      a. Choose New from the File menu.

      b. Choose Workbook.

      c. Choose the OK button.

      At this point, Microsoft Excel 4.0 will open a new workbook window.
      You may add files to the workbook by clicking the Add button at the
      bottom of the window. If you already have some files made that you
      want to add, click the Open button in the Add To Workbook dialog box,
      and choose your file. If you want to add a new file, click the New
      button in the Add To Workbook dialog box, and choose the file type
      you want to add.

      To save the workbook, choose Save Workbook from the File menu. Type
in
      a filename for the Workbook and click the Save button.

      If you want to change the name of any of the files within a workbook,
      select the file while in the Workbook window, and click the Options
      button at the bottom of the window. Then enter the new name for the
      file, and choose whether the file should be bound or unbound to the
      workbook. The default in most situations will be Bound, meaning that
      the file will be stored as part of the workbook file on disk. By
      choosing Unbound, the file will be saved as a separate file from the
      workbook, although whenever you open the workbook, that file will
      still be opened. The main advantage to having a file Unbound is when
      transferring a file to another computer without having to take the
      entire workbook file.

      To open a file that is already in a workbook, double-click the file
      in the workbook window. In the lower-right corner of the window, you
      will notice three icons. By clicking the left-most icon, you will
      return to viewing the Workbook window, so that you can see all of the
      files and open the one of your choice. By clicking the other two
      icons, you will cycle through the available worksheets, macros, and
      charts that are in the workbook.

      For more information, see Book 1, Chapter 4, pages 13 through 20, of
      the "Microsoft Excel User's Guide."

2. Q. What does the Alternate Navigation Keys option in the Options
      Workspace dialog box do, and why would I want to use it?

   A. The Microsoft Excel version 4.0 Alternate Navigation Keys option
      allows former Lotus 1-2-3 users to make a smooth transition as they
      upgrade to Microsoft Excel.

      By choosing Workspace from the Options menu and placing an X in the
      Alternate Navigation Keys check box, Excel will react to keyboard
      commands similar to the way Lotus 1-2-3 would. For example, with this
      option on, holding down the CTRL key and pressing the END key will
      take you to the end of a row, as in Lotus. With this option off, the
      same keystroke, CTRL+END, will take you to the lower-right corner of
      the spreadsheet.

      If you find that keystrokes are not acting as you expect, choose
      Workspace from the Options menu and toggle Alternate Navigation Keys
      to the opposite setting (remove the X from the check box).

      For more information on Alternate Navigation Keys, see Book 1,
      Chapter 17, pages 20 and 21 of the "Microsoft Excel User's Guide."

3. Q. Can I change Microsoft Excel version 4.0's new tool bars, to better
      match the way I work with the program?

   A. Microsoft Excel 4.0 has many new tool bars beyond the standard tool
      bar. You may want to customize them, however, to improve the way you
      work with Excel. Excel gives you the ability to customize the built-
      in tool bars, or to create your own custom tool bars.

      To modify the built-in tool bars, follow these four steps:

      a. From the Options menu, choose Toolbars.

      b. If the tool bar you want to modify is not already visible,
         click the name of the tool bar that you want to modify, and then
         click the button labeled Show. You must then choose Toolbars from
         the Options menu again.

      c. Click the button labeled Customize.

      d. You may click and drag any of the tools shown in the box on the
         right to the tool bar of your choice. Different tools are
         displayed by selecting different categories listed on the left
         side of the dialog box. If you are uncertain of the function of a
         particular tool, click once on the tool button and Excel will
         display a brief message of its function in the lower-left corner
         of the dialog box.

      To create your own tool bar, in addition to Excel's default tool
      bars, perform the following five steps:

      a. From the Options menu, choose Toolbars.

      b. In the Toolbars dialog box, click the text box in the lower-left
         corner underneath the words Toolbar Name.

      c. Delete the name that appears there and type the name you want
         your tool bar to have.

      d. Click the button labeled Add and Excel 4.0 will create your tool
         bar in the upper-left corner of your screen. Excel will then
         automatically take you into the Toolbar Customize dialog box.

      e. You may now choose any tool category listed on the left side of
         the dialog box, and drag any of the associated button icons to
         your newly created tool bar.

      For more information, see Book 2, Chapter 4 of the "Microsoft Excel
      User's Guide."

4. Q. What can Microsoft Excel 4.0's Crosstab ReportWizard do for me, and
      how do I use it?

   A. Microsoft Excel 4.0 includes a new Crosstab ReportWizard. This tool
      allows you to summarize, analyze, and compare selected database
      information.

      To create a new Crosstab table, follow these 11 steps:

      a. Open a worksheet that contains a database you want to tabulate.

      b. If you have not already done so, select the database range on your
         worksheet, and choose the Set Database command from the Data menu.

      c. Choose Crosstab from the Data menu. Excel 4.0 will bring up the
         first window of the Crosstab ReportWizard.

      d. Click the button labeled "Create a new Crosstab."

      e. Excel will display the next dialog box, showing the fields
         included in your database. Choose the field that you want to see
         as a row heading on the Crosstab table, and click the button
         labeled Add.

      f. Click the button labeled Next, and Excel 4.0 will take you to the
         next dialog box.

      g. Excel will again display the list of fields in your database.
         Select the field you want to see across the top of the Crosstab
         table. After selecting the field name, click the Add button.

      h. Click the button labeled Next, and Excel will take you to the next
         dialog box.

      i. From the list of fields in your database, click the field you want
         to summarize. If you do not select any field name, Excel will
         count the number of instances that the particular record is found
         in the database.

      j. Click the button labeled Next, and Excel will take you to the next
         dialog box.

      k. The Crosstab ReportWizard will summarize your selections on the
         left side of the dialog box. If they are correct, click the button
         labeled Create It, and the Crosstab ReportWizard will create your
         table in a new worksheet.

      If you have a question at any point during the selection of options,
      you may click the button labeled Explain in the lower-left corner of
      the dialog box. This will display (on the left side of the dialog
      box) a brief explanation of what Excel is expecting.

      During the selection of options, you must select at least two
      categories to summarize. In other words, you may select a row
      category and a value category, but leave the column category blank.
      Or, you may select a row category and a column category, but leave
      the value category blank.

      To modify or recalculate a Crosstab table that you have already
      created, activate the worksheet that contains the table by selecting
      the worksheet name from the Window menu. Choose Crosstab from the
      Data menu. Excel will give you the option to modify or recalculate
      the existing Crosstab. Choose Recalculate Current Crosstab if your
      database has changed, or click Modify Current Crosstab if you want to
      change any options used in the current table.

5. Q. Microsoft Product Support technicians often ask what version of
      Excel, Windows, or MS-DOS that I am running. How can I easily find
      this information?

   A. Microsoft has included a special add-in with Excel 4.0 called
      Checkup. This tool will tell you much of the information that our
      technicians will ask you for, or that other support technicians for
      some of your other Windows products might ask about.

      To run the Checkup add-in, follow these four steps.

      a. Choose Open from the File menu.

      b. Change to your Microsoft Excel 4.0 directory; you will see
         several subdirectories listed.

      c. Change to the LIBRARY directory; you will see some more
         subdirectories.

      d. Change to the CHECKUP subdirectory, and open the file called
         CHECKUP.XLM. Excel will automatically display a dialog box listing
         the pertinent information about your machine. You may print this
         information by clicking the button labeled Print; otherwise, click
         the button labeled Close. The Checkup dialog box and add-in will
         close.


KBCategory: kbother
KBSubcategory:

Additional reference words: noupd


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Last reviewed: November 3, 1994
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