Excel tools to demonstrate

Selecting a Range

Usually in Excel, you select a range and then do something to it (such as enter a formula in it, format it, delete its contents, and so on). Therefore, it is extremely important to be able to select a range efficiently. It’s easy if the whole range appears on the screen, but it’s a bit trickier if you can’t see the whole range. In the latter case the effect of dragging (the method most users try) can be frustrating–things scroll by too quickly. Try one of the methods below instead.

To select a range that fits on a screen:

Click on one corner of the range and drag to the opposite corner.

Or:

Click on one corner, hold down the Shift key, and click on the opposite corner.

Try it! Select the range B2:D7.



To select a range doesn’t fit on a screen:

Click on one corner of the range, say, the upper left corner. Then, holding the Shift key down, use the End-arrow combinations (End and right arrow, then, if necessary, End and down arrow) to get to the opposite corner.

Or:

Split the screen so that one corner shows in one pane and the opposite corner shows in the other pane. Click on one corner, hold the Shift key down, and click on the opposite corner.

Try it! Select the range B2:C100 or the range E2:N5. Try both of the methods suggested above.