Excel Help features ( PDF Version )
You can always get help when you are stuck with Excel. There are 4 main ways to find what you are looking for:
- Screen Tips
- Excel "Tell me what you want to do" feature
- Excel Help Menu
- Internet
Screen Tips
Screen tips are a quick way of getting help about the commands on the Excel ribbon and some other objects on the Excel screen. You can view the screen tips by simply moving the mouse cursor over an object. The screen tip will show the name of the object and what it does. Some of the screen tips also provide graphic explanations to illustrate what the command does. In some cases, you may also have a "Tell me more" link that will bring you additional helpful information.
Excel "Tell me what you want to do" feature
It is located in the text box on the top of the screen, on the right of the last menu of the ribbon. When you click in the text box it displays your most recent requests. You can select one of the requests or you can start typing a new request. Excel will display what is available for the characters you have entered, as you type (for example, try "bold").
Excel Help Menu
The Excel Help Menu allows you to access 4 types of Help:
- Help: a search in the Excel overall help information
- Contact Support: you can ask a question directly to Microsoft Support (you might need to register somewhere).
- Show Training: brings up a list of very useful hands-on interactive training.
- What's New: provides information about the latest feature recently added to Excel.
Internet
Using your favorite search engine, you can search the Internet for the topic you need help with. Internet is full of sites like this one, giving free information or training, providing useful videos and examples/templates that can match exactly what you are trying to do.