How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc

The term spreadsheet was derived from a large piece of paper that accountants used for business finances. The accountant would spread information like costs, payments, taxes, income, etc out on a single, big, oversized sheet of paper to...

Method 1 of 3:

Open A Spreadsheet

  1. Picture 1 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
    If you are in a OpenOffice program, click File > New > Spreadsheet.
    1. In either case a spreadsheet called Untitled1 appears on our screen.
      Picture 2 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
Method 2 of 3:

The Calc Toolbars

The following four Calc Toolbars appear at the top of all Calc screens.

  1. Examine the Main Menu Toolbar.
    1. The first toolbar is the Main Menu toolbar that gives you access to many of the basic commands used in Calc.
      Picture 3 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
  2. Look at the Function Toolbar.
    1. The second toolbar down is the Function Toolbar. The Function Toolbar contains icons (pictures) to provide quick access to commands like New, Open, Print, Copy, Paste, etc. When you place your mouse cursor over any of the elements of a toolbar, the name of the element appears on your screen.
      Picture 4 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
    2. Move your cursor over the icon . (The word 'New' appears. Clicking on opens a new spreadsheet.)
      Picture 5 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
  3. Check out the Formatting Toolbar.
    1. The third toolbar down is the Formatting Toolbar. The Formatting Toolbar has icons plus drop-down menus that allow you to select a font, font color, alignments, number formats, border options and background colors.
      Picture 6 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
  4. See what the Formula Toolbar can do.
    1. The fourth toolbar down is the Formula Toolbar. The Formula Toolbar contains the Name Box drop-down menu and a long white box called the Input Line.
      Picture 7 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
    2. Note: If your Toolbars look different, it is because these toolbars are in 800x600 screen resolution and the last eight icons are not shown but are available by clicking on the on the far right of the toolbar.
      Picture 8 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
Method 3 of 3:

The Spreadsheet Itself

The rest of the window contains the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet is divided into rows that have a number at the left of each row and divided into columns with letters at the top of each column.



  1. Learn the definition of a cell in spreadsheets.
    1. A cell is the fundamental element of a worksheet. This is where things are added and where things are seen. A cell address in a spreadsheet identifies the location of the cell in the spreadsheet. A cell address is a combination of the column letter and the row number of a cell, such as A2 or B16.etc. When identifying a cell by its address, the column letter is always listed first followed by the row number. The cell address of the example below is A5.
      Picture 9 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
  2. Enter Data.
    1. Click on the A1 cell (The cell at the very top left of the spreadsheet).
      Picture 10 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
    2. Notice the heavy black border around the A1 cell. The heavy black border indicates that A1 is the active cell. (A is at the top of the first column and 1 is on the first row. Both are highlighted. The highlighting also indicates that A1 is the active cell.)
      Picture 11 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
    3. Type Hello World and press Enter.
      Picture 12 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
      1. The active cell is now A2. (The words 'Hello World' are in A1.)
    4. When you type something in a cell and press Enter, what you typed is seen in that cell and the cell below becomes the next active cell.
      Picture 13 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
  3. Delete Data.
    1. Click on A1 again.
      Picture 14 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
    2. Press the Delete key or right click the cell and select delete contents. (The 'Delete Contents' window appears.)
      Picture 15 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
    3. Check the Delete all box then click OK. ('Hello World' is deleted from A1)
      Picture 16 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
  4. Format Data
    1. Separate Thousands, Two Decimal Places, Red Negative Numbers. Click cell A1. > Type the number -9999.129 > Press Enter. (The cursor moves to cell A2)
      Picture 17 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
    2. Right-click cell A1. (A small menu appears) > click Format cells. (The 'Format cells' window appears)
      Picture 18 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
    3. Click Numbers tab. Under 'Category', click on Number. Under 'Format', click on -1,234.12. Click In the small box before 'Negative numbers red'. (A check-mark appears in the box) > Click OK. (The number '-9,999.13' appears in cell A1.
      Picture 19 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
    4. Align Left, Click Alignment tab. In the 'Horizontal' pull-down menu, select Left. Click OK. (the numbers move to the left edge of the cell.)
      Picture 20 of How to Learn Spreadsheet Basics with OpenOffice Calc
Update 05 March 2020
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