Besides basic horizontal and vertical alignment, Excel has a range of advanced options for data display. In this easy Excel tutorial, we are going to show you a few more tricks to include in your professional spread sheet. You can learn Excel the simple way and create advanced worksheets by performing complex features that are available on your Excel toolbar. Click on the Home tab and look for the box that reads Alignment.
There are four advanced options in the Alignment box, as well as a link to your Format Cell dialog box. We are going to explain in detail how each works and what it will do to the data in your cells. The first step is to highlight the cells you wish to practice with.
-
Orientation
This tab is used for rotating data inside a cell. If you click on the arrow, you will find five rotation angles that you can use. The last one is Format Cell Alignment; which will take you to your Format Cell dialog box – where you will be able to customize the angle and orient the data exactly how you want it. Play around with the different options and see what it looks like in your spread sheet. This is what it will look like when you click the Angle Clockwise option:
-
Indentation
This option will align your data against an unseen margin. The pattern will be repeated throughout the highlighted cells, giving a very professional and neat appearance. Each time you click on it, it will move your text to the next margin. There are two buttons, the left one will move your data left, while the right one will move it right. This is what it looks like:
-
Wrap Text
This function is used to display an entire word or phrase within a cell. Excel will automatically display only what fits into the cell, which does not look neat or professional in any way. You will need to wrap the text to be able to read what you have typed into that cell. Here is an example:
-
Merge & Center
Mostly used for the correct display of headings, it can be used throughout your spread sheet if required. This option will simply take a group of highlighted cells and make them one cell. It will automatically centre the data within it; which you are able to realign left, right, up or down as desired. Look at the professionalism it offers in this example:
-
Format Cells Dialog Box
The little downward pointing arrow in the far right-bottom corner of your Alignment box will take you to the dialog box for cell formatting. You will be able to find every formatting tool inside it and the various options they offer. Click on the Alignment tab and you will be able to shrink text to fit into the cell, as well as customize data rotation angles to your specifications. This is what it looks like and how to access it:
Now that you have a more detailed understanding of the advanced cell alignment features, you can use them throughout your worksheets for better display of data. Some of our Excel training course students in South Florida suggested we write this article so that you can use the information to your advantage. Feel free to watch our live Excel tutorials to enhance your knowledge on how Excel can help you.
