Spreadsheet Cell Types
Cells hold four types of information (also called data types):
Numbers that can include formulas, dates, and times. Text, often referred to as text strings or just strings. Boolean values of TRUE or FALSE. Errors including #NULL!, #REF!, and #DIV/0! that indicate a problem.
What Are Cell References?
Cell referencing is a system that identifies data and gives it an address so that data can be located in a spreadsheet. A cell reference is used in spreadsheets to identify individual cells and is a combination of the column letter and row number where it is located. To write a cell reference, start with the column letter and end with the row number, such as A14 or BB329. In the image above, the word Household is located in cell F1 and the highlighted cell is G7. Cell references are used in formulas to reference other cells. For example, instead of entering the number $360 into a formula found in cell D1, enter a reference to cell G5. When a cell reference is used, if the data in cell G5 changes, the formula in cell D1 also changes.
Cells Can Be Formatted
By default, all cells in a worksheet use the same formatting, but this makes large worksheets containing lots of data difficult to read. Formatting a worksheet draws attention to specific sections and makes data easier to read and understand. Cell formatting involves making changes to the cell, such as changing the background color, adding borders, or aligning the data in the cell. In contrast, number formatting deals with the way numbers in the cells are displayed, for example, to reflect a currency or percent.
Displayed vs. Stored Numbers
In both Excel and Google Sheets, when number formats are applied, the number that displays in the cell may differ from the number that is stored in the cell and used in calculations. For example, if the number 5.6789 in a cell is formatted to display only two decimal places (two digits to the right of the decimal), the cell displays the number as 5.68 due to rounding of the third digit.
Calculations and Formatted Numbers
When using formatted cells of data in calculations, the entire number, in this case, 5.6789, is used in all calculations, not the rounded number appearing in the cell.
How to Add More Cells to a Worksheet
A worksheet has an unlimited number of cells, so you don’t need to add more to the sheet. But, you can add data inside the spreadsheet by adding a cell or group of cells between other cells. To add a cell to a worksheet:
Delete Cells and Cell Contents
Individual cells and their contents can be deleted from a worksheet. When this happens, cells and their data from either below or to the right of the deleted cell move to fill the gap. In Excel, choose Insert, then choose either Shift cells right, Shift cells down, Entire row, or Entire column. Select OK to insert the cell. In Google Sheets, choose Shift left or Shift up.
