Sams Teach Yourself StarOffice® 5 for Linux in 24 Hours

ContentsIndex

Hour 13: Creating Spreadsheets with StarCalc

Previous HourNext Hour

Sections in this Hour:

 

Hour 13
Creating Spreadsheets with StarCalc

In this hour, you learn how to create, print, and save a new spreadsheet. Although the process is similar to creating a new text document (which you learned in Hour 7, "Creating a New StarWriter Document"), spreadsheets use some different methods of formatting and printing.

In addition, this hour describes other information specific to spreadsheets, such as setting input and calculation preferences and various other spreadsheet options.

Opening a New StarCalc Spreadsheet


StarOffice provides several methods for starting a new spreadsheet, all of which are familiar to you from starting a new StarWriter text document. The sections that follow describe these methods.

Using the Start or New Menus

The easiest way to open a new spreadsheet is to click on the Start button in the bottom left corner of the StarOffice window, and then choose Spreadsheet from the pop-up menu that appears.

You can also open a new spreadsheet by choosing New from the File menu; then choose Spreadsheet from the submenu. (See Figure 13.1.)

Figure 13.1
You can open a new spreadsheet from the New submenu of the File menu.

Using the Desktop

The default StarOffice Desktop also includes an icon that you can double-click to open a new spreadsheet. The icon is indicated in Figure 13.2.

Tip - You can use the Desktop icon on the Start bar to switch to the Desktop.


Figure 13.2
When you double-click on the New Spreadsheet icon on the Desktop, a new spreadsheet document opens.

Using a Template

StarOffice includes a collection of templates that you can use as a starting point for several commonly used spreadsheets, such as expense reports and calendars.

When you use a template, the formatting is all set up for you; you just enter the data and print the document.

StarOffice includes spreadsheet templates for things such as

To use one of these templates, follow these steps:

1. Choose New from the File menu; then choose From Template from the bottom of the New submenu. The New dialog box appears.

2. Scroll down the list of Categories and click on Financial Documents. A list of templates appears. (See Figure 13.3).

Figure 13.3
Choosing From Template on the New submenu opens a dialog box where you can select from a list of financial templates.

3. Click on the template that you want to try.

4. Choose OK. The template document opens.

5. In many cases, the template starts with a dialog box that asks you questions about the document that you want to create. Answer the questions in the dialog boxes to continue.

6. Choose Save As from the File menu.

7. Enter a name and location to which to save this document; then choose OK.

Caution - Opening a template is similar to opening a blank form with only formatting and an outline in which you can enter your own information. Always save the document under a name that you choose as soon as you start entering data in it.


Templates can be very useful for everyday spreadsheets. Following is an example to show you how they work.

Suppose that you need to prepare an expense report after a business trip. You can get out a piece of blank paper and start drawing columns, or you can follow these steps:

1. Choose New from the File menu.

2. Choose From Template from the New submenu. The New dialog box appears.

3. Scroll down in the Categories list and click on Spreadsheet.

4. Click on Travel Expense Report in the Templates list.

5. Click the More button in the lower-right corner. The dialog box expands to show you more about the templates. (See Figure 13.4.)

Figure 13.4
The New dialog box can be used to preview a template or to review template descriptions.

6. Click on the Preview check box to see a graphical image of the Travel Expense Report spreadsheet.

7. Choose OK to open the template. The Travel Expense Report document appears on your screen as in Figure 13.5.

8. Choose Save As from the File menu.

9. Enter a new name for the expense report that you are creating and choose Save.

10. Enter your expense data in the worksheet, saving regularly as you work. All the totals and other calculations are included in the template. All you enter is the detailed information from your trip.

Figure 13.5
Templates such as the Travel Expense Report give you a formatted area in which to enter your data.

Caution - Although templates can come in handy, it is still recommended that you review the formulas in the spreadsheet before accepting the information in a template as being perfectly accurate. Mortgages, expense reports, and so on deserve careful attention to detail.


Sams Teach Yourself StarOffice® 5 for Linux in 24 Hours

ContentsIndex

Hour 13: Creating Spreadsheets with StarCalc

Previous HourNext Hour

Sections in this Hour: