1. A few tricks to take you beyond the basics of Microsoft Office
GCPS Tech Tips
A few tricks to take you beyond the basics of Microsoft Office
Microsoft Excel:
Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells.

2. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
Have you noticed that, if you type more numbers or letters than will fit into a cell, Excel continues across as many cells to the right as you need.

3. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
That’s fine for that cell. But what happens when you put something into the next cell? Only the beginning of what you wrote in the previous cell is still visible.

4. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
If you want all that you put into a cell to remain visible at all times, you need to tell Excel to wrap the text you are entering.

5. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
To set a cell to wrap text, you place your cursor inside that cell...

6. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
Insert here... a photograph of a hand pressing the right button on a mouse.
and press on the right button of your mouse.

7. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
That will open a list of things
you can do to that cell.

8. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
Click on “Format Cells.”

9. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
That will open the “Format Cells” dialog box which has six tabs across the top.

10. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
Click the “Alignment” tab.

11. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
Under the “Text Control” section,
you will see the “Wrap text” option.

12. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
Click on “Wrap text.”

13. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
Then click “OK.”

14. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
After that, Excel will wrap the text in that cell... and... it will also increase the height of the cell row as much as is needed for the wrapped lines of text.

15. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
Insert here later... a photo of fingers on “Alt” and pressing “Enter.”
There is also a shortcut to wrapping text. Instead of having to go to the “Format Cells” dialog box, you can hold down the “Alt” key and press “Enter” before your text exceeds the width of the cell.

16. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
This produces the same text wrapping in that cell without stopping and opening the “Format Cells” dialog box.

17. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
A “Text Box” is different way to add text, titles, or section headings to a worksheet without disturbing the sizes and formatting of the cells in the worksheet.

18. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
To create a “Text Box,” you first need to be sure your Drawing tool is displayed. Click on “View” at the top of your screen.

19. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
In the list that drops down, find “Toolbars.” Place your cursor on “Toolbars” and it will drop down a list of types of toolbars.

20. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
Click on “Drawing.”

21. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
That will add the “Drawing” toolbar
to your screen.

22. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
Click on the little icon for “Text Box.”

23. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
That will turn your cursor into a little cross. If you put that cross at one corner of the text box you want... and hold down the left button on your mouse... then drag that cursor to the opposite corner of your text box... and let up your mouse button...

24. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
You will have a text box in which you can type a label, a title, a section heading, a comment, anything you like.

25. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
You can resize that Text Box, move it, and format the text inside it separately from regular cell text. A Text Box is a very versatile tool.

26. EXCEL: Wrap Text in Worksheet Cells
That’s all there is to it. Now, if you would like a copy of the step-by-step directions for wrapping text and using text boxes, just print this last page. Have fun with those little boxes!
To wrap text:
Place your cursor inside the cell
where you want the text to wrap.
Press the right button on your
mouse to open an options list.
Click on “Format Cells” on option list.
In the “Format Cells” dialog box,
click on the “Alignment” tab.
Put a check mark next to “Wrap text.”
Click “OK.”
Short cut to wrap text:
- Place your cursor inside the cell
Hold down the “Alt” key and
press “Enter.”
Making a Text Box:
Click on “View” at the top of the screen.
On the drop-down list,
choose “Toolbars.”
Click “Drawing” to add the Drawing
toolbar to your screen.
Click on the icon for a “Text Box.”
Put the little cross cursor at one
corner of the box you want and hold
down the left mouse button.
Pull the little cross to the opposite
corner of the box and click there.
Type in your text and format it
as you like.