1. Getting Help in Excel Getting Help, Slide 1Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin Excel is a complex program with so many features that is difficult to remember all of the details for issuing commands. To reduce this burden, Excel has an extensive built-in help system. We will look at two ways to locate help with a command: keyword search and directory search. In keyword search, we type the keywords that describe what we are trying to do in a search text box. For example, if I wanted to delete a worksheet, I might type "delete sheet" in the search text box. Excel will show a list of topics that contain these keywords in a Search Results pane. We click on the topic that best describes what we wanted to do. When we click on a topic, it will open in a new window titled Microsoft Excel Help. In this window, we will find step-by-step instructions to accomplish our task. In a directory search, we navigate through a hierarchy of links until we find the topic we are looking for, which will open in the same Microsoft Excel Help window used for keyword search. While Excel has been designed to be intuitive, you will encounter tasks that do not work as expected. In these instances, Excel Help is a valuable source of assistance.

2. Type a question for help - typing the question In the upper right corner of the Excel window is a drop down list that displays the text Type a question for help. Click over the word Type, and the text box will be ready to receive your question. In the upper right corner of the Excel window is a drop down list that displays the text Type a question for help. Click over the word Type, and the text box will be ready to receive your question. I want directions for changing the name of a worksheet, so I type Change worksheet name in the text box, and press the Enter key. Getting Help, Slide 2Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

3. Type a question for help - the search results The Search Results pane opens, with a list of topics that appear related to my question. Below the list of results is a search panel with my original request in it. If I do not find what I want, I can edit my request here and search again. Getting Help, Slide 3Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

4. Type a question for help - selecting the topic Each of the items on the results list is a hyperlink to a topic of information. Since Rename a sheet sounds close to my original request, I will click on that link. Getting Help, Slide 4Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

5. Type a question for help - viewing the topic The help topic explains how to change the name of a worksheet. When we are finished reading the help information, we can close or minimize the window. I usually minimize the help window because I may need to read it a second time to complete my task. Getting Help, Slide 5Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

6. Type a question for help - close the search pane To close the Search Results pane and restore the worksheet to full size, click on the X close box. Getting Help, Slide 6Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

7. Help in the Table of Contents To access the table of contents for Excel help, select Microsoft Excel Help from the Help menu. Looking for help topics in the table of contents has the advantage that related topics are easily accessible. Instead of seeing a single topic, we see the context within which that topic is located. Getting Help, Slide 7Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

8. Help in the Table of Contents - Table of contents In the Excel Help pane, click on the link for the Table of Contents. We will navigate through the table of contents to view the same help topic we found by searching, Rename a sheet. Getting Help, Slide 8Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

9. Help in the Table of Contents In the Table of Contents, click on the link Workbooks and Worksheets. Getting Help, Slide 9Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

10. Help in the Table of Contents - Formatting worksheets In the Table of Contents, click on the link Formatting Worksheets in the section on Formatting Worksheets. Getting Help, Slide 10Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

11. Help in the Table of Contents – Rename a sheet In the Table of Contents, click on the link Rename a sheet in the section on Formatting Worksheets. Getting Help, Slide 11Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin

12. Help in the Table of Contents - Microsoft Excel Help The Rename a sheet topic appears in the Microsoft Excel Help window. This is the same topic page where we ended with the search. The advantage to finding the topic through the table of contents is that we have links to other closely, related topics. Getting Help, Slide 12Copyright © 2004, Jim Schwab, University of Texas at Austin