Excel Intro:
Select Rows & Columns

 Title: Jan's Illustrated Computer Literacy 101

Suppose you want to rearrange the order of columns or you want to apply formatting to a whole row. You need to select whole rows or whole columns but no one want to scroll to the far edges of a sheet to do this kind of selecting. (Remember the 256 columns and 65,536 rows!) 

So, what's the easy way? Use the column and row headers to do your selecting!


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Glossary
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Icon Step-by-Step 

Step-by-Step: Select Rows/Columns

  Icon Step-by-Step

What you will learn:

to select a row or column
to select adjacent rows or columns with keys and by dragging
to select non-adjacent rows or columns 

Start with: (Excel open to budget.xls from resource files)

Select Column/Row

  1. Column C selectedClick on the heading for Column C.

    2. The whole column is selected. While the mouse button is down, the Name Box shows that 1 column is selected.
    In Excel 2002 the pointer changes to Pointer: Select column shape: black arrow pointing down the select column shape when it is over the column heading.
     

  2. Row 4 selectedClick on the heading for Row 4.

    The whole row is selected. While the mouse button is down, the Name Box shows that 1 row is selected.

    In Excel 2002 the pointer changes to Pointer: Select row shape: black arrow pointing right the select row shape when it is over the row heading.


Select Columns/Rows: Drag

  1. Columns B, C, and D selectedDrag across the headings for Columns B, C, and D.

    2. Columns B, C, and D are selected. While you are dragging, a popup tip tells how many columns you have selected. After you release the mouse button, the Name Box shows only the upper left cell selected.

  2. Rows 2 through 7 selectedDrag across the headings for Row 2 through Row 7.

    3. Rows 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are selected. While you are dragging, a popup tip shows how many rows are selected. After you release the mouse button, the Name Box shows only the cell reference for the upper left cell selected.


Select Columns/Rows: Keys

  1. Columns A, B, C, D selectedSelect Column A by clicking its heading.
     
  2. Hold down the SHIFT key and select Column D. Release mouse button.

    3. Columns A, B, C, and D are selected.
     

  3. Select Row 3.
    4.  
     
  4. Rows 3 through 7 selectedHold down the SHIFT key and select Row 7. Release mouse button.

    Rows 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are selected.
     

Select Columns/Rows: Non-Adjacent

  1. Select Column B.
     
  2. Hold down the CTRL key and select Columns D and F.
    3.  
     
  3. While still holding down the CTRL key, select Rows 1, 3, 5 and 7.

    Non-adjacent rows and columns selected

    4. All selected columns and rows are still selected. Of course this works for just columns or just rows, too!

  4. Return selection to cell A1.