Glossary
of Terms
- Absolute
reference
- A
reference to a specific cell.
- Alignment
- The
way in which the contents of a cell are arranged as flush left,
centre or flush right.
- Ascending
sort
- The
sorting of a list with the lowest value or lowest alphanumeric
character first.
- Axis
label
- The
text to describe the type of data represented by the axis of
a graph or chart.
- Box
- Synonymous
with cell.
- Cell
- A
unit on a spreadsheet matrix into which can be input via the
keyboard, numbers or formulae. Each cell is located by reference
to its column and row.
- Cell
border
- The
boundary of a cell or range which may be highlighted with an
outline box.
- Cell
name
- A
name given to a cell which can be used in formulae or to locate
the cell.
- Cell
reference
- The
unique description of a cell.
- Clear
- The
action of deleting the contents of a cell or range of cells.
-
Column
- The
vertical strips of cells which run down the length of a spreadsheet
which are sometimes labelled with letters.
- Column
header
- The
unique identifier of a column.
- Command
line
- The
line on the screen in non-graphics user interface spreadsheet
packages which displays the commands when in command mode.
- Copy
- To
copy the contents of a cell or range of cells into others to
avoid repetitive typing. When copying cell references they are
automatically altered to keep in step with the appropriate row
or column unless the cell contains an absolute reference.
- Cut
- To
delete the contents of a cell or cells and store them in a temporary
memory buffer. The contents can be returned to a chosen location
of the spreadsheet matrix with the paste command.
- Data
label
- This
shows the spreadsheet value from which a category in a pie chart,
for example, is calculated.
- Descending
sort
- The
sorting of a list with the highest value or highest alphanumeric
character first.
- Embedded
graph
- A
graphical display which can be stored and manipulated on the
screen within the spreadsheet matrix.
- File
- A
collection of related records.
- Fill
down
- To
copy the contents of a cell or row range down a column or columns.
When copying cell references they are automatically altered
to keep in step with the appropriate row or column unless the
cell contains an absolute reference.
- Fill
right
- To
copy the contents of a cell or column range across a row or
rows. When copying cell references they are automatically altered
to keep in step with the appropriate row or column unless the
cell contains an absolute reference.
- Fill
series
- To
replicate a number, date or formula in a row or column that
automatically increases or decreases by specified increments.
- Footer
- A
design element that is repeated at the bottom of each page.
- Formula
- A
calculation which may include functions, operations or references
to other cells.
- Font
or Fount
- A
set of characters available in the same typeface, style, size
and stroke weight. Although the US spelling, font, is common
in documentation, the British spelling is used in this site.
- Freeze
titles
- To
lock the top row or rows and or the left most column or columns
so that they remain fixed in position on the screen or page
as the rest of the screen display is scrolled.
- Function
- An
entity which returns a value. The entity is a key word to denote
the function followed by parentheses. Within the parentheses
is the argument, often a range of cells, on which the function
is to be performed. Some functions do not need arguments but
retain the parentheses.
- Gridline
- Some
spreadsheet applications allow you to display or print the lines
which mark out the cells of the matrix.
- Header
- A
piece of text which is repeated at the top of every page.
- Label
- The
descriptive word or words used to describe the contents of ranges
of cells.
- Legend
- A
key on a graph or chart to tell you what the patterns, colours
or markers mean that fill areas of the display.
- Live
graph
- A
graphic display which retains the links with the data from which
it is derived so that if the data is changed the graph is automatically
changed too.
- Load
- The
action of bringing a program or data file into the computer's
main memory.
- Lock/unlock
- To
lock the top row or rows and or the left most column or columns
so that they remain fixed in position on the screen or page
as the rest of the screen display is scrolled. Can also refer
to locking cells to prevent alteration of their contents.
- Lookup
- A
function which looks up an entry in a reference table and returns
either a matching entry or an error code.
- Macro
- A
tiny program to automate a task. Macros used to be simply a
stored sequence of keystrokes. However, they may now be written
in a procedural programming language.
- Margins
- The
margins set round the edge of a page, top, bottom, left, right.
Within the top margin a header margin can be set and within
the bottom margin a footer margin can be set.
- Number
format
- The
way in which a number is displayed in a cell. There are a number
of common formats such as fixed, currency, comma, percent, leading
zeros, true/false, time/date.
- Operating
system
- The
program that manages and controls all the main actions of the
computer, providing standard interfaces for other programs,
hardware and users.
- Operator
- These
perform all the basic actions on numbers or characters. There
are three basic groups, mathematical (eg +), relational (eg
=) and logical (eg AND).
- Page
- A
division of whole of the display which will fit onto the print
paper size specified for the file.
- Page
layout
- The
layout of the page with regard to features such as margins,
headers, footers, page length, page width and page number.
- Paste
- Pasting
the contents from a copy or cut action onto the screen at a
specified location.
- Print
preview
- This
allows you to look at the pages of your spreadsheet as they
will appear when they are printed out.
- Range
- An
area of the spreadsheet made up of one or more rows and or one
or more columns.
- Range
name
- The
name given to a range which can be used in formulae or to locate
the range.
- Relative
reference
- A
reference to a cell which is relative to the current cell's
position.
- Replicate
- To
repeat or copy the same formula in other cells without altering
cell references.
- Row
- The
horizontal strips of cells which run across the width of a spreadsheet
which are usually labelled with numbers.
- Row
header
- The
unique label of a row, usually a number.
- Run
- A
command that causes a program to be executed.
- Scrolling
- The
action of moving around to view the portions of a spreadsheet
when only a part of the spreadsheet is visible on the screen
at any one time because of its size.
- Sort
- A
utility which allows rows or columns to be put into alphabetical
or numerical order.
- Spreadsheet
- A
computer program which processes text, numbers and formulae
stored in a matrix of rows and columns.
- Text
format
- The
appearance of text in relation to fount (eg. Times New Roman),
fount size (eg. 12 point), fount style (eg. bold) or fount position
(eg. subscript).
- Tool
bar
- A
bar across the top of a screen display with icon buttons to
activate spreadsheet commands using the mouse cursor.
- Window
- Split
screens whereby different files can be viewed at the same time.
One window is active at a time.
 Contents:
Spreadsheets
Skill
Check: Spreadsheets
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