Editing Microsoft Excel (section)

=== Basic operation ===
{{Main|Spreadsheet}}
Microsoft Excel has the basic features of all spreadsheets,<ref name="Harvey">{{cite book|author=Harvey|first=Greg|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i5ffgL9KEg8C|title=Excel 2007 For Dummies|publisher=Wiley|year=2006|isbn=978-0-470-03737-9|edition=1st|access-date=September 28, 2020|archive-date=March 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150303055116/http://books.google.com/books?id=i5ffgL9KEg8C|url-status=live}}</ref> using a grid of ''cells'' arranged in numbered ''rows'' and letter-named ''columns'' to organize data manipulations like arithmetic operations. It has a battery of supplied functions to answer statistical, engineering, and financial needs. In addition, it can display data as line graphs, histograms and charts, and with a very limited three-dimensional graphical display. It allows sectioning of data to view its dependencies on various factors for different perspectives (using ''[[pivot table]]s'' and the ''scenario manager'').<ref name="G_Harvey">
{{cite book|author=Harvey|first=Greg|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9PCz-uf-bjkC&pg=PA296|title=Excel 2007 Workbook for Dummies|publisher=Wiley|year=2007|isbn=978-0-470-16937-7|edition=2nd|page=296 ''ff''}}
</ref> A [[PivotTable]] is a tool for [[data analysis]]. It does this by simplifying large data sets via PivotTable fields. It has a programming aspect, ''Visual Basic for Applications'', allowing the user to employ a wide variety of numerical methods, for example, for solving differential equations of mathematical physics,<ref name="deLevie">
{{cite book|title=Advanced Excel for scientific data analysis|author=de Levie, Robert|author-link=Robert de Levie|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2004|isbn=978-0-19-515275-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IAnO-2qVazsC}}
</ref><ref name="Bourg">
{{cite book|title=Excel scientific and engineering cookbook|author=Bourg, David M.|publisher=O'Reilly|year=2006|isbn=978-0-596-00879-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vQaGBMGaWI4C}}
</ref> and then reporting the results back to the spreadsheet. It also has a variety of interactive features allowing user interfaces that can completely hide the spreadsheet from the user, so the spreadsheet presents itself as a so-called ''application'', or ''decision support system'' (DSS), via a custom-designed user interface, for example, a stock analyzer,<ref name="Holsapple">
{{cite book|title=Handbook on Decision Support Systems 1: Basic Themes|author1=Şeref, Michelle M. H.|author2=Ahuja, Ravindra K.|name-list-style=amp|editor1=Burstein, Frad|editor2=Holsapple, Clyde W.|chapter=§4.2 A portfolio management and optimization spreadsheet DSS|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q_3sRkRKZQwC&pg=PA288|isbn=978-3-540-48712-8|year=2008|publisher=Springer}}
</ref> or in general, as a design tool that asks the user questions and provides answers and reports.<ref name="Harshbarger">
{{cite book|title=Microsoft Excel 97 Developer's Handbook|author1=Wells, Eric|author2=Harshbarger, Steve|name-list-style=amp|year=1997|publisher=Microsoft Press|isbn=978-1-57231-359-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LRZnWl-LvwsC}} Excellent examples are developed that show just how applications can be designed.
</ref><ref name="Horrell">
{{cite book|title=Data, statistics, and decision models with Excel|author1=Harnett, Donald L.|author2=Horrell, James F.|name-list-style=amp|year=1998|publisher=Wiley|isbn=978-0-471-13398-8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l0xiQgAACAAJ}}
</ref> In a more elaborate realization, an Excel application can automatically poll external databases and measuring instruments using an update schedule,<ref name="acquisition">
Some form of [[data acquisition]] hardware is required. See, for example, {{cite book|title=Data acquisition techniques using PCs|author=Austerlitz, Howard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iKKVOJYqi6YC&pg=PA281|isbn=978-0-12-068377-2|year=2003|publisher=Academic Press|edition=2nd|page=281 ''ff''}}
</ref> analyze the results, make a [[Microsoft Word|Word]] report or [[Microsoft PowerPoint|PowerPoint]] slide show, and e-mail these presentations on a regular basis to a list of participants.

Microsoft allows for a number of optional command-line switches to control the manner in which Excel starts.<ref>{{cite web|date=May 7, 2007|title=Description of the startup switches for Excel|url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291288|url-status=live|access-date=December 14, 2010|work=Microsoft Help and Support|publisher=Microsoft Support|quote=Microsoft Excel accepts a number of optional switches that you can use to control how the program starts. This article lists the switches and provides a description of each switch.|archive-date=December 30, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230015945/http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291288}}</ref>