Chapter 2
Section 2.3 – Managing Data, Columns, and Rows
Learning Objectives
- Examine how to insert columns and rows into a worksheet.
- Understand how to delete columns and rows from a worksheet.
- Learn how to move data to different locations in a worksheet.
Download and open File: CH 2.2
Inserting Columns and Rows
Using Excel workbooks that have been created by others is a very efficient way to work because it eliminates the need to create data worksheets from scratch. However, you may find that to accomplish your goals, you need to add additional columns or rows of data. In this case, you can insert blank columns or rows into a worksheet. The following steps demonstrate how to do this:
- Click Column C in the worksheet by placing the mouse pointer over the column header location until you see a bold down arrow and click the left mouse button to select the column (see Figure 2.15).
- Click the down arrow on the Insert button in the Home tab of the Ribbon (see Figure 2.15).
- Click the Insert Sheet Columns option from the drop-down menu (see Figure 2.15). A blank column will be inserted to the left of Column C. The contents that were previously in Column C now appear in Column D. Note that columns are always inserted to the left of the activated cell.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Inserting Columns:
- Press the ALT key and then the letters H, I, and C one at a time. A column will be inserted to the left of the activated cell.
Inserting Rows:
- Press the ALT key and then the letters H, I, and R one at a time. A row will be inserted above the activated cell.
- Click Row 3 in the CH2.2 worksheet by placing the mouse pointer over the Row header and clicking the left mouse button.
- Click the down arrow on the Insert button in the Home tab of the Ribbon (see Figure 2.16).
- Click the Insert Sheet Rows option from the drop-down menu (see Figure 2.16). A blank row will be inserted above Row 3. The contents that were previously in Row 3 now appear in Row 4. Note that rows are always inserted above the activated cell.
Your completed work should look like Figure 2.17 seen below.
Skill Refresher
Inserting Columns and Rows:
- Activate the cell to the right of the desired blank column or below the desired blank row.
- Click the Home tab of the Ribbon.
- Click the down arrow on the Insert button in the Cells group.
- Click either the Insert Sheet Columns or Insert Sheet Rows option.
Deleting Columns and Rows
You may need to delete entire columns or rows of data from a worksheet. This need may arise if you need to remove either blank columns or rows from a worksheet or columns and rows that contain data. The methods for removing cell contents were covered earlier and can be used to delete unwanted data. However, if you do not want a blank row or column in your workbook, you can delete it using the following steps:
- Click cell C3 by placing the mouse pointer over the cell location and clicking the left mouse button.
- Click the down arrow on the Delete button in the Ce