Saving Spreadsheets

We have done quite a bit of work so now is a good time to save your spreadsheet. 

If you have used previous versions of Microsoft Office, 2007 Office will be quite different - in many ways.  You’ve already noticed the Tabs and Ribbons, and that there is no File choice in a Menu Bar.  Many “selections” have changed significantly in 2007 Office.  This is one of them.

Microsoft Office Button

The Microsoft Office Button has replaced File in the Menu Bar.  In the upper left corner of your Excel 2007 screen you will see a button similar to the image on the right.  This is the Microsoft Office Button. 

Click the Microsoft Office Button.

You will now see the Excel 2007 Microsoft Office Button selections. 

First, notice that many of the “old” File-Menu Bar choices are included in this menu (they are all here – we’ll show you.)

When we move our cursor over Save As an expanded menu of Save choices appear on the right.

Notice that You can save your spreadsheet in many different formats.

If you save as Excel Workbook, it will save your spreadsheet in an .xlsx format.  This will save your spreadsheet in an Extensible Markup Language (XLS) format. This format requires less storage space and makes the spreadsheet more “shareable” with others.  However, folks using previous version may have a problem opening your spreadsheet (and may have to download a special program to assist them).

Many folks really like to save their files in Portable Document Format (PDF).  One of the neat new features of 2007 Office is the ability to save applications as PDF.

For this introductory Excel tutorial, we’d suggest that you save in the Excel 97-2003 Workbook format. 

It’s your choice, so you select the format you desire.

Notice in the upper left corner that there is a “box” to the right of Save In: with a down pointing arrow to the right.  Click-on the arrow.  This will show you all of the “drives” and “folders” where you may save your work. 

When you see the drop-down list in the Save in: area, choose the drive where you want to save your file.  If you are going to use a diskette, put a formatted 3 ½ diskette in the A Drive, then click-on the 3 ½ Floppy (A):.  We are going to save our file on the Local Disk (C:) – our hard drive, so we chose that drive in the image above (see top arrow).

To the right of File name:, delete the information (which is in the box) and type-in   MYBUDGET (see lower left arrow above).  This is the name under which you are saving your file.  (In the future you will choose logical names for your spreadsheets as you save them.)  Now point to Save and click the left mouse button (see lower right arrow above).

Exiting Spreadsheets

Anytime you need to leave your spreadsheet, click the Microsoft Office Button in the upper left corner of your Excel screen, then click Exit Excel.  If you have not saved your spreadsheet, a reminder box will appear asking you to do so.

Notice the Excel Options button to the left of Exit Excel.  Earlier, we indicated that all of the choices under File in the Menu Bar are still  available using the Microsoft Office Button.  Click the Excel Options button.  The Excel Options menu screen (below) will appear.  As you can see, all of the choices available under File in the menu bar are here – as well as many more. 

If you click the Resources selection in the Excel Options menu, you will see some great on-line resources available to assist you with Excel.