Learn About the Various Parts of the Excel 2007 Screen

By
Ted French
Ted French
Writer
Former Lifewire writer Ted French is a Microsoft Certified Professional who teaches and writes about spreadsheets and spreadsheet programs.
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Updated on November 18, 2019
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Here's a list of the main parts of the Excel 2007 screen for users who are new to the spreadsheet software or who are new to this particular version.

01
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Active Cell

In an Excel 2007 worksheet, you click on a cell to make it the active cell. It displays a black outline. You enter data into the active cell and can switch to another cell by clicking on it.

02
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Office Button

Clicking on the Office Button displays a drop-down menu containing a number of options, such as Open, Save, and Print. The options in the Office Button menu are similar to those found under the File menu in previous versions of Excel.

03
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Ribbon

The Ribbon is the strip of buttons and icons located above the work area in Excel 2007. The Ribbon replaces the menus and toolbars found in earlier versions of Excel.

04
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Column Letter

Columns run vertically on a worksheet and each one is identified by a letter in the column header.

05
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Row Numbers

Rows run horizontally in a worksheet and are identified by a number in the row header.

Together a column letter and a row number create a cell reference. Each cell in the worksheet can be identified by this combination of letters and numbers such as A1, F456, or AA34.

06
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Formula Bar

The Formula bar is located above the worksheet. This area displays the contents of the active cell. It can also be used for entering or editing data and formulas.

07
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Name Box

Located next to the formula bar, the Name Box displays the cell reference or the name of the active cell.

08
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Sheet Tabs

By default, there are three worksheets in an Excel 2007 file. There can be more. The tab at the bottom of a worksheet tells you the name of the worksheet, such as Sheet1 or Sheet2. You switch between worksheets by clicking on the tab of the sheet you want to access.

Renaming a worksheet or changing the tab color can make it easier to keep track of data in large spreadsheet files.

09
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Quick Access Toolbar

This customizable toolbar allows you to add frequently used commands. Click on the down arrow at the end of the toolbar to display the available options.

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