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A spreadsheet is used to manage, analyze and present numeric information. Some common uses of spreadsheet software are financial reports, personal finances and business finances. Spreadsheet programs can also create a chart from the numeric data.
The working screen is laid out in rows and columns, much like a ledger. The information is typed into a "cell." A cell is the intersection of a row and a column. The cell can contain a number, a word or phrase (generally used to identify what the number represents, such as a column or row heading), or a math function or formula.
Spreadsheets allow you to use simple math expressions such as add, subtract, multiply or divide, or advanced math such as the type of calculations performed by architects, engineers, economists and scientists. Spreadsheets also have a special group of built-in formulas, called functions, that let you perform calculations without having to type long, complex formulas. Functions are grouped into categories, such as financial, statistical, engineering, logical, math and trigonometry, database and list management, date and time, and information.
One of the reasons many people use a computer for their spreadsheet projects is because it is easy to change your information once it has been entered. If you change a number, the spreadsheet will automatically recalculate the results. You can also take advantage of this feature to perform a "what-if" analysis. For example, you input the data for a small business venture you are considering and the spreadsheet calculates your net profit for the first year of business. If you are not pleased with the result, you can change a few numbers to see how the change would affect the outcome.
The newer versions of spreadsheet software programs allow you to improve the appearance of the project by experimenting with colors, shading, borders and graphics, giving your work a professional appearance.
Spreadsheet programs also allow you to manage lists of information such as an inventory, mailing list or personnel records, but another type of software, the database program, might be a better choice for this type of information management.
Some examples of spreadsheet software are Microsoft Excel, Lotus 1-2-3, Corel Quattro Pro and OpenOffice Calc.
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