Excel Bootcamp: Learn the Basics of Microsoft Excel (2016)

Chapter 4. How to Manage Excel Files

Just like most programs, Excel allows you to save your files. That means you don’t have to complete your projects or assignments in one sitting. You can save your unfinished files and go back to them at a later date.

According to computer experts, you should save your file frequently. This technique helps you to prevent problems caused by system crashes or power failures.

How to Save a File

Excel programs name new files automatically. The format of the name is Bookn, where“n” represents a number starting from 1 (e.g. Book1, Book2, Book3, etc.). This number increases by 1 for every workbook that you’ll create within a single session.

To save a new file, you should:

1. Hit the button that says SAVE. Alternatively, you may press CTRL+S on your keyboard.

2. Excel will show you a dialog box. Use the dialog box to specify the name of the file and the location you want to save it in.

3. Hit the SAVE button once you have set the proper name and location.

To save changes on an existing file, you must:

1. Press CTRL+S on your keyboard. This action will save the recent changes on the existing file. As a general rule, you should save your changes every 10 minutes. This will help you to make sure that all significant modifications are saved onto the spreadsheet document. Obviously, you don’t want to do things again and again, especially those that involve complicated computations and processes.

How to Save a Workbook as a Different File

1. Click on the ribbon named“FILE” and click on SAVE AS.

2. You’ll see a dialog box that asks for the filename and location you want to use.

3. Enter the needed information and hit SAVE.

How to Create a New File

1. Access the FILE ribbon and hit NEW. The screen will show you various templates that you can use to start the new project.

2. Choose the template that you need to use. Most Excel users choose the Blank template.

Important Note: If you want to create a blank workbook, you can just press CTRL+N on your keyboard.