How to Create a 6 Column Spreadsheet in Excel

By Anthony Smith

Excel is Microsoft's very popular and widely used spreadsheet application. The program is effective for entering, tracking, and manipulating data. With so many businesses and individuals using and exchanging Excel files, you might decide that it is important to gain at least an elementary understanding of how to use the program. Creating a basic, six-column spreadsheet is a start.

Step 1

Launch Excel and click on the "File" menu (Excel 2007 users click on the Office button.) From the drop-down menu that appears, select "New." Click on "Blank Workbook."

Step 2

Use your mouse to position the cursor in the cell located in the first column and row, designated as "A1." Note the "A" in the column header above the cell and the "1" in the row marker to the left of the cell.

Step 3

Type in the heading for the first column of your spreadsheet, and press Enter on your keyboard. For example, if your spreadsheet was to contain customer information, you might type "Customer Name" as the first column heading.

Step 4

Position your cursor at the top of the second column (B1) and type in the heading for that column. Continue this process for the remaining four column headings in cells B3 through B6. In our example, you might be using headings such as "Address, "Phone Number," and "Email."

Step 5

Position your cursor in the cell directly beneath the first column heading (A2). Type in the first piece of data corresponding to the column heading above it and press "Enter." In our example, you might type in "Smith, John."

Step 6

Position your cursor in the cell beneath the second column heading (B2). Type in the data that corresponds to both that column heading and the entry you made in cell A2. Continue this process for cells B2 through B6.

Step 7

Add all the rest of your data to the spreadsheet by positioning your cursor in the first column, directly beneath the previously filled in cell, and entering the data across the row.

Step 8

Click on the "File" menu (Excel 2007 users click on the Office button), and select "Save As." Type in a descriptive name for your workbook file, and select a folder in which to save the file. Click "OK" to complete the job.

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