Insert and Delete, Cell Styles, Sort & Filter, Find & Replace, and Fill Series in Excel 2013

Introduction

Microsoft Excel 2013 provides several useful features for managing and formatting worksheet data. These features help users insert and delete cells, rows, columns, and worksheets; apply cell styles; sort and filter data; find and replace values; and fill a series automatically.

These commands are available mainly through the Home tab on the Ribbon.

1. Cells in MS Excel 2013

A cell is the intersection of a row and a column in an Excel worksheet. Each cell has a unique address, such as A1, B2, or C5.

Microsoft Excel provides commands to insert, delete, format, and manage cells in a worksheet. These commands are available in the Cells group of the Home tab.

The main commands in this group are:

• Insert

• Delete

• Format

2. Insert

The Insert command is used to insert cells, rows, columns, and worksheets into the current workbook.

To insert multiple cells, rows, or columns, select the required number of cells, rows, or columns before using the Insert command.

Steps to Insert Cells

1. Select the cell or range where you want to insert new cells.

2. Click the Home tab.

3. In the Cells group, click Insert.

4. Select Insert Cells.

5. Choose whether to shift existing cells right or down.

6. Click OK.

Excel will insert the new cells at the selected location.

Steps to Insert a Row

1. Select the row heading where you want to add a new row.

2. Click Home → Insert.

3. Select Insert Sheet Rows.

Excel will insert a new row above the selected row.

Steps to Insert a Column

1. Select the column heading where you want to add a new column.

2. Click Home → Insert.

3. Select Insert Sheet Columns.

Excel will insert a new column to the left of the selected column.

Steps to Insert a Worksheet

1. Click the Home tab.

2. In the Cells group, click Insert.

3. Select Insert Sheet.

A new worksheet will be added to the workbook.

3. Delete

The Delete command is used to remove selected cells, rows, columns, or worksheets from a workbook.

When deleting cells, Excel may shift the remaining cells left or up to fill the empty space. Deleting an entire row or column removes that row or column from the worksheet.

Steps to Delete Cells

1. Select the cell or range you want to delete.

2. Click the Home tab.

3. In the Cells group, click Delete.

4. Select Delete Cells.

5. Choose whether the remaining cells should shift left or up.

6. Click OK.

Steps to Delete a Row

1. Select the row heading.

2. Click Home → Delete.

3. Select Delete Sheet Rows.

The selected row will be removed.

Steps to Delete a Column

1. Select the column heading.

2. Click Home → Delete.

3. Select Delete Sheet Columns.

The selected column will be removed.

Steps to Delete a Worksheet

1. Select the worksheet you want to remove.

2. Click Home → Delete.

3. Select Delete Sheet.

Excel will remove the selected worksheet. Be careful because deleting a worksheet may permanently remove its data if you cannot undo the action.

Important: Deleting cell contents is different from deleting cells. To remove only the contents while keeping the cells in place, use Home → Clear → Clear Contents.

4. Format

The Format command allows you to change row height, column width, worksheet visibility, and other worksheet settings. It also provides options for protecting a worksheet.

To access these options, click Home → Format in the Cells group.

The Format menu contains several useful commands.

Row Height

This option allows you to change the height of selected rows.

Steps:

1. Select the required rows.

2. Click Home → Format.

3. Select Row Height.

4. Enter the required height.

5. Click OK.

AutoFit Row Height

AutoFit Row Height automatically adjusts the height of rows to fit their contents.

Select the required rows and choose Home → Format → AutoFit Row Height.

Column Width

This option allows you to change the width of selected columns.

Steps:

1. Select the required columns.

2. Click Home → Format.

3. Select Column Width.

4. Enter the required width.

5. Click OK.

AutoFit Column Width

AutoFit Column Width automatically adjusts the width of columns to fit their contents.

Hide and Unhide

Excel allows you to hide rows, columns, and worksheets without deleting their data.

To hide a row or column, select it and choose the appropriate Hide option from the Format menu.

To display it again, select the surrounding rows or columns and choose Unhide.

For worksheets, use Format → Hide & Unhide → Hide Sheet or Unhide Sheet.

Protect Sheet

The Protect Sheet command helps prevent unwanted changes to a worksheet.

To protect a worksheet:

1. Open the worksheet you want to protect.

2. Click Home → Format → Protect Sheet, or use the Protect Sheet command on the Review tab.

3. Choose the actions users should be allowed to perform.

4. Enter a password if required.

5. Confirm the password if prompted.

Note: Worksheet protection helps restrict editing, but it should not be treated as strong security for confidential information.

5. Cell Styles

Cell Styles are predefined formatting combinations that can be applied to cells. They may include font formatting, number formats, borders, and cell shading.

Cell Styles help make worksheet data easier to read and give a consistent appearance to headings, totals, and important values.

Steps to Apply a Cell Style

1. Select the cell or range you want to format.

2. Click the Home tab.

3. In the Styles group, click Cell Styles.

4. Choose a suitable style from the gallery.

Excel will apply the selected style to the cells.

For example, you can apply a heading style to the first row of a report or a total style to a cell containing the final amount.

Advantages of Cell Styles

• Apply multiple formatting settings quickly.

• Maintain consistent formatting throughout a worksheet.

• Highlight important information.

• Improve the readability of reports.

6. Sort and Filter

The Sort & Filter command helps organize worksheet data and display only the records that meet specific conditions.

These options are available under Home → Sort & Filter in the Editing group. Similar options are also available on the Data tab.

Sort Data

Sorting arranges data in a particular order, such as A to Z, Z to A, smallest to largest, or oldest to newest.

Steps to Sort Data:

1. Select a cell within the data range.

2. Click Home → Sort & Filter.

3. Choose Sort A to Z or Sort Z to A for a quick sort, or select Custom Sort for more options.

4. If prompted, confirm that the data range includes the related columns.

5. Excel will arrange the records in the selected order.

Example: You can sort a student list alphabetically by name or arrange marks from highest to lowest.

Filter Data

Filtering displays only the rows that meet selected conditions. The other rows are temporarily hidden rather than deleted.

Steps to Apply a Filter:

1. Select a cell within your data list.

2. Click Home → Sort & Filter → Filter.

3. Drop-down arrows will appear in the column headings.

4. Click the arrow in the column you want to filter.

5. Select or clear the required values, or choose a suitable text, number, or date filter.

6. Click OK if prompted.

Example: In a student record, you can filter the City column to display only students from Jaipur.

To remove the filter, open the relevant drop-down and clear the filter, or use the Clear option under Sort & Filter.

Difference Between Sort and Filter

• Sort changes the order in which records appear.

• Filter displays only records that meet selected conditions.

7. Find and Replace

The Find & Replace feature helps locate specific text, numbers, or other values in a worksheet. It can also replace one value with another.

These commands are available under Home → Find & Select in the Editing group.

Find

The Find command searches for a particular value in a worksheet.

Steps:

1. Click the Home tab.

2. In the Editing group, click Find & Select.

3. Select Find.

4. Enter the text or value you want to locate.

5. Click Find Next or Find All.

Excel will locate the matching entries.

Shortcut: Press Ctrl + F to open Find.

Replace

The Replace command searches for a value and substitutes it with another value.

Steps:

1. Click Home → Find & Select → Replace.

2. Enter the value to search for in the Find what box.

3. Enter the new value in the Replace with box.

4. Click Replace to change one match at a time, or Replace All to change all matching entries.

5. Review the results and close the dialog box.

Shortcut: Press Ctrl + H to open Replace.

Example: If a worksheet contains the word “Pending” and the status has changed, you can use Replace to update the matching cells to “Completed”. Always check the selected search scope before using Replace All.

8. Fill Series in Excel 2013

The Fill Series feature automatically fills cells with a sequence of values. It can create numbers, dates, and other regular patterns without entering each value manually.

For example, Excel can generate 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or dates such as 1 January, 2 January, and 3 January.

Method 1: Using the Fill Handle

The fill handle is the small square at the bottom-right corner of a selected cell or range.

Steps to Create a Number Series:

1. Enter 1 in cell A1.

2. Enter 2 in cell A2.

3. Select both cells.

4. Move the pointer to the fill handle at the bottom-right corner of the selection.

5. Drag the fill handle down to the required row.

Excel will continue the sequence with 3, 4, 5, and so on.

If you select only one number and drag, Excel may copy that number instead of creating a sequence. Selecting two or more values establishes the intended pattern.

Method 2: Using the Fill Series Command

1. Enter the starting number in a cell.

2. Select the range you want to fill.

3. Click the Home tab.

4. In the Editing group, click Fill.

5. Select Series.

6. Choose the series type, such as Linear or Date.

7. Enter the step value and stop value if required.

8. Click OK.

Excel will fill the selected range according to the specified series settings.

Examples of Fill Series

• Number series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

• Even numbers: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10

• Days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

• Months: January, February, March

• Dates: 1 January, 2 January, 3 January

Fill Series is especially useful when preparing attendance sheets, date sheets, serial numbers, and other repetitive worksheet data.

Conclusion

Microsoft Excel 2013 provides many useful tools for managing worksheet data. The Insert and Delete commands help add or remove cells, rows, columns, and worksheets. The Format command controls row height, column width, visibility, and worksheet protection.

Cell Styles improve formatting, Sort & Filter organize records, Find & Replace locates and updates values, and Fill Series generates repetitive sequences automatically.

By learning these commands, users can manage worksheet data more efficiently and create well-organized Excel reports.