Data Entry, Formatting, and Worksheet Management
This domain checks that you can enter data so it is stored with the correct type, format it without altering the underlying value, and manage worksheets and ranges so the file stays usable and printable.
Entry and type recognition
- Text aligns left by default and numbers align right. A value that sits on the wrong side is usually stored as text, which is why SUM ignores it.
- AutoFill extends patterns (days, months, series, formulas); Flash Fill detects a transformation from typed examples but produces static values, not a formula.
- Paste Special separates content from appearance: Values only, Formats only, Transpose, and Multiply are the operations exam questions favour.
Formatting that changes meaning
- Number formats change display only. The custom code 0.00" kg" shows two decimals plus a unit suffix while the stored value is untouched.
- Conditional formatting evaluates rules at render time and can be layered; rule priority and the Stop If True option decide which format wins when rules conflict.
- Merged cells look tidy but break sorting, filtering, and copy operations, so they are best avoided over data ranges.
Worksheet management
- Insert, rename, move, copy, group (Shift+click tabs), and hide sheets. Grouped sheets receive identical typing and formatting, a frequent cause of accidental overwrites.
- Freeze Panes locks rows above and columns left of the active cell; Split creates independently scrollable panes for comparison.
- Print settings live with the sheet: print area, print titles (repeating header rows), page orientation, scaling, and page breaks.
Worked example
A column of employee IDs shows 007, 042, 118 but sorting puts 118 before 42. Reasoning: the leading zeros prove the IDs were entered as text, so they sort character by character, not numerically. Fix it by converting to numbers where leading zeros are not meaningful, or by using a text-friendly approach if they are.
Traps that cost marks
- Assuming formatting changed the value.
- Sorting one column while the rest of the rows stay put, which scrambles records.
- Trusting data validation rules that were entered after the data existed.