The following image shows the Excel Title Bar (with the Excel icon at the left), and just below it, the Excel Menu Bar.

 

 

The menu titles displayed in the menu bar are fairly self descriptive, and when you left click on one, a drop down menu of options pertaining to the menu title will be shown.

 

File menu	Clicking on the File menu will display options for file management.
Edit menu	Clicking on the Edit menu will display options for editing and moving data on your worksheets.
View menu	The View menu will provide choices on how you want to view your worksheets or workbook.
Insert menu	The Insert menu allows you to insert rows, columns, or worksheets.
Format menu	The Format menu provides access to formatting options.
Tools menu	The Tools menu provides access to a number of Excel 2003 features.
Data menu	The Data menu provides a list of options to help with data analysis.
Window menu	The Window menu offers choices for how to view single and multiple worksheet windows.
Help menu	Help

 

 

Notice that each menu heading contains an underlined letter (Usually the first letter, unless the first letter is already underlined in another heading). Pressing the Alt key and the key for the underlined letter at the same time will display the corresponding menu. For example, pressing Alt + F will display the File menu, and pressing the Alt + O keys will display the Format menu.

 

When a menu is displayed, some of the options in the list will be followed by three dots (called an ellipsis), while other options may be followed by a right pointing triangle.

 

The three dots indicate that clicking on this option will display a dialogue box to specify the details of the task. The right pointing triangle indicates that there is another related menu or sub menu to be displayed. Let your mouse pointer hover over an option with a right pointing triangle and the sub menu will appear. A menu item with nothing following it will perform the task directly when you click on it.

 

In the Data menu shown here, the Form option is followed by three dots. This means that clicking this option will display a form dialogue box. The Group and Outline option is followed by a right pointing triangle, indicating that there is a sub menu available.

 

You should also notice the downward pointing arrows at the bottom of the menu. This means that the menu can be expanded to reveal more options.

 

The menu options also contain underlined letters. Pressing the Shift key plus the underlined letter at the same time will activate the option. For example, you could left click on the Form option, or press Shift + O to reveal the form dialogue box.