Chapter 6. How Can I Work More Efficiently in Numbers?

How Can I Work More Efficiently in Numbers?

Numbers enables you to create powerful, functional, and attractive spreadsheets. To work as quickly and efficiently as possible in Numbers, you need to understand Numbers' components and what they do, set Numbers-specific preferences to suit the way you work, and choose which of Numbers' tools to display while you're working. You also need to know how to organize your information smartly and easily using sheets and tables, how to use Numbers' shortcuts for entering text quickly into a table, and how to import data from both Microsoft Excel workbooks and from your Mac's Address Book.

Knowing What You Are Working With

Setting Numbers-Specific Preferences

Customizing the Numbers Window for Faster Work

Organizing Your Information with Sheets and Tables

Entering Text in a Spreadsheet

Importing Data from Microsoft Excel

Importing Data from Address Book

Knowing What You Are Working With

First, let's meet the various elements in the Numbers window and make sure you know what they do. After you open Numbers and pick the template you want in the Template Chooser window (assuming it appears), the Numbers window appears, as shown in figure 6.1.

The Numbers window with a new spreadsheet open in it.

Figure 6.1. The Numbers window with a new spreadsheet open in it.

Here's what the various elements in the Numbers ...

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