Special Edition Using Microsoft® Office XP

Designing and Formatting a Worksheet for Maximum Readability

If you simply enter data into a new worksheet without adjusting any formatting first, every cell will look exactly the same, and anyone reading the worksheet will be forced to work to pick out the important details. Want to make it easier on your audience? Set off different regions of a worksheet by using custom cell formatting—larger, bolder fonts for headings, for example, plus borders around the data area with a double line to mark where the data range ends and the totals begin. Carefully resetting row heights and column widths, wrapping and slanting text, and adding background shading can make the entire sheet easier to follow.

Changing Fonts and Character Attributes

The default ...