Cell Formatting

Module: M1-R5: Information Technology Tools and Network Basics

Chapter: Spreadsheet

1️⃣ Formatting Cells – Font, Alignment, Number, Borders, Fill

LibreOffice Calc provides several tools to format cells to enhance readability and presentation of data.

🅰️ Font Formatting
  • Change font type, size, color, and style using the Formatting Toolbar.
  • Common styles: Bold (Ctrl+B), Italic (Ctrl+I), Underline (Ctrl+U).
📐 Alignment
  • Horizontal alignment: Left, Center, Right.
  • Vertical alignment: Top, Middle, Bottom.
  • Text wrapping: Format → Cells → Alignment tab → enable Wrap text automatically.
🔢 Number Formatting
  • Change numeric display format like Currency, Percentage, Date, or Decimal.
  • Go to Format → Cells → Numbers tab and select desired format.
⬛ Borders and Fill
  • Apply borders from Format → Cells → Borders tab.
  • Change line style, color, and border sides (top, bottom, left, right).
  • Apply background color using Format → Cells → Background tab.
2️⃣ Cut, Copy, Paste, Paste Special

These functions are essential for editing and reorganizing data within spreadsheets.

  • Cut: Removes data from the current cell and places it on the clipboard. Shortcut: Ctrl + X
  • Copy: Copies data to the clipboard without removing it. Shortcut: Ctrl + C
  • Paste: Inserts copied or cut data into selected cell. Shortcut: Ctrl + V
✨ Paste Special

Paste Special allows selective pasting of specific attributes (like values, formulas, formats).

  • Go to Edit → Paste Special or press Ctrl + Shift + V.
  • Select from options like:
    • Values Only – paste results without formulas.
    • Formats Only – paste only formatting.
    • Formulas Only – paste formulas, not formatting.
3️⃣ Changing Cell Height and Width

Adjusting cell dimensions improves visibility and layout of data within a spreadsheet.

  • Manually Resize: Drag boundary between row numbers or column letters.
  • AutoFit: Double-click boundary between headers to auto-adjust size.
  • Menu Option: Use Format → Row → Height or Format → Column → Width for precise adjustment.
  • Default column width: 2.27 cm; Default row height: 0.45 cm (may vary by display).

Uniform row or column resizing can also be done by selecting multiple headers before resizing.

4️⃣ Inserting and Deleting Rows and Columns

Rows and columns can be added or removed to organize and update spreadsheet structures.

➕ Inserting Rows and Columns
  • Right-click a row or column header → Insert Rows Above/Below or Insert Columns Left/Right.
  • Use menu: Sheet → Insert Rows/Columns.
  • Shortcut to insert a new row: Ctrl + Shift + + (plus key).
➖ Deleting Rows and Columns
  • Right-click header → Delete Rows or Delete Columns.
  • Use Sheet → Delete Rows/Columns from menu.
  • Shortcut: Ctrl + - (minus key).

Always ensure that you don’t delete rows or columns containing important formulas or references.

Conclusion

Mastering cell formatting, editing operations, and layout adjustments is crucial for creating well-structured and visually appealing spreadsheets in LibreOffice Calc. These functions improve both efficiency and clarity of data presentation.

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