~/Information & Communication Technology Skills – IV

1.1 Introduction to Spreadsheets

People earlier maintained expenses in a diary — school fees, grocery, gas, electricity, festivals, etc. With a spreadsheet, the same data can be stored, updated and calculated automatically.

🔹 Example: A Grocery Shop

A shopkeeper keeps track of items (total quantity, quantity sold, quantity left, cost price per kg, selling price per kg). A spreadsheet stores all this and helps calculate profit/loss easily.

1.2 Spreadsheet Applications — Popular Software

• Microsoft Excel — most widely used commercial spreadsheet (part of MS Office).
• LibreOffice Calc — free and open-source; used throughout this chapter.
• Google Sheets — cloud-based, works in a browser, supports real-time collaboration.

Most features are the same across these applications — if you learn one, you can use any other.

1.3 Creating a New Worksheet — Starting LibreOffice Calc

1. Ensure LibreOffice is installed on your computer.
2. Type LibreOffice Calc in the Windows search bar.
3. Select LibreOffice Calc from the search results — a blank sheet opens.
4. You can start typing and entering data immediately, but first understand the components of a spreadsheet.

1.4 Components of a Spreadsheet

1.5 Opening the Workbook and Entering Text

⌨️ 1. Steps to Enter Data

1. Click on the cell where you want to enter data (e.g., A1).
2. Type text or number. The same appears in the Formula Bar.
3. Press Enter to commit — the cursor moves to the next cell (A2).
4. By default, text is left-aligned, numbers are right-aligned.
5. To enter a formula, start the cell with "=" (e.g., =73+89+78).

🗂️ 2. Types of Data in a Spreadsheet

• Text — names, labels, headings.
• Numbers — quantities, dates, amounts.
• Formulas — calculations starting with "=".
• Modern spreadsheets also accept pictures, audio, video and shapes.

✏️ 3. Editing Data in a Cell (3 Methods)

1. Method 1: Double-click the cell → type additional text in the cell or Formula Bar → Enter.
2. Method 2: Click the cell → correct the text in the Formula Bar → Enter.
3. Method 3: Click the cell → type the new text (this completely replaces the old text) → Enter.

🗑️ 4. Deleting Data in a Cell

1. Click on the cell.
2. Press the Delete key on the keyboard.
3. The text entry is removed — the cell becomes blank.

1.6 Resizing Fonts and Styles — Formatting Text

Spreadsheets offer many options to make content neat and readable — this is called formatting.

1.7 Copying and Moving Data (and Formulas)

📋 1. Selecting Multiple Cells

A single selected cell is the active cell. When several cells are selected together it is called a cell range. Ways to select:

• To select an entire row — click the row heading.
• To select an entire column — click the column heading.
• To select the entire worksheet — click the grey rectangle on the upper-left corner.
• To select a range of cells — click the starting cell, hold the left mouse button and drag till the last required cell.
• To select two or more non-adjacent rows — select one row, hold Ctrl, then select the next row.

📦 2. Copying vs Moving Formula

1. Click on the cell with the formula.
2. Right-click → Copy (or Ctrl+C). To move, select Cut (or Ctrl+X).
3. Click on the first cell where the formula should be placed.
4. Keeping the left mouse button pressed, drag till the last cell.
5. Right-click → Paste (or Ctrl+V).
6. The formula is copied to all selected cells and calculates automatically.

1.8 Sorting and Filtering Data

📊 1. Sorting Data

Arranging words/numbers in order helps you find a particular entry quickly. Example: sort students by total marks to rank them.

1. Select all rows and columns that have to be sorted.
2. Click on Data → Sort.
3. A Sort dialog box appears. For Sort Key 1, choose the column (e.g., Total).
4. Choose order — Ascending (low → high) or Descending (high → low).
5. Click OK. The data is rearranged accordingly.

🔎 2. Filtering Data — AutoFilter

Filters let you display only the rows that match a condition (e.g., show only students from Class XII-A).

1. Click the AutoFilter icon on the Tool Bar.
2. Small filter drop-downs appear at the top of each column.
3. Click the filter for the desired column.
4. Uncheck unwanted values (e.g., uncheck Class XII-B).
5. Click OK — only matching rows are displayed.

1.9 Formulas and Functions

To do any calculation, start with "=" (equal-to) — this tells the spreadsheet a formula has been entered.

➕ 1. Adding Values Directly

Ms Sharma, a teacher, enters her students' marks in English, Maths and Science on a spreadsheet and wants to calculate each student's total.

🔢 2. Adding Using Cell Addresses

Use cell references so that if a value changes, the total updates automatically.

🖱️ 3. Using Mouse to Select Values in a Formula

1. Type = in the target cell (e.g., E2).
2. Click the first cell (B2) — it appears in the formula.
3. Type +.
4. Click the next cell (C2).
5. Type +, click the next (D2).
6. Press Enter.

🧮 4. Using the SUM() Function

1. Type =Sum( in the target cell.
2. Click on the first cell (B2), hold left mouse button and drag till the last (D2) — this selects the range.
3. Type ) and press Enter.

SUM() adds all numbers in separate cells or a cell range in one go — ideal when you have many subjects or many rows.

1.10 Protecting the Spreadsheet with a Password

🔐 Method 1 — Tools Menu

1. Click Tools → Protect Spreadsheet.
2. In the Protect Document dialog box, type a password.
3. Type the same password in the Confirm textbox.
4. Click OK. Next time the file is opened it will ask for the password.

🔑 Method 2 — Save With Password

1. Click File → Save As.
2. Type the file name and tick Save with password → click Save.
3. In the Set Password dialog, type the password twice → OK.
4. Opening the file later will require the password.

1.11 Printing a Spreadsheet

1. Click File → Print (or press Ctrl+P).
2. The Print dialog box appears.
3. Select the printer, the range of pages and the number of copies.
4. Click OK.

1.12 Saving a Spreadsheet in Various Formats

1. Click File → Save (or Ctrl+S). To change format or name, use Save As.
2. The default Save as type is ODF Spreadsheet (.ods).
3. You can also save as Microsoft Excel 2003 (.xls), newer .xlsx, CSV, HTML, etc.
4. Click Save. To close after saving → File → Close.
5. To reopen a saved file → File → Open, select the file, click Open.

2.1 Introduction to Presentations

Teachers, managers and researchers often need to explain ideas to an audience. Printed charts are limited — a digital presentation using presentation software can contain text, images, videos, animation and music, making it much more engaging.

🔹 Advantages of Digital Presentation

1. They are interesting — features like images, videos, animation and music.
2. Making changes in digital presentations is easy.
3. They can be shown to a much larger audience by projecting on a screen.
4. The presentation can be printed and distributed to the audience.

2.2 Software Packages for Presentation

• LibreOffice Impress — free, open-source (used in this chapter).
• Microsoft Office — PowerPoint.
• OpenOffice Impress.
• Google Slides — cloud-based, allows collaboration.
• Apple Keynote — for macOS / iPadOS.

Most features are the same across these tools.

2.3 Features of a Presentation

• Made up of slides — each slide is like a page.
• Slides can contain text, images, shapes, charts, videos and audio.
• Supports animations and slide transitions.
• Layouts help arrange text and images neatly.
• Can be exported to PDF or printed as handouts.

2.4 Creating a New Presentation — Starting LibreOffice Impress

1. Ensure LibreOffice Impress is installed.
2. Type LibreOffice Impress in the Windows search bar.
3. Select it from the search results.
4. LibreOffice Impress opens — cancel the Select a template dialog box.
5. A blank presentation opens with the first slide ready.

🔹 Adding Text to the First Slide

By default, there are two textboxes in the first slide — the top one for the title, the lower (bigger) one for other details. Click on each and type content.

2.5 Adding a Slide to the Presentation

Do not cram everything onto one slide — use additional slides for each sub-topic.

1. Click on Slide menu.
2. Select New Slide from the drop-down (or press Ctrl+M).
3. A blank slide is added after the current one; the layout of textboxes is similar to the previous slide.

2.6 Deleting a Slide

1. Select the slide to delete.
2. Click Slide → Delete Slide (or press the Del key).

2.7 Entering and Editing Text

The default layout has two textboxes — one for the title and one for content. Type directly into them.

If the slide has no textbox, insert one from Insert → Textbox, then drag to create the box and type.

2.8 Formatting Text

🔠 1. Change Font Style & Size

Click the Font Style drop-down to pick a different font. Click the Font Size drop-down to set the size (8, 12, 14, 22, etc.). The title is usually larger to stand out.

🖊️ 2. Highlighting — Bold · Underline · Italic · Strikethrough

Select the text → click the appropriate icon in the Properties tab. Options: Bold, Italic, Underline, Strikethrough. Keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl+B / Ctrl+I / Ctrl+U.

⬅️ 3. Aligning Text — Left · Right · Center · Justified

Use the Paragraph option in the Properties tab:

• Left / Right — aligns text to the left / right margin respectively.
• Center — aligns to the centre of the page.
• Justified — aligns text to both left and right margins (even edges).

🎨 4. Changing Text Colour & Highlight

Use the Font Color drop-down to change text colour. The Highlight Color drop-down changes the background colour of the selected text.

2.9 Inserting Clipart and Images

"A picture speaks a thousand words." Images make a presentation simple and interesting.

1. Click Insert → Image (from the menu).
2. An Insert Image dialog box appears.
3. Browse the folder and select the image.
4. Click Open — the image is inserted into the slide.

🔹 Inserting Shapes

LibreOffice provides lines, square, circle, arrows, symbols, etc., that can be inserted into slides (useful for flow-charts and diagrams like the Water Cycle).

1. Click Insert → Shape.
2. Choose the category (e.g., Arrow) and then a specific shape (e.g., Circular Arrow).
3. Drag on the slide to draw the shape.
4. Use the Properties tab to change the shape's colour, size, position or direction.

2.10 Slide Layout

The default layout has a title textbox plus one content textbox. A layout arranges slide content in an organised way.

1. Select the slide whose layout you want to change.
2. In the Layouts tab (side panel), pick a layout — e.g., Title + two content boxes to have an image on one side and steps on the other.

2.11 Saving a Presentation

1. Click File → Save As (or Save).
2. In the Save As dialog, pick a folder (e.g., Desktop).
3. By default, the file name is Untitled#. Change it to a meaningful name.
4. The default Save As type is .odp (ODF Presentation). You can also pick MS PowerPoint (.ppt/.pptx), HTML or text format.
5. Click Save.
6. For later saves, simply press Ctrl+S.

🔹 Closing & Reopening a Presentation

• Close: File → Close. If unsaved changes exist, a Save Document? dialog asks — Save / Discard / Cancel.
• Open: Open LibreOffice Impress → File → Open → browse to the folder → select file → Open.

2.12 Printing a Presentation Document

1. Ensure a printer is connected and ready.
2. Click File → Print (or Ctrl+P).
3. In the Print dialog, select the printer.
4. Select the number of copies.
5. Select All to print every slide, or Slides and give slide numbers for a subset.
6. Click OK.