EXCEL FOR MAC PADLOCK ICON SHEETS UPDATE

Finally, support for graphics and images is better all around in Excel 2008, with improved transparency and shadow effects.ДЄs mentioned above, this is the first version of Excel to run natively on both PowerPC- and Intel-based Macs. A Document Theme feature in the Formatting Palette picks a set of compatible colors for your worksheet-but the choice only affects SmartArt graphics, charts, shapes, and pictures. The new toolbar icons are easier to read than Excel 2004вЂ™s, and the section headers in the Toolbox are colored, making them easier to spot at a glance. Like its predecessor, the Toolbox can quickly grow taller than your screen, especially on a laptop-if that happens, youвЂ™ll have to close some sections in order to see others. A new Reference Tools tab in the Toolbox gives fast access to a thesaurus and dictionary (though these arenвЂ™t the ones built into OS X), an encyclopedia, and even a Web search box. In Excel 2008, the Formatting Palette has merged with the Toolbox, which is now tabbed, and looks more like an Inspector panel in one of AppleвЂ™s iWork applications. In Excel 2004, I used two floating palettes regularly-the Toolbox, which held a scrapbook, compatibility tester, and project interface and the Formatting Palette, which offered formatting options for text, images, and graphics. Select one of the displayed formulas, and Excel 2008 will complete the formulaвЂ™s name, then display a floating tooltip showing each required element in that formula. As you start typing a formula name, Formula AutoComplete displays a pop-up menu with matching formulas.

This feature can be a big timesaver, especially for those formulas that you donвЂ™t use often enough to memorize their syntax.ДЇormula AutoComplete further speeds the entry of formulas. As you enter values, the boxes become color-coded to match the relevant cells on the worksheet that are used in the formula-so itвЂ™s easy to see exactly what goes where. After you enter a formula name, the Formula Builder displays input boxes and brief descriptions for each element in that formula. Unfortunately, thereвЂ™s no way to disable any of these Elements Gallery buttons, so even if you never use them, theyвЂ™ll take up some vertical space on every sheet you open.ДЄnother new feature-the Formula Builder-makes building formulas simpler. As an example, I downloaded AppleвЂ™s stock price history-daily high, low, close, and volume-and was able to turn it into a nice-looking stock chart with a couple of mouse clicks. Personally, I have no use for the Sheets or WordArt buttons, but both Charts and SmartArt Graphics make it simple to add professional-looking images to your spreadsheets.

HereвЂ™s one thatвЂ™s had three custom images applied, and the stock text replaced.Whether or not you find the Gallery useful will depend on how you use Excel. The new Elements Gallery gives you access to a number of ready-to-use templates. SmartArt Graphics offers a large number of graphic elements, and WordArt lets you customize the appearance of text blocks. The Charts tool lets you quickly insert a nicely formatted chart. Click Sheets and choose from one of a number of preformatted sheets in seven categories Excel will open that sheet as a starting point-though experienced users may find these sheets too simple for their needs. Each button is a shortcut to commonly-used features. Most users will first notice the Elements Gallery, which is represented by a row of four buttons-Sheets, Charts, SmartArt Graphics, and WordArt-and appears below the toolbar. As a result, Excel 2008 may leave you feeling somewhat underwhelmed.

This release of Excel also offers some new features, though it drops at least one major area of functionality. The menus and menu items are nearly identical, and the worksheet itself is the same as itвЂ™s always been.ДЄppearances can be deceiving, however-Excel 2008 is a major rewrite, designed to run natively on Intel-powered Macs as well as PowerPC-based machines. Despite the long wait for a new version, when you launch Excel 2008, youвЂ™ll see what appears to be a slightly re-skinned version of Excel 2004-or even of Excel v.X.

EXCEL FOR MAC PADLOCK ICON SHEETS UPDATE

ItвЂ™s been more than three years since the last update to Excel ( ), the leading Mac spreadsheet.

Excel for mac padlock icon sheets