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Lesson overview


Now numbers can actually be F-U-N again!


Calc is arguably the most powerful application in the OpenOffice.org suite -- only your imagination and skills will limit what you can do! You can create anything from simple calculations in a matter of seconds to huge applications. You can use it as a flexible database or you can use it as a tool for making budgets.

We will try to show you how to use this fabulous tool.

Important! Calc is first and foremost amazing because it suits both the needs of the freshest beginner and the most advanced user! Believe it or not.

The lessons so far:
- Introduction
A quick intro to Calc and spread sheets in general.

- Open Sesame
How to open files in Calc (and OpenOffice in general).

- Save me
How to save a document in Calc (and OpenOffice in general).

- Close the gates
How to close a document in Calc (and OpenOffice in general).

- Introducing Ms. Formula
A brief introduction to formulas.

- Sum it up
Our first formula, which just happen to be one of the most widely used: =sum(). This lesson shows you how you can sum multiple values with little work.

- Average Joe
This is kind of a follow up to the previous lesson, as the =average() formula is very similar to the =sum() formula.

- The time is now
How to let Calc tell you the time -- right now.

- Using =LEFT() to extract text, counting from the left
This is the first of several useful formulas that can help us extract useful information from the contents of a cell.

- Using =RIGHT() to extract text, counting from the right
This is the second of several useful formulas that can help us extract useful information from the contents of a cell. This might be the most powerful of them.

- Using =MID() to extract text, counting from the point you specify
This is the third of several useful formulas that can help us extract useful information from the contents of a cell.

- Looking up with =VLOOKUP()
The objective with this lesson is to give you a general understanding of the formula, and show you how you can search for information in a table and choose which information you want in return.

- Randomize numbers with =RAND()
Sometimes creating random numbers can be useful, even when working with text! This lesson will show you how to create random numbers.

- Round numbers with =ROUND()
This lesson shows you how to round numbers in several ways.

- Cut off decimals with =TRUNC()
This lesson shows you how to cut off decimals.

- Sum only lines meeting your criteria with =SUMIF()
Learn how to sum only the lines where one column is used as a test for criteria for the summarization. Not as difficult as it might sound.

- Set conditions for your formulas with the use of =IF()
The very powerful formula =IF() can be used for performing different actions, depending on the conditions you define.

- How to count characters in a cell or string with =LEN()
By using =LEN() you can count how many characters there are in a text string or a cell reference. Combined with other formulas, this can by very powerful.

- How to format text and cells
This shows how easy it is to change the appearance of a spreadsheet in no-time. Sometimes changing the look of a sheet can enhance how the information is received by the end user, either it is yourself or, perhaps even more importantly, others.

- How to create and edit DataPilots
Just added a lesson on DataPilot that shows how to master large amounts of data with DataPilot. This is one of the really, really big strengths of Calc, and is highly recommended reading!

- How to create charts
This lesson will show you how to create simple charts and edit them to suit your purpose.

- How to create simple filters easily with AutoFilter
This lesson will show you how to filter potentially large amounts of data with AutoFilter. The really fun part is how easy it actually is to create!