Page 175 - Excel 2013 All-in-One For Dummies

Using the Format Cells Dialog Box 157
custom format that hides whatever has been entered in the cells. You can use this custom format to temporarily mask the display of confidential infor- mation used in calculating the worksheet before you print and distribute the worksheet. This custom format provides an easy way to avoid distributing confidential and sensitive information while protecting the integrity of the worksheet calculations at the same time.
To create a custom format that masks the display of the data in a cell selec- tion, you simply create an “empty” format that contains just the semicolon separators in a row:
;;;
This is one custom format that you can probably type by yourself!
After creating this format, you can blank out a range of cells simply by selecting them and then selecting this three-semicolon custom format in the Format Cells dialog box. To bring back a cell range that’s been blanked out with this custom format, simply select what now looks like blank cells and then select one of the other (visible) formats that are available. If the cell range contains text and values that normally should use a variety of different formats, first use General to make them visible. After the contents are back on display, format the cells in smaller groups or individually, as required.
Altering the alignment
You can use Excel’s Alignment options by using command buttons in the Alignment group of the Ribbon’s Home tab and by using options on the Alignment tab of the Format Cells dialog box to change the way cell entries are displayed within their cells.
Alignment refers to both the horizontal and vertical placement of the charac- ters in an entry with regard to its cell boundaries as well as the orientation of the characters and how they are read. Horizontally, Excel automatically right-aligns all numeric entries and left-aligns all text entries in their cells (referred to as General alignment). Vertically, Excel aligns all types of cell entries with the bottom of their cells.
In the Horizontal drop-down list on the Alignment tab of the Format Cells dialog box, Excel offers you the following horizontal text alignment choices:
✦ General (the default) right-aligns a numeric entry and left-aligns a text entry in its cell.
✦ Left (Indent) left-aligns the entry in its cell and indents the characters from the left edge of the cell by the number of characters entered in the Indent combo box (which is 0 by default).
✦ Center centers any type of cell entry in its cell.
Book II Chapter 2
Formatting Worksheets