Microsoft KB Archive/146197

= XL: How to Find Technical Information About Microsoft Excel =

Article ID: 146197

Article Last Modified on 8/17/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 2000 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 98 for Macintosh
 * Microsoft Excel 3.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 4.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 5.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 3.0 for Macintosh
 * Microsoft Excel 4.0 for Macintosh
 * Microsoft Excel 5.0 for Macintosh
 * Microsoft Excel 5.0 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q146197



SUMMARY
When you use Microsoft Excel, you may have questions regarding how to perform a task or how to troubleshoot a problem. This article discusses resources that you can use to find answers to your questions.

The following resources contain useful product information:
 * The Knowledge Base
 * The Office Assistant
 * The Answer Wizard
 * Microsoft Excel Help
 * Sample files



When to Use the Knowledge Base
The Microsoft Knowledge Base includes thousands of articles that answer common questions about using Microsoft Excel. The articles contain technical information regarding a wide variety of basic- and advanced- level product issues and problems. The variety of content available makes the Knowledge Base an excellent resource for topics of any level of complexity.

How to Access the Knowledge Base
The Knowledge Base is available on the World Wide Web and The Microsoft Network. You can also access the Knowledge Base if you purchase a Microsoft TechNet compact disc subscription.

The Microsoft Knowledge Base on the World Wide Web
Connect to the Knowledge Base by using the following address

http://www.microsoft.com/support

and follow the detailed instructions on the page.

The Microsoft Knowledge Base on The Microsoft Network


 * 1) On the Edit menu, click Go To.
 * 2) Click Other Location.
 * 3) When the prompt "Type a Go word for a particular service" appears, type "mssupport" (without the quotation marks).

NOTE: It may take a minute or more for the Knowledge Base toappear while it prepares the necessary files to run.
 * 1) Double-click MS Knowledge Base.

For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

138894 XL: Excel Product Articles on Internet and MSN

129725 XL: Obtaining Knowledge Base Articles on the World Wide Web

How to Find Information in the Knowledge Base There are thousands of articles in the Knowledge Base. To find information without looking at every article, search for a list of articles that are related to your topic. To query for articles, decide on the search criteria, type the search words in the appropriate text box and then initiate the search. Note that each search method supports Boolean operators.

Search Criteria:


 * Boolean operators such as NOT, AND, or OR
 * Descriptive words you think may be in the article
 * The Q number (identification number) of the article

Performing a Query on the Microsoft World Wide Web Site:


 * 1) Connect to the Knowledge Base.
 * 2) Select a Microsoft product.
 * 3) Enter your search phrase.
 * 4) Select the type of results you would like to see.
 * 5) Click the Next>> button to see the list of articles.

Performing a Query on The Microsoft Network:


 * 1) Access the Knowledge Base.
 * 2) Select the product you are using from the Entire Contents list.
 * 3) Click Query on the Tools menu.
 * 4) Type the search words in the Query box.
 * 5) Click Run Query.

Using Boolean Operators to Search for Information in the Knowledge Base Boolean is an adjective that describes a symbolic relationship, as in that implied by the logical operators AND, OR, and NOT. Note that each search method supports Boolean operators. Use the following Boolean operators to qualify your search:


 * AND (logical conjunction)
 * OR (logical inclusion)
 * XOR (exclusive or)
 * NOT (logical negation)

MICROSOFT EXCEL HELP
Help allows you to search for a usage topic, browse through a list of topics, or search for specific words and phrases instead of topics.

When to Use Help
Use online Help to find more information regarding a specific topic or to browse the topics and get a better idea of what information is available. You can also use context-sensitive Help to view information that pertains to the task at hand.

How to Access Help
The Help files must be installed in order for you to access them. If Help is not installed, run the Setup program again and click Add/Remove to install the files.

Microsoft Excel 2000
To access Help, click "Microsoft Excel Help" on the Help menu.

Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
To access Help, click "Contents and Index" on the Help menu.

Microsoft Excel 97
To access Help, click "Contents and Index" on the Help menu.

Microsoft Excel version 7.0
To access Help, double-click the Help button on the Standard toolbar, or click "Microsoft Excel Help Topics" on the Help menu.

Microsoft Excel version 5.0
To access Help, double-click the Help button on the Standard toolbar, or click Contents on the Help menu.

Help on the Microsoft Network
You can access online information and forums for Office programs on the Microsoft Network. To do this, click The Microsoft Network on the Help menu, click the forum that pertains to the type of information that you want, and click Connect to connect to the forum. For more information, look up Microsoft Network in Windows 95 online Help.

HELP FOR LOTUS 1-2-3
If you are switching from Lotus 1-2-3 to Microsoft Excel click Lotus 1- 2-3 Help on the Help menu for commands that provide information on switching.

THE OFFICE ASSISTANT
The Office Assistant, which is available in Microsoft Excel 97, can answer your questions, offer tips, and provide help for a variety of features that pertain to the Office program you are using. The Office Assistant is shared by all of the Office programs. Any option you change, such as the type of tips that appear in the Office Assistant, affect the Office Assistant in all the Office programs.

How to Access the Office Assistant
To access the Office Assistant, click Microsoft Excel Help on the Help menu, click Office Assistant on the Standard toolbar, or press F1.

THE ANSWER WIZARD
The Answer Wizard is available in Microsoft Excel version 7.0. The wizard allows you to type, in your own words, a description of the task at hand. When you type a question or a topic in your own words, the Answer Wizard lists online Help topics that can assist you with your task.

How to Access the Answer Wizard
To access the Answer Wizard, double-click the Help button, or click "Answer Wizard" on the Help menu.

TipWizard
Another component of Help that is available in Microsoft Excel versions 5.0 and 7.0 is the TipWizard. The TipWizard offers tips about more efficient ways to accomplish tasks while you are doing them. It suggests related and new features. The TipWizard also presents a tip of the day each time you start Microsoft Excel. To access TipWizard, click the TipWizard button on the Standard toolbar.

ADDITIONAL ONLINE INFORMATION
In addition to the Help files, Microsoft Excel provides online examples and demos, help with worksheet functions, and sample files.

Examples and Demos (Microsoft Excel 5.0)
By clicking Examples And Demos, a button included in many Help topics, you can participate in short, interactive lessons that focus on a specific task.

Worksheet Functions
The Function Wizard makes creating formulas easier. To start the Function Wizard, click Function on the Insert menu, or click Function Wizard on the toolbar. The functions are listed by category, for example, "Financial," "Math & Trig," and "Statistical." When you select a function from the list box, the definition of the function and the definitions of its arguments automatically appear, as well as the correct placement of commas and parentheses.

Sample Files
Sample files for Microsoft Excel are examples that you can use to help you create and enhance your own work. The sample files must be installed in order for you to access them. If they are not installed, run the Setup program again and click Add/Remove to install the files.

Where the Sample Files Are Located:

The sample files are installed to the default locations listed in this section. Note that the folder names will be different if you did not pick the default locations during Setup.

 Microsoft Excel 97:

\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Samples folder

Samples.xls Microsoft Excel 97:

\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Samples folder

Samples.xls  Microsoft Excel version 7.0:

  Msoffice\Excel\Examples folder

Samples.xls

Msoffice\Excel\Examples\Solver folder

Solverex.xls Solvsamp.xls   Microsoft Excel version 5.0 for Windows:

  \Excel\Examples Bookst.xls Sales.xls Samples.xls

\Excel\Examples\Solver Solverex.xls Solvsamp.xls  Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition:

 Microsoft Excel version 5.0 for the Macintosh:



<pre class="fixed_text">     Blue Sky Sales Bookstore Inventory Microsoft Excel 5.0 Samples

where is the name of the hard disk.



<pre class="fixed_text">     Solver Example Solver Samples

where is the name of the hard disk. </li></ul>

THE MICROSOFT EXCEL MANUAL
The "Getting Results with Microsoft Excel for Windows 95" manual has been redesigned to help you find the information you need to complete your tasks quickly in Microsoft Excel 7.0. If you are using an earlier version of Microsoft Excel, refer to the "Microsoft Excel User's Guide" manuals.

How to Find Information in the Manual
The easiest way to find information in the manual is to look in the Contents at the front of the book for the title that pertains to the task at hand. The Contents lists sixteen broad categories that describe usage categories for Microsoft Excel.

If you do not find a topic in the Contents, flip to the back of the book and look in the Index. If you are not sure what the task is called, take a guess as to the name of the task or feature, find the word, and turn to the page referenced in the Index.

If you are unable to find any pertinent information, broaden your criteria and look for words in the index that relate to the broader topic.

Additional query words: 3.00 4.00 5.00a 5.00c 8.00 97 XL97

Keywords: kbinfo kbpolicy KB146197

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