Midlands Microsoft Office Provider

Lesson 4

Preview

The Backstage View

Microsoft rolled out the Backstage View beginning with Office 2010. The Backstage View is a new way of executing commands formerly on the file menu, changing various Excel options, as well as performing file administration tasks. 

To see the difference between the Backstage View and the previous generation of Excel 1997 – 2003, shown below in FIGURE 1 is a graphic of an Excel worksheet from MS Office version 2003. Notice that commands such as New, Open, Save, and Save As, which are viewed from selecting the File menu tab, is in stark contrast to how Excel users access those commands on the newer second generation of Excel 2007 – Present. Those commands are all found in the Backstage View, which is accessed by selecting the File menu tab.

Figure 1

To go into the Backstage View (FIGURE 2) do the following:
1. On the Ribbon, select the File Tab
​2. You are now in the Backstage View, as shown below.

​​By making various selections on the left, you can perform several important commands including, New, Open, Save, Save As, Print, Share, Export, and Close. You also can obtain account information as well as change default options.

Figure 2

Backstage View Choices

When you go into the Backstage View, by default, the Info choice is selected. In the Info section the following choices are available below:

Protect Workbook:

  • Control the types of changes people can make to this workbook. You can also protect the workbook/worksheets by selecting the View tab on the Ribbon.

Inspect Workbook:

  • Checks the workbook for hidden properties or personal information.
  • Check for features not supported by earlier versions of Excel.

Manage Workbook:

  • Recover unsaved workbooks.

Browser View Options:

  • Pick what users can see when this workbook is viewed on the Web.

Properties:

  • Contains various administrative data concerning the file and the file author.

The following are all of the choices available in the far-left margin:

Return to workbook:
To return to the workbook from the Backstage View, select the circled arrow up at the top left.

Info: (Shown above)

New:

  • Shows various templates for creating a standard workbook as well as specialized types of workbooks. The blank workbook choice will be the popular choice for many users.

Open:

  • Recently opened workbooks are listed as choices
  • OneDrive Cloud folders
  • Computer folder locations for browsing

Save:

  • Leaves the Backstage View and returns to Home tab on the Ribbon. Select Save there.

Save As:

  • Computer choice for possible save locations such as current folder, recently used folders, or browse the computer for other folder locations.
  • OneDrive is used to access your files from anywhere and share with anyone.

Print:

  • Printer setup including various settings as well as access to Page Setup.

Share:

  • Invite people by saving your document to a OneDrive locate and share with others.
  • Email interface includes how the document will be shared.

Export:

  • Create a PDF/XPS document.
  • Change the file type to various other workbook formats including but not limited to: Excel 97-2003 workbook, template, macro-enabled workbook.

Close:

  • Closes current Excel fie being used and leaves Backstage View.

Account:

  • Displays current Excel/Office product, options on how to receive Office updates, and Excel product support information.

Options:

  • The Options choice is located at the very bottom of the Backstage View, in the left green margin area. Excel Options is a multi-category choice of options for various parts of customizing how Excel works, including general, formulas, proofing, save, language, advanced, customize Ribbon, Quick Access Toolbar, Add-Ins, and Trust Center. A graphic of the Options dialog box is shown below in FIGURE 3.

Excel Options Dialog Box

Figure 3

Important Settings in Excel Options (FIGURE 3):
General:

  • Default Font/Font Size – Change the font from Calibri 11 (default) to any font you desire
  • Show/Hide Mini Toolbar – Mini Toolbar can be removed if you don’t like it
  • Show/bypass Excel Start Page – When opening Excel, it goes immediately to a Blank Worksheet
  • Enable/Disable Live Preview – You can preview what a specific style looks like before selecting it
  • Screen Tips Style – Shows feature description when you point at it with mouse

Formulas:

  • Error Checking Rules – to remove error notices

Save:

  • Change default folder location for saving Excel files – Documents folder is default

Advanced:

  • Display Section: Show/Hide formula bar, horizontal/vertical scrollbars, sheet tabs, row and column headers, gridlines (If any of these are missing, look here for an unchecked box)

Customize Ribbon:

  • Add/remove tabs or add/remove features to the Ribbon

Quick Access Toolbar:

  • Add/remove features to the toolbar
Back to: Intro to Excel 2016 > Module 2 – Intro to Excel 2016

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