Note
Like the rest of KDE, KSpread is highly configurable, which can cause problems for readers trying to compare the text in a document such as this with what they see on the version of KSpread running on their desktop. To cut down on some of the possibilities for confusion, it it suggested that when you first start to use KSpread you set the default options in all pages of the KSpread configuration dialog (obtained by selecting Settings->Configure Kspread...) except for Completion mode in the Misc page, which shoud be set to None.
You may also find it helpful to enable Tooltips in the K menu Preferences->Look - Feel->Widget Settings dialog box.
This section attempts to explain by example what a spreadsheet program such as KSpread actually does, and why it is such a useful tool in any situation where you have to deal with numbers. If you have already used a spreadsheet program you may wish to skip to the next section.
The first thing to do is to start up KSpread. You can do this by left clicking on a KSpread icon if there is one on your desktop or panel, or you can select Office->KSpread from the K menu.
When it has started you will be given the choice of creating a new document from a template, opening an existing or recent document, or starting with an empty document. Choose Start with an empty document .
Looking at KSpread once it has started up, you will see a table of empty rectangular cells arranged in numbered rows and lettered columns. This is where you enter data or formulae, text or charts.
Now, enter the text and values shown in the first 5 rows of the above screenshot into the same cells of your spreadsheet. Ignore what is in row 7 for the moment. To enter anything into a cell first select the cell by left clicking inside it, then type whatever you want, then press Enter or use the arrow keys to move the selection point to another cell.
What we have entered so far could be a simple budget for the next two months, listing how much we think we will be spending for Food, Shelter, Clothing and any Other expenditure. Now select cell B7 (column B, row 7), type in =B2+B3+B4+B5 and press Enter. Because it begins with a = symbol KSpread sees this as a formula, something it has to calculate, in this case by adding together the values in the 4 cells B2 to B5, and what is shown in the cell B7 is the result of that calculation.
You could enter a similar formula into cell C7, except that in this case it would have to be =C2+C3+C4+C5, but there is an easier way which is to Copy cell B7 and Paste it into C7. KSpread will automatically adjust the cell references from B.. to C.. when the Paste is done.
At this point you may think that KSpread is doing no more that you could manage with pencil, paper and a calculator, and you could be right, but remember that this is a very small example of a spreadsheet, doing simple calculations on only a few numbers. For any reasonably sized table of values using a spreadsheet to do the calculations is much quicker and more accurate than doing them manually.
Also, a spreadsheet lets you play the “What if?” game. Because each formula is automatically recalculated whenever any of the values it refers to are changed, you can quickly see what happens if you alter any of them. Using our example you can see the effect of reducing the amount spent on food in December by just entering a new value into cell C2. If you had a spreadsheet that modelled the greenhouse effect accurately you could perhaps see the effect of a 50 percent reduction in the amount of methane released into the atmosphere.
