1. Menu Bar in MS Excel
📘 Definition:
The Menu Bar in MS Excel is the strip at the top of the window that contains all the main menus or tabs, each of which provides access to a group of commands and tools.
In modern versions of Excel (Excel 2007 and later), the Menu Bar is replaced by the Ribbon, which organizes commands under different tabs.
📋 Common Tabs (Menus) in Excel Ribbon
| Menu / Tab | Description / Functions |
|---|---|
| File | Used for file operations — New, Open, Save, Save As, Print, Export, Close |
| Home | Contains commonly used commands like Cut, Copy, Paste, Font settings, Alignment, Number formatting, Cell styles, and basic editing tools |
| Insert | Used to insert objects such as Charts, Pictures, Shapes, Tables, PivotTables, Hyperlinks, etc. |
| Page Layout | Helps set up page size, margins, orientation, themes, colors, and background for printing or viewing |
| Formulas | Contains function library for various categories — Math, Logical, Text, Date & Time, Financial, Statistical, Lookup, etc. |
| Data | Used for sorting, filtering, data validation, removing duplicates, and connecting to external data sources |
| Review | Offers tools for spell check, comments, protecting sheets/workbooks, and tracking changes |
| View | Used to manage the workbook display — Zoom, Freeze Panes, Gridlines, Page Layout View, etc. |
| Help | Provides assistance, tips, and online help for Excel features |
🧰 2. Toolbars in MS Excel
📘 Definition:
A Toolbar is a collection of icons or buttons that give quick access to frequently used commands without going through menus.
In modern Excel, toolbars are part of the Ribbon interface, but some traditional or quick access toolbars still exist.
🧩 Types of Toolbars
| Toolbar Name | Description / Common Buttons |
|---|---|
| Standard Toolbar | Contains basic file commands — New, Open, Save, Print, Preview, Spell Check, Cut, Copy, Paste, Undo, Redo |
| Formatting Toolbar | Controls appearance of data — Font style, Size, Bold, Italic, Underline, Borders, Colors, Alignment, Number format |
| Drawing Toolbar | Used for creating Shapes, Text boxes, Arrows, Lines, and WordArt |
| Chart Toolbar | Appears when a chart is selected — used to modify chart type, style, and data |
| Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) | Located above or below the Ribbon — provides customizable shortcuts for commands like Save, Undo, Redo, Print, etc. |
⚙️ How to Customize Toolbars
- Go to the Quick Access Toolbar (top left corner).
- Click the small down arrow (▼).
- Select commands to add (e.g., New, Open, Email, Quick Print, Sort Ascending).
- You can also click More Commands to open the Excel Options window and fully customize the toolbar.
💡 Example:
If you frequently use Filter and Freeze Panes, you can:
- Click the dropdown arrow on QAT → choose More Commands
- From the list, add Filter and Freeze Panes
- They’ll now appear on the toolbar for one-click access.
⚡ Difference Between Menu Bar and Toolbar
| Feature | Menu Bar | Toolbar |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Top of the Excel window | Usually below the Menu Bar or Ribbon |
| Contains | Menus (File, Edit, Insert, etc.) | Buttons and icons for quick commands |
| Usage | Shows a list of all commands | Executes common commands quickly |
| Customization | Limited | Highly customizable |
| Speed | Requires navigation | One-click access |
✅ Summary:
- The Menu Bar (Ribbon) organizes Excel features into functional groups (File, Home, Insert, etc.).
- The Toolbars provide quick access to the most frequently used tools.
- Together, they make Excel user-friendly, fast, and efficient for performing tasks like data entry, formatting, and analysis.