1.1 Glossary
This document uses the following terms:
active cell: The cell that is currently selected in a worksheet.
active sheet: The sheet that is currently selected.
adjacent cell: A cell that is in the same row as and adjoins the current cell in a worksheet.
ascending order: A sort order in which text strings are arranged in alphabetical order, numerical values are arranged from smallest to largest, and dates and times are arranged from oldest to newest.
attribute: An identifier for a single or multivalued data element that is associated with a directory object. An object consists of its attributes and their values. For example, cn (common name), street (street address), and mail (email addresses) can all be attributes of a user object. An attribute's schema, including the syntax of its values, is defined in an attributeSchema object.
AutoFilter: A mechanism that can be used to filter tabular data based on user-defined criteria such as values, strings, and formatting.
AutoFilter item: A value that is used to populate an AutoFilter.
border: A line that can be applied to the outer edge of a cell, shape, object, or chart element. A border can be variously formatted for style, color, and thickness.
border formatting: A set of properties that, as a whole, specify the appearance of a border, such as color, line style, and thickness.
border style: See border formatting.
border thickness: A property of a border that specifies how thick a border line is drawn.
bottom N filter: A filter that matches the smallest numerical values or oldest time and date values in a specified range.
bottom N filter by count: A type of bottom N filter that matches the N smallest numerical values or the N oldest time and date values.
bottom N filter by percent: A type of bottom N filter that matches the N percent smallest numerical values or the N percent oldest time and date values.
caption: One or more characters that can be used as a label for display purposes or as an identifier.
cell: A box that is formed by the intersection of a row and a column (2) in a worksheet or a table. A cell can contain numbers, strings, and formulas, and various formats can be applied to that data.
cell contents: The data inside a cell, such as text, values, formulas, and cell error values.
cell formatting: The set of properties that, as a whole, specify the appearance of a cell, such as font characteristics and fill color.
cell value: The text or numeric content of a cell, or the results of a formula. A cell value does not include a formula expression, cell formatting, or other metadata.
chart sheet: A single logical container that is used to create and store charts in a workbook.
color stop: A color at a specific position in a color gradient.
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(2) A single set of data that is displayed vertically in a worksheet or a table.
column chart: A chart that displays data in vertical bars to facilitate data comparison.
column field: A field that is contained in the PivotTable area where the column (2) values are shown.
comment: An annotation that is associated with a cell, text, or other object to provide context-specific information or reviewer feedback.
compact axis: A state in which PivotTable members from different levels in a hierarchy are displayed in a single column (2).
conditional formatting: A mechanism that changes the appearance of a user interface element based on the evaluation of a rule or expression.
connection: A link that two physical machines or applications share to pass data back and forth.
custom filter: A filter that contains preconfigured expressions in which users can optionally enter a string to filter data.
data bar: A graphical representation of cell content as a bar graph.
data exploration: The act of navigating through multidimensional data to see values in the next level down or in the preceding level.
default font face color: The font face color that is applied to a cell if no font face color is specified.
default sheet tab color: The color that is used for a worksheet tab if no color is specified.
descending order: A sort order in which text strings are arranged in reverse alphabetical order, numerical values are arranged from largest to smallest, and dates and times are arranged from newest to oldest.
drill indicator: A symbol that indicates whether a PivotTable member can be expanded or collapsed.
external data: Data that is stored in a repository outside a workbook.
field: An element or attribute in a data source that can contain data.
fill color: A color that is used to fill the background of a cell, shape, or chart element.
filter: A mechanism by which a set of data is scoped to display only those entries that meet specified logical criteria.
filtering control: A user interface element that contains the filter functions of a PivotTable report.
flow: The direction in which text in a cell is rendered.
font: An object that defines the graphic design, or formatting, of a collection of numbers, symbols, and letters. A font specifies the style (such as bold and strikeout), size, family (a typeface such as Times New Roman), and other qualities to describe how the collection is drawn.
font face color: A property of a cell that specifies the color that is used to render a font.
font face decoration: Any of the set of font properties that specify how to render a font, such as italics and underline.
font face weight: A value that specifies the thickness of a font.
gradient fill: A type of fill that applies gradient formatting to the background of a cell or an object.
gridline: A line that is drawn on a worksheet or table for use as a visual aid to distinguish between cells.
group: A process of combining similar elements into a set in accordance with logical criteria. It is frequently used to combine sets of data from Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) databases or PivotTable reports.
header: A line, or lines, of content in the top margin area of a page in a document or a slide in a presentation. A header typically contains elements such as the title of the chapter, the title of the document, a page number, or the name of the author.
hidden: A condition of an object that prevents it from being displayed in rendered output.
hidden column: A column (2) that does not appear in a worksheet view because its width is set to 0 (zero). A column can be hidden if an outline is collapsed.
hidden row: A row that does not appear in a worksheet view because its height is set to "0" (zero). A row can be hidden if the data is filtered or an outline is collapsed.
horizontal alignment: A formatting setting that specifies how content is positioned within the horizontal space of a cell, object, or page. Content can be aligned along the left or right edge, or distributed evenly across the horizontal space.
horizontal indent: An indent that is used in a cell to adjust cell content horizontally.
horizontal text: Text that is rendered horizontally in a cell.
hyperlink: A relationship between two anchors, as described in [RFC1866].
icon: A graphical image used to supplement alphanumeric text in the visual identification of an object on a computer monitor. Icons are typically small, relative to the size of the area on which they are displayed.
interactive report: A visualization that has a presentation mode that provides sort, filter, and pivot capabilities for displaying different views of the data. The underlying data can be stored either in the workbook or in an external data source.
key performance indicator (KPI): A predefined measure that is used to track performance against a strategic goal, objective, plan, initiative, or business process. A visual cue is frequently used to communicate performance against the measure.
left-to-right: A reading order in which characters in words are read from left to right, and words are read from left to right in sentences.
line chart: A type of chart in which data points in a series are connected by a line.
manual filter: A filter that lets users select a set of individual data items or dimension hierarchies by using a user interface that displays levels from the hierarchies.
merged range: A range that contains one or more merged cells.
named object: A list, PivotTable report, chart, or range that can be referenced by name. A sheet is not a type of named object.
named object view: A mode in which only named objects are rendered.
native PivotTable: A PivotTable report that is populated with data from a worksheet in the same workbook.
number format: A property of a cell or other type of object that determines how numerical data is displayed or interpreted. For example, a currency number format affixes the proper currency symbol to the number.
Office Web Extension: See Office Add-in.
Online Analytical Processing (OLAP): A technology that uses multidimensional structures to provide access to data for analysis. The source data for OLAP is stored in data warehouses in a relational database. See also cube.
outline: A nested grouping of rows or columns (2) that are in a worksheet.
outline level: The number of levels that a task is indented from the top level of an outline; the order associated with an outline.
page field parameter: A PivotTable page field that is also a workbook parameter.
pattern color: The color of the background pattern that is specified for a cell.
pattern fill: A state of a cell in which a background pattern is specified.
pattern mask: Any of the set of patterns that specify a design for the background of a cell.
patterned overlay mask: See pattern mask.
phonetic information: A series of characters that appear above text in a cell and provide information that helps users pronounce the text.
PivotChart report: A chart that uses a PivotCache for source data and inherits filtering and sorting functionality from a PivotTable report.
PivotTable: An interactive table that summarizes large amounts of data from various sources by using format and calculation methods. Row and column headings can be rotated to view different summaries of the source data, filter the data, or display detail data for specific areas.
PivotTable page field: A filter in a PivotTable report that applies to all of the data in the report, including any hierarchies.
pixel: A discrete unit of display on a computer display device.
point: A unit of measurement for fonts and spacing. A point is equal to 1/72 of an inch.
published: A condition of portions of a workbook that are marked as being available to the user when that workbook is processed by a protocol server.
published sheet: A sheet that is published.
range: An addressable region that is in a workbook. A range typically consists of zero or more cells and represents a single, contiguous rectangle of cells on a single sheet.
reading order: The positioning of characters in words and the positioning of words in sentences. This can be left-to-right or right-to-left.
reference: A means by which cells, objects, and chart elements can be referenced in a formula.
rich text: Text that is formatted in the Rich Text Format, as described in [MSFT-RTF].
right-to-left: A reading and display order that is optimized for right-to-left languages.
row: A single set of data that is displayed horizontally in a worksheet or a table.
row field: A PivotTable field that is contained in the PivotTable area where row values are shown.
scatter chart: A chart that displays values on both the x and y axes to represent two variables as a single data point.
sheet: A part of an Excel workbook. There are four types of sheets: worksheet, macro sheet, dialog sheet, and chart sheet. Multiple sheets are stored together within a workbook.
sheet tab: A control that is used to select a sheet.
shrink to fit: The process of adjusting the font size of text in a cell to fit the current height and width of the cell.
slicer: A mechanism that is used to filter data in one or more PivotTable reports or cube functions.
sort: A process that arranges cells in ascending or descending order, based on cell content.
sort order: A specific arrangement of cells that is based on cell content. The order can be ascending or descending.
sparkline: A miniature chart that can be inserted into text or embedded in a cell on a worksheet to illustrate highs, lows, and trends in data.
stock chart: A custom chart type that is designed to display stock market data on multiple series; for example, high, low, close, and volume.
style: A set of formatting options that is applied to text, tables, charts, and other objects in a document.
summary: The orientation of outline expand and outline collapse symbols in relation to the data that is outlined.
surface chart: A chart that shows a three-dimensional surface that connects a set of data points. It can be used to determine the optimum combination between two sets of data.
table: A list that is defined in a workbook.
top N filter: A filter that matches the top or bottom N items or N% of items in a specified column (2).
top N filter by count: A type of top N filter that matches the N largest numerical values or the N newest time and date values.
top N filter by percent: A type of top N filter that matches the N percent largest numerical values or the N percent newest time and date values.
Uniform Resource Locator (URL): A string of characters in a standardized format that identifies a document or resource on the World Wide Web. The format is as specified in [RFC1738].
vertical alignment: A formatting setting that specifies how content is positioned within the vertical space of a cell, object, or page. Content can be aligned along the top or bottom edge, or distributed evenly across the vertical space.
vertical indent: An indent that is used in a cell to adjust cell content vertically.
vertical text: Text that is rendered vertically in a cell.
visible: A condition of an object that allows it to be displayed in rendered output.
workbook: A container for a collection of sheets.
workbook parameter: A single cell that is designated to receive input from users.
worksheet: A single logical container for a set of tabular data and other objects in a workbook.
worksheet header: The row and column headings of a worksheet.
worksheet image: A chart image that is embedded in a worksheet or chart sheet.
XML: The Extensible Markup Language, as described in [XML1.0].
XML attribute: A name/value pair, separated by an equal sign (=) and included in a tagged element, that modifies features of an element. All XML attribute values are stored as strings enclosed in quotation marks.
XML element: An XML structure that typically consists of a start tag, an end tag, and the information between those tags. Elements can have attributes and can contain other elements.
XML schema definition (XSD): The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standard language that is used in defining XML schemas. Schemas are useful for enforcing structure and constraining the types of data that can be used validly within other XML documents. XML schema definition refers to the fully specified and currently recommended standard for use in authoring XML schemas.
z-order: The rendering order of an object on a z axis.
MAY, SHOULD, MUST, SHOULD NOT, MUST NOT: These terms (in all caps) are used as defined in [RFC2119]. All statements of optional behavior use either MAY, SHOULD, or SHOULD NOT.