Parts of the worksheet
A worksheet, which is displayed in the data pane, organizes your data into columns and rows. A worksheet can also store constants, matrices, and design objects used in DOE procedures.
You can have multiple worksheets in one project, but only one worksheet is active at a time. The active worksheet is the one that is currently displayed in the data pane. When multiple worksheets are open, commands affect only the data in the active worksheet.
Tip
To see the worksheets that are associated with specific
output, from the
Navigator,
click
and choose
Group Commands by Worksheet.
| C1-T | C2-D | C3 | C4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physician | Appointment | Wait Time | Total Time | |
| 1 | Jones | 1/5 15:00 | 28 | 43 |
| 2 | Mayer | 1/5 15:00 | 37 | 57 |
| 3 | Crandall | 1/5 15:00 | 22 | 34 |
| 4 | Moran | 1/6 8:00 | 15 | 29 |
| 5 | Jones | 1/6 8:00 | 3 | 20 |
| 6 | Mayer | 1/6 8:30 | 10 | 32 |
The following table describes some of the features of a worksheet:
| Icon/Letter | Description |
|---|---|
|
The direction the cursor will move when you press Enter. |
|
A description is associated with the column. |
| C3-D | "D" indicates a date/time column. |
| C4 | Numeric column. Numeric characters include the missing value symbol (*), positive and negative signs (+ and -), decimal separators, exponential (scientific) notation (E), currency symbols, or the percentage sign (%). |
| C5-T | "T" indicates a text column. |
|
A formula is assigned to the column. |
- Columns
-
Each column contains the data for one variable. Each column has a unique number that starts with a C (C1, C2, and so on). These column numbers are displayed at the top of each column in the worksheet. To give a column a descriptive name, type the name in the shaded cell under the column number. To add a description to a column, select the column, then right-click and choose . In the web app, select the column, then right-click and choose Column Description.
- Constants
-
Constants are single numbers or text values that you can define and use in formulas and calculations. For example, you can define historical parameters for probability distributions. Using stored constants instead of individual values can save data-entry time and add flexibility to macros.
Stored constants are saved with the worksheet, but they are not displayed with the worksheet. To view stored constants, choose .
All stored constants have a unique number that starts with a K (K1, K2, and so on). You also can name stored constants.
For information on storing and working with constants, go to Work with worksheets and click "Define stored constants".
- Matrices
-
Matrices are rectangular blocks of numbers on which mathematical operations can be conducted. Matrices are often described by their dimensions. For example, the following is a 3 x 4 (row x column) matrix.
14 22 23 44 15 36 27 38 19 16 31 42Matrices can be used in equations. In Minitab, you can store matrices with a worksheet and use stored matrices in some commands. Minitab can also store output in matrices for some statistical analyses (for example, the design matrix for regression, GLM, and DOE procedures). All stored matrices have a unique number that starts with an M (M1, M2, and so on). You can also name matrices.
Stored matrices are saved with the worksheet, but are not displayed with the worksheet. To view stored matrices, choose .
For information on storing and working with matrices, go to Overview for Matrices.
How much data can a worksheet contain?
Each worksheet can contain up to 4000 columns. The number of rows you can have in a worksheet depends on your computer's memory. Minitab does not limit the number of worksheets you can have in a project file. The maximum number of worksheets depends on your computer's memory.
