Today you will

• learn six words for the parts of a spreadsheet
• see that a column is a field and a row is a record
• write a page with an example of each word from your own sheets

• A character is one letter, digit or symbol, like €.
• A field is a column. Every cell in it holds the same kind of fact.
• A record is a full row about one thing, like one product.
• A file is the whole saved workbook, like {{code:sm3_vat_calc}}.
• A data type is the kind of value in a cell, like text, number or date.
• A key field is a column where no value repeats, like Order ID.

In a database, a key field is called a primary key.

As a class, you will match six bits of real spreadsheets to the six words you just learned.

Common snags

• If you mix up field and record, remember that a field is a column and a record is a row.
• If you called a sheet tab the file, remember that the file is the whole saved workbook. A sheet is one page inside it.
• If you picked a name column as your key field, pick another, because names can repeat. Use a unique code like Order ID.