What is the first step when working with data in Excel?

The first step when working with data in Excel is to ensure that the entire data set is recognized by Excel. This is crucial because if Excel does not properly recognize the data, it cannot perform any analysis or manipulations accurately. Ensuring that the entire data set is imported correctly allows users to assess the completeness and integrity of the data, which sets a solid foundation for further analysis.

Once the data is recognized, analysts can then begin to explore, clean, and manipulate it to extract meaningful insights. This step encompasses checking for errors, ensuring no data is truncated, and verifying that all relevant data is accessible for analysis. Recognizing the data correctly also facilitates the appropriate use of Excel’s functions and tools, which can only be effectively employed when the data is fully intact and properly formatted.