Whether you enter text or a number into a cell, you can specify how you want the cell contents to appear. You can format a single cell or range of cells in the same way.
Most formatting options are available through the "Format" dialog box and some can also be implemented using the Format toolbar.
Access the "Format" dialog box by selecting Cells from the Format menu (alternatively, right-click and select Format Cells from the drop-down menu).
The Format box contains six main sections, all of which have their own page. These can be accessed by clicking on the appropriate tab along the top of the box. In addition, there is a button at the bottom right of the box that gives you access to the Styles page for designing, naming and saving format combinations.
The formatting options available through the "Format" dialog box are:
Number (see Formatting a number)
Alignment (see Cell alignment)
Font, font style, size and color (see Cell font and style)
Borders (see Adding Borders)
Background colors (see Selecting the background color)
Locking and hiding cells (see Locking and hiding cells)
Styles: formats saved for future use (see Styles)
Some of the above can also be implemented through the Format toolbar. For instance, if you are formatting numbers, take a look at the formats you can apply by just clicking a button on the toolbar (see Formatting numbers using the toolbar.)
Note: When you format a cell and then copy it, the formatting is also copied and is therefore pasted to a new cell.