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Best in Excel for Science Nerds

March 28, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

You admit it. You’re not a math nerd; you go more for the scientific look.

Here are some ideas to get you even more excited about the universe using Excel.

Study the solar system by creating a spreadsheet that allows for planet name, year length, climate, etc.
Make a timeline of astronaut flights to the moon. Take into consideration astronauts from other countries.
Keep track of statistics. Try these “Interactive Excel Spreadsheets” that include options in Radioactive decay, Temperature Scales, Blackbody Radiation and the Solar System at: http://academic.pgcc.edu/~ssinex/excelets/.
Graph your scientific data. See one here at: http://lamesq2000000.blogspot.com/2008/08/blog-post.html.
Plan out your next science project using a simple spreadsheet. What will need to be done, first, second, third—last? What days will you work on your project? What’s your budget, and how much money was spent? Keep track and include with your science project.
Produce a science weather log. Get ideas here: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/results.aspx?qu=logs.
Make a science minded word find or crossword puzzle.
Design a science game.
Get the low-down on Math and Science tables here: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT010253077.aspx.
Get the Climate Science add-ins from Excel, “Data Mining” and “Compatible Alternative” respectively.
Get the best Excel Graph Science Templates for Kids here: http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/terms/excel-graph-science-templates-for-kids/kids.html.
Try this great site for geosciences and the use of Excel. Get example activities for beginner and moderate spreadsheet users. http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/mathstatmodels/geo_excel.html.
Get terrific ideas on Excel and science from the World Conference on Educational Sciences 2009. The article entitled, “Using the Excel Spreadsheet in Teaching Science Subjects,” can be obtained as a PDF through sciencedirect.com.

And remember to keep on flying. The best ideas in Excel for those interested in Science may yet travel to the end of the universe…

Filed Under: Excel, Spreadsheet Tagged With: Climatology, Microsoft Excel, Spreadsheet

Get a Hold of your Household Budget with These 7 Tips

March 20, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

What can Excel do to help you with organizing and keeping track of your family finances? And for free no less?

Check out these ideas:

Try the “Personal Budget Spreadsheet for Excel.” Plan for the future; keep track of expenses, budget the entire year out, plan for emergencies. This easy to use template will assist you in keeping thing orderly and easily accessible.
Or budget monthly using the “Personal Monthly Budget.” Get the long and short of monthly in and out-go. The budget spreadsheet will print off on an individual page for easy use.
The “Household Budget Worksheet” assists you with the details. Because there are more budget categories, the user is able to add additional expenditures to the list such as “children,” and “vacation.”
The “Money Manager Template” keeps folks on their toes when it comes to creating a yearly budget, recording transactions for multiple accounts, balancing their checkbook, keeping track of monthly spending, and a new Year-to-Date option.
Try the “Yearly Budget Calculator”, a combination of the “Family Budget Planner” and the “Monthly Budget Spreadsheets.” Get all you need on one worksheet!
Use the “Home Budget Worksheet” to create a personal or family budget for the year. This worksheet is especially good for folks planning on making a huge change within the year, whether it is purchasing a home or changing jobs.
Learn “How to Make a Budget” or “How to Budget” here: http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelArticles/how-to-make-a-budget.html and here: http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelArticles/how-to-budget.html.

Creating a budget not only helps with maintaining your expenditures, it assists you in planning for the immediate and long-term future. Make it a point today to try one or more of these options.

Filed Under: Excel, Microsoft Tagged With: Microsoft Excel, Personal budget, Spreadsheet

Choosing the Best Excel Chart for your Next Project

March 16, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Image via Wikipedia

With multiple Excel chart choices currently being offered by Microsoft, you may think the choosing of the best chart for you next project, well, next to impossible.

It’s not.

Here are some hints to keep you from standing still:

Learn the tips & tricks. Find out how to make a chart from the free tutorial before you start.
Still nervous? Keep it simple. Bar charts are used frequently because they are easy to read as well as understand.
Consider the strengths and weaknesses of each graph choice. What will work best with the information you have? While bubble charts tend to be more visual and wisely explore the relationships between data, an area chart has many weaknesses you may not want to tackle: such as the difficulty in seeing the individual data point values.
Get some advice from the Excel Chart Advisor—a free plug-in for Windows 2007. Get the suggestions you need on layout based on the data you enter.
Make more than one chart using the data. See what chart shows off the information clearer and with more interest.
When your chart is finished, get some honest feedback from a co-worker or other friend. Just make sure you choose someone who can give it.

Like anything else, learning what chart goes with what data is often surrounded by a little trial and error. You may find that a particular chart doesn’t look as well on paper with the data you entered than you first figured. Don’t be afraid to work on multiple graph ideas to discover the best solution for your project.

Filed Under: Excel, Microsoft Tagged With: Bar chart, Microsoft, Microsoft Excel

Best Excel Forums

March 7, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

You’d like to get more involved in the Excel community; find out what the talk is about, orient yourself to the new ad-ins and downloads in Excel. Where do you go?

Forums are a great help and lots of fun, especially when you consider how easily they manifest themselves in your in-box and how connected you can feel with others with more knowledge and expertise than you have.

Here’s a great list of the best excel forums you might want to consider when jumping into an Excel community.

Joseph Rubin has a great list of Excel related forums here: http://www.excelforum.com/. Be a part of general Excel interests or narrow your interest to Excel programming, tips and tutorials or Excel 2008 help, plus many more—15 Excel groups to choose from. You can even go “Off Topic” by joining “The Water Cooler.”
“The Code Cage” offers free Microsoft Office help for every application. Learn about the forum before joining by perusing the Forum Help Videos, guidelines and rules. The Code Cage will assist you with worksheets, charting, programming and more. http://www.thecodecage.com/forumz/excel-forum/
“Excel Forum” gives you tips, training, and a community that enjoys Excel and knows more than a little something about it. Ask a question; get an answer quickly from an expert by narrowing your question and explaining what you have already attempted. http://www.excelforum.com/excel-worksheet-functions/
Have a business? Want to stay connected? Try” Excel Help Forums for Business.” A great list of 20 forums is offered here http://www.business-spreadsheets.com/forum.asp.

Choosing the best Excel forum for your tastes is important. Find one that caters to your needs as well as your level of understanding. Joining an Excel forum is somewhat like joining a group workshop. Don’t be afraid to try another if your first choice doesn’t work out.

Filed Under: Excel, Microsoft Tagged With: Internet forum, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office

Best Excel Blogs of 2011

February 23, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Keeping a blog current is especially important when it comes to Excel information. What’s new in the world of Excel? What help is out there? What should I try next?

If these questions are on your list, you’ve come to the right place. Check out these blogs!

Automate Excel, covers topics in automation software, Microsoft Excel training and even tackles Excel classes. Discover the best books, games, news, shortcuts and more when it comes to Excel. http://www.automateexcel.com/index.php
Code of Excel and Outlook Blog: Get the latest information on Excel and Outlook almost daily including ad-in changes. Stay updated on blogs by subscribing via RSS feed or Email. http://www.codeforexcelandoutlook.com/blog/
Klippert.com: Hundreds of entries with topics from calendars to worksheets. Get the grit here from Doug Klippert. http://www.klippert.com/
The Ken Pul’s Blog greets readers on many subjects, including Excel. Learn about charts, Macros, PowerPivot and more. Excel information posted a few times monthly. http://www.excelguru.ca/blog/category/excel/
Get converted to Codswallop. Christ Garrett and Yoav Ezer make up the team at Codswallop. Learn about Excel and other treats; discover some great Excel templates and tips that will assist you in creating personalized invitations. http://www.cogniview.com/convert-pdf-to-excel/
Daily Dose of Excel. Get all you ever wanted to know about Excel including the code! http://www.dicks-blog.com/
Excel Geek will take you to a football game—more or less. Get the stats here, and learn how to work through your own figures whether the stats involve football scores or pie charts. http://blog.excelgeek.com/
Get the latest Excel spreadsheet news at, you guessed it, Excel News. Follow links to add-ins, formulas, templates, tutorials and other Excel information. http://excel-news.blogspot.com/
Methods in Excel, helps you with code, DNA and other functions. http://www.blog.methodsinexcel.co.uk/

Though blogs are written by experts as well as people merely interested in Excel, something happens when you learn something new and apply it. All at once you have something new to share with someone else.

Filed Under: Excel, Microsoft Tagged With: Microsoft Excel, PowerPivot, Spreadsheet

Best free Excel Downloads & Ad-ins

February 10, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Do you want to add some fun to your spreadsheet, get the latest add-ins, the most helpful downloads available? If so, what is out there and where can you get it for free?

Arixcel Ltd. A personal accounting ad-in, Arixcel offers users personal finance capabilities. Import bank statements, allocate expenses, forecast budgets.
Cells Assistant. Get help in editing cells, from formulas to values with this great add-in.
Duplicate Remover. Find duplicate spreadsheets easily in Excel worksheet—up to 1 million rows.
EasyEx. Manage vacation time for your employees; know at a glance how many days they have in absent-time.
Excel 1.4. Get a spreadsheet that can help you get a handle on shift schedules of up to 25 people. Vacation planner and a scheduling bar graph are included.
Get an Excel Makeover in less than 5 minutes by using various and distinctive templates. Check microsoft.com for details.
Excel Utilities. Get frequently used features in one terrific ad-on. One click will access you to frequently used features such as Paste Special, Conditional Formatting, and others.
Merge Table Wizard. Merge tables and find matching data among other pursuits. Keep only the spreadsheets you really need.
PhraseExpress. Corrects your typos as you type and organizes questions for easy retrieval that are frequently used within a document; I.e., famous quotes, common phrases, salutations and abbreviations.
Both PowerPivet for Excel and Windows Azure Marketplace DataMarket are great ad-ins for business professionals.
Timesheet 1.2. For professionals interested in spending less time on administration and getting a handle on product accuracy and budget control. No data entry needed. Reports are exported to Excel.

Fortunately, free downloads and ad-ins are as prolific on the Internet as your next lunch. For the most part, all it takes is a moment of searching online to get the freebies you need and want, whether your interest is for business, for home, or a combination of both options. Where will you begin?

Filed Under: Excel, Internet Tagged With: Bank statement, Excel, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Windows, Spreadsheet, Wizard (software)

Creative Ways to use Excel

February 9, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Image via Wikipedia

Okay, so you may know the basics about Excel; how to use spreadsheets, how to calculate your budget, how to make a list of potential clients with phone numbers and addresses.

What you do not know comes in the way of creation and less on the technical side of counting it all up. And what is out there may surprise you.

Here’s a list to get you going:

Make a “story web” to help organize your thoughts for your next school paper or business project.
Create a quiz. A great step-by-step instruction list can be found here: http://www.ehow.com/how_2257544_create-quiz-excel.html.
Use Smart Art. Make a family tree. Genealogy or family history is all the rage now and encourages family members of all ages to search out their ancestors.
Draw freehand. Choose “scribble” or “curve” from a list of choices. Use your freehand drawing in a power point presentation or slide show.
Import pictures from two sources, either from Clipart Gallery or from Pictures. Use these photos to create your own poster gallery or for use on presentation day.
Create a review came for your class with the Classroom Jeopardy Template. Content can be changed within the template to suit the subject matter.
Create a crossword puzzle. Use it for classroom study or for family fun or learning time. When the last time you found a puzzle that had you find all the reasons to keep a room clean, or what steps are included in the cleaning process, for example?
Synthesize some music. Notes are plotted on a spreadsheet and an instrument is chosen. Hours of fun and learning!
Play Battleship or Stones of Power. Excel offers about 15 games to choose from. Get a list of them here: http://www.clickonf5.org/freebies/14-cool-games-play-microsoft-excel/6251.
Calculate your driving time and distance. Watch this YouTube video to learn how: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPbR92aMB-8.
Learning more about zip codes. Track your customers, find zip codes within a particular radius, and profile your customers using demographic data.

When it comes to being creative in Excel, the options are endless. The biggest problem? Knowing what to try first!

Filed Under: Excel, Microsoft Tagged With: Crossword, Learning curve, Microsoft Excel, Spreadsheet, Telephone number

Learning Excel—Getting Past the Fear

February 8, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

You’re trying to learn Excel but, so far, it’s outrunning you. How do you begin to understand all the formulas? How and when do you input what? When will you get to the fun stuff?

Numbers, and the terrible addition of formulas, has some of us who are less math conscious running around in circles. We don’t learn the stuff because we can’t get past the numbers. And because everything, or so it seems, is written numerically, we can’t learn the stuff.

But what if things were made simple, almost as easy as eating say, your next Hostess Twinkie?

Here’s some help:

See yourself working through your first Excel sheet with no difficulty. Keep this in mind as you work through the process of learning.
Get over the “I can’t do math” thoughts. Think positive.
Use the tutorials provided by Excel rather than thinking you can learn on your own through trial and error. Tutorials help you maneuver through trial and error. Or get some from your neighbor or best friend. See if they can spend a few hours tutoring you.
Monitor your progress. Take yourself out for a treat when certain hurdles are reached; eat that Twinkie.
In every program there are learning cycles in which a new concept, understood, builds upon another. Learn one skill before tackling the more difficult one.
How do you learn? Knowing if you are a visual, verbal or kinesthetic learner will assist you deciding upon the best option or combination of options.
Manage your time. Don’t spend the entire day on the computer learning Excel; you will be burned out before you know it.
If you don’t know something, ask. Remember when you were in elementary school and were afraid to raise your hand because you thought you’d ask a stupid question? No more of that. Ask.

Understanding anything comes easier with practice, so don’t be afraid to practice until you get it right. The fun stuff can actually be experienced NOW, during your journey, if you remember the helps above.

Filed Under: Excel, Internet Tagged With: Elementary school, Microsoft Excel, Spreadsheet, Trial and error, Understanding

Use Excel for your Next Business Meeting

February 1, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Business meetings may be all the rage—isn’t everyone having them? Problem is, not many folks like them, though they feel the need to attend them.

Here’s how to make your next meeting interesting, fun and successful using Excel.

Rather than becoming a talking head of numbers, do a quick go over of your seasonal sales using an Excel spreadsheet. Make sure you add Sources and Uses information to the spreadsheet making the presentation more interesting to your employees.
When talking inventory, go over the inventory management sheet. Visuals help others to understand and retain pertinent job information.
Pass out a calendar at the meeting using excel calendar. A great step by step tutorial on creating a calendar without using MACROs can be found here: http://www.advanced-excel.com/excel_calendar.html.
Use Excel Pivot Table to show off stock movement. View it by day, month or year.
Put together a survey through Excel that offers your employees an opportunity to express their concerns and ideas without necessarily having to have to put their name on paper.
Change or modify your spreadsheet, personalizing it for your specific needs and employee interests.
Instead of showing pertinent numbers previously calculated within your power point presentation, calculate important numbers during the meeting. This has a dramatic effect on listeners, and lets them know that you haven’t modified any of the numbers.
Make charts using Excel formulas. Logicalexpressions.com has some step-by-step instructions.
Try the interactive map. “Interactive map” means, in this case, “interactive image,” and should not be confused with an actual map. Paste pictures, drawings, and graphics, add text, and keep the crowd interested.
Build a game. Use the game as the half-way point or use it to explain the newest trends in your business. A great example can be found here, http://www.exceleverest.com/blog/category/Strange-Uses-of-Excel.aspx plus other “wacky” projects you can put together using Excel.

Excel truly extends beyond spread sheets and it’s nice to know that you’re no longer limited—and that’s great when you can get almost everything you need for your next business presentation from one key source.

Filed Under: Excel, Internet Tagged With: Attention, Employment, Inventory, Meeting, Microsoft Excel, Spreadsheet