I mentioned in my last entry that I strive to use the KISS method – Keep It Short and Simple – whether I’m creating a single, short spreadsheet or designing a complex workbook containing a series of large, related spreadsheets. Here’s the second of two recommendations I have for designing spreadsheets in Excel:
When recording amounts, I (generally) record those amounts in a single column. For example, if I’m responsible for keeping track of the cash received for the “Fun Day”, I’ll design my spreadsheet with four columns: Activity, Start Time, Stop Time, and Amount. By designing the spreadsheet in this way, I can use Excel’s powerful summarization and reporting features.
Click here to open an Excel 2007 file (zipped, no macros) that contains a design I do recommend. Click here to open an Excel 2007 file (zipped, no macros) that contains a design I do not recommend.
