A collection of experiences experiments on EXCEL as a productivity tool for many purposes, based on 13 + years of using Microsoft EXCEL

1. Office Tips and Tricks Excel 2003

3. Advanced graph objects 1. Right click on data seried in chart and chose Format data series 2. In the Dialog box chose Fill Effects 3. Chose Picture Tab, and select appropriate pic from system, user could use bing or google image search to get appropriate pictures and a tool like paint.net to edit and create effects. Also the pic can be formated to stretec, stack or stack to scale as shown below Graphs / charts can be embellished with objects and pictures to sell the message to the audience e.g. pie charts can have the images of objects or entities that each section represents

4. Combined graphs 1. Before creating a combo chart the user should visualize the end outcome of the chart and decide to create required amount of data that will support the chart, so a waterfall chart may need Graphs / charts can be embellished with objects and pictures to sell the message to the audience e.g. pie charts can have the images of objects or entities that each section represents 2. User Creates a chart of a single type with all req data. And then uses chart type option for each data series to change the to relevant chart type 3. User then formats the charts to create the required effect http:// www.processtrends.com/TOC_Excel_charts.htm http://www.prodomosua.eu/ppage02.html Check out these links

5. Chart types to experiment on Fill below line Fill between lines Line graph with step function Waterfall charts

6. Can we have arrows? Or any other sign? Very much possible based on the image one chooses to use as background fill effect

8. Formula Auditing Useful while trying to understand and use large functions within EXCEL and also for de-bugging 1. Formula auditing is available in the Review toolbar in EXCEL2003 and on the ribbon in EXCEL 2007. this helps understanding large complex formulas for the beginner and debugging such formulas for all discerning users… 2. The dialog box displays the formula and progressively calculates step by step and displays results as the user click “evaluate” or types ALT+E, step in could be used when formulas are complex and have embedded functions which need to be further explored.

9. Data Validation Useful while creating forms and controlLed data entry. Has three features, linked data, entry message and error message 1. Change a fields data input validation by accessing the dialog from data / validation. Different types of validation are possible as shown in DD. Feel free to explore 2. Enter the validation criteria which is different for each type. For the List [DD] enter the range reference, NRange or formula as you choose to 3. Enter a input msg that will guide the user while making data input 4. Also additionall user could add a error alert that can either stop, warn or inform the user while making the error

13. Data Text to columns & [import Data] Test to columns is useful while importing data from other sources like text files where the data is not clearly demarcated. The same menu also pops while doing data import from text files. It provides user to parse and break text to then generate a proper table. The parsing is based on a de-limiter char or fixed char lengths 1. Chose Text to columns from data menu as shown above 2. In open dialog chose either delimited or fixed length based on the characteristic of the data 3. Chose the delimiter char and also define how text is defined in the data set. 4. Finally define the column data types, for this, all identified columns would be displayed in the lower window and user can select each column and define data type.

14. Table – Scenario Analysis Test to columns is useful while importing data from other sources like text files where the data is not clearly demarcated. The same menu also pops while doing data import from text files. It provides user to parse and break text to then generate a proper table. The parsing is based on a de-limiter char or fixed char lengths 1. User has a complex calculation created based on multiple input params like say, EMI for a home loan as shown above.. 2. Create a list of rows and columns of data based on the input fields [2] for which scenarios need to be generated. In this case, time is ranged from 120- 240 mo and interest from 1% - 14%.. 3. Use Data menu – data table and in dialog enter for column valeus the linked input cell and for rows the same.. Also make sure that output cell is linked to the first cell in the table. This then generates all scenarios for these 2 fields for the given range of options

18. Excel 2003 Advanced Formulas and other stuff..

35. Interesting stuff in EXCEL Right extend any series to get this menu Shift + Alt enter [Mouse-enter] – gives the paste picture link Drag and Drop the Camera into the menu to get the same effest as paste link as picture http://chandoo.org/wp/2008/11/05/select-show-one-chart-from-many/