Tag Archives: Excel – How to?

Excel Charts 2010 – a beginner’s guide to creating a pie chart without pain…

I’m new to the charting side of things…I’m used to staring at numbers on worksheets and trying to figure out what it all means…and admiring those around me who use charts…so mysterious…so professional looking…so much nicer than my rows of figures.

Charts make it so much easier to spot trends and analyse data – and I felt that the time had come to take a bite of that pie.  The idea of adding a chart filled me with a sense of dread…so I decided to  experiment with some basic charting to prove that it was possible to do, and all without the aid of several cups of coffee and a pep talk.

So here’s what I did.  As a simple example, I decided to look at how a pie chart could represent the cost of items in a range of categories for a (fictional) home office.

data-to-make-simple-chart-for-excel

Basic data for creating a small home office

I can show this data in a more visual way using a chart.  I can access charting options via the Insert ribbon. The first step is to decide on  the kind of chart I want, so I’m opting for a pie chart to make it easier to compare the proportional costs involved.

So, I select the data above and then go to the Insert ribbon, and click on the Pie Chart icon.   Because I’m feeling particularly brave, I’ve opted for the 3D pie chart…and it looks like this….

example-of-3d-piechart-cost-comparison-excel-training-intro-level

Here is my first attempt at using a 3D pie chart to show the costs involved in creating a home office.

It is a basic example, but it proved to me how easy it was to insert a chart – it took less than a minute to do.  Now…what can I chart next…

 

 

 

The Joy of Excel 2010 Templates

I love time-saving tips and templates are a great way of setting up new worksheets without the hard work of formatting, setting up formulas and trying to make things look good.  What I really want to do, is on get on with “the important stuff” of entering the data quickly, so that I can analyse the results and get the positive work outcomes I need.

Today’s mission, was to set up a basic time sheet for the different projects I am working on, and logging the time I spend on each one, so I can report back to each “client” on what I’ve done and how long it has taken.  I can then use this data to generate invoices, or project costings for example.

In Excel 2010, I selected File, New – and I am given a smorgasbord of options…this is where I can look through suggested ready-made templates.

Excel 2010 Templates selection

Screen shot of templates available in Excel 2010.

I chose “Time Sheets”, which gave me four options – from which I chose “Daily Time Sheet”, and downloaded it to my computer. It looks like this:

Template for WorkSheet, ready for editing

The template ready for editing to my requirements

I then edited the sheet to show the titles and information I want to include and saved it.  Now I can easily add my client’s details, add a scheduled time for work and log what work was completed, for which client.  So now it looks like this:

Excel training templates 2010 to save time

My edited version of the timesheet so that the fields reflect what I need.

No messing with formulas, formatting or fuss…Job done!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excel Courses – Change the Colour of the Tabs in an Excel 2010 Worksheet

Here’s a brief tip on how to instantly brighten up your Excel spreadsheet with very little effort.

By changing the colours of the tabs, your Excel Worksheet will change from being dull and boring to exciting and colourful! It will also help in organization, being particularly useful when organizing all your Excel Worksheets relating to a paricular period or year, for example.

Click the Cells group in the Home tab, open Format options and then select a colour of your choice from the pop up menu which appears.

 

Another and probably even quicker way of doing this is:

Right click a tab

Select Tab Colour

And choose your favourite colour!


Excel Courses – View two Excel 2010 Workbooks at the same time

Here’s how to view two Excel 2010 workbooks at the same time, side by side, a very useful tip when you want to compare data without having to go back and forth!

1) Open both Excel workbooks

2) Select Window then select Compare Side by Side with (Spreadsheet 2)

 

3) When you have finished, select Window again and click Close Side by Side