Spreadsheet Roundup 20150408
Here is a roundup of selected spreadsheet articles that I’ve read in the past month. You’ll find interesting tips, useful sample files, and new ideas for your own spreadsheets.
If you have suggestions for next month’s roundup, please let me know. Thanks!
1. Progress Bar
On the Teacher Tech blog, Alice Keeler shows how to create a progress bar in Google Sheets. She uses the Minecraft Challenge for her example.
2. Clustered Column Chart Alternatives
If you’re tired of seeing clustered column charts, especially the 3-D kind, you’ll get 6 new ideas from Ann K. Emery. She helped a colleague overhaul a chart, and wants to know which alternative you like the best.
3. Spreadsheets in Education
In the Spreadsheets in Education journal, you can read a variety of interesting articles, including “Divination: Using Excel to explore Ethnomathematics” (Vol. 8, Issue 1). Some of the articles have workbooks that you can download.
4. 7 Ways to Count
There are many functions for counting in Excel. I covered 7 ways to count in Excel, with function tips and tricks.
5. New DAX formulas
Chris Webb shows how to use CONCATENATEX – one of the new DAX functions that you can use with Power Pivot in Excel 2016. If you sold apples to three customers, it will show all the names, separated by commas – Fred, Chris, Joe.
6. Best Excel forums
Which Excel forums do you use, when you need help? Jeff Weir looks at some favourites, and the comments have great suggestions too. I still miss the old Microsoft newsgroups.
7. Pareto Chart to Track Habits
Matthew Eaton uses a simple table, and a Pareto chart, to track his personal habits, and calculate his success rate.
8. Spreadsheet Bully
Is your budget spreadsheet a bully? Kathleen Elkins, at Business Insider, found a way to conquer hers, and find a bit of happiness.
9. Visualize Data Without Excel
On LifeHacker, Rick Delgado shows 7 ways to visualize data without Excel. How many of them really are “a better way”?
10. Pick a School
You might have seen college selection spreadsheets before, but Scott Gaul used a spreadsheet, and his data analysis skills, to select a kindergarten for his daughter.
________________
