{"id":921,"date":"2021-08-31T00:01:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-31T04:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spreadsheet-day.com\/blog\/?p=921"},"modified":"2022-07-05T11:34:27","modified_gmt":"2022-07-05T15:34:27","slug":"spreadsheet-roundup-2021-08-31","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spreadsheet-day.com\/blog\/2021\/08\/31\/spreadsheet-roundup-2021-08-31\/","title":{"rendered":"Spreadsheet Roundup 2021-08-31"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"d942c2121bfbd137a3b44056a000f09c\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:10px 0 10px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- Responsive Top -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9531091850463532\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"6574318169\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p>Here is a Summer 2021 roundup of spreadsheet articles that I\u2019ve read recently. You\u2019ll find interesting tips, and new ideas for your own spreadsheets.<\/p>\n<p>For Excel tips and tutorials, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.contextures.com\/tiptech.html\">visit my Contextures website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h3>Data and Charts<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Database<\/strong>: Simon Hurst explains how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.icaew.com\/technical\/technology\/excel\/excel-community\/excel-community-articles\/2021\/spreadsheet-knowledge-base-launches\">the IEACW\u2019s new Spreadsheet Knowledge Base<\/a> was built, using Excel and Power BI.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Data Analysis<\/strong>: If you love spreadsheets and Orcas, take a look at the <a href=\"https:\/\/education.microsoft.com\/en-us\/resource\/c4d1600b\">resource material on Microsoft&#8217;s Day of Data: Orcas page<\/a>. The 2 lessons are designed for 11-14 year old students, but you&#8217;ll find some interesting ideas and techniques in them too.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Charts<\/strong>: On his Junk Charts blog, Kaiser Fung shows <a href=\"https:\/\/junkcharts.typepad.com\/junk_charts\/2021\/02\/same-data-same-chart-form-same-story-maybe.html\">how two charts can show a different story<\/a>, with the same data and chart type. Click this <a href=\"https:\/\/junkcharts.typepad.com\/junk_charts\/junk-charts-trifecta-checkup-the-definitive-guide.html\">link to learn more about the chart trifecta<\/a> that he mentions.<\/p>\n<h3>Future of Spreadsheets<\/h3>\n<p>Google Functions: Google Sheets is getting a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/2021\/8\/26\/22642192\/google-sheets-intelligent-formula-functions-spreadsheet-context-aware-math\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">new feature \u2013 auto-suggest for formulas and functions<\/a>, based on your sheet&#8217;s data. So far, I&#8217;ve only seen it suggest SUM and AVERAGE, if I type an equal sign in the cell below a column of numbers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Excel Plans:<\/strong> On the Forward Thinking CFO podcast, Brian Jones (Head of Product, Excel) discusses Microsoft\u2019s strategy for Excel. There are 2 episodes \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.numeritas.co.uk\/resources\/the-forward-thinking-cfo-episode-8-brian-jones-microsoft-excel\/\">Part 1<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.numeritas.co.uk\/resources\/the-forward-thinking-cfo-episode-8-part-2-brian-jones-microsoft-excel\/\">Part 2<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Danger?:<\/strong> Tom, at The Analyst Cave, is excited about <a href=\"https:\/\/analystcave.com\/excel-lambda-function\/\">Excel\u2019s new LAMBDA function<\/a>. But <a href=\"https:\/\/www.i-programmer.info\/news\/112-theory\/14313-lambda-calculus-for-excel-who-ordered-that.html\">Mike James, at I Programmer blog, disagrees<\/a>, saying \u201cSpreadsheets are dangerous enough\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Spreadsheets<\/strong>: Have you used any of <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.appsumo.com\/excel-alternatives\/\">these 8 Excel alternatives<\/a>? I use Google Sheets occasionally, and tried Numbers briefly, but I&#8217;m happy to stick with Excel.<\/p>\n<h3>Just for Fun<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Movies<\/strong>: Did you know that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/radio\/programs\/overnights\/i-looked-after-the-pigs-on-babe\/13433524\">spreadsheets played an important role in the children&#8217;s movie, &#8220;Babe&#8221;?<\/a> The livestock manager used a spreadsheet to keep track of all the piglets who played Babe, during the 6 months of filming. Can you guess how many piglets they used?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Secret Features<\/strong>: Excel used to have a hidden flight simulator, but that&#8217;s long gone. However, Google Sheets <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@hiddengoogledetails\/video\/6970859731405540613\">can be magically rainbow coloured<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Spreadsheet Tweets<\/h3>\n<p>Finally, here are a few recent spreadsheet tweets, for a bit of humour.<br \/>\nThis roundup&#8217;s tweets are all about the joys(?) of pivot tables.<\/p>\n<p>________________________________________________<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-partner=\"tweetdeck\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Started from the bottom &#8211; first time I opened MS Excel was on my first day of work<br \/>\nNow we here, making pivot tables<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Beatriz (@quesodebea) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/quesodebea\/status\/1431897550735364101?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 29, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>________________________________________________<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-partner=\"tweetdeck\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">I think I just tore a muscle making a pivot table in Excel<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Evan Jackson (@EvJackk) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EvJackk\/status\/1431346963732119556?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 27, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>________________________________________________<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-partner=\"tweetdeck\" data-cards=\"hidden\" data-conversation=\"none\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">As an analogy- if you only use Excel to make your school schedules, you won&#8217;t miss it if you go back to paper. But if you use it for pivot tables, meal planning, or discounted cash flows? Forget it. You&#8217;ll never stop using it.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jeff Moore (@ragnarisapirate) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ragnarisapirate\/status\/1430716932207042569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 26, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>________________________________________________<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-partner=\"tweetdeck\" data-cards=\"hidden\" data-conversation=\"none\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Pivot tables are overrated and there to solve the problem of people using excel to replace a database.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 thefluffinator (@thefluffin8r) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/thefluffin8r\/status\/1431623873993322502?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 28, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>________________________________________________<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-partner=\"tweetdeck\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">I successfully used a pivot table today without having to google &#8220;how to create pivot table in excel&#8221; first. I think I&#8217;ll buy myself something.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 SIDNEE (@sidneeking) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sidneeking\/status\/1430276242364903425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 24, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>________________________________________________<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-partner=\"tweetdeck\" data-cards=\"hidden\" data-conversation=\"none\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">When you&#8217;re trying to pivot, excel is like nope and then you remember one of your top cells is empty and hidden. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/AJSxPQaG8N\">pic.twitter.com\/AJSxPQaG8N<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Runaround Aric (@PhatEmoKid) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PhatEmoKid\/status\/1429039594457030656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 21, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>________________________________________________<\/p>\n<h3>Spreadsheet Roundup 2021-08-31<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/spreadsheet-day.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/spreadsheetroundup20210831a.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"Spreadsheet Roundup 2021-08-31 orca\" style=\"border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;\" alt=\"Spreadsheet Roundup 2021-08-31 orca\" src=\"https:\/\/spreadsheet-day.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/spreadsheetroundup20210831a_thumb.jpg\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" border=\"0\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>_____________________________________<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here is a Summer 2021 roundup of spreadsheet articles that I\u2019ve read recently. You\u2019ll find interesting tips, and new ideas for your own spreadsheets. For Excel tips and tutorials, visit my Contextures website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":919,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-921","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spreadsheets"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/spreadsheet-day.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/921","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/spreadsheet-day.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/spreadsheet-day.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spreadsheet-day.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spreadsheet-day.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=921"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/spreadsheet-day.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/921\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":991,"href":"https:\/\/spreadsheet-day.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/921\/revisions\/991"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spreadsheet-day.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/919"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/spreadsheet-day.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=921"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spreadsheet-day.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=921"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spreadsheet-day.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}