Spreadsheets for people who hate spreadsheets
You do not need to be good at maths to get real value from a spreadsheet. Four simple uses will do.
Spreadsheets have a reputation for being complicated, with formulas, functions and cells full of numbers. But the basic idea is simple: it is a grid for organising things. You can get a lot out of one without learning anything advanced.
1. A list that sorts itself#
Write a list down a column, such as books you want to read, plants in the garden or things to repair. Add a second column for a date or a priority. Now you can sort by either, in one click. Doing that on paper would mean rewriting the list.
2. Tracking money#
Make three columns: date, what, and amount. Add a row each time you spend money. At the bottom, add the numbers with the sum function. Once a month, look at it. You do not need a budget plan to learn something, because seeing the totals is enough to change habits.
3. A simple schedule#
Write the days across the top and the times down the side. Fill in your week. You can colour cells for different kinds of tasks and see where the time goes.
4. Comparing options#
When you are choosing between three laptops or four holidays, put the options in rows and what matters in columns, such as price, size and reviews. The grid makes the differences easy to see and makes your reasoning visible.
The only formulas you need#
- Sum adds a range of numbers.
- Average finds the middle value.
- Count tells you how many items there are.
Type an equals sign, the name, and select the cells. That covers most everyday needs.
Keep it tidy#
Give each column a clear heading. Keep one kind of thing in each column. Do not merge cells, which makes sorting hard. A tidy grid is all the technique you need, and a plain one is usually the best one.