BSBITU304APRODUCE SPREADSHEETS

Janette DempseyJuly 2011

Unit Purpose

• Select and prepare resources • Plan spreadsheet design• Produce simple charts• Finalise spreadsheets

Designing a Spreadsheet

Good worksheet design depends on:• Careful consideration of the task to be

performed• Effective pre-planning• Adherence to basic principles of worksheet

design

Your worksheet should:

• Reliably provide the solution to the problem• Use a layout and style that both clarify and

enhance the information to be conveyed• Be able to be understood by end users• Be easily updated

Your worksheet should:

• Be able to be edited by others (if necessary)• Be protected from unauthorised changes (if

necessary• Be time and cost efficient• Be memory efficient

To plan memory-efficient worksheets:

• Try to enter data in a way that uses more columns than rows

• Memory usage is based on the number of rows

• Less memory will be used if you keep rows to a minimum

To plan memory-efficient worksheets:

• Do not leave blank rows in a worksheet• Alter the row height instead• Titles can be made effective by increasing the

row height• When formatting cells with borders or

shading, format only the minimum number of cells

General formatting guidelines:

• Just because the data is money doesn’t mean all figures need to be in $ with two decimal places!!!

• Headings over numbers look best right aligned

PLANNING A SPREADSHEET

Planning considerations:

• What should the main heading be?• Are subheadings needed? What should they

be?• Are there any fixed values (constants) that

are needed in formulas?– Absolute cell references need to be used

Planning considerations:

• Absolute cell references are best positioned just under the main headings but before the main body of the spreadsheet

• What are the names of the items about which you are entering data?

• This will determine –– The number of rows you will need– The row labels

Appropriate Appearance

• Use numeric, font, colour and border formats to enhance your spreadsheet

• Should aid in usability and readability

• Spreadsheet purpose1• Appearance standards or

requirements2

• Format to enhance readability3• Don’t always format money as $

with two decimal places4

Important Guidelines to Remember

Let’s look at some examples!

Example 1:

January February March April May360.976 573.164 359.6 683.6219 1947.858

354.5439 271.854 573.1385 5432.295 9769.436307.62 5235.67 5583.82 6704.94 3528.0223

317.02 3744.378 9490.338 224.8 378.795545.463 962.99 1685.794 9829.776 7063.43

819.4 652.806 618.9 7457.362 660.1059196.66 4806.58 8480.7745 6096.4134 760.226

4343.4677 919.866 7463.5 7455.8 10653.06466.8552 3750.065 2105.972 7312.8055 9938.5

878.008 114.5 9163.55 134.86 1615.3619621.018 585.41 486.8 913.29 46.345

29211.0317 21617.263 46012.178 52234.9638 46361.1282

Example 2:January February March April May

360.97 573.16 359.60 683.62 1,947.85

354.54 271.85 573.13 5,432.29 9,769.43

6,307.62 5,235.67 5,583.82 6704.94 3,528.2

317.02 3,744.37 9,490.33 224.80 378.79

5,545.46 962.99 1,685.79 9,829.77 7,063.43

819.40 652.80 618.90 7,457.36 660.10

196.66 4,806.58 8,480.77 6,096.41 760.22

4,343.46 919.86 7,463.50 7,455.80 10,653.06

466.85 3,750.06 2,105.97 7,312.80 9,938.50

878.00 114.50 9,163.55 134.86 1,615.36

9,621.01 585.41 486.80 913.29 46.34

29,211.03 21,617.26 46,012.17 52,234.96 46,361.12

Example 3: