3.3: Organization Is Key
If you create a spreadsheet without a clear purpose or you do not plan its organization, the end product will be useless or confusing. You need to draft the concept in your mind and perhaps on scratch paper before you start building the sheet. It is a good idea to make a simple sketch before you begin. This will help you determine how many rows and columns you will need as well as what headings ought to be included.
When you work in Excel, your organization skills will begin to show. After you develop the basic structure, you can add headings, data (numbers or text), and formulas.
Sometimes, when you first enter data into Excel, it can be difficult to read. Watch this video to learn how to organize and format data so that it is easy to work with and understand. After watching the video, go back to the budget you created in Unit 1. If you have not already done the guided practice for creating a budget in subunit 1.2.2, do it now.
Practice formatting the cells to make the data in your budget easier to read. You can resize cells, edit fonts, or even add colors. Make sure all of your columns and rows are labeled and easy to understand. Remember that someone viewing a spreadsheet needs to be able to look at it and understand the data. Is there anything else that you can change to make the budget more readable for the viewer?
At this point, you should understand what makes up a spreadsheet and be able to create a basic spreadsheet using Excel. You should also be able to organize and format data in your spreadsheet and use functions to perform basic calculations. As you become more proficient at Excel, you can find more tools through online support, forums, and search engines. Google offers a free online spreadsheet program, called Google Sheets that is similar to Excel. As you continue to practice, you will find that there are nearly limitless possibilities for spreadsheets!