Excel Data Input Controls: Keeping junk out of your dataset

You create a spreadsheet or a form in Excel for someone else. Then …input controls

  • You get a call that someone has typed over a formula and can’t fix it.
  •  Your sales analysis is wrong because data tied to Chicago, IL is not including
    • data tied to the misspelling “Chicgo, IL” and
    • data tied to “Chicago” with no state.
  • A critical deadline is missed because someone accidentally typed in a date that was 10 years ago, AND THE SPREADSHEET ACCEPTED IT.

Let’s spend 2 hours learning how we can control data inputs in Excel and prevent these calamities.

Take powerful control of your data quality, analysis and mental peace by creating dropdown lists, creating cells that will only accept a date within a reasonable range, and protecting formulas against accidental corruption.

If you want control over your data quality and spreadsheet integrity, come on and get to know Excel’s validation features.

Excel Dashboards & Pivot Tables: Seeing Your Data

You’ve got a massive amount of data in a spreadsheet 1200 rows & 40 columns, and it just keeps growing. But there are just 5 to 10 things you want to know about this information. How are you going to dig it out? Some people give up and just guess.

STOP!

Let’s bring together Pivot Tables and Excel functions and build dynamic summaries of the most important details; i.e., a Dashboard.

We’ll go over the diagnosis of the data quality, discuss layout of the dashboard, build the dashboard and install internal alerts to ensure that we can trust the dashboard’s results.

After the course, students will be emailed a copy of the finished work.

NOTE: The content of this workshop will be solidly intermediate Excel skill level. Beginners are welcome if they’d like to see what’s possible.