| Who Needs To Read This Article?You will
| |
| | remains fixed, the company is able to
|
| find this article of considerable reading
| |
| | earn increasing profit margins per
|
| value, if you belong to at least ONE of
| |
| | bottle.2. Sourcing Capital - For
|
| the following spreadsheet user
| |
| | Expansion or Startup. You can make it
|
| categories: Owners of Small Businesses -
| |
| | easier for banks and prospective
|
| Restaurants/Bars, Hotels, Hospitals,
| |
| | investors to back you financially and/or
|
| Factories, Consultants etc; Decision
| |
| | take the decision to buy into your
|
| Makers/Job Holders in Corporations -
| |
| | business. Those already running their
|
| Materials Managers, Sales/Marketing
| |
| | businesses will know that banks like to
|
| Analysts, Financial Analysts/Accountants,
| |
| | see detailed business records that show
|
| Project Engineers; And Anyone desiring to
| |
| | in real terms all aspects of a business'
|
| make BETTER sense - and use - of
| |
| | performance. Without detailed and
|
| data!Spreadsheet Automation Facilitates
| |
| | comprehensive spreadsheet tracking, it
|
| EFFORTLESS Data Handling, Analysis &
| |
| | might be difficult to show this. Agreed
|
| Report Generation! Sometimes people don't
| |
| | there are software applications that
|
| really care about learning(or using) all
| |
| | capture most of these. However,
|
| the "cool' advanced functions, formulas
| |
| | sometimes, you want to highlight certain
|
| and techniques in the spreadsheet
| |
| | scenarios or trends in a way that an
|
| application they use for their work. They
| |
| | off-the-shelf application cannot
|
| just want to punch in their relevant raw
| |
| | accommodate due to the uniqueness of your
|
| data - at any time - and immediately see
| |
| | need. It is in this regard that the use
|
| the computed results generated by the
| |
| | of spreadsheet tracking becomes
|
| spreadsheet in a manner that can
| |
| | relevant.The intelligent use of
|
| facilitate their important decision
| |
| | spreadsheets, combined with the
|
| making.At times, they would prefer to
| |
| | application of the 80:20 rule will help
|
| click a button that says "Print ABC", or
| |
| | to achieve the foregoing and more. One
|
| "Print XYZ" report, instead of having to
| |
| | does not need any expert to start doing
|
| crawl all over the huge spreadsheet(and
| |
| | these things today. Just take the
|
| get "lost" every now and then), to
| |
| | decision to start keeping daily, accurate
|
| highlight and print different report
| |
| | records and commit to analysing them.
|
| pages. Using a custom built data entry
| |
| | You'll be surprised to find that you will
|
| form to make data entries into 14
| |
| | soon become much more aware of how you're
|
| different cells in different parts of a
| |
| | doing and what aspects of your business
|
| table(at the same time/with one click)
| |
| | you should focus on more to get better
|
| would, for them, be "heaven" compared to
| |
| | returns for your efforts - and you will
|
| making the entries one at a time.This
| |
| | be able to confidently supply verifiable
|
| article is meant for those individuals
| |
| | authentic financial data to back up any
|
| businesses who sometimes experience a
| |
| | claims you make about your business
|
| need to use their spreadsheets in the
| |
| | performance to bankers or prospective
|
| (somewhat "impersonal"?) manner described
| |
| | investors.Deciding What Spreadsheet
|
| above, to get the results they want. That
| |
| | Application To UseThis would ultimately
|
| need would often arise out of their lack
| |
| | be up to you. The big "fight" has always
|
| of requisite skills to get the
| |
| | been between Lotus 1-2-3 and Microsoft
|
| spreadsheet to behave the way they want -
| |
| | Excel. I started out with Lotus 1-2-3
|
| or limited time to devote towards
| |
| | back in 1993 and learnt Lotus Macros
|
| incorporating necessary automation to
| |
| | programming(via self-tutoring). I
|
| make it do so.In my article titled You
| |
| | eventually used this skill to develop -
|
| Can Increase Your Profits Without
| |
| | in my free time - various custom
|
| Changing Your Prices, I ended with the
| |
| | spreadsheet solutions(that were formally
|
| following
| |
| | adopted for use in the departments I
|
| summary:---------------------Start Of
| |
| | worked in as a brewer/manager in
|
| Excerpt---------------------If You
| |
| | Guinness), before switching to Microsoft
|
| Remember Nothing Else, Remember The
| |
| | Excel in 2001. Subsequently, I developed
|
| Following: 1. One good way to maintain
| |
| | my Excel Visual Basic spreadsheet
|
| and/or significantly increase your
| |
| | programming skills (also via
|
| profits without raising your prices, is
| |
| | self-tutoring), because the company had
|
| to reduce your Variable Costs(VCs).2.
| |
| | chosen to adopt MS Office during the roll
|
| You can reduce your variable costs by
| |
| | over to year 2000.I believe using either
|
| marketing more efficiently (getting more
| |
| | of these two applications should not pose
|
| customers at lesser cost, AND maintaining
| |
| | any problems for implementing your
|
| them at lower expense). I once read an
| |
| | spreadsheet automation ideas. This is
|
| article that proposed a new parameter
| |
| | because both have always been "friendly",
|
| COCS: Cost Of Customers Sold or Served).
| |
| | towards making it easy for users to get
|
| This could be adopted as a Key
| |
| | more functionality out of them by way of
|
| Performance Indicator(KPI).3. You can
| |
| | custom programming.You can choose to
|
| also reduce your variable costs by
| |
| | learn how to do it yourself - or call in
|
| innovating more(i.e. developing greater
| |
| | someone(an Excel VB Solutions Developer
|
| efficiency in your routine internal
| |
| | for instance) who knows how. Again, this
|
| operations and/or product/service
| |
| | would be dependent on your purpose, how
|
| delivery). That way, you would be able to
| |
| | proficient you are, and/or how much time
|
| produce/deliver more products and/or
| |
| | you have at your disposal. Ultimately,
|
| services with less effort, in less time,
| |
| | even if someone develops a custom
|
| and using less resources. All of these
| |
| | application for you, it should happen
|
| would imply LOWER expenses/costs, leading
| |
| | with YOUR guidance at every point to
|
| to INCREASED profit retention per unit of
| |
| | ensure that it does EXACTLY what you want
|
| product/service sold.4. There is saying
| |
| | it to do, and that you can easily - with
|
| that: "You cannot manage something, if
| |
| | your developer's support/coaching - learn
|
| you do not measure it. Nor can you
| |
| | how to make modifications to it in
|
| measure it, if you do not record it".
| |
| | future, without needing to call back your
|
| Spreadsheet tracking will help you
| |
| | developer.This last point in my opinion
|
| conveniently implement and sustain the
| |
| | is ONE major benefit you must seek to
|
| process of monitoring, controlling and/or
| |
| | extract, if you choose to engage the
|
| reducing your VCs. You will need to do
| |
| | services of a developer. S/he should be
|
| this so as to constantly evaluate
| |
| | able to help you develop (in-house)
|
| progress of your VC monitoring/control
| |
| | expertise needed to maintain the
|
| and reduction
| |
| | application AFTER s/he is gone. If you
|
| initiatives.---------------------End Of
| |
| | fail to ensure this, all your
|
| Excerpt---------------------A DIFFERENT
| |
| | cost-savings from using the application
|
| Type Of AutomationThe approach to
| |
| | might end up being spent paying the
|
| spreadsheet automation that I refer to,
| |
| | developer to maintain the application
|
| is one that seeks to provide functional
| |
| | over time in the future!From this point
|
| spreadsheet automation alternatives for
| |
| | on, I will refer to only one of the above
|
| ANY spreadsheet user task(s). Typically,
| |
| | mentioned applications, because it is my
|
| solutions like this would require the
| |
| | preferred work environment. That is
|
| developer to study existing manual data
| |
| | Microsoft Excel. I believe users of other
|
| recording, analysis and report generation
| |
| | spreadsheet applications will be able to
|
| systems, then plan - in consultation with
| |
| | adapt whatever I say from here for use in
|
| users - for incorporation of automation
| |
| | their own peculiar
|
| into the spreadsheet to replace them,
| |
| | environments.Automating Your Spreadsheet
|
| where possible.Custom spreadsheet
| |
| | Document : What is Excel VB? Microsoft
|
| solutions which survive long after the
| |
| | Excel is a powerful tool for recording,
|
| developer has "left the scene", are often
| |
| | organising/re-organising, analysing and
|
| those which users accept because they
| |
| | presenting information. By Excel VB, I
|
| discover it - among other benefits -
| |
| | refer to Excel VBA - where VBA means
|
| makes their work quicker and easier to
| |
| | Visual Basic for Applications(VBA). VBA
|
| do. That is why the best person to
| |
| | refers to the highly extensive and
|
| develop such solutions tend to be one who
| |
| | flexible macro programming language
|
| works in that area, and is therefore
| |
| | developed by Microsoft for use in their
|
| familiar with the way the manual system
| |
| | MS office applications - Word, Power
|
| operates. S/he would have an "insider's"
| |
| | Point, etc.VBA is therefore different
|
| perspective of the best way to introduce
| |
| | from the Standalone Visual Basic program
|
| automation other users will readily adopt
| |
| | used(by professional programmers) for
|
| - even as it solves the identified
| |
| | developing commercial quality software
|
| problem(s).In effect what I am saying is
| |
| | applications - though it borrows many of
|
| that companies which get the most value
| |
| | the latter's features. Think of Excel VBA
|
| from spreadsheet automation(including
| |
| | as being the standalone Visual Basic
|
| using it to avoid expenditure on less
| |
| | software, built into Excel for the
|
| adaptable commercial off the shelf
| |
| | benefit of Excel users who are not
|
| applications) will be those which empower
| |
| | necessarily programmers, but who are keen
|
| their users to routinely generate "in
| |
| | to exert more control over the
|
| house" solutions. In such companies, you
| |
| | application.So, Excel VB offers any
|
| will find that only when the requirement
| |
| | interested users the necessary tools to
|
| becomes considerably specialised or
| |
| | make the application deliver more
|
| complex, does the IT department get
| |
| | functionality. The final product is still
|
| called upon to develop or purchase
| |
| | an Excel document, but with extra
|
| software solutions for user departments
| |
| | functionalities added using VBA.Why Excel
|
| or functions with significant data
| |
| | Visual Basic - and NOT Visual Basic? 1.
|
| recording and analysis needs.So, (when
| |
| | I always answer this question by asking
|
| considering the automation I speak about)
| |
| | the following question: What would be the
|
| do not think about spreadsheet documents
| |
| | point of "Killing A Fly With A
|
| containing one or two click-able buttons
| |
| | Hammer"?Let me elaborate. If a method is
|
| that allow a user print a page or copy
| |
| | available that allows us to achieve the
|
| some cells from one sheet to another.
| |
| | same desired result(s) at LOWER cost,
|
| Instead, I want you to picture an
| |
| | with LESS effort and in LESS time, why
|
| application(or Entreprise Information
| |
| | should we fail to adopt it?Certain IT
|
| System) that customises the appearance of
| |
| | persons insist that developing executable
|
| your spreadsheet workspace(to take
| |
| | applications using the standalone Visual
|
| advantage of maximum screen capital
| |
| | Basic programming language is "better" as
|
| available on your PC), and offers you
| |
| | it does not limit the user to a
|
| custom "floating" data entry forms.In
| |
| | particular user application software
|
| addition, visualise it having dynamic
| |
| | environment. I concede that this might be
|
| query/report drop menu interfaces, and a
| |
| | a valid point under certain conditions.
|
| variety of custom buttons: for
| |
| | However, I point out that there are many
|
| navigation(within and between
| |
| | users who have peculiar needs that do not
|
| worksheets), printing, data export (as
| |
| | necessarily require complex solutions.A
|
| PDF documents or spreadsheet files),
| |
| | lot of people today simply want to get
|
| saving, auto-data filtering, auto-charts
| |
| | their data recording, (re)organisation,
|
| plotting, auto-backup of files, user
| |
| | and analysis for decision making done
|
| login authentication (for documents with
| |
| | quicker and with less effort. They also
|
| sensitive or confidential content) etc.To
| |
| | want to spend as little money as possible
|
| experience the type of automation I refer
| |
| | to do this. In other words, they want a
|
| to, you can email FREE demos of sample
| |
| | cost-effective solution that gives them
|
| automated Excel VB driven spreadsheet
| |
| | independence from the solution provider
|
| applications like (1) a Training
| |
| | in the long term - without requiring them
|
| Tracking Database (TM) , (2) a Five(5)
| |
| | to undertake laborious skills acquisition
|
| Year Income & Expense Monitor (TM) or
| |
| | immediately.This category of everyday
|
| (3) an Export Packing List & Invoice
| |
| | users of technology described above are
|
| Generator (TM) to yourself using the
| |
| | the ones I believe need Excel VB
|
| file mailer on my website.How A Well
| |
| | solutions of the type I describe. One
|
| Known Corporate Multinational Used
| |
| | expects that some of these users will
|
| Spreadsheet Tracking/Automation To
| |
| | over time develop an interest in
|
| Repeatedly Cut Spending - And Increase
| |
| | acquiring advanced skills needed to
|
| ProfitsDuring my graduate training(while
| |
| | develop their own solutions in future -
|
| in paid employment), I was redeployed
| |
| | which is why I also encourage them to do
|
| from Guinness Nigeria Plc's corporate
| |
| | so, possibly via self-tutoring, like I
|
| headquarters training office(in Lagos) to
| |
| | did.2. Another question I ask, in
|
| the Benin brewery training department (in
| |
| | answering the "Why Excel VB?" question is
|
| Edo state), where I was assigned the -
| |
| | : "Why re-invent the wheel? "My
|
| additional - job of using a custom Lotus
| |
| | experiences(and those of others who
|
| macros driven Variable Cost Analysis
| |
| | favour the use of Excel VB like I do),
|
| spreadsheet application to generate
| |
| | confirm that to organise, and analyse
|
| brewery reports for dispatch to
| |
| | data for (financial/management) report
|
| headquarters.The assignment was not an
| |
| | generation and decision making, you will
|
| accident. Before being redeployed to
| |
| | save hundreds of hours using already
|
| Benin brewery, I had been involved in
| |
| | in-built, pre-programmed Excel functions
|
| "validating" the numerous complex
| |
| | compared to a situation where you used
|
| formulas in the custom Lotus 1-2-3
| |
| | Visual Basic proper.All the functions
|
| spreadsheet application during its
| |
| | needed to achieve the above purposes
|
| development. The author - Richard
| |
| | already exist in Excel, so that you don't
|
| Chambers - was at the time in charge(as
| |
| | have to write them all from scratch as
|
| Training Coordinator) of training new
| |
| | would be the case if you were to use
|
| entrants, and upon discovering my keen
| |
| | Visual Basic.3.It works even when you
|
| interest in learning, often gave me his
| |
| | lack "In House" expertiseFor the purpose
|
| laptop to "proof" formulas, links etc. It
| |
| | of creating custom financial and business
|
| was he who had told his counterpart in
| |
| | management solutions that solve your
|
| Benin brewery(Joe Sheehy) that I could
| |
| | identified problems, and give you control
|
| help out with a problem they were having
| |
| | ownership, without burning a hole in your
|
| using the application. And I did resolve
| |
| | pocket, Excel VB offers an amazing
|
| the problem - resulting in my
| |
| | variety of possibilities, in the hands of
|
| subsequently becoming responsible for the
| |
| | an adequately skilled user.In addition,
|
| reports collation using the
| |
| | an Excel VB developer( who in many cases
|
| application.Variable Costs Control
| |
| | will tend to be a user turned developer,
|
| Reduction was a strategy that worked
| |
| | and is therefore likely to easily see
|
| extremely well for the company. Most
| |
| | things from your perspective) - unlike a
|
| memorable for me as a brewer, was the
| |
| | programmer - is more likely to be
|
| manner in which huge monetary savings
| |
| | positively disposed to working with you
|
| profit gains were made by successfully
| |
| | to ensure the application meets your
|
| implementing variable cost reduction
| |
| | practical needs. S/he will readily
|
| initiatives. For instance, a brewing
| |
| | understand that the final application is
|
| ingredient switch was made to a more
| |
| | meant to help solve a real problem(s),
|
| readily available local alternative which
| |
| | and will therefore build it to match
|
| was many times cheaper, resulting in
| |
| | those expectations.It's not enough to
|
| phenomenal savings and progressively
| |
| | have a professional with the technical
|
| increasing profit earnings even though
| |
| | skills to solve your problem. s/he also
|
| the price of beer produced was not
| |
| | needs to have the right attitude and
|
| raised. This practice was routinely
| |
| | background/experience - else the
|
| applied across the brewing and packaging
| |
| | relationship will not work. This is where
|
| processes in line with a well thought out
| |
| | an Excel VB resource is more likely to
|
| plan.To elaborate further: A one-page
| |
| | add value to you. Most Excel VB
|
| Variable Costs Analysis report sheet
| |
| | Developers have backgrounds in
|
| automatically generated by the custom
| |
| | management, accounting, engineering and
|
| spreadsheet application I earlier
| |
| | other fields, which further equips them
|
| described, was a powerful tool used by
| |
| | to be useful to you in "thinking up"
|
| top management to quickly assess
| |
| | better ways to apply your spreadsheet
|
| performances of individual breweries.
| |
| | automation to get the most value for your
|
| Among other benefits, the report made it
| |
| | business. You therefore need to choose
|
| quite easy to realistically compare
| |
| | the right developer, with the appropriate
|
| sister breweries in different
| |
| | background to match your needs.
|
| locations(even across countries) based on
| |
| | I believe the foregoing are compelling
|
| common denominators. Apart from
| |
| | justifications for choosing Excel Visual
|
| summarising brewing/packaging materials
| |
| | Basic over Visual Basic.Get Maximum
|
| in two groups -
| |
| | Returns On Your Investment In Spreadsheet
|
| "Over-used/Over-spent"(Losses) and
| |
| | Automation By Developing "In House"
|
| "Under-used/Under-spent"(Savings) - on a
| |
| | ExpertiseOrganisations can deliberately
|
| monthly basis based on data entered, the
| |
| | expose their employees to learning
|
| program also automatically plotted charts
| |
| | events(or self-help tutorials) on
|
| showing trends over a 12 month period.The
| |
| | spreadsheet solutions development. Such
|
| visiting head of the technical function
| |
| | employees can then be challenged to
|
| only needed to look at the most recently
| |
| | develop in-house solutions that
|
| plotted point on the chart (relative to
| |
| | effectively address the business'
|
| preceding ones) for a Key Performance
| |
| | peculiar data analysis/report-generation
|
| Indicator like
| |
| | needs as they arise.A person with proven
|
| Cost per Hectolitres brewed(One
| |
| | competence in this area CAN become
|
| Hectolitre = 100 Litres), to know if the
| |
| | "notorious" for developing spreadsheet
|
| brewery had stayed within the approved
| |
| | applications, which eliminate drudgery
|
| upper limit of spend(plotted as a
| |
| | from the process of using MS Excel to
|
| straight line target across the same
| |
| | handle large amounts of data. Typically,
|
| period) or not. Discussions would then
| |
| | work that takes hours or days will
|
| take place based on identified
| |
| | suddenly take minutes or seconds to
|
| "Exceptions"(which could be "good" e.g.
| |
| | finish.The claims I make above are NOT
|
| savings made or "bad" e.g. monetary loss
| |
| | exaggerated. They are in fact based on my
|
| due to materials over-used), and "Actions
| |
| | personal experiences doing the foregoing
|
| To Be Taken" to correct or maintain
| |
| | (a). As an manager in the challenging,
|
| observed performances agreed
| |
| | fast-paced manufacturing work environment
|
| upon.Spreadsheet Tracking As A Crucial
| |
| | of a corporate multinational (b). As a
|
| Element For Business DevelopmentThere are
| |
| | solutions developer for individuals and
|
| ways you can use spreadsheets to record
| |
| | businesses who use MS Excel for their
|
| and track materials usages/stocks,
| |
| | work.I am keen to encourage individuals
|
| product sales, and other business data
| |
| | and organisations to explore using
|
| such that discrepancies will be easily
| |
| | advanced MS Excel formulas and functions,
|
| detected when they do occur. The use of
| |
| | in conjunction with Excel VBA
|
| spreadsheets when properly done, can help
| |
| | programming, to develop customised
|
| to uncover the cause(s) of "losses" in
| |
| | spreadsheet applications that will solve
|
| virtually any aspect of a business
| |
| | typical problems end-users encounter
|
| operation.1. The Pareto Principle - Using
| |
| | daily in trying to record/analyse data
|
| spreadsheet tracking, you can easily
| |
| | and generate reports.The savings - from
|
| apply the Pareto principle in deciding
| |
| | using your "in house" expertise - in
|
| which of your income sources and expense
| |
| | terms of money and man-hours alone, will
|
| channels(i.e. products and services
| |
| | quickly justify the investment you make
|
| sales) to focus on in order to maximize
| |
| | in "developing the needed skills" -
|
| profits. Considering that you are most
| |
| | especially, when you compare what you
|
| likely to use the same marketing/sales
| |
| | spend with the cost of purchasing a
|
| resources to serve your customers, it
| |
| | commercial software application - or even
|
| only follows that if you focus on your
| |
| | engaging the services of an Excel VB
|
| biggest margin selling products/services,
| |
| | developer.SummaryThe key imperative for
|
| you will get increased profits at more or
| |
| | most people who handle business data is
|
| less the same cost.One Possible
| |
| | often "how to use it" to monitor - and
|
| Application: Plotting a pie chart based
| |
| | where feasible - control performance i.e.
|
| on income contributions from all your
| |
| | they study/anticipate trends in a way
|
| products and services(daily, weekly or
| |
| | that helps decision making towards
|
| monthly), and reviewing the automatically
| |
| | ensuring REPRODUCTION of desired results,
|
| computed percentages/visual pie slices,
| |
| | while minimising - or eliminating -
|
| can give very illuminating insight.The
| |
| | undesirable ones.You CAN transform the
|
| 80:20 Pareto principle is based on
| |
| | way you manage/analyse data(or generate
|
| Pareto's theory that 80% of the results
| |
| | reports) in your business today - and get
|
| one gets in a particular endeavour will
| |
| | more usable benefits to the extent that
|
| be mainly due to 20% of areas to which
| |
| | your profits increase. One major step you
|
| one has applied efforts. In business this
| |
| | can take towards achieving this purpose,
|
| principle has been found to be true. Your
| |
| | will be to intelligently use spreadsheet
|
| data, properly converted into appropriate
| |
| | automation to improve data handling
|
| performance indicators, will show you
| |
| | analysis and report generation systems in
|
| where your largest margins come from. You
| |
| | your business operations - while
|
| can then channel more time and effort in
| |
| | empowering yourself and/or staff to
|
| that direction.For instance if a company
| |
| | acquire skills needed to maintain the
|
| had five drink brands in the market but
| |
| | developed spreadsheet solutions for the
|
| notices that Brand A, which has a profit
| |
| | future.Tayo Solagbade is a Data Analyst,
|
| margin of at least twice the others is in
| |
| | Report Designer and Custom Spreadsheet
|
| greatest demand, they could (a) focus
| |
| | Solutions Developer. He works with
|
| production efforts on that brand, so that
| |
| | individuals and organisations to
|
| more bottles go out to trade (b) Apply
| |
| | cost-effectively leverage Microsoft Excel
|
| Best Practice/Continuous Improvement
| |
| | for their data management/decision
|
| initiatives that would result in lower
| |
| | making, so they can do what they do with
|
| costs of producing each bottle of Brand A
| |
| | less effort, at less cost, in less time
|
| so that even though the market price
| |
| | and using less resources.
|
