ARTICLES (BLOG POSTS)
10 Reasons to buy a spreadsheet from me, rather than making it yourself
10 Reasons to buy a spreadsheet from me, rather than making it yourselfIntroduction Many companies make their own spreadsheets, either the boss does so, or one of the employees has a go....
5 Top tips when engaging with a spreadsheet specialist
5 Top tips when engaging with a spreadsheet specialistHere are some tips if you ever find yourself talking to me (or another spreadsheet professional) about getting custom spreadsheets made: ...
5 Things to consider when analysing CSV data
5 Things to consider when analysing CSV dataIntroduction There is so much data available to us today, almost every website, social media platform, software package, etc, lets us export data as a...
When to use custom software, and when to use a custom spreadsheet
When to use custom software, and when to use a custom spreadsheetThere is often an argument between Excel developers and software developers, as to when to use each one. Each one could potentially...
5 Reasons to build a new spreadsheet
5 Reasons to build a new spreadsheetIntroduction I often get sent spreadsheets which people have inherited or created, and they want something that can do more. They will sometimes ask if I...
How a spreadsheet to help with a mobile football game, helps me to make business spreadsheets
How a spreadsheet to help with a mobile football game, helps me to make business spreadsheetsIn case you want to play this game, it is called 'Sidelines' and is in the Google Play Store. If you do...
Finding the balance between cost and functionality
Finding the balance between cost and functionalityWhen you go online looking to buy a specific product, whether it be a phone, TV, pair of shoes, or car, you often determine what you need and then...
Relationship Between Data and Dashboards
Relationship Between Data and DashboardsDashboards are a business buzzword, and who doesn't love a good dashboard, but it's good to understand how data drives these dashboards and how the two work...
Can Your Spreadsheets be Improved?
Can Your Spreadsheets be Improved?Many businesses use spreadsheets, but can they be improved? According to a poll I took, yes, they can. In fact, all but one of the people who said that their...
Why People Still Use Spreadsheets
Why People Still Use SpreadsheetsSpreadsheets have been around for as long as I have and yet they are still used. Not only that, but they are used often. If you don’t believe me, take a look at the...
Components of Your Business and What to Manage
Components of Your Business and What to ManageThink of the different aspects of your business, it may be stock control, project management, task monitoring, managing client relationships, sales,...
How Businesses Are Acquired and How Spreadsheets Help
How Businesses Are Acquired and How Spreadsheets HelpI recently asked business owners how they became business owners. Did they inherit the business, buy an established business, get promoted to the...
What People Want for their Businesses, and How Spreadsheets Help
What People Want for their Businesses, and How Spreadsheets HelpHere is a recent poll that I asked on LinkedIn, and while I thought that productivity and understanding would come out on top, people...
How To Be Successful on LinkedIn
How to Be Successful on LinkedInI’m not a LinkedIn coach, I don’t sell courses for £997 not do I sell a ‘power hour’ for £97. So, what qualifies me to write about getting business off LinkedIn?...
Pros and Cons of Using Spreadsheets
Pros and Cons of Using SpreadsheetsIf you’re thinking about using a spreadsheet for your business, there are a few things to consider before doing so. As much as I love making spreadsheets, and as...
5 Reasons You May Need Better Spreadsheets
5 Reasons You May Need Better SpreadsheetsSoftware companies often bad-mouth spreadsheets, in order to scare people into buying their software, by telling you all the ‘horror’ stories from using...
The Pros and Cons of Who Makes Your Spreadsheets
The Pros and Cons of Who Makes Your SpreadsheetsI recently conducted a poll on LinkedIn, to see who people would ask to make a spreadsheet if they needed one for their business. The results were not...
How much should I charge per hour?
How much should I charge per hour?Before you start reading this blog, you can download a free spreadsheet template to help you calculate your hourly rate. It is in £ but as there is no conversion...
What Makes Me Good at Making Spreadsheets (It not what you may think)
What Makes Me Good at Making SpreadsheetsBefore you start thinking that I am a narcissistic idiot for writing that title, let me explain. I often get people saying that I must know all the...
Could a Spreadsheet be Used to Securely Store Passwords?
Could a Spreadsheet be Used to Securely Store Passwords?I recently posted a post on LinkedIn, which generated a brief frenzy of activity and comments. This included some nasty direct messages,...
Our Solutions to 10 Reasons Given for Not Using Spreadsheets
Our Solutions to 10 Reasons Given for Not Using SpreadsheetsI love making spreadsheets, and use them for just about anything, but many people don’t use spreadsheets. I set out on a mission to find...
Being Creative with Excel
Being Creative with ExcelWhen most people make spreadsheets they are boring, bland, uninspiring, and mundane. You know the type - rows and columns of data, void of any colour, and only the AutoSum...
5 Ways to Monitor the ROI of Your Website
5 Ways to Monitor the ROI of Your WebsiteAfter doing a live YouTube broadcast with Richard Wraith from Wesh UK, I have thought more about how people can monitor the success of their website, in...
Why Your Business Needs a Bespoke Spreadsheet
Why Your Business Needs a Bespoke Spreadsheet I often meet people who ask me which industry or business type my ideal client falls into. This is a good question to ask yourself, as it makes your...
Types of Solutions We Do Often
Types of Solutions We Do OftenWe often get people saying, "If only we knew you did that, we would have come to you first." That is because people tend to limit us to what they have already done...
Analysing CSV Files with Spreadsheets
Analysing CSV Files with SpreadsheetsData is becoming more and more abundant as everything moves online, and we are all collecting our fair share of business data. The key is understanding your...
What I Learned with 3 Months of Marketing Data
What I Learned with 3 Months of Marketing Data You've probably heard the saying that you can't keep on doing the same thing, and expect different results. The big problem is understanding what...
How a £500 Spreadsheet Saved a Salary
How a £500 Spreadsheet Saved a SalaryI was telling someone this story, and they suggested that I put this into a blog, so here it is. I went in to see a client, in order to deliver their custom-made...
Why You Should Outsource Your Spreadsheet Creation
Why You Should Outsource Your Spreadsheet Creation Before I tell you why you should outsource your spreadsheet creation, there are times that you should do it yourself. Those times are few and far...
Surveys, Appraisals, Questionnaires, and Feedback using Excel
Surveys, Appraisals, Questionnaires, and Feedback using Excel You may use a ready-made survey tool, or some other way of gathering responses in order to create a report, but often the...