1. Cuba anda kongsikan kepada saya apa yang anda ingin pelajari tentang Ms Excel.
2. Cara pembelajaran secara eBook atau Video?

Atau apa jua yang anda ingin kongsikan…

Question

I am aware of Excel’s Scenario Manager, but I’m looking for something more transparent. I want to do some scenario analysis in my financial model, where some key assumptions can be changed. I need to keep the alternative scenarios and I may need to add to them. Any suggestions?

Advice

Last month, we talked about INDEX and MATCH, functions concerned with position. This month, we look at OFFSET, a function which considers displacement. OFFSET is a function well suited to this scenario (if you will excuse the pun!).

The syntax for OFFSET is:
OFFSET(Reference,Rows,Columns,[Height],[Width]).

The arguments in square brackets (height and width) can be omitted from the formula (they both have a default value of 1, which is explained below).

In its most basic form, OFFSET(Ref,x,y) will select a reference x rows down (-x would be x rows up) and y rows to the right (-y would be y rows to the left) of the reference Ref.

Consider the following grid:

Figure 1: Example table

OFFSET(A1,2,3) would take us two rows down and three columns across to cell D3. Therefore, OFFSET(A1,2,3) = 16.

Figure 2: OFFSET(A1,2,3)

OFFSET(D4,-1,-2) would take us one row up and two rows to the left to cell B3. That means OFFSET(D4,-1,-2) = 14.

Figure 3: OFFSET(D4,-1,-2)

We can use these mechanics to answer this month’s query and construct a very simple scenario table:

Figure 4: OFFSET scenario illustration

This example is included in the attached Excel file. Essentially, the assumptions used in the model are linked from cells J14:J20 (in yellow). These values are drawn from the scenario table to the right of the highlighted yellow range (for example, cells L14:L20 constitute Scenario 1, cells M14:M20 constitute Scenario 2).

The Scenario Selector is located in cell J11. Using OFFSET, we can retain all scenarios and select as we see fit. For example, the formula in cell J14 is simply OFFSET(K14,,$J$11) – that is, start at cell K14 and displace zero rows and the value in J11 columns across. In the illustration above, the formula locates the cell one column to the right, which is Scenario 1.

The advantage of OFFSET over other functions such as INDEX, CHOOSE and LOOKUP is that the range of data can be added to. While the other functions require a specified range, we can keep adding scenarios without changing the formula/making the model inefficient.

Other uses

OFFSET has other practical uses in Excel, taking advantage of the height and width arguments.

Consider our OFFSET example above. If we extend the formula to OFFSET(D4,-1,-2,-2,3), it would again take us to cell B3, but then we would select a range based on the height and width parameters. The height would be two rows going up the sheet, with row 14 as the base (that is, rows 13 and 14), and the width would be three columns going from left to right, with column B as the base (that is, columns B,C and D).
Hence OFFSET(D4,-1,-2,-2,3) would select the range B2:D3.

Figure 5: OFFSET(D4,-1,-2,-2,3)

Note that OFFSET(D4,-1,-2,-2,3) = #VALUE! since Excel cannot display a matrix in one cell, but it does recognise it. However, if after typing in OFFSET(D4,-1,-2,-2,3) we press CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER, we turn the formula into an array formula: {OFFSET(D4,-1,-2,-2,3)} (do not type the braces in, they will appear automatically as part of the Excel syntax). This gives a value of 8, which is the value in the top left hand corner of the matrix, but Excel is storing more than that. This can be seen as follows:

• SUM(OFFSET(D4,-1,-2,-2,3)) = 72 (that is, SUM(B2:D3))
• AVERAGE(OFFSET(D4,-1,-2,-2,3)) = 12 (that is, AVERAGE(B2:D3)).

Indeed, we can construct a simple depreciation calculation, transpose references or even build a dynamic chart (one that displays more/less categories of information as required) using OFFSET’s height and width functionalities. The attached workbook provides several examples as illustrations.

Handle with care

While OFFSET is an extremely useful and flexible function, it is not transparent. The syntax is difficult for the user to grasp, and Excel’s auditing tools have problems too. The reference cell in the OFFSET arguments is the sole component that will be identified – for example, OFFSET(A1,2,3) will trace cell A1 only.

So spreadsheet users do get confused – in particular, regarding the reference. When calculating the rows and columns components, the reference cell is excluded, but it is included in determining the height and width.

By popular demand we examine the pivot table, one of Excel’s most useful features. By Liam Bastick, associate director with BPM Analytical Empowerment.

Query

I work with large tables of data which I need to interrogate on a regular basis. A work colleague suggested I set up a pivot table, but I’m not sure how they work. Could you give me guidance please?

Advice

A pivot table is a semi dynamic, tabular summary of data. It is one of Excel’s most flexible tools and can give results that would take time to reconstruct with sophisticated uses of functions such as SUMIF, SUMPRODUCT, etc.

Excel 2007 has increased pivot table flexibility significantly from earlier incarnations. However, as with many pre-Excel 2007 features, the location of various tools and options needs to be re-learned. This article gives a basic overview for both Excel 2003 (and earlier) users as well as Excel 2007 users.

To describe the basics of a pivot table, I will use the attached Excel examples:

In this illustration, imagine we are a head office analyst reviewing the electrical sales of four stores – imaginatively called North, South, East and West.

Creating a pivot table on the same worksheet is fairly straightforward, albeit a little different between the Excel versions. If the database is in one block (a ‘contiguous’ range), simply select any cell within the database and then:

In Excel 2003 and earlier

• Load up the Pivot Table Wizard, Data -> PivotTable and PivotChart Report… (ALT + D + P)
• In Step 1 of 3 of the Wizard, choose ‘Microsoft Office Excel list or database’ as the data that you want to analyse and also select PivotTable as the report you want to create
• In Step 2, confirm that the entire selection of data has been identified
• In Step 3, put the report in the ‘Existing Worksheet’ and, say, choose cell L9
• The layout can be detailed by selecting the ‘Layout’ button in the wizard, but for this example we will click on ‘Finish’ instead.

In Excel 2007

• The Pivot Table Wizard does not appear to exist in Excel 2007, but if you select the keystrokes (ALT + D + P), the dialog box will indeed pop up albeit with restricted functionality
• Consequently, it is probably easier to insert a Pivot Table from the Insert tab of the Ribbon, then click on the PivotTable icon, and then select PivotTable
• The Create PivotTable dialog box appears. Choose ‘Select a table or range’ and confirm the entire selection of data has been identified
• For placement, select ‘Existing Worksheet’ and choose, say, cell L9
• Click ‘OK’ (layout cannot be constructed in a dialog box)

Notice that cell L9 is not the top left of the pivot table, as you would expect. In fact, L7 (same column, two rows higher) is the first cell for the Page Field insertion (see Figure 1, below). When selecting where to place a pivot table, always remember to select a cell two rows further down than you might otherwise think.

Figure 1: Pivot Table Construct

The pivot table has four areas where data fields may be placed (a data field is simply any one of the columns of the database – eg Date, Store, Item in this example):

• Page: Values in this field appear as page items in the pivot table
• Row: Values in this field appear as row items in the pivot table
• Column: Values in this field appear as column items in the pivot table
• Data: The field to be summarised – if this data is numerical in nature, SUM (how much) will be the default operation, otherwise COUNT (how many) is used. They are easily changed, by double clicking on the dragged field and changing SUM to AVERAGE or COUNT, etc.

Figure 2: Pivot Table Layout

More than one field can be placed in any of these locations – the effect is a hierarchical grouping depending upon the order of placement.

In essence, a pivot table is a three-dimensional summary of a database. Consider it as a book: each page has a summary table of a selection of the data (for instance, in our example, each page could show the sales of each electrical item for each store on a particular date, so Page 1 is 1 April, Page 2 is 2 April, etc.).

To populate the layout, it is simply a case of dragging and dropping. How this is done exactly depends on which version of Excel you have:

In Excel 2003 and earlier

• Once the pivot table has been inserted, the PivotTable toolbar should appear (if not, from the dropdown menu, select View -> Toolbars -> PivotTable)
• The PivotTable Field List dialog box should also appear (if not, right click on the layout and select ‘Show Field List’ from the shortcut menu)

• The fields can be dragged on to the layout using the mouse, or simply select a field in the dialog box window and then make a choice from the drop down box and click ‘Add To’
• In this example, Date is to be placed in the Page Area

In Excel 2007

• Instead of a toolbar, two additional tabs are added to the end of the Ribbon – when the pivot table is selected – Options and Design
• The PivotTable Field List window pane should also appear (if not, click on the Field List icon in the Show / Hide section of the PivotTable Tools Options tab)

Using the Field List, drag the Date field into the Page Area, the Store field into the Row Area, the Item field into the Column Area and the Amount Invoiced field into the Data Area (Values in Excel 2007), viz.

Figure 3: Example Pivot Table (1)

The power of the pivot table should already be apparent. From the humble origins of a list of data, we can now see which store is leading in sales, enquire why there are no stereo sales in the South and West and so on. Using the drop down arrows in the table (you may need to make them visible in Excel 2007, PivotTable Tools -> Options -> Field Headers icon) or in the Field List pane in Excel 2007, we can filter for certain selections – for example, North’s sales on 2 April:

Figure 4: Example Pivot Table (2)

But let’s not stop there. Resetting the pivot table, one key report would be to determine the amounts outstanding. To do this, we need to construct a calculated field.

In Excel 2003 and earlier

• In the PivotTable toolbar, select PivotTable -> Formulas -> Calculated Field… (ALT + P + M + F)
• Type ‘Amount Outstanding’ in the Name Field (note it can be modified later)
• Clear the Formula box and type ‘=’ then select ‘Amount Invoiced’ from the Fields window and then click ‘Insert Field’
• Type ‘-’ then select ‘Amount Paid’ from the Fields window and then click ‘Insert Field’

In Excel 2007

• In the Ribbon, select PivotTable Tools, Options tab, then click on the Formulas icon in the Tools section and click on Calculated Field
• Type ‘Amount Outstanding’ in the Name Field (note it can be modified later)
• Clear the Formula box and type ‘=’ then select ‘Amount Invoiced’ from the Fields window and then click ‘Insert Field’
• Type ‘-’ then select ‘Amount Paid’ from the Fields window and then click ‘Insert Field’

Figure 5: Insert Calculated Field Dialog Box

• Click the ‘Add’ button and then ‘OK’.

As a consequence of doing this, Excel may ask whether you want the destination cells to be replaced (the software thinks you want to replace or add to the Data Field). Rather than worry about choosing ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ (obviously, choose one!), simply go to the Field List and de-select the Amount Invoiced field (or drag it off the layout from the top left hand corner) and choose the ‘Amount Outstanding’ calculated field instead:

Figure 6: Example Pivot Table (3)

One more thing we’ll do while we’re here: the business has a North West division and a South East division. To see how these divisions have performed, we need to group the stores:

• Highlight the North and West rows of the table (hold the CTRL key down to select non-contiguous ranges)
• Right click and select ‘Group…’ in Excel 2007 or ‘Group and Show Detail’ -> ‘Group’ in earlier versions
• The items have been grouped and we have a new, second data field in the Row Area, ‘Store2’ and a ‘Group 1’ grouping:

Figure 7: Example Pivot Table (4)

• Right clicking on ‘Store2’, we can click on ‘Field Settings…’ and change the name in the dialog box to ‘Division’ and click ‘OK’
• Left click on the cell containing ‘Group1’
• Go to the Formula bar and change the label to ‘North West Division’
• Repeat the process for the South East Division

Figure 8: Example Pivot Table (5)

• This can be collapsed by double clicking on the cell containing the grouping description in all versions or selecting the ‘+’ or ‘-’ symbol in Excel 2007:

Figure 9: Example Pivot Table (6)

Just an introduction…

This article was intended only as an introduction to pivot tables – there is plenty more you can do with them.

The Pivot Table options are well worth playing with (Excel 2007, on the Ribbon. Earlier versions: from the PivotTable toolbar, choose PivotTable -> Table Options…). It doesn’t take long to spot:

• how to give the pivot table a name
• adding / removing totals
• preserving formatting
• merge labels
• Data can be brought in from more than one source
• The idea can be extended to pivot charts
• Excel 2007 allows even greater functionality, such as 64 levels of sorting rather than 3, more rows and columns and colouring the pivot table more prettily.

Handle with care

Earlier I mentioned that pivot tables were semi dynamic. But they do not automatically update. That is, if you change the source data, the data in the pivot table does not automatically recalculate (F9 doesn’t work here). In earlier versions of Excel, if you have more than one pivot table, each pivot table has to be selected and then the refresh icon clicked on the PivotTable toolbar , or PivotTable -> Refresh Data. This is quite cumbersome. However, in Excel 2007, you can refresh them all (in the Ribbon, on the PivotTable Tools Options tab, select the Refresh icon in the ‘Data’ section and choose ‘Refresh All’).

Pivot Tables can play havoc with underlying worksheet formats (for example, the underlying grey background keeps disappearing)

The Calculated Fields calculations do not always work as intended, especially with ‘*’ and ‘/’: it is a case of suck it and see

Get it right though and a pivot table can provide useful analyses that would take half a day to write as a formula (and about the same time for Excel to calculate…).

Look out for more on pivot tables in future editions.

Query

I want to summarise the sales made by my business that meet various criteria (for example, sales for a particular region for a particular product). SUMIF only works with one criterion. Due to end user requirements, I don’t wish to use pivot tables. Is there any way I can obtain the analysis by using a formula?

Advice

This is an example of conditional summing – where you want to add numerical values provided that they meet certain criteria.

For example – imagine you were reviewing this data summary:

Example ‘dummy’ database

The function SUMIF(range,criterion,sum_range) is ideal for summing data based on one criterion:

• range is the array that you wanted evaluated by the criterion (cells F12:F21 in this instance)
• criterion in the form of a number, expression, or text defines which cell(s) will be added, for example, “X”, 1, G26 or “<>”&G27 (this last one means ‘not equal to the value in cell G27’)
• sum_range are the actual cells to be added if their corresponding cells in range match the criterion.

So, to find the sales for Business Unit 1 in the above example, we would type =SUMIF(F12:F21,1,H12:H21) (which is $1,000). Or to find the total sales of Product X we might type =SUMIF(G12:G21,”X”,H12:H21) which is $1,200 (note that the text must be in inverted commas).

This month’s problem: how would you find the total sales of Product Z in Business Unit 1 using a formula?

That’s two criteria and SUMIF will not work with multiple conditions. Fortunately, there are several alternatives.

For once, I am going to stick with Excel 2003 and earlier, because there is a SUMIFS function in Excel 2007 that resolves our query in seconds:
=SUMIFS(sum_range,criterion_range1,criterion1, criterion_range2,criterion2,…)

But this function is new to Excel 2007, and is not backwards compatible with earlier versions of Excel.

I will consider other options instead.

Concatenation

It is often possible to cheat with SUMIF by making a ‘mega-criterion’ out of multiple criteria. This works on joining criteria together usually by using the ampersand (‘&’) operator.

Let’s consider our example, slightly revised, from above.

Revised, dummy database

A new column has been inserted (column H), with a formula combining the contents of columns F and G (for example, the formula in cell H12 is =F12&G12). Provided that all possible combinations are unique (that is, no duplicates can be generated), a simple SUMIF can then be applied – for example:
=SUMIF(H12:H21,”1Z”,I12:I21).

This is by far and away the simplest solution – if it works.

But it can fall down. In another example, the concatenation ”111” might refer to Product 1 in Business Unit 11 or Product 11 in Business Unit 1.

Conditional Sum Wizard

This wizard is not part of the default Excel package. It is an add-in – a supplementary programme that adds custom commands or features to Excel. Unless previously included, this add-in needs to be loaded. ALT+T+I (Tools -> Add-Ins) is the keystroke that works in all versions of Excel.

Add-ins dialog box

Once loaded, shortcut keys will not work (ALT+T+C gives rise to a conflict with Tools -> Customize and possibly Tools -> COM Add-Ins). In Excel 2003 and earlier versions, it can be located on the Tools dropdown menu, whereas in Excel 2007 it is in the final grouping, ‘Solutions’, of the ‘Formulas’ tab.

When activated, the user is prompted by a straightforward multistep wizard, as follows.

Step 1: Identify the database (including the column labels / ‘headers’)

Step 2: Set the conditions

Step 3: Insert the formula

It is recommended that the second option is selected in Step 3, otherwise a formula is constructed containing hard code rather than cell references. This gives rise to a ‘static’ rather than ‘dynamic’ formula. Note that choosing this second option changes the number of steps from four to six.

Final step(s): (assumptions and) output location

The final three steps simply require where the inputs/outputs should go.

In the example above, you can expect to get a formula similar to this:
{=SUM(IF($F$12:$F$21=G26,IF($G$12:$G$21=G27,$H$12:$H$21,0),0))}

The curly brackets at the beginning and the end of the formula cannot be typed in. If the formula had been manually generated, you would not press ENTER once the formula was written, but CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER.

This type of formula is known as an array formula. Array formulas perform multiple calculations on one or more sets of values, and then return either a single result (as in this instance) or multiple results across a range of cells.

Array formulae can be memory intensive and slow down a workbook’s calculation time significantly. The formulae are not always easy to follow – this is often exacerbated by the wizard using ‘nested’ functions (one inside another). In fact, with a little practice, it is often possible to write simpler, more efficient array formulae without the wizard.

But it’s a great place to start!

Dbase Functions

Perhaps one of the lesser known families of Excel functions is the Dbase family – for example, DSUM, DMAX, DMIN. Working similarly to their ‘non-D’ counterparts, these functions interrogate a database in a reasonably transparent way.

The key function for our query is DSUM(range,field,criteria):

• range is the entire array that you wanted evaluated by the criteria (in our example, cells F12:H21 – that is, the whole table where the first row must be the headings/column labels)
• field is the column heading cell reference, the column heading typed in inverted commas, or a number (without the quotation marks) which represents the position of the column within the array (1 for the first column, 2 for the second column, etc). In this instance field could be H11, “Sales” or 3
• criteria is the range of cells that contains the conditions to be specified. This can be highly flexible (the same heading can be used more than once for instance) as long as it includes at least one column label in the top row and at least one cell below each column label in order to specify the condition.

From our example above, the following could be a criteria table:

Example criteria table

Our formula in this case would be DSUM(F11:H21,3,F26:G27) (=$700).

More than one row can be used. Criteria put in the same row are ‘AND’ criteria, so in our example above, to be summed, the Business Unit must be 1 AND the Product must be Z.

If more rows were added, each row is read as ‘OR’ criteria. For example:

Another example criteria table

Here, all sales are sold which relate to Business Unit 1 OR Product Z (=$2,600).

Dbase calculations are like halfway houses between formulas and pivot tables (that do not refresh automatically if data or assumptions are changed). Once mastered, they are fairly easy to construct and are quite transparent for users and developers alike. Unlike SUMIF and the Conditional Sum Wizard, OR criteria can easily be selected too.

Their main drawback here is if multiple results are required. The criteria tables needed may add significantly to the overall file size and confuse users as to which criteria table relates to which formula.

Sumproduct

This is my favourite function in Excel. For those who do not know it, SUMPRODUCT(array1*array2*…) appears quite humble upon first glance. Consider the following sales report:

Example sales report

The sales in column H are simply the product of columns F and G, for example, the formula in cell H12 is simply =F12*G12. Then, to calculate the entire amount cell H19 sums column H. This could all be performed much quicker using the following formula:
=SUMPRODUCT(F12:F17*G12:G17)

SUMPRODUCT does exactly what it says on the tin. It sums the individual products.

How does this help the cause? It is all to do with the properties of TRUE and FALSE in Excel, namely:

• TRUE*number = number (for example, TRUE*7 = 7)
• FALSE*number = 0 (for example, FALSE*7=0).

In our earlier example (repeated below)

Example ‘dummy’ database

we can test columns F and G to check whether they equal our required values. SUMPRODUCT could be used as follows:
=SUMPRODUCT((F12:F21=1)*(G12:G21=”Z”)*H12:H21).

For the purposes of this calculation, (F12:F21=1) replaces the contents of cells F12:F21 with either TRUE or FALSE depending on whether the value contained in each cell equals 1 or not.

Similarly, (G12:G21=”Z”) replaces the contents of cells G12:G21 with either TRUE or FALSE depending on whether the value “Z” is contained in each cell.

The only time cells H12:H21 will be summed is when the corresponding cell in the arrays F12:F21 and G12:G21 are both TRUE. Then you will get TRUE*TRUE*number, which equals the said number.

Notice that SUMPRODUCT is not an array formula (you do not use CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER), but it is an array function, so again it can use a lot of memory making the calculation speed of the file slow down.

Used sparingly, it can be a highly versatile addition to the modeller’s repertoire. It is a sophisticated function, but once you understand how it works, you can start to use SUMPRODUCT for a whole array of problems (pun intended!).

This Excel file shows examples of all of the above solutions and may help you to choose which solution to use in which scenario.

Excel Example File

Query

Whenever I open certain Excel workbooks, I get a message asking if I want to update the links. I’m unsure how to search my workbook to find out what these links are. Please help!

Update Links Prompt (Excel 2003)

Advice

In this instance, the user wishes to find the links and decide individually whether they should be retained or removed. (If the intention is merely to remove them, you may wish to consider the free Microsoft add-in, Delete Links Wizard.)

The first step is to ascertain what type of links you have. One way of doing this is to select Edit–>Links in Excel 2003 or earlier, or use the Connections section of the Data tab (see graphic below) in Excel 2007. Also Alt + E + K, the keyboard shortcut, works in all versions of Excel.

Location of Edit Links in Excel 2007

However this command will not be available in all instances. If it is, you will probably have Formula Links. If Edit–>Links is available, a dialog box will appear.

Edit Links dialog box (illustration)

There may be more than one file linked. Upon inspection, you may notice that one or more file may simply be an older version of the active workbook. If so, the active workbook can be substituted for each file in turn by clicking on the Change Source button (Alt + N) and following the directions. This will remove these referencing errors.

You may not have access to some files and this may cause errors if the file is inadvertently updated. By selecting the Break Link button, these links can be replaced by their current values. This action cannot be undone so you may wish to save the file beforehand in order to rectify errors.

Formula links

If you do have formula links, it is relatively straightforward to search for them:

• Close all workbooks except the active workbook with the links in.
• In Excel 2003 / earlier, on the Edit menu, click Find. In Excel 2007, click on Find & Select on the Editing section of the Home tab – or use Ctrl + F in all versions.

Location of Find & Select in Excel 2007

• Click Options
• In the Find what box, enter [
• In the Within box, click Workbook
• In the Look In box, click Formulas
• Click Find All
• In the box at the bottom, look in the Formula column for formulas that contain [
• To select the cell with a link, select the row in the box at the bottom.

Find Dialog box (illustration)

Other ‘phantom’ links

There are other types of links – often referred to as ‘phantom’ links as they are harder to locate than formula links. But once you know, it’s easy!

Name links

This is probably the most common cause of phantom links: names that reference ranges in other workbooks.

Using Define Name in Excel 2003 or earlier or Name Manager in Excel 2007 (or Ctrl + F3), we can get a list of all the names in the workbook:

Define Name (Excel 2003 or earlier)

Name Manager (Excel 2007)

By scrolling through the list of names and examining the ‘Refers to’ section (a little cumbersome prior to Excel 2007, admittedly), names referring to other workbooks or containing erroneous references such as #REF! can be changed or deleted.

Chart links

If you have charts in your workbook, there are various places where hidden links could be lurking. Click on each text box or title and examine the formula bar, , for references to other workbooks.

Click on each data series in the chart and examine the SERIES formula for external references. These links can be removed by copying (as values!) the data located into the active workbook.

Object links

External references can also be attached to objects. The simplest way of reviewing objects in a workbook is to use the highly underrated Go To–>Special function (use the F5 function key and then click Special). In the next dialog box, select Objects, then click OK.

Go To Dialog Box  Go To Special: Selecting Objects

By pressing the Tab key and examining the formula bar, each object can be reviewed in turn for external references.

And finally…

Once you have completed the above process, unless your workbook includes web queries containing parameters (this could be an article in itself), all links should now have been reviewed. If the intention was to remove all such links, simply save and reopen once all deletions have been made.

Source: CIMA Global Website

Query

Preparing financial statements in Excel, I want to construct a formula that will tell me if my balance sheet is balancing, and, if not, which is the first period that the misbalance occurs in.

Balance Sheet Summary Illustration

Advice

This is a common modelling query. The usual suspects, LOOKUP and HLOOKUP / VLOOKUP do not work here:

• LOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_vector,[result_vector]) gives the wrong date as the balance checks are not in strict ascending order (that is, ascending alphanumerically with no duplicates)
• HLOOKUP(lookup_value,table_array,row_index_num,[range_lookup]) gives #VALUE! since the first row must contain the data to be ‘looked up’, but the Balance Check is in row 28 in our example above, whereas the dates we need to return are in row 6 – hence we get a syntax error.

There is a solution, however: INDEX MATCH. They form a highly versatile tag team, but are worth introducing individually.

Index

Essentially, INDEX(array, row_num,[column_num]) returns a value or the reference to a value from within a table or range (list). For example, INDEX({7,8,9,10,11,12},3) returns the third item in the list {7,8,9,10,11,12}, that is 9. This could have been a range: INDEX(A1:A10,5) gives the value in cell A5, etc.

INDEX can work in two dimensions as well (hence the column_num reference). Consider the following example:

Two Dimensional INDEX Example

INDEX(F11:L21,4,5) returns the value in the fourth row, fifth column of the table array F11:L21 (clearly 26 in the above illustration).

Match

MATCH(lookup_value,lookup_array,[match_type]) returns the relative position of an item in an array that (approximately) matches a specified value. It is not case sensitive.

The third argument, match_type, does not have to be entered, but for many situations, I strongly recommend that it is specified. It allows one of three values:

• match_type 1 [default if omitted]: finds the largest value less than or equal to the lookup_value – but the lookup_array must be in strict ascending order, limiting flexibility
• match_type 0: probably the most useful setting, MATCH will find the position of the first value that matches lookup_value exactly. The lookup_array can have data in any order and even allows duplicates
• match type -1: finds the smallest value greater than or equal to the lookup_value – but the lookup_array must be in strict descending order, again limiting flexibility.

When using MATCH, if there is no (approximate) match, #N/A is returned (this may also occur if data is not correctly sorted depending upon match_type).

MATCH is fairly straightforward to use:

MATCH Example

In the figure above, MATCH(“d”,F12:F22,0) gives a value of 6, being the relative position of the first ‘d’ in the range. Note that having match_type 0 here is important. The data contains duplicates and is not sorted alphanumerically. Consequently, match_types 1 and -1 would give the wrong answer: 7 and #N/A respectively.

Index Match

While useful functions in their own right, combined they form a highly versatile partnership. Consider our original problem:

Balance Sheet Summary Illustration (Revisited)

MATCH(1,J28:O28,0) equals 5, that is, the first period the balance sheet does not balance in is Period 5. But we can do better than that.

INDEX(J6:O6,5) equals May-09, so combining the two functions:
INDEX(J6:O6,MATCH(1,J28:O28,0)) equals May-09 in one step, and answers our reader’s query.

Note how flexible this combination really is. We do not need to specify an order for the lookup range, we can have duplicates and the value to be returned does not have to be in a row / column below / to the right of the lookup range (indeed, it can be in another workbook never mind another worksheet!).

With a little practice, the above technique can be extended to match items on a case sensitive basis, use multiple criteria and even ‘grade’. The attached workbook provides several examples as illustrations.

Source: CIMA Global Website

Query

I’d like to make the data in my Excel spreadsheets more attractive and easier to read when I present it to other people. Do you have any tips?

Advice

Take the illustration below. How easy is it to find the key data, or see which cells should be changed to facilitate updated information? How easy are these things in your own spreadsheets? Have you ever noticed that spreadsheets built by colleagues do not look similar to your own?

Two key qualities of a good spreadsheet are consistency and transparency.

Examples of consistency:

• formulae are copied without amendment across rows
• cells with a common purpose (for example, inputs that are assumptions, such as inflation rates) are formatted similarly
• titles are positioned in the same cells in different worksheets
• assumption cells (cells containing data that can be changed by the user to affect model outputs) are unlocked, where all other cells are locked, so that only these cells can be changed.

Examples of transparency:

• assumptions are formatted to be instantly recognisable
• key outputs (for example, totals) can be identified immediately, with their derivation made obvious.

Excel’s ‘Styles’ features can assist with both transparency and consistency.

Formats and styles

These terms are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. To see this, select any cell in Excel and apply the shortcut keystroke ctrl + 1. This shortcut brings up the Format Cells dialog box:

Excel’s Format Cells Dialog Box:

Excel has six format properties: Number, Alignment, Font, Border, Patterns and Protection. A style is simply a pre defined set of these various formats.

With a little forethought, these styles can be set up and applied to a worksheet cell or range very easily.

Creating your own styles is straightforward with Excel’s Style dialog box.

In Excel 2003 (and earlier) go to Format–> Style (Alt + O + S).

In Excel 2007, go to the Home tab, click the arrow in the bottom right corner and then select ‘New Cell Style…’ (Alt + N):

Either way, the dialog box appears:

Excel’s Style Dialog Box (Excel 2003 illustration)

Example
Let’s create an assumption format for entering data in dollars. First, select a cell or range of cells. Then, call up the above dialog box. The dropdown box (highlighted above) can be edited. We’ll change the name to ‘Dollar Assumptions” and click the ‘Modify button’ (Excel 2003 and earlier) or the ‘Format’ button (Excel 2007).

The Format Cells dialog box reappears:

• Number: select the Currency category, with zero decimal places and apply the ‘$’ symbol
• Alignment: Horizontal – Right (Indent) with zero indent
• Patterns: select an ‘easy-on-the-eye’ colour such as pale green
• Protection: uncheck the Locked check box (allows the cell to be changed in a protected worksheet)
• Click ‘OK’ to return to the Style dialog box.

Note that no formats have been ascribed for Font or Border in this example. We don’t want the style to control (that is, overwrite) these properties, so the ‘Style includes’ check boxes for these two format properties should be unchecked:

Dollar Assumptions:

By clicking ‘OK’ or ‘Add’, the cell or range has now been formatted with the ‘Dollar Assumptions’ style.
Now that this style has been added, in Excel 2007 you simply select the range and then click on the style in the Styles gallery on the Home tab.

Applying styles in Excel 2003 (and earlier) is just as simple once you have made a customisation.

For pre Excel 2007, you can call up the Style dialog box and then choose the appropriate style and click ‘OK’. This is a little cumbersome. It is easy to incorporate this Style dropdown box onto an existing toolbar and dispense with several of these steps.

By right clicking on any toolbar or using the shortcut (Alt + T + C), call up the Customize dialog box and select the Commands tab, then the Format category.

Customize Dialog Box:

Choose the Style dropdown using the left click on the mouse and drag it onto an existing toolbar of your choice (then close the dialog box).

Style Dropdown Attached to Formatting Toolbar (Example)

Easy!

Updating and retaining styles
The difference between Formats and Styles becomes obvious when you realise you want to change (update) a style. Just select one of the cells that the style is attached to and call up the Style dialog box in the usual way, modifying the style as required. Click ‘OK’ when finished. Note that every cell in the open workbook that uses this style has automatically updated. Once you start using styles, you will never look back!

You will only want to set up styles once. When you’re finished, simply save the file as a template using File–>Save As (you may wish to delete or remove formatted cells first so that you have a blank workbook). Using File–>New (or Office Menu–>New–>My Templates in Excel 2007) will call up your saved styles.

Styles – before and after
Returning to our original query, which do you prefer?

Before Styles:

After Styles:

Source: CIMA Global Website

MS Excel telah menyediakan beberapa function logical yang boleh digunakan. Diantaranya adalah IF() function.

Syntax: IF(logical_test,value_if_true,value_if_false)

logical_test melibatkan sebarang penyataan logik BENAR atau SALAH. Sebagai contoh, jika cell A10 sama dengan 100 adalah BENAR. Ia juga boleh melibatkan sebarang pengiraan (+, – , /, %, *) atau perbandingan (>, <, =>, =<, <>).

value_if_true keputusan sekiranya logical_test adalah BENAR. Hasil boleh dipersembahkan secara single value/text, sebarang bentuk pengiraan atau function. Sebagai contoh, sekiranya keputusan BENAR untuk logical_test adalah “Over Budget”, maka keputusan akan menunjukkan “Over Budget”. Sebaliknya, keputusan akan menunjukkan keputusan value_if_false.

value_if_false keputusan sekiranya logical_test adalah SALAH. Hasil boleh dipersembahkan secara single value/text, sebarang bentuk pengiraan atau function.

Anda boleh melakukan 64 operasi IF() function secara serentak dalam satu formula dan kombinasi mana-mana function yang bersesuaian. =IF(logical_value,IF(logical_value,IF(logical_value,value_if_true,value_if_false),value_if_false),value_if_false)

Contoh:

Anda ingin memaparkan keputusan Grade mengikut Result yang diperolehi seperti dibawah.

1. Taip di cell B24 formula berikut: =IF(A25=”D”,”Distinction”,IF(A25=”P”,”Pass”,IF(A25=”C”,”Credit”,”N/A”)))
2. Copy & paste formula ke cell yang berikutnya.

Bagaimana jika melibatkan beberapa operasi atau keputusan? Gambar dibawah menunjukkan keputusan laporan jualan mengikut produk. Setiap produk mempunyai discount yang berbeza berdasarkan category. Tax 6% akan dikenakan kepada amount jualan melebihi 2000.

1. Taip formula berikut di cell E9:
   =C9*D9*(1-IF(B9=”S”,$J$13,IF(B9=”P”,$J$14,0)))
   Explanation: =Price x Qty(1-IF(Category=”S”,15%,IF(Category=”P”,25%,0)))
2. Taip formula berikut di cell F9:
   =IF(E9>2000,E9*6%,0)
3. Copy & paste formula ke cell berikutnya.

1. Letakkan kedudukan cursor pada cell yang ingin di copy
2. Gerakkan mouse ke hujung bucu kanan bawah cell sehingga mouse pointer bertukar ke +
3. Apabila pointer bertukar ke +, double click mouse.

Penting: Ianya akan hanya berfungsi apabila column sebelumnya mempunyai data. Sebagai contoh gambar diatas, column A perlu ada data. Apabila mouse di double click, ianya akan autofill sehingga mana column sebelumnya, iaitu cell B31.

Sekiranya anda ingin autofill untuk tarikh, bulan atau tahun juga boleh dilakukan.

Ok, sebenarnya ada cara mudah yang anda boleh lakukan iaitu menggunakan function berikut:

• UPPER() – menukar kandungan cell kepada HURUF BESAR
• lower() – menukar kandungan cell kepada huruf kecil
• Proper() – menukar kandungan cell kepada Huruf Besar Pada Awal Perkataan

Sebagai contoh, anda ingin tukar kandungan di cell B5 “sAya suKa MaKaN PisAnG”. Caranya adalah,

• pergi ke cell yang anda ingin keluarkan output, cth C6
• taip =UPPER(B5) untuk HURUF BESAR, =lower(B5) untuk huruf kecil, =Proper(B5) untuk Huruf Besar Pada Awal Perkataan.
• copy formula tersebut kepada cell yang lain

Mudah bukan? Selamat mencuba