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Most of the information people use their computers to prepare
consists either primarily of either numbers or words. As a result, they tend to
use spreadsheets when their data consists mostly of numbers, and word processors
when their data consists mostly of words. However, there are lots of times when
a spreadsheet is the right application, even when the data you are capturing
contains mostly words.
Probably the most common unproductive task
I see in offices is staff using Microsoft Word to accomplish something what
could have been completed in a quarter of the time in Excel or Lotus - with the
ability to get additional information from it once completed.
If you are
summarizing information, particularly when it includes lists of such things as
customers, vendors, products, employees, etc. you should be using a spreadsheet
such as Lotus or Excel. While Microsoft Word can make use of tables, very few
people know how to use them properly, and they are very cumbersome.
Spreadsheets let you automatically sort alphabetically or numerically
and do calculations such as summations. Keep this in mind when you are setting
up your data. You might want one column for first names and one column for last
names if you are going to want to sort by last names for instance.
Before
you start your next Microsoft Word document - think spreadsheet. It might save
you a great deal of time.
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