Spreadsheets

… every freedom fighter’s best frenemy

Organizing made me “better” at spreadsheets & spreadsheets make me better at organizing. Let’s build our toolbox together!

Browse themed blog posts

• 5 special properties of Microsoft Word for Mail Merge projectsMay 10, 2023
  Formatting tips for complex Mail Merge templates in Microsoft Word including conditional logic, hidden text, controlling page breaks, and more!
• How to interpret survey data in Google Sheets with dynamic charts and drop down menusMay 17, 2022
  Sorting through Google Form survey responses? What if I told you that you didn’t have to rely on the auto charts from Google Forms, and instead, you could develop a fully automated, responsive, Google sheets dashboard for disaggregating data and drawing insights from the data? Here’s how!
• Dear Spreadsheet Whisperer: Or Else?April 26, 2022
  What should a social justice movement leader do when his spreadsheets aren’t behaving properly? Email the Spreadsheet Whisperer, of course!
• NEW VIDEOS | practicing cognitive flexibility with my bestieApril 11, 2022
  A retrospective on the Emily and Samantha collab + Emily and Samantha tackle cognitive flexibility!
• I was wrong: tech mistakes, accountability, and trustApril 2, 2022
  Report back from my session at #22NTC and what to do when we – inevitably – make mistakes on the way to good technology.
• prepping synagogue data – and – introducing Jenks natural breaks!February 6, 2022
  What is the best way to divide fundraising totals into categories and create charts and graphs? Enter, Jenks Natural Breaks and some spreadsheet magic!
• How to make Validation Rules into *Validating* RulesJanuary 17, 2022
  The database world is replete with options for “validating” data, but there is a huge missing link in our field, which for me boils down to VALIDATING HUMANS.
• by the numbers 2021December 27, 2021
  How did TDAA do at meeting its goals? How did TDAA compare to statistics from prior years? Lots of juicy metrics and reflection in this end of year round up!
• How to compare addressesDecember 23, 2021
  StreetStStrSt.AvenueAveAve. How many different ways can you write an address? Turns out… a LOT. Typically, when I am cleaning address data (yes, that’s something I do quite regularly, what with being a spreadsheet whisperer and all), I am preparing to either (1) upload a single file into an online database or (2) create a mail … Read more
• on gathering (or, what I’m learning as I make mail merge tutorial videos)November 22, 2021
  Learning how to share mail merge templates with all of you turns into a reflection on The Art of the Gathering, and digital sharing in general.