Like a coffee filter, the filter functions that I'm writing about today help us get to the very essence of our data. Read on for examples of filtering and summarizing a complex dataset, informed by a recent consulting project for an emergency homeless shelter.
if we don’t get it… shut it down
TL;DR... Sign up for an upcoming course, no wait, an experience, with my spreadsheet soulmate Emily! You'll learn how and why to organize your tech workspaces so that you can shut down your computer every night in peace. Plus, you'll get to join a supportive, like-minded cohort with personal coaching from Emily.
Steven Universe presents: Filter Views
Need to maintain multiple views of the same data? Learn about my "Filter Square Mindset" of applying Filter Views rather than Filters in Google Sheets! Plus, gifs, cartoons, puns, and more!
call me, maybe?
Getting ready for your Q4 fundraising phone-a-thons? Follow these simple steps in Excel or Google Sheets to format your phone numbers for optimum ease!
hide and seek
=IF(FIND(ers, keepers), "", "weepers"). In other words, using text functions to make sense of lists. Plus, gifs and my pet turtle, Prince!
breadcrumbs trail / matzo meal
I think it's a best practice to design ALL spreadsheets as if they will be manipulated by other people, which means leaving a strong "breadcrumbs trail" of your assumptions, formulas, variables, data sources, and more. In my case, it's a matzo meal trail until tomorrow evening when Passover ends and I will devour pizza with all my might!
shape shifter
From a downloaded file with weird fonts and titles, wacky colors, no wrapped text, superwide columns, and repeating header rows, I was able to create a useable, sortable, shareable, printable, filterable, not-make-you-want-to-throw-your-computer-out-the-window spreadsheet. And you know what the best part is? You can too!
If only
Slicers, Subtotals, Tables, Ranges, Sort criteria, OH MY. We've got it all in this post about dealing with frustration, solutions, and spreadsheet empowerment.
validation rules!
Ahh, nothing like a good pep talk to make you feel validated. When I can't cheer you on, try data validation tools to add "dropdown menus" inside of your spreadsheets. Google Sheets and Excel users will both find something of value here. Read more for useful tips and tutorial videos.
expand, contract
Spreadsheets or life-in-general bringing you stress? Here's a tutorial about how to wrangle your spreadsheets with the "Group Rows" function. Plus, a mindfulness exercise!
