Troubleshooting Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets

by Laurie Ulrich-Fuller

The author of Troubleshooting Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets has organized her work around the negative behaviors that pop up all too often while you're working with Excel 97 and 2000. Rather than explain how the software is supposed to work by documenting its features and capabilities one by one, this book begins at the apparent dead ends of the world's most widely used computer spreadsheet package. The book states problems ("When I type in the active cell, nothing happens," and "I'm not sure how to get data from my worksheet to appear on a map," are two examples) and presents solutions to them. In other words, it uses statements of users' problems as a means of getting readers to the procedure or set of facts they need. The procedures are a mixture of feature documentation (PivotTables are explained for the uninitiated) and, to a lesser extent, problem workarounds (how to use formatting tricks to solve the perennially vexing "disappearing zero" problem). Problem statements are arranged into flow diagrams that help lead readers to the information they need. Once you find the spread you're looking for, the book does a fine job of explaining what the problem is and how you can accomplish the job at hand. Fact-rich text lays the groundwork for step-by-step procedures, which usually appear in a couple of versions to address situational differences. --David Wall Topics Microsoft Excel 97 and 2000 for everyday users Calculations Formatting Data collection and distribution All the Excel extras, such as Microsoft Map and PivotTable analysis

Paperback

First published January 6, 2000

Reviews

[Robert Pulse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Put on reference shelf - found one useful hint