Excel Power Users
“Now, I don’t have to ask _____ so many questions.” Our trainers hear this from clients after almost every Excel class. ______, of course, is the person who builds the company spreadsheets, spots the formula errors, and untangles the Excel knots.
We call them Power Users, and most offices are fortunate enough to have at least one. Power Users aren’t intimidated by building long formula strings or tracing through the logic on interrelated cells. They can perform magic tricks like changing cell colors automatically and tying separate spreadsheets and workbooks together.
Frequently, these virtuosos are self-taught masters, who have spent many painful hours reverse-engineering the work of their predecessors, or if they’ve had a class, it was years ago, and with an old version of the software.
Sharpening the Axe
Power Users come to our Advanced Excel classes with a lot of experience and some preconceptions. The problem with “figuring out” Excel is that often the hardest way to design a spreadsheet is usually the most obvious way.
In Excel, there are many paths to the same destination, and many ways to do the same thing. Some ways, though, are inherently better than others. Good spreadsheets:
- Are easier to understand and design
- Have less opportunity for mistakes
- Allow for simpler adjustments down the road
- Don’t require users to be geniuses
With Excel Advanced we show Excel Power Users the best practices in designing a spreadsheet, which makes them that much more valuable to their company.
Here’s to the Power Users! Without whom, we’d still be using a calculator.
