Trying To Create Reports With Excel? Expert Tips Here!
There is more to Microsoft Excel than just the numbers on the spreadsheet. It is also vital to make the spreadsheet look presentable, visually appealing, and easy to read for the viewers.
Your Excel report won’t engage the audience if it looks clumsy or bland, no matter how relevant the information contained within it is.
That said, whether you are creating a spreadsheet to store data, to pass information to the boss or your team members, you should enroll for one of the advanced Excel Courses In Western Sydney or where ever you happen to live. The course instructors will provide you with useful tips that will help you create standout spreadsheets.
Enlisted below are a few easy-to-implement tips for everyone creating reports with Excel – beginner, intermediate or advanced Microsoft Excel user.
Be Consistent
Apply a simple set of formatting rules to make the spreadsheets understandable and uniform. For example:
- Use uniform font throughout the sheet.
- Comments on the analysis in bold or italics.
- Create cell styles.
- Define your title; make it bold.
Get A Template Online
If you don’t have the time and resources to design an Excel report, search the web for pre-made Excel templates. Select from an array of designs, specific to your project, along with beautiful fonts, colours, and theme. Just enter your value to customize it, and you are good to go.
Of course, this does not mean you will get better at designing templates, which should be okay, as your priority is getting things done. But, if you want to get better at designing templates, you should enroll yourself for Excel training courses.
Name The Spreadsheet Correctly
Your presentation must be simple and clear. And why not, aren’t spreadsheets made to ensure clarity? For the single reason of keeping things simple, the importance of a justified worksheet name cannot be overemphasized.
The name of the spreadsheet could be anything – a phrase, a word, or a sentence; make sure it is relevant and easy to understand for anyone who reads it. Additionally, you must keep in mind that the name is unique; distinct from the other worksheets stored on your computer. Think of it as a google search.
Define Your Header
Your title needs to be unique. It must interact with the viewer and make them understand what the spreadsheet is about, at first glance.
To make sure the header attracts the reader, try a larger font, underline and make it bold. Use a different colour for your header and centre align it. It must stand out, but that does not mean it should ruin the overall aesthetic look. Just remember, it should be distinct, but also be able to blend with the template’s colour scheme.
Add An Image
Images can instantly make your spreadsheet look more appealing and enticing. Whether it’s a photograph, logo or an artistic sketch, when you use images, you make your report looks official and professional.
While you cannot accomplish the same kind of presentation in Excel, that you can in PowerPoint, adding pictures to the spreadsheet can hit the mark and help you make the report more memorable.
Use Charts, Tables, And Graphs
Visuals speak a thousand words. While most reports look incomplete without visual representation, using charts, tables and graphs to represent raw data can make the spreadsheet interesting and interactive.
In the Excel ecosystem, charts, tables, and graphs are the symbolic siblings — ones that bring out the beauty in the brevity of the presentation.
Show Restraint
Once you are through with all of the above tips, you are good to go. But make sure you don’t overdo it. Use colour in a restricted manner, and do not make use of too many tips at once. You need to understand the fine line between creating a good report and overdoing it. Just make sure, your report is perfectly balanced, as everything should be.
Eventually, the way your report turns out reveals how effortlessly you can communicate with your audience.