Secrets of the Office Masters: Redesigning a Worksheet Clarifies the Information
When you first create a worksheet, every cell uses the same fonts, every row is the same height, and there's no distinction between headings and the data they describe. With Excel's extensive selection of formatting tools, you can redesign a worksheet to make its organization crystal clear.
When we imported data from a database into a worksheet, the results looked like a data dis aster, as the "Before" example in Figure 22.19 illustrates.
Figure 22.19.
After some careful formatting, however, the results are much easier to read and follow. Here are the basic principles we followed when formatting the "After" worksheet shown in Figure 22.20:
Adjust the formatting for every cell, especially those that contain numbers, dates, and dollar amounts. Pay particular attention to fonts, font size, and the number of decimal places displayed.
Enter totals, averages, and other formulas as needed for analytical purposes.
Make sure that all columns align properly and that rows and columns are the proper width.
Make headings and titles bigger and bolder so that they clearly define what type of data is in each row and column. Bold white type on a dark background is especially effective in column headings. Excel also uses this formatting to identify headings for sorting purposes.
Turn on text wrapping and merge cells as needed, especially in headings.
To unclutter the worksheet, choose File, Page Setup, click the Sheet tab, and clear the check mark from the Gridlines box.
Use the Borders button to add grid elements as necessary. Notice the double underline above a row of totals and the thin single borders along the bottom of each row of data that help the reader follow along from left to right in each row.
Use the Fill Color drop-down menu to add light shading throughout the data section. In this worksheet, a soft green shading was added to alternate rows to make long rows easier to follow.
Freeze worksheet panes to make it easier to scroll through columns and rows without losing track of data.
Add graphics as needed to give the worksheet the proper corporate identity.
Figure 22.20.
