Computers Any excel gurus?

**The Bad Guy** · 08-28-2009, 11:34 PM

I'm creating a master schedule for all the students on my caseload this year for school. It's a pretty big file, and I wanted to know how I can make it more printer friendly. I also wanted to write numerous lines in one block without making it way too big. Is this possible?

Any help is much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

**DaneMcCloud** · 08-28-2009, 11:54 PM

Hmm.

It sounds like either MS Access or MS Word would be better suited for your needs.

UsualSuspects · 08-29-2009, 12:08 AM

Damn big schools.

Know software better than 18 year olds....

Seriously. Then no worries.

**mikeyis4dcats.** · 08-29-2009, 10:18 AM

I'll try and help you if you can explain a little better what you are wanting.

Chiefless · 08-29-2009, 10:22 AM

In your print dialogue box you can set the printing percentage to reduce it down to fit on whatever page size you are using.

As for the word wrap, you should be able to select all, right click, select cell format and find the word wrap check box. It's probably clicked off, click it on and close the box. Then change your column widths to be more narrow. The type should wrap into several lines. I'm doing this from memory, so some of the terminology may be wrong.

Chiefless · 08-29-2009, 10:23 AM

Oh, and you can change to paper orientation and margins from "page setup" (I think).

Fat Elvis · 08-29-2009, 11:48 AM

Go to youtube.

Seriously.

There is a tutorial for everything you could think of for MS Office products. For me, at least, it is a lot easier to see how to do things and what the results are rather than trying to have someone explain it to me in a chat room.

Edit: And Dane is right; MS Access is the way to go. You can export to excel, generate reports, etc, etc. Access lets you sort the data whereas excel doesn't.

Mosbonian · 08-29-2009, 11:50 AM

Not trying to be smart, but why worry about being printer friendly?

Most things sent home by Teachers these days are done on memory sticks...I haven't printed out a schedule for my kids in a couple of years. We have it downloaded to a calendar that pops up on the computer each morning..

I've seen a couple of people take calendars and put them on digital picture frames....

That said, Dane is probably right...if it is that big you could use either Access or Monarch.

mmaddog
*******

**The Bad Guy** · 08-29-2009, 12:21 PM

Thanks guys.

I was able to accomplish what I wanted.

I need it to be printer friendly because I have to give hard copies to the teachers the students work with. It is much easier for them than having to pull it up on a computer.

Chiefless · 08-29-2009, 02:06 PM

Access would be overkill for this. Word...maybe. But every schedule I've seen in my line of work is done in Excel.

KC native · 08-29-2009, 03:06 PM

Pivot Tables FTW!

**DaneMcCloud** · 08-29-2009, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiefless

Access would be overkill for this. Word...maybe. But every schedule I've seen in my line of work is done in Excel.

That may be true but that doesn't mean that it's the most efficient.

Once the tables are created in Access, queries can be written to quickly do almost anything. And as FA pointed out, it's very easy to create reports based on those queries. You don't have to worry about expanding data and whether it fit on a page. You can create Keys and sort any which way.

MS Access databases offer infinite possibilities whereas Excel can be very, very limiting at times.

KC native · 08-29-2009, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

That may be true but that doesn't mean that it's the most efficient.

Once the tables are created in Access, queries can be written to quickly do almost anything. And as FA pointed out, it's very easy to create reports based on those queries. You don't have to worry about expanding data and whether it fit on a page. You can create Keys and sort any which way.

MS Access databases offer infinite possibilities whereas Excel can be very, very limiting at times.

See above post. Pivot Tables FTW. It would take so long to set this up in access whereas pivot tables can work with large amounts of data easily and be done very quickly.

KC native · 08-29-2009, 03:15 PM

http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/en...ot-tables.aspx

Link for pivot tables and info.

**DaFace** · 08-29-2009, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC native

Pivot Tables FTW!

I haven't figured out why pivot tables aren't included in Excel 101. They may seem a bit complicated, but I'd argue that they may be the single most useful feature in Excel when it comes to manipulating data.

08-28-2009, 11:34 PM
The Bad Guy Scott Pioli Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: The Copacobana Casino cash: $9373645	Any excel gurus? I'm creating a master schedule for all the students on my caseload this year for school. It's a pretty big file, and I wanted to know how I can make it more printer friendly. I also wanted to write numerous lines in one block without making it way too big. Is this possible? Any help is much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Posts: 23,212

08-28-2009, 11:54 PM	#2
DaneMcCloud Supporter Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Hollywood, CA Casino cash: $10053648	Hmm. It sounds like either MS Access or MS Word would be better suited for your needs.
Posts: 88,960

08-29-2009, 12:08 AM	#3
UsualSuspects Starter Join Date: Aug 2009 Casino cash: $10004900	Damn big schools. Know software better than 18 year olds.... Seriously. Then no worries.
Posts: 220

08-29-2009, 10:18 AM	#4
mikeyis4dcats. Scarlett Johansson's boytoy Join Date: Nov 2006 Casino cash: $9555998	I'll try and help you if you can explain a little better what you are wanting.
Posts: 12,526

08-29-2009, 10:22 AM	#5
Chiefless Veteran Join Date: Jul 2001 Casino cash: $10007500	In your print dialogue box you can set the printing percentage to reduce it down to fit on whatever page size you are using. As for the word wrap, you should be able to select all, right click, select cell format and find the word wrap check box. It's probably clicked off, click it on and close the box. Then change your column widths to be more narrow. The type should wrap into several lines. I'm doing this from memory, so some of the terminology may be wrong.
Posts: 1,326

08-29-2009, 10:23 AM	#6
Chiefless Veteran Join Date: Jul 2001 Casino cash: $10007500	Oh, and you can change to paper orientation and margins from "page setup" (I think).
Posts: 1,326

08-29-2009, 11:48 AM	#7
Fat Elvis Sexiest Athlete Join Date: Apr 2001 Casino cash: $1341925	Go to youtube. Seriously. There is a tutorial for everything you could think of for MS Office products. For me, at least, it is a lot easier to see how to do things and what the results are rather than trying to have someone explain it to me in a chat room. Edit: And Dane is right; MS Access is the way to go. You can export to excel, generate reports, etc, etc. Access lets you sort the data whereas excel doesn't.
Posts: 12,399

08-29-2009, 11:50 AM	#8
Mosbonian On Hiatus Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $2409700	Not trying to be smart, but why worry about being printer friendly? Most things sent home by Teachers these days are done on memory sticks...I haven't printed out a schedule for my kids in a couple of years. We have it downloaded to a calendar that pops up on the computer each morning.. I've seen a couple of people take calendars and put them on digital picture frames.... That said, Dane is probably right...if it is that big you could use either Access or Monarch. mmaddog *******
Posts: 11,295

08-29-2009, 12:21 PM	#9
The Bad Guy Scott Pioli Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: The Copacobana Casino cash: $9373645	Thanks guys. I was able to accomplish what I wanted. I need it to be printer friendly because I have to give hard copies to the teachers the students work with. It is much easier for them than having to pull it up on a computer. __________________
Posts: 23,212

08-29-2009, 02:06 PM	#10
Chiefless Veteran Join Date: Jul 2001 Casino cash: $10007500	Access would be overkill for this. Word...maybe. But every schedule I've seen in my line of work is done in Excel.
Posts: 1,326

08-29-2009, 03:06 PM	#11
KC native Banned Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Fort Worth, TX Casino cash: $10049239	Pivot Tables FTW!
Posts: 24,946

08-29-2009, 03:15 PM	#14
KC native Banned Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Fort Worth, TX Casino cash: $10049239	http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/en...ot-tables.aspx Link for pivot tables and info.
Posts: 24,946