ACIS Introduction to Data Analytics & Business Intelligence Spreadsheet Design Simplicity

Business Intelligence Database Benefits  Components  Database Benefits  Components 

Concept Map Spreadsheet Development Implementation Simplicity Design Fill, Find, Header, Transpose

Objectives Explain the Simplicity Principle, part 1 and 2 & explain how to support it in spreadsheets. Demonstrate Excel features often used with large spreadsheets.

Segment A: Productivity

Moving Efficiently CTRL + arrow keys Mac Users: CMD + SHIFT + arrow Jumps cursor to end of block or beginning of next block Block = contiguous occupied cells

1504 Grades Example Open Grades.xlsx from course home page Step 3 1.How many columns of data? 2.How many rows of data? 3.What is the number of the last empty row in the spreadsheet? 4.What are the letters of the last empty column in the spreadsheet? 5.What do the green triangles mean?

Fill vs. Copy FillCopy Highlight pattern then drag fill handle Highlight single cell then drag fill handle Double-click fill handle to fill to bottom of block

Find

Chris Anderson, Wired’s ex-Editor in Chief Long Tail Theory

Amazon - "We sold more books today that didn't sell at all yesterday, than we sold today of all the books that did sell yesterday.“ Netflix – “In aggregate, unpopular movies are rented more than popular movies.” iTunes – “A miss is just another sale with the same margins as a hit.” Long Tail Examples

Long Tail Stocks Example 1.Open these files: Amazon Stock Apple Stock Netflix Stock Files available from home page under Step 3

Long Tail Stocks Example 2.Insert a new column at the beginning of each file and label it: Symbol. 3.Add the appropriate stock market symbol to the first stock quote in each file: Amazon = amzn Apple = aapl Netflix = ntflx 4.Use the fill handle (not copy/paste) to copy the stock market symbol to all quotes in each file. 5.Combine these stock quotes into one worksheet in a new workbook named Long Tail Stocks. List Amazon quotes first, then Apple, then Netflix. (1 worksheet, 7 columns, over 450 rows) 6.Insert a new column at the beginning of your new workbook. Label it ID. Assign each quote a unique number. Begin numbering at 1 and increment by 1.

Long Tail Stocks Example 5.Combine these stock quotes into one worksheet in a new workbook named Long Tail Stocks. List Amazon quotes first, then Apple, then Netflix. (1 worksheet, 7 columns, over 450 rows) 6.Insert a new column at the beginning of your new workbook. Label it ID. Assign each quote a unique number. Begin numbering at 1 and increment by 1. 7.I made a mistake in the Netflix symbol. It should be nflx. Fix this.

Segment B: Simplicity – Part 1

Spreadsheet Design Goals Simplicity Clarity Verifiability Accuracy Efficiency

Simplicity Part 1 One idea per row and One idea per column

One Idea

Not One Idea

Segment C: Simplicity – Part 2

Numbers to be compared should align in columns.

Rows vs. Columns

Simple VT Football. VT <

Not Simple VT Football. VT <

Not Simple Detail Report: Salaries Reported. VT Career Services

Simple Detail Report: Salaries Reported. VT Career Services

Header & Footer Select VIEW, NORMAL to return to regular worksheet display

Simple? Detail Report: Bonuses Reported. VT Career Services

Simple? Detail Report: Employment related to career goals & major. VT Career Services

Enrollment Example I want to compare Fall enrollments for years ‘09-’13.

Transpose – Step 1: Copy First, select data range.

Transpose – Step 2: Paste First, select new sheet.

Stock Summary Example 1.Open Stock Summary 2.Setup the worksheet so I can most easily analyze Apples highest monthly closing prices. Then I’d like to do the same for Amazon and Netflix.