PROJECT 7 SPREADSHEETS WITH DATA CAPTURE—MINIVAN EXAMPLE Management Information Systems, 9th edition, By Raymond McLeod, Jr. and George P. Schell © 2004, Prentice Hall, Inc.

Learning Objectives Understand how calculations are made using formulas. Use multiple datasheets. Understand data capture techniques of drop-down menus, check boxes, and radio buttons. Learn how to use a function built into Excel. Learn to develop macros and to execute them with command buttons.

Introduction This project uses Excel 2002 (also known as Excel XP) to create a spreadsheet with data capture capabilities using mouse clicks Data capture in spreadsheets using a mouse click is important for two reasons: complicated or extended amounts of data can be captured easily and data entry errors are reduced Data capture using mouse clicks improves the quality and speed of data capture from the user Drop-down menus, radio buttons, and check boxes must be located on the spreadsheet with the possible choices entered and included in its design

EXAMPLE This example generates a price sheet for the Terra Traveler Minivan The minivan has a base price and three options The purchaser may choose a color, a type of transmission, and may choose special tires for the minivan In the spreadsheet example a drop-down menu (also called a combo box), radio buttons, and a check box are used to capture the purchaser’s choices

OPTIONS DATASHEET The “Options” datasheet provides information for a drop-down menu, a set of radio buttons, and a check box There are six color choices presented to the user and they are listed in cells A2 through A7 of the “Options” datasheet The color choices will not incur an additional charge except for the Metallic Red color choice A radio button will be generated for the mutually exclusive choices of a manual transmission or an automatic transmission Depending upon the transmission choice, the cost of the choice will change. A check box will be used to capture the purchaser’s choice for special tires

CAR DATASHEET The first data capture technique will be a drop-down menu. The choices to be displayed are in the “Options” datasheet in cells A2 through A7. The result of the choice should be recorded in the A1 cell If the purchaser chooses the first choice in the list, the value 1 will be recorded. If the third choice in the list is chosen, then 3 is recorded and so forth We need to tell Excel where to place the drop-down menu, where the choices are located, and where to record the choice

CALCULATING VALUES BASED ON CHOICES Dollar values on the “Car” datasheet based on choices captured from the purchaser must now be calculated Create an “IF…” statement for cell A5 that tests the value of the various Options

CALCULATING MONTHLY PAYMENTS The total amount in cell A8 is the sum of cells A4 through A7 and is used to calculate the monthly payment To use the built-in “PMT” financial function in Excel you must have an amount, an interest rate, and a number of payments Purchasers normally make payments each month for a number of years. A four year loan would take 48 months of payments Interest rates are expressed as a percentage per year

SHOWING THE PROFIT Macros in Excel can be generated either by writing programming code or by recording the sequence of keystrokes performed by the user In our example we will make two macros, one to generate and show the profit from the purchase and one to hide the profit by deleting the cell that calculates the profit

SAVING AND EDITING THE EXAMPLE You should save your example as the file “ExampleP7” Excel will automatically add the .xls extension to the file name Try using the spreadsheet you have just created. Make sure that the data capture techniques work correctly. Also make sure that the calculations and formatting are correct

ASSIGNMENT 1. Create a spreadsheet that documents sandwich selection using datasheets similar to Figures P7.15 and P7.16. 2. Your spreadsheet should have only two datasheets and they should be labeled “Menu” and “Prices.” 3. Create a drop-down menu on the “Menu” datasheet that has the choices of “Turkey,” “Chicken,” “Ham,” “Beef,” and “Vegan” as shown on the “Prices” datasheet. Hint: it will be easier to create data capture boxes if the row heights are set to 18. 4. The price for all drop-down menu sandwich choices is $5.95 except for the “Vegan” choice, which is $3.95. 5. Create three radio buttons for the bread type. There is no additional cost for white or wheat bread but if rye bread is chosen there should be a $.35 extra charge.

ASSIGNMENT(cont.) 6. There are check boxes for mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup. The additional cost of each is shown on the “Prices” datasheet. Retrieve these prices from the “Prices” datasheet. 7. Calculate the total price as the sum of the price of the sandwich, bread, and condiments. Format the prices as currency fields with two decimal places. 8. Create a macro that selects the special for the day. The special is a vegan sandwich on rye with mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup. You should create the macro by recording key strokes as demonstrated in the example. Note that the changes you make for the special must be on the “Prices” datasheet and not the “Menu” datasheet. Macros do not record choices from form boxes. Hint:You should begin the macro by clicking the mouse on some cell in the “Menu” datasheet, clicking on the “Prices” datasheet, changing values on the “Prices” datasheet, and finally clicking back on a cell in the “Menu” datasheet.

END OF PROJECT 7