1. IS-171 Computing With Spreadsheets
List Management and Macros
Week 7

2. Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda
Outline
List and Data Management
Database Issues
Macros
11/26/2018
Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda

3. Recall the Data Hierarchy
Bit (binary 0 or 1)
Byte (8 bits = a character or number)
Field (e.g., Name = a column in a table)
Record (multiple fields = a row in a table)
File (multiple records/rows  Excel)
Database (relational DB = multiple tables)
Recall this information from before.
Bit - 0/1 (off/on switch)
character, string and number (do they already know this? If not, we’ll talk about it later)
field - a logically indivisible chunk of data
e.g., name, rank, or serial number
record - a group of related fields
e.g., an employee record
file - a group of related records
e.g., an employee file
database - a group of related files
e.g., an entire accounting database
Compare this with the natural language hierarchy letters/words/sentences/paragraphs/books
Use these terms to discuss an example generated by one of the groups in the class. Note how some of the applications required using all levels of the data hierarchy.
11/26/2018
Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda

4. Manipulating Excel Lists
Importing text files
Sorting
Filtering (similar to database query)
Subtotals (similar to database report)
Pivot Table (similar to database report)
Demo the sorting and filtering features using the Class 7 Demo file (Personnel file).
Point out that sorting Excel worksheets using the Ascending/Descending icons on the Standard Toolbar is very dangerous because if you have any blank columns or rows, the sort icons will only sort up to the blank rows and/or columns. It is much safer to use the Data  Sort function because it will highlight the sort area.
Filtering lists
use the filter command, show them the auto filter on the list
This is much more like the SQL SELECT command.
If you plan to use the Data  Subtotal command, you must first sort the worksheet on the column you want subtotals on.
Pivot tables will create new worksheets for the Pivot Table (a summarized report) and the pivot chart.
11/26/2018
Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda

5. Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda
Feature Creep
Now we have facilities for importing sorting, filtering, and reporting, as well as a means to pass data between multiple worksheets.
We get something approaching a database management system (DBMS), without having one.
Multiple tables
related in some way
Rudimentary query facilities
11/26/2018
Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda

6. Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda
Excel vs Database
When to use databases (instead of Excel):
Large data sets
Formed input and output
Arbitrary and complicated queries
Multiple users
Security
IS-141 covers databases
Fire up MS Access and show them a sample database (e.g., Northwind)
11/26/2018
Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda

7. Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda
What is a Macro?
A set of instructions telling Excel what commands to execute
Written in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)
Recorded with the Macro Recorder
11/26/2018
Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda

8. Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda
Recording a Macro
NameAndCourse macro
Shortcut key
Record macro
Stop recording
NameAndCourse macro from exercise 1, page 370
11/26/2018
Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda

9. Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda
Elements of a Macro
Sub/End Sub
Comments
Variables
Properties
With Statement
11/26/2018
Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda

10. Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda
Step Into
Executes one command of the macro
Other debugging commands available
11/26/2018
Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda

11. Personal Macro Workbook
Opened every time Excel starts
Only on your machine
Always accessible
11/26/2018
Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda

12. User Interaction Functions
InputBox
MsgBox
Sub FooBar()
ActiveCell.FormulaR1C1 = InputBox("Enter something interesting")
MsgBox (Range("A1"))
End Sub
11/26/2018
Carol Wilson and Fred Ferwerda