1. Spreadsheets in Finance and Forecasting Presentation 7: Forms and Templates

2. Objectives This session: Introduces you to templates and forms, Examines how “ready-made” templates can be modified and used, Explores briefly how templates can be linked to a database, and read by forms, Introduces you to the activity and the tasks for this week.

3. Working Methods From this point on, you will be expected to work more independently on this module, using the self-study materials, rather than being taken step-by-step through the coding. This lecture “sets the scene” for Forms and Templates by explaining what they are and what their purpose is. The major part of this week’s work is borne by the two separate Formative Activities

4. What are Templates? At the simplest level, a template is a saved workbook that you can use as a basis for other similar workbook. Excel has several “built-in” templates: Invoices Purchase orders Expense Statements

5. Example of a Template The template shown here is an invoice. It can be tailored to meet the needs of the organisation. The document will contain customer information and calculations.

6. Why Use Templates? Excel’s “built-in” templates contain macros. These macros help to format the template and control the flow of data, and link this to other documents For example is that you can use an invoice to create an entry in a database

7. What is a Form? A form is a method of communicating with an Excel database A form can be used to: enter a record search for a record update a record delete a record

8. Templates and Forms It is possible to use a template as a data entry form This creates an entry in an Excel Database We can use a standard form to interrogate or update this database

9. Using Excel’s Templates Excel has three ready- made templates : Expense Statement Invoice Purchase Order These can be accessed by clicking on: File – New – Spreadsheet Solutions Ignore this one, its an advert for a software company!

10. Macro Warning Double-click on the “Invoice” template. This box will appear warning you that it contains macros Macros are pieces of Visual Basic code which automate tasks. You will be writing some of these for yourself later in the module. On this occasion the Macros are safe, so click on “Enable Macro”

11. The Invoice Template The Invoice may not look much like a spreadsheet, but in fact has a spreadsheet format. If you click anywhere in the Total column, you’ll see that there is a formula in the formula toolbar If you click on the total, you’ll see a SUM formula

12. The Invoice Template This allows you to : change the size of the template hide/display cells with comments add/edit comments go to the help screen display example data assign unique numbering capture data in a database On the screen there is an “invoice” toolbar

13. A Note on Cell Comments Comments can be added to any cell on a spreadsheet. Normally the command is : Right Mouse Click Select “Insert Comment” Here these comments have been made directly accessible

14. Customising the Invoice Click on “Customise” This takes you to the page which allows you to tailor the invoice to suit your needs Change the Information here to your own name and address Note how this information changes here, and formats itself correctly

15. Customising the Invoice When you have entered the data, you can click on Lock/Save Sheet The invoice will be locked and/or saved You can save this to a different location (e.g. to your A:\ drive)

16. Filling in the Invoice On the “Customise Page” you can add a logo The address of the customer The details of the purchases

17. Filling in the Invoice Pressing the “Capture Data” button on the “invoices” toolbar causes this dialogue box to appear. This allows the information you have entered to be inserted into a database.

18. The Invoice Database Select the “update database”, and “create new record” options The Invoice template saves the information to a file called invdb.xls, located at: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Library The database file looks like this:

19. The Invoice Database If You open up the database on the screen, you can examine it using a Form Click on Data then Form

20. The Invoice Database With the Form, you can interrogate the database, add and delete items. You can also modify items

21. Follow-up Activity This brief introduction has given you some idea of how templates can be used. Formative Activity 7 now develops these ideas further

22. Formative Activities 7a,b Activity 7a asks you to Explore the modifications you can make with the invoice template; Link the invoice to the database, and modify the database; Examine the other templates; Activity 7b asks you to Create your own templates and link them to a database with the Template Wizard.

23. Charities Task The Charities Task is an example of how the templates might be adapted for use in a particular context. A Charity has been chosen, mainly because the “usual” rules of business (profit, etc.) yet the endeavour still has to work in a professional manner within a legislative framework.

24. For Your Project It is highly likely that you will wish to use some of these ideas within in your project. You should ensure that you examine all this week’s materials carefully, including the downloads!