Archive for February, 2009
Excel How-to: Creating a Pivot Table
A pivot table is a merely a summary of data in a format that you can manipulate to suit your needs. Almost any array of data can be used to create a pivot table, given some simple rules:
- The column labels must be in the first row, and have distinct names
- The data must be in a list format
- There should be no blank rows
- Don’t include subtotals when selecting the data
Note: You can follow along with the how-to by clicking on the following Excel file link: Pivot Table Creation.xls
The pivot table starts with the data in a list format:
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Excel How-to: The GETPIVOTDATA Function In a previous post, we created a simple pivot table from a list of Excel data. Today, we'll link the pivot table data to a spreadsheet using the GETPIVOTDATA function. Note: You can follow along with the how-to by clicking on the following Excel file link: The GETPIVOTDATA Function.xls (In...... -
11 Ideas for New Income Streams Camra_ Art I read an article at Kiplinger.com entitled 11 Ways to Get Extra Cash. I'm always looking for new income streams, so here's my take on the suggestions: 1. Sell your stuff online So far, I've only bought stuff online. I'm not big on garage sales, but maybe...... -
Men's Room Etiquette Photo by amy_b Ladies, you can skip this post. Really, this one is not fit for your eyes. My wife thought the subject matter was disgusting. It's for the benefit of my brothers out there in the corporate world. It also has nothing to do with personal finance, but......
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Creating a Distribution list To create a Distribution list, click the down arrow next to the New button on the toolbar and choose Distribution List from the menu. Outlook opens a Distribution List form, as shown in Figure 29-10. The form initially is empty, of course; this example shows some names that have been...... -
Google Fusion Tables Could be a Game Changer Google has been very busy lately with many new products recently. Many of them, such as Google Public DNS, Google Chrome OS, and real-time search have received the lion's share of publicity. I'd like to talk about a little jewel sitting in Google Labs you may not heard of....... -
Creating a new report The Access Ribbon contains several commands for creating new reports for your applications. The Create tab of the Ribbon includes a grouping called Reports containing several options such as Report, Labels, and Report Wizard. For this exercise, use the Report Wizard button to create a new report from tblProducts. Begin......
Excel How-to: The SUMIF Function
The SUMIF function is an easy way to get a subtotal of specific data that meets a certain condition, without going through the trouble of producing a Pivot Table. It’s most useful when working with long arrays of diverse data:
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Excel Tip: Have Your Cell Contents = Tab Names It's time for another edition of Stupid Excel Tricks! One of my coworkers recently asked me an Excel question. He had a spreadsheet with multiple tabs, and wanted to have the value in cell A1 on the respective worksheets to be the name of each tab. I knew that it...... - Excel How-to: The GETPIVOTDATA Function In a previous post, we created a simple pivot table from a list of Excel data. Today, we'll link the pivot table data to a spreadsheet using the GETPIVOTDATA function. Note: You can follow along with the how-to by clicking on the following Excel file link: The GETPIVOTDATA Function.xls (In......
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Deflation at the Garden Center tanakawho The shrubs in our front yard had become overgrown, making our house look like the Addams' Family's place. Using my landscaping skills and my wife's eye for arranging, we set off to the nursery to remedy the situation. I figured this was going to cost me a small fortune. Last......
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Summing only negative values The following formula returns the sum of the negative values in column F. In other words, it returns the total number of past-due days for all invoices. For this worksheet, the formula returns –63. =SUMIF(Difference,”<0”) Because you omit the third argument, the second argument (“<0”) applies to the values in...... -
Abercrombie & Fitch and Beyonce in "Fierce" Fragrance War Beyonce Knowles and the clothing company Abercrombie & Fitch are locking horns in a war over the name of a fragrance. The pop star sensation Beyonce Knowles and the teenaged clothing giant known as Abercrombie & Fitch are currently going to war over who is more "fierce". In a federal...... - Creating Your First Excel Worksheet This section presents an introductory hands-on session with Excel. If you haven’t used Excel, you may want to follow along on your computer to get a feel for how this software works. In this example, you create a simple monthly sales projection table along with a chart. Getting started on......
A Foolproof File-Naming System
Posted by enrique s in Money, Organizing on February 23rd, 2009
It happens to all of us: we’re asked for an electronic copy of a file that we created, and suddenly the panic sets in! In order to avoid that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, it pays to implement a file-naming system. Coupling it with a search feature like Windows Desktop Search, you’ll be able to retrieve that file easily. Read the rest of this entry »
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The Office Super Bowl Pool Super Bowl week usually includes the great tradition of the office pool. Rather than a straight bet with a point spread, this pool involves picking boxes. This draws even the non-football fan, as they can watch the big game with some interest, even when the commercials are over. The Grid...... -
Corporate Barbarian Links: Graduation Party Edition bionicteaching We threw a graduation party for my son, two weeks prior to his real graduation. We did it early because we wanted our relatives to attend, and didn't want to interfere with everyone's summer vacation plans. It was great to see family and friends that I usually only...... -
My First Year in Review Photo by Theresa Thompson I can't believe that the Corporate Barbarian Blog is a year old today! Boy, I've sure learned a lot in the past year. Last February, I was a blogging noob, and now, while I can't say that I'm a seasoned veteran, at least I'm less......
Related Websites - Bonnie Stern: Delicious dinner from the cupboard’s dregs ? Bonnie Stern, National Post When there’s “nothing to eat” but you have to cook dinner and shopping is out of the question, it’s time to scavenge the kitchen for essential ingredients. Everyone has their favourites, but these are the “essentials” I always keep on hand: Pantry: flour, sugar,......
- History Of The Mercury Dime The year was 1915 and there was a movement afoot to change the remainder of American coinage. With the changes to the $10 eagle, $20 double eagle, the cent and nickel, it was now time for changes to the dime, quarter and half dollar. Under 1890 law, changes could not......
- Finding a specific value Although you can move to a specific record (if you know the record number) or to a specific field in the current record, usually you’ll want to find a certain value in a record. You can use one of these methods for locating a value in a field: Select the......
Helping Your Coworkers Selflessly
I’m pretty proficient with computers, and frequently asked by my coworkers for help with computer problems. These range from troubleshooting Excel formulas to finding certain queries on our Oracle database. Usually these are at crisis moments for my coworkers, and they need my help immediately. Even if I’m busy at the time, I’ll stop what I’m doing in order to help with their problem. I do this because of the many benefits of being helpful: Read the rest of this entry »
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Self-Reliance Series #2: An Office Survival Kit Photo by 96dpi This is Part 2 of my self-reliance series. I talked about my Personal Survival Kit in Part 1. This post will not address the best anti-virus software, how to overclock your computer, or how to climb the corporate ladder. I like to be able to take...... - Pay it...backward? My son was recently accepted to his first-choice college. It happened on Fat Tuesday, so we were all in a joyous mood. The next day, I thought that I should try to do some good, and stopped to get ashes before going to work. My company was also holding a......
- To Freelance, or Not to Freelance? CNNMoney had an article on the growth of freelance hiring. Freelance professionals now make up 26% of the workforce, up from 19% in 2006. "As the economy contracts, there are not only more people looking for new ways of earning money, there are also more companies looking to make their......
Related Websites - Why Should I Go VOIP? I have been in telecommunications for over 10 years, and with experience I can say that nothing has changed this field more than the internet. Today, voice over internet protocol or VoIP is the most talked about subject among my customers and the salespeople selling telecommunications services. As a consultant......
- Asterisk - Benefits of the Open Source IP PBX Server Asterisk IP-PBX server has so many benefits, at such a competitive cost, that many in the industry take it for granted that businesses know what these benefits are, and fail to provide the information needed by new businesses seeking to gain a better understanding of how Asterisk can benefit......
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Signs That Your Teen Needs Money Management Help If you teen went off to college tomorrow, how soon would they call you asking for money? Would they be able to purchase their own groceries by the end of the month? Would they end up moving back into your basement when they cannot afford their apartment any longer? The......
Corporate Perks: Take Advantage of Company Discount Programs
Many companies enter into affiliations with retailers in order to provide their employees with discounts. This helps the retailer, who gets access to the company’s employees as potential new customers; the company, who can now pass on another benefit to its employees; and the employees, who reap the benefit of these discounts. I’ve used several of these discount programs to save money, and they can be a valuable benefit. Read the rest of this entry »
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The Broken Windows Theory Phot by Skelekitten I recently read an entry by Chris Guillebeau on the Art of Nonconformity blog entitled Business, Blogging, and Broken Windows. I'm subscribed to Chris' blog, and I enjoy his views about unconventional living. In the post, he talks about the potential "broken windows" for an online...... -
Your Company May Profit from Your Death! e³°°° Yesterday, I was talking to Buddy, my disgruntled coworker. In the middle of his diatribe about the evil of large corporations, he asked me if I'd ever heard of Dead Peasants Insurance. Nope. Never heard of it. My curiosity got the best of me, so I decided to do...... -
![[22.365] sphere-itize me, captain](http://www.corporatebarbarian.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/2550349404-150x150.jpg "[22.365] sphere-itize me, captain")
Pay Off Debt or Save Money? Photo by db*photography A recent Yahoo! Finance article weighed the benefits of paying off debt versus putting your money into savings. You can read the original article by clicking on the following link: Should You Pay Debt Before Saving? Clearly, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question. The......
Related Websites - Get Bucks On The Net By Doing Offer Get more at make money online surveys Before you read this article, I want to ask you. How much do you earn by working at your office? Answer is silently. Have you ever heard about the programs associated with make money online surveys? Online Surveys are great for making money......
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What does single-payer mean? /caption] It is one of history’s greatest ironies that had Richard Nixon not run afoul of the Watergate scandal, Americans might long ago have obtained universal health care. But thanks to Watergate, Nixon found himself on the path to impeachment and resigned his office. His “sweeping new program” for “comprehsive...... - Management Span of Control and The Power of Models There isn’t a steadfast rule in determining a proper Management to Staff ratio. However, there are some guidelines that can assist in establishing a ratio that allows Upper Management to efficiently assess and evaluate a department, department managers to efficiently assess and evaluate employees. And a company to create......
Productivity Tip: Three Things to Do Before You Leave the Office
Posted by enrique s in Organizing, Productivity on February 20th, 2009
I’ve gotten into a good routine over the past several years: I do three things before I leave the office for home. What are these magical tips? Whatever you want them to be.
There’s no magic here, just some end-of-the-day maintenance. You don’t have to accomplish anything difficult or elaborate. The things that I usually focus on are simple tasks that take little time, and don’t keep me from getting out the door: Read the rest of this entry »
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The Downside to Flex Time werkunz1 They say to get ahead, you should try to get to the office before anyone else. I can never beat my boss into the office, because he starts work at 6 a.m. He has various reasons for starting so early, the most notable one being he has to...... -
Avoiding Agita: Get a Hard Copy Photo by *_filippo_* From: Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary Main Entry: ag·i·ta Pronunciation: \ˈa-jə-tə\ Function: noun Etymology: S Italian dial. pron. of Italian acido, literally, heartburn, acid, from Latin acidus Date: 1982 : a feeling of agitation or anxiety Agita online My company maintains databases on an intranet that can be...... - Men's Room Etiquette Photo by amy_b Ladies, you can skip this post. Really, this one is not fit for your eyes. My wife thought the subject matter was disgusting. It's for the benefit of my brothers out there in the corporate world. It also has nothing to do with personal finance, but......
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EarthTalk: Biggest Names In Disposable Paper Products Are The Worst Offenders. Dear EarthTalk: Are any major brands of disposable tissues, paper towels, napkins and toilet paper yet using recycled content and chlorine-free bleaching? Not many. In fact, some of the biggest names in disposable paper products are the worst offenders. According to the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), forests at...... -
Best Facial Skin Care Products: Choosing the Right Cleanser Choosing the right facial skin care products is of vital importance if you want to get the most out of your products and the best results when it comes to achieving healthy skin. Choosing the right facial cleaner is one such decision that is really going to mean a lot...... - Book Review: The 4-Hour Workweek Imagine working only one day each week. Further imagine that during that one week of work, you aren't putting in a full eight hour (or more) day, but instead, you're only working four hours, max. To top off, rather than going into the office, dealing with a horrible commute, gossipy......
Save Big Bucks by Brown-Bagging It
I started brown bagging my lunch several years ago, and can reveal that I’ve saved almost $5,000! My calculations follow. Read the rest of this entry »
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Related Posts - The Downside to Flex Time werkunz1 They say to get ahead, you should try to get to the office before anyone else. I can never beat my boss into the office, because he starts work at 6 a.m. He has various reasons for starting so early, the most notable one being he has to......
- Don't Graduate College During a Recession An article at WallStreetJournal.com delivers some bad news: college graduates from the Class of 2009 face a tough road in their new careers. Not only will they be entering the toughest labor market in 25 years, but they will suffer lower wages for a decade or more than those who......
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Lifehack Monday, August 31, 2009 Well, another week has passed, and I've lost another pound. Whoopee! I thought that I'd do better. It must have been that Sam Adams Light that I drank in celebration of another Yankee victory. Exercise Highlights I decided to mix up my exercise routine this week, and I only......
Related Websites - Lighten the Mood, Drink a Beer This morning's post, if anything, was depressing. Someone sent me a little joke that I think helps relax the tension of the times. You may have seen this, but it's new to me. Have a giggle, it's good for you. If you purchased: $1,000 of shares in Delta Airlines......
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Brickyard Cove Marina Brickyard Cove Marina is located in Point Richmond, CA Phone: 510.236.1933 View Larger Map Website: http://www.bycmarina.com/ Marina Features: 250 Slips Berth Pricing: Double Finger $ 7.50 / berth ft. Side - Tie $ 7.20 / berth ft. End - Tie $ 6.90 / berth ft. Liveaboard $ 2.50 / berth...... -
New Loan Funded — paying bills — $5,000 at 26.00% — D Credit — DTI 12% A new loan funded (paying bills â $5,000 at 26.00%). I participated via my new standing order: Low Amt, Low DTI â AF. Which is this loan was funded as a low amount requested, low debt to income ratio and was an auto-funding loan. The borrow had D credit and......
Rant of the Day: Asking for Donations at Work
I consider myself a generous person. I regularly drop a couple of bucks in the Salvation Army bucket at Christmas time, and buy wreaths from the Cub Scouts. My old clothing gets donated to a veteran’s group. These things occur outside of work, where I don’t feel compelled to contribute.
At my job, there are a few worthy causes to which I gladly contribute. Read the rest of this entry »
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Don't Go Through Life Seeking Forgiveness Photo by spud murphy We all run into the type of person who's always sorry for disappointing you. They're late for a holiday dinner. "I couldn't find my car keys." They forget to pick up milk on the way home. "I was in a rush, and forgot to write...... -
Earn Your Street Cred Like 50 Cent Photo by @sahxic < twitter You ain't no gangsta You'se a busta, a customer, a sucker - from You Ain't No Gangsta My two sons were arguing the other day, which isn't unusual for teenage brothers to do. I'm just glad when they don't come to blows over a...... -
Dangerous Professions Photo by oskay I read an article about former NFL football players, and how they are being diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease at a rate that's 19 times higher than the general population of men aged 30 to 49. Holy smoke! I'm glad that I was too small (at the......
Related Websites - Do you buy things from youth organizations or just donate? My wife and I are munching on some popcorn that I bought from one of my colleagues, whose son is in the Boy Scouts. The quality of the popcorn is fine. The bags don't open quite as easily as other commercial microwave brands. A variety 30-pack of these was $30,......
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Haiti Relief - Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres As you know a brutal earthquake reading 7.0 on the Richter scale struck Haiti on January 12th. The quake struck about ten miles southeast of the nations capital, Port-au-Prince. From what I've last heard there are up to 200,000 dead and many more whose whereabouts are unknown. The area is...... - Getting Picky Eaters to Eat Healthy A friend of mine shared her frustration of having a picky eater in the house and asked for suggestions on how to introduce healthier foods. "He doesn't like vegetables, rarely touches fruits, and would eat peanut butter all day if up to him." The "he" she was referring to is......
Productivity Tip: Script Your Action Items to Vanquish Procrastination
Posted by enrique s in Productivity on February 20th, 2009
Just like an NFL quarterback, having a defined script will help you blast through procrastination and start your day productively. This is the productivity version of the West Coast Offense. Each NFL quarterback has a wide wristband that lists his plays for the game.
But many teams have their first offensive series “scripted”, where the quarterback will run a number of plays that have been predetermined. While the quarterback will use this to pick out the other team’s defensive weaknesses, we can use the same strategy to kick-start our workday. Read the rest of this entry »
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The Economics of Lawn Care pfala I'm not an envious person. When someone experiences some good fortune, I'm genuinely happy for them. I compliment people if they have nice stuff, or if their houses look nice. But I think that my neighbor, The Lawn Freak, has finally gone overboard. What the heck is THAT...... - Dangerous Professions Photo by oskay I read an article about former NFL football players, and how they are being diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease at a rate that's 19 times higher than the general population of men aged 30 to 49. Holy smoke! I'm glad that I was too small (at the......
- Outlook How-to: Using Folders to Sort Messages Conquering an overflowing Outlook inbox can be a daunting challenge. Before you throw in the towel, here's a tip that can help get your messages organized into folders. Outlook has a feature that allows you to assign rules to incoming and outgoing messages. This will allow us to automatically assign......
Related Websites - what kind of baseball leagues should i play in next year? John B asked: im 14 right now. im already in summer leagues and im playing in a 16 under fall ball league thats a real good league in the fall. i want to go some where in baseball. i want to take it to a good d-1 college or beyond.......
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2010: My Fifth Annual List Of The Tech Products I Love And Use Every Day It’s time for my annual list of technology products that I love and use every day. This is the (wow) fifth year I’ve done this. Here are my previous lists: 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006. The scope of the list has changed over time. In 2006 it was just...... - Chiefs Beat Struggling Redskins The offensively struggling Kansas City Chiefs have finally found a way to win-play a team with a more stagnant offense than their own. The Chiefs gave Todd Haley his first win as a NFL head coach on Sunday with a---6 win over the Washington Redskins. Kansas City won despite......
Barbaric Book Review: Who Moved My Cheese?
Posted by enrique s in Book & Product Reviews on February 20th, 2009
Most people are resistant to change and prefer to stay in their happy little comfort zone. This is especially true in the workplace. I was able to experience this phenomenon firsthand when my division recently was merged into a different entity. The new entity’s procedures and systems were completely alien to us, and we had to undergo months of training in order to adopt the software. As you can imagine, the “lifers” were the most resistant to change, and many opted for the nearest exit via an early retirement package. The transition was trying experience to those who remained, and chaos reigned as we faced this brave new world. Read the rest of this entry »
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Roasted to Death Photo by lightmatter A recent Yahoo! News article brought to light the hardships of California's farm workers. You can read the original article here. A lawsuit is underway due to the deaths by heatstroke of five farm workers. The core body temperature of one guy was 108 degrees! So...... -
Getting Rich in America Book Review and Summary, Part 3 This is Part 3 of my review and chapter summary of Getting Rich in America: 8 Simple Rules for Building a Fortune and a Satisfying Life by Dwight R. Lee and Richard B. McKenzie. You can read the first two parts of this review by clicking the following links: Getting...... -
Barbaric Book Review: Die Broke by Stephen M. Pollan, Part 1 In Die Broke, Stephen M. Pollan and Mark Levine propose "a radical, four-part financial plan to restore your confidence, increase your net worth, and afford you the lifestyle of your dreams." Hey, sign me up! The book, first published in 1997, attempts to poke holes in conventional financial and estate......
Related Websites - Product Review: My Weight Loss Coach for Nintendo DS As technology improves, more and more people are turning to new ways to lose weight. From online weight loss membership sites, to video games, there are now countless ways to get fit. We decided to delve into this market and take a good look at some of the best......
- Is Making Money Online Easy An Impossible Dream? If you are seriously looking for a money making opportunity online, then you have probably had thousands of ideas thrown at you by now! Claims, counter claims, promises and broken promises abound right across the internet, and nowhere more than in the area of making money online easy! While many......
- A Million Bucks By 30 | Book Review I just finished reading A Million Bucks By 30:How to Overcome a Crap Job, Stingy Parents, and a Useless Degree to Become a Millionaire Before (or After) Turning Thirty. The author, Alan Corey, was kind enough to send me a review copy. I must say, it's one of the most......
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