My Super Personal Accounts Spreadsheet

matt_n_mich

LucyTheDwarf wrote: »

Honestly, as benoit says, it's all about the attitude. The way a person manages their money is very personal, and differs person to person. To come on here and basically say that we'd all want to use your spreadsheet is a trifle big headed to be honest. Your opening post sort of read "look how much I've achieved, look how naturally great at money saving I am, look how much you can learn from me"; it really puts people's backs up. You'd be better off helping others develop their own spreadsheets - but you kind of have to wait to be asked for help.

Besides, we're a sceptical bunch. No-one offers something for nothing, and the presence of the 'donate' button just rings alarm bells...

Sorry if Ihave come accross wrong... it is not my intention, by far... I do not mean to come accross as more knowledgable or otherwise or better than anyone... I just wanted to help by offering an option.

My mum my sister and a number of my friends are people who would not normally use excel to any great effect and it is useful to them and it was suggested to possibly be useful to those on here (with 10 or less accounts )

The main thing I wanted was feedback... and my debt clearing was nowhere near as epic as others on here, and never expected anyone to be thinking i was meaning that.

Lokolo

matt_n_mich wrote: »

Sorry if Ihave come accross wrong... it is not my intention, by far... I do not mean to come accross as more knowledgable or otherwise or better than anyone... I just wanted to help by offering an option.

My mum my sister and a number of my friends are people who would not normally use excel to any great effect and it is useful to them and it was suggested to possibly be useful to those on here (with 10 or less accounts )

The main thing I wanted was feedback... and my debt clearing was nowhere near as epic as others on here, and never expected anyone to be thinking i was meaning that.

For me, the spreadsheet is overly complicated. You have a good 5+ sheets for keeping an eye on the account. I have my whole year in one sheet. The only thing I don't have is what exactly I spend everything on, just the sections.

I also wouldn't have EVERYTHING in one spreadsheet. I don't. I have Savings Spreadsheet and Current Account Spreadsheet. I will have a separate spreadsheet for Mortgage when I get one.

matt_n_mich

Lokolo wrote: »

For me, the spreadsheet is overly complicated. You have a good 5+ sheets for keeping an eye on the account. I have my whole year in one sheet. The only thing I don't have is what exactly I spend everything on, just the sections.

I also wouldn't have EVERYTHING in one spreadsheet. I don't. I have Savings Spreadsheet and Current Account Spreadsheet. I will have a separate spreadsheet for Mortgage when I get one.

Ok fair enough each to their own, thank you... its not that many once its running... the only one I need consult regularly is the Summary, the expenditure one is basically an input sheet that is not really 'looked at'. The analysis is for any day by day comparing or future / past specifics and then its the mortgage sheet(s)

The other 5 are blank sheets for your expansion...
So if you put your 3 books into one sheet it'd be the same size?

LucyTheDwarf

matt_n_mich wrote: »

It actually works the other way and you overwrite the names in the summary sheet. And there is space for 10 accounts, i just use only 8. Sorry if its not immediately clear (it details on the instructions.

Sorry, I missed that line, but I see it now.

matt_n_mich wrote: »

No you can overwrite them on the accounts expenditure sheet as detailed in the instructions.

On first glance I didn't find this box, so thought you meant the one on the summary tab - hence I'd make the suggestion that you should aim to fit as much as possible on the screen without the need to scroll across, as that makes it more accessible, and easy to read.

matt_n_mich wrote: »

This was more to do with separating variable expenditure with SET expenditure, agreed that it could be expanded but I dont have time atm and would need to know what other types or subcatagories would be useful

If you're going to split variable and set expenditure, I think it should go elsewhere. As it's not easily sortable on your report (yes I did see the section for regular expenditure - this would be better if it automatically populated the expenditure section). Bear in mind that DDs could be for a different amount each month.

matt_n_mich wrote: »

Crikey thats impressive, fair enough... I just believed ten to be enough for most people, maybe not on here then!

And I missed off my ISAs. A lot of people on here are real bank account tarts, who could have 40 accounts or more - but then again, anyone managing that lot would already have their needs covered, methinks.

Overall, though your spreadsheet works for you, I think there are probably many who would get confused by this amount of detail, and would want a more simplified solution to tracking their income / expenditure. My guess is, that even on here, there is a relatively low proportion of forum visitors who record every transaction they make. I used to use Excel to record my every financial move, but I just couldn't be bothered to maintain a spreadsheet of the size I would have needed it to be; so I googled for free accounts software, and only summarise my transactions on Excel for easy reference / cash flow monitoring / forecasting etc.

LucyTheDwarf

Hmm, I didn't consider asking MSE, but I should have thought of the fact that MSEers are bound to be Excel experts. And well, I can't see most of your formulae, them being protected and all, but you seem handy enough in Excel.

I was trying to get my head around a problem at work today. I have a spreadsheet, with two tabs. One logs documents received, the other analyses the frequency these documents are received, simply by using the COUNTIF function to count the number of documents are received for a set department each month. I want to lookup the "last document received" date, for a particular department... but I can't work out how. Any clues?

(Am I incredibly cheeky to interrupt a thread?)

matt_n_mich

LucyTheDwarf wrote: »

On first glance I didn't find this box, so thought you meant the one on the summary tab - hence I'd make the suggestion that you should aim to fit as much as possible on the screen without the need to scroll across, as that makes it more accessible, and easy to read.

Fair Point

LucyTheDwarf wrote: »

If you're going to split variable and set expenditure, I think it should go elsewhere. As it's not easily sortable on your report (yes I did see the section for regular expenditure - this would be better if it automatically populated the expenditure section). Bear in mind that DDs could be for a different amount each month.

I see, I think I called it Manual and DD / SO because it was more like what WILL DEF come out every month rater then set AMOUNT and what I actually have to go and PAY for lol...

LucyTheDwarf wrote: »

And I missed off my ISAs. A lot of people on here are real bank account tarts, who could have 40 accounts or more - but then again, anyone managing that lot would already have their needs covered, methinks.

40+ omg... I wish I was allowed that many I wonder how people manage to get them? My banks will give me personal loans, credit cards and even a mortgage atm but wont let me open any more current accounts? I didnt think there was 40 different consumer banks lol :eek:

LucyTheDwarf wrote: »

Overall, though your spreadsheet works for you, I think there are probably many who would get confused by this amount of detail, and would want a more simplified solution to tracking their income / expenditure. My guess is, that even on here, there is a relatively low proportion of forum visitors who record every transaction they make. I used to use Excel to record my every financial move, but I just couldn't be bothered to maintain a spreadsheet of the size I would have needed it to be; so I googled for free accounts software, and only summarise my transactions on Excel for easy reference / cash flow monitoring / forecasting etc.

Again a fair point.... I never would have bothered if it had not helped some people already, but obviously it wont help everyone... I just wanted to help some people if I could.

matt_n_mich

LucyTheDwarf wrote: »

I want to lookup the "last document received" date, for a particular department... but I can't work out how. Any clues?

(Am I incredibly cheeky to interrupt a thread?)

Cheeky yes lol

I'll have a bash...

LucyTheDwarf

I believe you that your intentions were good, you just didn't go the right way about it entirely. And I can see you've put a lot of work into your spreadsheet, time and effort.

Just a few banks: http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/list_banks/2010/feb10.pdf

To gather up 40 you'd need a heck of a lot of providers. I remember a long while back, someone posted the list of regular saver accounts they held, and there were 2-4 maturing every month of the year, which is getting close to the 40 mark.

LucyTheDwarf

matt_n_mich wrote: »

Cheeky yes lol

I'll have a bash...

The closest I got was sorting it in descending order by received date, and then VLOOKUP the department code, but that's simply ridiculous...

matt_n_mich

LucyTheDwarf wrote: »

The closest I got was sorting it in descending order by received date, and then VLOOKUP the department code, but that's simply ridiculous...

You should be able to use IF for the department and MAX for the date...