EXCEL PLANNING

The majority of computer users do not use Excel or any other type of spreadsheet. Many other computer users use Excel at a basic level for calculating simple accounts or expenses. Anything beyond the basic operators (+ - * / SUM) are rarely used at this level.

The sample spreadsheet to the left is an intermediate level one. It uses some advanced functions, and some basic VBA programming. Have a look at it and it should give you some idea what of how a well designed spreadsheet can be complex yet extremely easy to use.

Designing Excel projects is my favourite specialty. I really enjoy the challenge of a complicated Excel project and I look forward to working on your projects.

Please read this. It relates to the amount of private financial information I will need from you, to prepare your personalised spreadsheet.

When I have finished your spreadsheet I will obviously show you how to use it. If you want me to show you exactly how it works, that's fine. It's enirely up to you (this usually take an extra 30 - 60 minutes)

Here are some common uses for spreadsheets ....

• A mortgage affordability spreadsheet will show you how much you need to show you are earning before you can get a particular mortgage. This is a very popular spreadsheet. Click on the picture above to see one of the sheets. You should use this before you visit your mortgage broker. You'd be surprised at the results it can yield.
• Working out the break-even point for a business. That is the amount you have to take in each day/week/month to just keep your head above water. This is essential for anyone setting up a new businesses. A proper break even spreadsheet should take account of all material costs, all fixed overheads, all variable overheads related to turnover. When you know your break-even point you can then use it to show you the prices you should set, if you want to make a decent living out of your new business and cover your taxes.
  So you have a big turnover and you are not making any money! A break-even spreadsheet like this shows you what you should be charging for your goods or services.
• A Profit Predictor Spreadsheet will give a more and more accurate indication of what your end of year profit will be as the year progresses. You will not get any major surprises when your accountant finishes your accounts.
  You can use monthly or weekly data inputs. First thing you do is to give a weighting to each week/month based on previous years. Retail businesses would normally give a higher weighting to weeks 51 52 & 01. For each week (or month) you enter basic accounting information such as sales, creditors, debtors, costs etc. Your gross and net profit will be visible after week/month one. As the year rolls on, the predicted profit will become more and more accurate. By the end of the year it should near 100% accurate.
  USES: If by July you can see that you are heading for a big end of year profit, then you know can safely buy that piece of machinery and reduce your profit. You can also use it to set aside the correct amount of money for your taxes each month.
• Cash Flow Spreadsheet. This is almost a requirement with a bank if you are looking for a business loan or an overdraft. I like to set them up so you can adjust the figures up and down by simple clicking.
• A Cost Benefit Analysis Spreadsheet will give vital information about the economic viability of various projects such as ...
  • Opening a new branch of your business taking everything such as volume discounts and extra staffing into account.
  • Moving out of your present high rent premises to a premises with a reasonable rent. This will show you how long it take to recover moving costs, Penalty charges, extra advertising etc.
  • Is it worth buying that extra piece of machinery? How long will it take get your money back. Increased productivity, leasing costs and possible reduced labour costs are some of the variables taken into account.
  • The real costs of increasing or reducing your staffing levels
  • The pros & cons of upgrading your motor fleet to newer models
  • And loads more .....
• A property investment spreadsheet is a huge benefit to an investor who has with say ... 5 houses, 18 tenants, 6 mortgages, 3 bank accounts, 2 credit cards, 6 insurance policies etc. There are so many variables that keeping track of it on paper is a major chore. If you have everything set up on a spreadsheet you can instantly see the global effect of say ...
  • Which building is the least/most profitable
  • 0.25% increase in interest rates
  • 0.4% decrease in interest rates with a €5000 penalty charge
  • A 10% reduction in insurance costs
  • And a myriad of other changes
• A Future Investment Spreadsheet which analyses your present mortgage(s), equity, income(s) and expenditure will indicate whether an investment property is a realistic possibility. Equity release is a huge step and you should never do it without careful analysis. (This is not as popular as it used to be!)
• A House Renovation Spreadsheet will show you how much you have made per hour based on .....
  • The purchase cost
  • All individual material costs
  • All direct labour - categorised
  • All your own labour
  • Legal, Estate Agent costs etc
  • The final sale price
  • The prevailing trend in house prices
  • Interest rates
  • Capital Gains Tax rate ............ And many more items
  • Note: Most of the above are adjusted using up/down arrows (see the sample spreadsheet) and do not require direct entry.
• A Debt Restructuring Spreadsheet will give you an overview of what your total debt will be for every individual year for say the next ten years. You can then play around with the various income streams, interest rates and see the effects of transferring debt, speeding up certain repayments, adding extra debt etc. Critical ratios, such as income to repayments, equity etc will always be visible and instantly updated.
• A Basic Accounting Spreadsheet can often be better than a stand alone accountancy package. This because of it's flexibility and uncluttered interface. The results can be quite adequate for clubs, organisations and many small businesses (Ltd & Sole Trader) during startup periods. I have never come across an accountant who has rejected one of my accountancy spreadsheets.
  More often than not, an accountancy package is better than a spreadsheet. If your business is not suitable for an accountancy spreadsheet (or has outgrown one) I will tell you and recommend a suitable proper accountancy package.
• A Big Domestic Spreadsheet can be invaluable in today's economic climate. This will include the minutia of your spending down to bus fares and chocolate! Once you have entered all your data you can then play around with the figures and see the effect of changes / scenarios such as .....
  • The pros & cons of release of equity for the purposes other than property investment.
  • The cost and benefits of getting an extra qualification followed by a promotion.
  • The effect 5 years down the road of reducing annual holidays to one per annum.
  • The long-term effect of paying, for example, an extra €250 a month off the capital element of your mortgage.
  • Replacing a large credit card debt with a term loan.
  • The long term effect of getting a part-time job.
  • The effects of your present actions on your standard of living during retirement.
  • The pros & cons of switching to an interest only mortgages.
  • The real cost of getting married, having a child etc.
  • And many more - use your imagination.

 

ADVANCED WORD PROCESSING

Word is undoubtedly the easiest program to use, in the Microsoft Office package. Nearly everyone can use it at a basic level within minutes.

You can make a dramatic leap in productivity by setting up and using multiple document templates. This is relatively easy to learn and to implement. If you wind up with lots of templates, you just put them into their own categorised folders.

To produce a particular letter you just select the appropriate template and up will pop the outline of your letter. Just fill in the blanks and print your personalised letter in double quick time.

This process can be made even more efficient with a bit of Macro/VBA programming. When you select the appropriate template, Word will ask you a few questions. As you answer the questions, Word inserts your replies into the template.

This is an ideal setup for someone trying to run a business on their own or for an over-burdened secretary. You do not need to learn the intricacies of Word to be highly productive.

You can also have standard chunks of text that you regularly use in letters, immediately available to drop into any letter - a big time saver.

If you find yourself repeatedly typing the same text over and over again, you are wasting valuable time.

Using Word at an intermediate level involves the use of ......

• Styles
• File + Multiple Template + Master Document Management
• Tables for complex layouts
• Multiple columns & Sections
• Auto Pagination, TOC, Footnotes
• Collaborative Editing

And at a deeper level ......

• Mail merge using a basic flat database
• Forms
• Recording & Editing Macros
• Bookmarks & Field codes

Need help with Word ? ..... Contact me - I'm at your service

CUSTOMISED DATABASE DESIGN

So you have tried a dozen off-the-shelf database type programs and you cannot find one that meets all your requirements. Even though many of them are highly customisable it just won't do the job. In this case you need a customised database designed to your exact requirements.

I have been designing complex databases for many years. I have always found it to be a multi-stage job. It is only when the customer has a basic working database that they really appreciate it and can then specify all the enhancements they really want.

More often than not there is an off-the-shelf product that will do the job for you. I only build large customised databases when all other avenues have been explored. Database design can be an expensive business!

Here are some of the uses for databases.

• Tracking, logging and invoicing of service calls
• Personnel Records
• Categorising & Searching Large Collections
• Clubs & Memberships
• Tracking Patients & Appointments
• Inventory / Stock Control
• Accounts Analysis
• Customer & Contact Management
• Source For Word Mailshots

 

SOME SCENARIOS WHERE YOU MIGHT NEED MY SERVICES

Reduced Staff Numbers
You had to let some of your secretarial staff go and you need to increase the efficiency and output of your remaining staff.

On Your Own
You had a secretary or a partner looking after your accounts, letter writing, quotations etc, but now you are on your own. You don't know that much about computers and you are at an impasse. You can't really afford to employ someone, so what do you do? With the right help you can manage this end of the business yourself.

Starting Out In Business
You are starting up a small business. Whether you are seeking finance from the bank or not, you'll need a business plan including a cash flow spreadsheet. A pricing spreadsheet is also very important as you have take all your fixed and variable costs into account when setting your prices.

Don't employ anyone until you have to. If your computer skills are adequate, you should be able to look after your own accounts, letter writing, quotations etc. Well presented accounts will lead to a good price from your accountant. If your computer skills are not up to scratch, give me a call.

Upskilling For Your Job
Worried about losing your job? One of the best things you can do is to make yourself more valuable to your employer by increasing your computer skills and boosting your productivity.

Paying Too Much ?
If you have a small company and you are already paying out too much for training new staff, service calls or upgrades, give me a call.