Basic spreadsheet help

[nuyorican]

I'm a bit of a luddite when it comes to spreadsheets.

I'm using LibreOffice Calc on a Mac to do a basic Income/Expenditure spreadsheet for a new business. I've downloaded a template from somewhere to get me started. So my issue is:

The template only has ten rows for my income which I've now used up. I've worked out how to 'insert rows below' by right tapping. But it's as if the adding calculation isn't included for the new row, so my added income amount doesn't get added to the running total on the right side.

Can anyone help?

Also, can anyone recommend a really basic Youtube vid for getting started with spreadsheets.

Thanks

Also, it's difficult to see where the data box where the row and the column meet, if that makes sense. Is there a way to highlight it?

Edited by nuyorican on Thursday 22 August 12:41

[mikef]

If it's like most spreadsheets, adding rows above the final one will include the new rows in the total calculation

[nuyorican]

mikef said:

If it's like most spreadsheets, adding rows above the final one will include the new rows in the total calculation

Didn't work

But thanks.

[fbc]

There's likely a SUM formula in the cell calculating the total of the rows, something like =SUM(A1:A10). You'll have to update the second cell reference (ie A10 in that example) to include the rows you've added, the "10" is the row number part. So if you inserted two rows above the existing total row, the example formula used here would have to be =SUM(A1:A12).

Edited by fbc on Thursday 22 August 13:15

[ARHarh]

Can you not highlight the line and copy it. Then paste it back into all the line below?

If you copy one line and then highlight 200 lines below you can then just click paste and it will copy the line 200 times, it will also update any calculations that are line specific.

[nuyorican]

fbc said:

There's likely a SUM formula in the cell calculating the total of the rows, something like =SUM(A1:A10). You'll have to update the second cell reference (ie A10 in that example) to include the rows you've added, the "10" is the row number part. So if you inserted two rows above the existing total row, the example formula used here would have to be =SUM(A1:A12).

Edited by fbc on Thursday 22 August 13:15

Yes!

This worked. When I clicked in the cell to see what the sum/function was, it kind of highlighted a box that stopped just short of where I started adding rows. I simply dragged the bottom of the box down to include my new rows and it all updated.

Thanks

[Gary29]

Glad you soted it, and no offence meant here, but I would be weary of doing business expenses on a spreadsheet as a complete beginner, hard to get my point across without sounding condescending, but just be careful is all I'm trying to say!

[nuyorican]

Gary29 said:

Glad you soted it, and no offence meant here, but I would be weary of doing business expenses on a spreadsheet as a complete beginner, hard to get my point across without sounding condescending, but just be careful is all I'm trying to say!

No offence taken at all.

I'd appreciate any and all advice.

[Gary29]

Just sense check all the figures before you go acting upon them. Youtube is a mine of information for this kind of thing, good luck with it.

[jrb43]

Glad it's sorted. Couple of other thoughts before you go too deep into this:

1) I've not used Libre Office but it may not be the most "friendly" free option. You might consider Apple Numbers or Google Sheets - they probably have better easy options. Also, there will be TONNES of YouTube etc. resources on them.

2) I'm always a bit worried about using templates if I don't 100% understand what they're doing. As others have said, garbage in, garbage out...

3) If you're a complete novice to spreadsheets - is this the best use of your time or should you be delegating it? Not sure what that looks like (will an A-level student do it for minimum wage?) but what's the opportunity cost of you learning spreadsheets? (do as I say not as I do BTW)

[OutInTheShed]

I would say learning a basic grasp of spreadsheets will be time well spent.

I also suggest writing your own as much as possible for simple stuff, then you know exactly what it does and how it works.
And put comments in there to remind you in a year's time.
Libre is mostly like excel, plenty of help available

[nuyorican]

Thanks chaps.

I like to get stuck in and have a basic understanding before I start outsourcing work. Like, I used to work on my own cars but nowadays take it to a garage, where I can at least converse with the mechanic and know what he's talking about.

Plus, it's a side project with very low earnings, so figured I'd make my mistakes whilst I have little tax liability.

Not sure why I missed 'Numbers' and went with Libre. I was using Open Office on Windows before I got a Mac and so maybe Libre was the one that could open those old files.

[Peterpetrole]

Gary29 said:

Glad you soted it, and no offence meant here, but I would be weary of doing business expenses on a spreadsheet as a complete beginner, hard to get my point across without sounding condescending, but just be careful is all I'm trying to say!

I disagree, in my technical job I frequently have to figure out oddly written software, and there are consequences if I get the final result wrong.

But it is quite motivating in terms of learning to know that you have to try, and having your own money at stake in a small business is also motivating.

And if it works first time you haven't learnt anything. If your concern is about tax trouble then obviously get someone qualified to look over it when necessary.

[thebraketester]

Numbers is great... It's quite stripped down compared to excel but for basic stuff it's perfect.