This doesn’t seem to be a common post so here it goes: I want to polish my Excel skills more, and I am not sure where I rank in terms of Excel. I know where I currently work my Excel skills surpass almost all of the people I work with. Although I am afraid most of my Excel skills are in the logical, lookup, and database area than in the Finance. So I would like to learn more Financial excel skills. Also I know tons of shortcuts, enough to rather not hear about them. Please post a good excel learning program, books, formulas, diagrams, etc that you used often. So I could research them if I do not already know them. And I would like to know if most people use Solver, Goal Seek, and Data Analysis features. Thanks so much!!!
Hardly ever use solver (unless if I am doing portfolio optimization) or goal seek. I use a lot of the formulas in the analysis toolpak and also regression quite a lot, however, I prefer to use the formulas for regression and not the data analysis. If you search the topic I think you find several threads about books. But if you are already very good at Excel you might have read a finance book instead? Once you know the concepts getting in into Excel is not the big problem. Three good books by Simon Benninga Principles of finance with Excel Corporate finance: a valuation approach (good and basic with excel references) Financial Modelling
Currently my job does not have enough financial background to Excel. After I pass the Level 1 test, I plan to change this so this is not a disadvantage for me. From other posts that I have read, it made me worry that my Excel skills were not up to par, because I know I have read that putting a Microsoft Certification for Office on a resume would hurt you. Well I never checked what the requirements are until now. I guess I can see why. http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/officespecialist/objectives/Excel2003ExpertExamSkillStandards.mspx I’ll probably try to track down some of those books down at the library and search here for more of them. But I am going to guess that the creating financial models and such will be pretty easy for me based on the information given, because I know all the principles. Thanks
ascharf85 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > of them. But I am going to guess that the > creating financial models and such will be pretty > easy for me based on the information given, > because I know all the principles. That is perhaps the most common mistake. I know how to use a screwdriver and wrench, but I frequently have to take my bike to a bike shop… and no doubt the bike shop people take their cars somewhere else etc.
This is a disturbing thread. BigBean - The problem is that you don’t have a tool kit. A complete set of nice bike tools costs like $2000. You can get lots of maintenance done at the bike shop for $2000 and you don’t have to get your hands greasy. I do like to fix my bike but the only thing about fixing bikes that was hard was building good wheels and now nobody does that anymore. Sigh.
Alt-F4…something i plan to be using quite often in the foreseeable future
JoeyDVivre Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > This is a disturbing thread. > > BigBean - The problem is that you don’t have a > tool kit. A complete set of nice bike tools costs > like $2000. You can get lots of maintenance done > at the bike shop for $2000 and you don’t have to > get your hands greasy. I do like to fix my bike > but the only thing about fixing bikes that was > hard was building good wheels and now nobody does > that anymore. Sigh. Joey - do you ride regularly? I was seen as something of an eccentric commuting to the City on a bike. I know a few people that still build wheels i.e. you can buy a rim and they’ll use your old hub and spokes, but I usually stick with Mavic’s machine. Anyway, it was the best analogy I could think of.
best excel tip I received was to pop out the F1 key.