Today Formula Forensics takes a vacation.
Formula Forensics is actually on a working vacation today, over at the Excel Hero Academy.
Well technically Formula Forensics has been invited to analyse a formula at the Excel Hero Academy.
If you are a member of the EHA you can see Formula Forensic 013 on the Front page of the Academy, today.
Formula Forensic 013 is the analysis of 3 possible solutions to the first Challenge at the Excel Hero Academy, Yes the Sales Commission challenge.
I can’t publish the solution here as that would spoil it for people who haven’t done it yet or those who plan to attend the Academy later.
But the challenge is ?
You’ll need to join the Excel Hero Academy to find out…
What is this “Excel Hero Academy”?
The Excel Hero Academy is an online training program where Daniel Ferry the owner of the Excel Hero Blog teaches us the techniques he uses on his Excel Hero Blog. If you haven’t seen some of the material at Excel Hero Blog do yourself a favor and keep it in your blog reading list.
Today, here, at Formula Forensics I am going to run through a few of the things that you can learn at the Excel Hero Academy.
Twice a year Daniel opens the door to the Excel Hero Academy. Typically In late Winter and Summer (US seasons). The EHA 3 enrollment has just closed. and the next Academy EHA 4 will open in the Summer (United States summer).
The academy is where Daniel teaches us the techniques he has used throughout the Excel Hero web site to deliver stunning animated charts, business tools and optical illusions. His site is really a showcase for the use of the underlying techniques.
The Academy consists of 12 Modules covering advanced Excel technical skills:
Module 1: Named Formulas
Module 2: Array Formulas and Named Formulas 2
Module 3: Charting 1
Module 4: Dashboards 1
Module 5: Database Techniques
Module 6: Advanced and Creative Formulas
Module 7: Charting 2 with Animation
Module 8: Excel and Access
Module 9: Dashboards 2
Module 10: Classes (VBA on Steroids)
Module 11: Optimization (Speeding up large/slow workbooks)
Module 12: Extreme Excel
So today instead of having a Formula Forensic, I have decided to showcase some of the learnings and techniques that have been picked up and then used on real life problems by Excel Hero Academy students, including myself.
Excel Hero Academy Showcase
Below is a brief showcase of some of the material which has been used with learnings from the Excel Hero Academy here at Chandoo.org
Mod 1. Named Formulas
Using formula: =SUMPRODUCT(MID(B4,ROW(OFFSET($A$1,,,LEN(B4))),1)+0)
Refer: http://chandoo.org/wp/2011/03/18/calculating-sum-of-digits-in-a-number/
Mod 2. Array Formulas and Named Formulas 2
Batman Symbol
Area Chart Consists of 2 Series (upper and lower parts), Sourced from 19 Named Formula,
No data is on the worksheet except the Detail parameter.
Module 2 Homework, Dan – EHA 3 Student
Mod 3. Charting
“
Mathew – EHA 2 Student
Mod 4. Dashboards 1
Mod 5. Database Techniques, Mod 2. Named Formulas & Mod 3. Charting 1
Mod 6. Advanced and Creative Formulas
Quote: For this homework assignment, I created a very basic spreadsheet that accepts a data table and then allows you to count the number of rows that match a single set of criteria for the specified column.
Bob N – EHA 2 Student
Mod 7. Charting 2 with Animation
Quote: “I found this lesson very interesting. I deal with dashboard reports everyday here at work, this technique was new to me. Suprisingly, the formula and the code weren’t terribly complex. I once had an Excel instructor categorize Excel knowledge into three areas: What you know, what you know you don’t know, and what you DON’T know you don’t know. This lesson fell into the latter. This technique will be used quite a bit going forward.”
Jay – EHA 2 Student
Mod 9. Dashboards 2
Putting it all together: Array Formulas, Named Formulas, Advanced and Creative Formulas, Charting with Animation
Who Is Excel Hero Academy for ?
Excel Hero Academy is for people who have a firm grasp of Excel or for people who are ready to take Excel to the next level.
If your ready to take Excel to the next level, have a read of this EHA Introduction which includes a small sample video
Chandoo.org readers can use the discount code “chandoo” and receive $50 off.
Chandoo.org training
If you are learning excel or want to catch up on particular areas, don’t forget that Chandoo runs a wide series of Excel courses. Visit here for more information.
http://chandoo.org/wp/
Formula Forensic will return from vacation next week with our usual line up of Excel formula forensic analysis.
Formula Forensics “The Series”
Formula Forensics is a regular series at Chandoo.org where each week I pull apart a formula as we have done above and see what makes it tick.
You can learn more about how to pull Excel Formulas apart in the following posts
We Need Your Help
Formula Forensics is always looking for new and exciting formulas to pull apart and examine.
A Challenge for EHA students is to find your own formula and examine what makes it tick.
If you would like to try putting pen to paper and draft up a Post like above or;
If you have a formula that you would like explained but don’t want to write a post also send it to Chandoo or Hui.
11 Responses
Ciao Hui,
Collecting Excel tricks under the title “Notable Excel Websites (Non-MVP) Edition” is a brilliant idea…
Thank you in the name of all The FrankensTeam.
On our site there is a box with a picture and text highlighting:
This is a no-MVP site
we think ourselves “bad boys” a bit 🙂
For those who would like to know why our site is a no-MVP site, enough to click on the link:
http://goo.gl/lxDszY
Thank you again!
Thanks a lot
I really enjoyed this (newsletter). I must admit that I rarely read an Excel newsletter (and I subscribe to quite a few) all the way though, but this grabbed my attention and before I realized it, I was engrossed in it. I must also admit that most of this I don’t understand, yet. But, it excites me when I do learn something new in Excel. I can’t wait to see how much of this I can implement into my (constantly-evolving) ‘House Budget’ & ‘Family Medical’ worksheets that I have developed over the past few years! I sure hope to see more of these type of newsletters in the future! Thanks!
Thanks for doing this Hui! I appreciate being included.
I like Tom’s tip a lot. I posted about a tool I wrote to automate this at http://yoursumbuddy.com/tables-edit-query-dialog/
EXCELLENT !
Hui, This post is Superb! More over I have always been a fan of Roberto’s work and have learnt a lot from him.
Here are some of my recent contributions
1. Customising markers in a chart – http://www.goodly.co.in/customize-markers-in-a-chart/
2. Charting Hacks to work faster – http://www.goodly.co.in/5-charting-hacks-to-help-you-work-faster/
3. 7 Date formulas to make life easy – http://www.goodly.co.in/date-formulas-in-excel/
4. Customised scrollbar using VBA – http://www.goodly.co.in/customized-scroll-bar-in-excel/
5. Adding Direct Legends – http://www.goodly.co.in/customized-scroll-bar-in-excel/
Hope everyone enjoys!
I like the Excel Ninja Menus.
1. Select a cell or range then move till the 4-way cross appears. Right-Click and drag the selection to another place in the worksheet then, like a ninja, a menu full of skills and throwing stars pops up allowing me to do all kinds of awesomeness.
2. When you click the fill box on a Date and right click and drag it down, a lot of amazing Date options pop up.
I also brand my Excel to remind myself that I’m awesome. In my personal macro workbook I place the following code.
Private Sub Workbook_Open()
Application.Caption = “SuperKrishna’s Awesomeness”
End Sub
My favorite tip goes along with #17. If you try to copy subtotaled data (and in earlier Excel versions filtered data),when you paste it all the data displays instead of just the summarized data.
To get around this, select your summarized data, click on Find and Select tab and then select Go to Special. Click Visible cells Only and click OK. Now paste and you will see that only the summarized data has been copied.
You can also go CTRL+G and then click the Special icon at the bottom of the dialog box.
What a great idea, Chandoo! I’d love to be included in your next edition:) Perhaps a VBA exclusive version?
@Ryan
I will review this concept about 6 months out from the original post and be sure to keep your site in mind
Hui…
That sounds great, Hui:) I just realized I gave credit to Chandoo for the idea and I should have attributed it to you.
Sorry about that!