General design layout and graphics

RET79 · Mar 29th, 2002, 04:56 PM

Can anyone suggest a good website where you can see different spreadsheet designs? I am not the world's greatest artist and want to make my spreadsheets look the business as well as do the business.
Cheers.

daleyman · Mar 29th, 2002, 05:05 PM

I have used excel commercially for a number of years, and find that the best solution is to trust your own styling.

The best way to maximise your potential in this area is to play with the properties & formats dialogs for everything. That is, all components of any chart you create, and when you right-click a selection of cells and choose "format cells" you should get to know every detail of the options available and play with them until you become hooked.

Lots of use of subtle colours (use shades rather than colours), and dotted & thin borders, frozen panes, hide gridlines, etc etc...

Keep the worksheet tidy and hide anything not required by the end user (eg. extra sheets not in use)...

Hope this helps and is not patronising, i find that the more you play the more intuitive your own talent becomes.

RET79 · Mar 29th, 2002, 05:08 PM

Hey, that's great advice and I don't find you patronising at all!

The trouble is that some people in the office are starting to copy my layouts, so am trying to find a more unique style for myself ... :8

[ This Message was edited by: RET79 on 2002-03-29 16:18 ]

Chris Davison · Mar 29th, 2002, 05:16 PM

I tend to have a frozen panes heading of around 4 or 5 rows..... description, filename and path and column headings, all in reverse text (ie black cell background, white font), with the company logo top right
repeat them on printing, use gridlines and supress "0"s. I also apply the reverse text to totals, rather than havign accounting lines. Instantly recogniseable. Nice and crisp in my, totally unbiased, opinion !

Dave Hawley · Mar 29th, 2002, 05:46 PM

Hi

Try this link:

http://spreadsheetstyle.com/index.htm

Loads of great information on what makes a good spreadsheet.

Dave Hawley · Mar 29th, 2002, 05:48 PM

...Or more specifically
http://spreadsheetstyle.com/style/10tips.htm

Duane · Mar 31st, 2002, 08:17 PM

Check this out...

http://www.pwcglobal.com/uk/eng/abou.../bd/pub.html#2

Mar 31st, 2002, 08:17 PM	#7
Duane Board Regular Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Toronto Posts: 173	Check this out... http://www.pwcglobal.com/uk/eng/abou.../bd/pub.html#2 __________________ Regards, Duane h. Office2003 in WinXP o. Office2007 in Win7

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Mar 29th, 2002, 04:56 PM	#1
RET79 Board Regular Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: England, UK. Posts: 526	Can anyone suggest a good website where you can see different spreadsheet designs? I am not the world's greatest artist and want to make my spreadsheets look the business as well as do the business. Cheers.

Mar 29th, 2002, 05:05 PM	#2
daleyman Board Regular Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 167	I have used excel commercially for a number of years, and find that the best solution is to trust your own styling. The best way to maximise your potential in this area is to play with the properties & formats dialogs for everything. That is, all components of any chart you create, and when you right-click a selection of cells and choose "format cells" you should get to know every detail of the options available and play with them until you become hooked. Lots of use of subtle colours (use shades rather than colours), and dotted & thin borders, frozen panes, hide gridlines, etc etc... Keep the worksheet tidy and hide anything not required by the end user (eg. extra sheets not in use)... Hope this helps and is not patronising, i find that the more you play the more intuitive your own talent becomes.

Mar 29th, 2002, 05:08 PM	#3
RET79 Board Regular Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: England, UK. Posts: 526	Hey, that's great advice and I don't find you patronising at all! The trouble is that some people in the office are starting to copy my layouts, so am trying to find a more unique style for myself ... :8 [ This Message was edited by: RET79 on 2002-03-29 16:18 ]

Mar 29th, 2002, 05:16 PM	#4
Chris Davison MrExcel MVP Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Millbank, London, UK Posts: 1,790	I tend to have a frozen panes heading of around 4 or 5 rows..... description, filename and path and column headings, all in reverse text (ie black cell background, white font), with the company logo top right repeat them on printing, use gridlines and supress "0"s. I also apply the reverse text to totals, rather than havign accounting lines. Instantly recogniseable. Nice and crisp in my, totally unbiased, opinion !

Mar 29th, 2002, 05:46 PM	#5
Dave Hawley Banned Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 1,582	Hi Try this link: http://spreadsheetstyle.com/index.htm Loads of great information on what makes a good spreadsheet.

Mar 29th, 2002, 05:48 PM	#6
Dave Hawley Banned Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 1,582	...Or more specifically http://spreadsheetstyle.com/style/10tips.htm