Instructor’s Manual

BUSINESS DRIVEN 3e TECHNOLOGY PLUG-IN T3 – PROBLEM

SOLVING USING EXCEL

LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Describe how to create and sort a list using Excel.

To create a list:
 Open a new workbook or a new sheet in an existing workbook.
 Create a column heading for each field in the list, format the headings in bold type,
and adjust their alignment.
 Format the cells below the column headings for the data that you plan to use. This can
include number formats (such as currency or date), alignment, or any other formats.
 Add new records (your data) below the column headings, taking care to be consistent
in your use of words and titles so that you can organize related records into groups
later.
2. Explain why you would use conditional formatting using Excel.
Conditional formatting is formatting that automatically adjusts depending on the contents of
cells to a worksheet.
3. Describe the use of AutoFilter using Excel.
To use the AutoFilter command:
 Open a worksheet that has data in it, preferably a list.
 Click any cell in the list.
 Click the Data tab and then click the Filter button in the Sort & Filter section. Each
column head now displays a list arrow.
 Click the list arrow next to the heading you wish to sort on. A list box that contains filter
options appears.
 You can use more than one filter arrow to further narrow your list, which is useful if
your list is many records long. To continue working with AutoFilter but also redisplay all
your records, click the list arrow next to Region and check Show All. Excel displays all
your records again.
 To remove the AutoFilter drop-down lists, unselect the AutoFilter command on the
Filter submenu.
4. Explain how to use the Subtotal command using Excel.
To use the Subtotal command:
 Click the Data tab, then click the Subtotal button in the Outline section. Excel opens
the Subtotal dialog box and selects the list.
 In the At Each Change In list box, choose a data item to use as the criteria for
subtotaling. Each time this value changes, Excel inserts a row and computes a
subtotal for the numeric fields in this group of records.
 In the Use Function list box, choose SUM.
 In the Add Subtotal To list box, choose Sale, which is the column to use in the subtotal
calculation.

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 Click OK to add the subtotals to the list.

5. Describe the use of a PivotTable using Excel.
A PivotTable analyzes, summarizes, and manipulates data in large lists, databases,
worksheets, or other collections. It is called a PivotTable because fields can be moved
within the table to create different types of summary lists, providing a “pivot.”

CLASSROOM EXERCISE

Sometimes it is very beneficial to start a class with the end in mind! By that, we mean, before
starting the exercise in the book, show students the finished product first. They get a more realistic
view of the exercise.

Begin by telling students that creating neat, informative summaries out of huge lists of raw data is a
common challenge. And while Excel gives you all the tools you need to create such summaries,
the actual work of writing formulas, cutting and pasting information, and organizing your totals into
a new table can be extremely tedious. Even worse, this approach isn't very flexible. For example,
once you've created the perfect summary that compares, say, sales in different regions, if you want
to compare sales across different product lines or different customers, you'll need to start from
scratch and build a whole new report.

Open up the T3_ProblemSolving_Data.xls workbook that accompanies this text. Click on the
PivotTableData worksheet. There are 96 rows of data (which can pale in comparison to some real
world data files). Ask students to look at the data and tell you which salesperson sold the most
magazines in the South region. They would have to sort and filter and subtotal this data which
could take them hours. Quickly build a PivotTable of this data for them to show students how quick
and easy it is to use PivotTables.

EXTENDING THE CORE MATERIAL

Demo: Excel lists make your data dance

Microsoft has an online demo to create lists; http://office.microsoft.com/en-
us/assistance/ha010929681033.aspx . You might want to demonstrate this resource in class.

Demo: Use Excel AutoFilter to analyze sales data

Microsoft has an online tutorial on using AutoFilters; http://office.microsoft.com/en-
au/assistance/HA011127901033.aspx . This is a good example as it doesn’t use the exact
same structure as mentioned in the book, which means there are various ways to solve the
same problem.

PivotTables:
 http://www.ozgrid.com/Excel/excel-pivot-tables.htm
 http://www.exceltip.com/excel_tips/Excel_Pivot_Tables/32.html

MAKING BUSINESS DECISIONS

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1. Production Errors

Project Purpose: To emphasize the use of the PivotTable function in Excel.

Solution: Review T3_Tshirt_Production_Solution.xls

 It is difficult to provide any correct answers here as they depend on how your students
choose to “slice and dice” the information.
 There are 3 possible analysis’s that students should be able to make (these do not need to
be in any order):
1. Analysis #1: The number of different machines used to produce each product.
Count of BATCH MACHINE
PRODUCT 5 6 7 8 Grand Total
10 6 8 7 3 24
20 2 9 10 3 24
30 5 5 9 9 28
Grand Total 13 22 26 15 76

2. Analysis #2: The number of defective products produced by employee by product.

Sum of NUM DEFECTIVE PRODUCT

EMPLOYEE 10 20 30 Grand Total
1111 72 31 38 141
2222 61 84 65 210
3333 51 65 44 160
4444 23 38 95 156
5555 52 16 68 136
Grand Total 259 234 310 803

3. Analysis #3: The total number of products produced by each employee as well as the
total number of defective products produced by each employee.

EMPLOYEE Data Total

1111 Sum of BATCH SIZE 53500
Sum of NUM DEFECTIVE 141
2222 Sum of BATCH SIZE 82000
Sum of NUM DEFECTIVE 210
3333 Sum of BATCH SIZE 79000
Sum of NUM DEFECTIVE 160
4444 Sum of BATCH SIZE 53000
Sum of NUM DEFECTIVE 156
5555 Sum of BATCH SIZE 45000
Sum of NUM DEFECTIVE 136
Total Sum of BATCH SIZE 312500
Total Sum of NUM DEFECTIVE 803

2. Coffee Trends

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Project Purpose: To emphasize the use of the Pivot tables in Excel.

Solution: Review T3_JittersCoffee_Solution.xls.

 The data presented is easy to analyze with a PivotTable. Basically, students need to
find out which top four coffees are selling the best at the other two locations:

Month (All)

Sum of Revenue Product

Store Decaf French Roast Hazelnut Irish Cream Regular Vanilla Grand Total
North $ 38,290.00 $ 48,539.00 $ 32,740.00 $ 42,770.00 $ 49,779.00 $ 41,726.00 $ 253,844.00
South $ 29,420.00 $ 50,665.00 $ 33,820.00 $ 31,650.00 $ 50,131.00 $ 29,550.00 $ 225,236.00
Grand Total $ 67,710.00 $ 99,204.00 $ 66,560.00 $ 74,420.00 $ 99,910.00 $ 71,276.00 $ 479,080.00

3. Filtering SecureIT Data

Project Purpose: To emphasize the use of filtering data.

Solution: Review T3_Employee_Solution.xls.

Students should finish with five worksheets:
1. The first worksheet should be easy; it is a sorted list by Last Name and First Name.
2. The second worksheet might be a bit tougher as they have to create a custom sort.
3. The third worksheet should use a filter and display only employees in the Engineering
department with a clearance of Top Secret:

4. The forth worksheet needs a custom filter for employees born between 1960 and
1969:

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5. The fifth worksheet should display subtotals for each department according to salary.
The list needs to be sorted by department name

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4. Filtering RedRocks Consulting Contributions

Project Purpose: To emphasize the use of sorting and subtotaling data.

Solution: Review T3_RedRocks_Solution.xls.

Students should have 3 worksheets when completed:
1. The first worksheet should be sorted alphabetically by organization then employee’s
last name:

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2. The second worksheet should use the subtotals function to total the contribution made
per employee for the month of December.

3. The third worksheet should sort the list by donation value:

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APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE

PROJECT 9: Security Analysis

PROJECT 10: Gathering Data
PROJECT 14: Customer Relations
PROJECT 18: Operational Efficiencies
PROJECT 19: Too Much Information
PROJECT 20: Turnover Rates
PROJECT 21: Vital Information

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