TIME
MANAGEMENT
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Business Computing Tips
By K&K Fainges kfainges@bigpond.net.au
Ktips has covered how to use excel in the past http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/kfainges/excelbasics.html.
So what can you use it for?
Sometimes the way to ensure a project's success is to plan it properly.
Excel can help you do that. Open excel and write down the left hand column all
the steps you have to do to complete the task.
Now reorder them in order to ensure no delays.
For example, ordering new business cards means designing the cards first
and organising the graphics etc, then ringing around for prices. You may need
to ring around to see what sizes, graphics etc are the cheapest, then design.
It depends on your level of knowledge about the task.
Be sure to write in the next column what happened with each task so next
time you do this task, you can avoid the mistakes you made the first time
around. And of course, change the steps if you find an easier way to
accomplish your task. Or add extra steps if you think of something else.
Excel will also allow you to link to other documents. So once you have a
design, say in word, click on INSERT => HYPERLINK and then click on the
FILE button, find your design and hit OK. That way, next time you want to
order business cards, you know exactly where the design for them is, along
with the steps you need to take.
Maybe you could make up a list of the place to get quotes from and link to
that as well. Have everything you need in the one place.
You can also colour the lines that are vital, or must be done by a certain
date.
If you are planning an event, list all the things you need to get done,
then add lines that cover the steps for each of these. Then along the top,
list the times, say three weeks before the event through to the actual
night.
List what times are exact, like bookings must be made 2 weeks before,
invitations sent out after the booking is confirmed but before ordering the
menus.
Shift everything around until it is in the best order to avoid
double-tracking. You can save a lot of time, money and frustration.
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Please feel free to pass it on to your friends, just let them know I wrote
it.
Karen Fainges holds a Bachelor of Business, and a Grad. Cert of Vocational
and Educational Training. All this is nice but it's the 14 years of having to
make sales or starve that makes her think she has really learnt what does and
doesn't work. A tutor for all ages, she specialises in helping people get
started on the long road to technology.
"It has to be practical, it has to be cheap, and it has to work."
