Comprehensive Excel Cheat Sheet for Project Control
Essential Formulas, Data Validation, Charts, and Reporting Techniques
1. Excel Formulas and Functions for Project Control
Mathematical & Statistical
- SUM(range): Adds up values in a range. Example: =SUM(A1:A10).
- AVERAGE(range): Calculates the average of values. Example: =AVERAGE(B1:B10).
- COUNT(range): Counts cells with numeric values. Example: =COUNT(C1:C10).
- MIN(range), MAX(range): Finds minimum or maximum in a range. Example: =MAX(D1:D10).
Date & Time Functions
- TODAY(): Returns today's date. Example: =TODAY().
- NOW(): Returns current date and time. Example: =NOW().
- NETWORKDAYS(start_date, end_date): Calculates working days between dates. Example: =NETWORKDAYS(A1, B1).
- DATEDIF(start, end, unit): Calculates difference between two dates. Example: =DATEDIF(A1, B1, 'd').
Conditional & Lookup Functions
- IF(condition, true_value, false_value): Performs conditional checks. Example: =IF(A1>10, 'Over 10', '10 or less').
- VLOOKUP(value, table, col_index, range_lookup): Vertical search. Example: =VLOOKUP('value', A1:B10, 2, FALSE).
- INDEX MATCH: Advanced lookup combining INDEX and MATCH for flexibility.
Financial Functions
- NPV(rate, values): Calculates net present value. Example: =NPV(0.1, A1:A10).
- IRR(values): Calculates internal rate of return. Example: =IRR(A1:A10).
- PMT(rate, nper, pv): Calculates payment for an annuity. Example: =PMT(0.05, 10, -1000).
2. Data Validation in Excel for Project Control
Data validation types and use cases:
- Whole Number: Accepts only whole numbers in a specified range. Example: Age between 18 and 65.
- Decimal: Allows decimal numbers within a range. Example: Percentage rate between 0 and 1.
- List: Creates a dropdown menu with specified options. Example: Project status options like 'Not Started', 'In Progress', 'Comple
- Date: Restricts input to dates within a defined range. Example: Date range for current year.
- Time: Limits input to specific time ranges. Example: Office hours from 9 AM to 5 PM.
- Text Length: Sets a limit on the number of characters. Example: ID with exactly 8 characters.
3. Excel Charts and Reporting for Project Control
Common Charts:
- Gantt Chart: Using bar charts to create project schedules.
- Scatter Plot & Trend Line: Analyze project trends over time.
- Progress Chart: Use pie and bar charts to show project progress vs schedule.
- Cost and Budget Tracking: Track actual and forecasted costs for budgeting.
4. Project Reporting Templates and Tips
- Project Status Reports: Standard format for key project info: % progress, resources, issues.
- Variance Reports: Table showing deviations from schedule and budget.
- Risk Reporting: Tracking and reporting risk, including likelihood, impact, and mitigation.
5. Data Management Tips in Excel for Projects
- Linking Sheets and Data: Connect data across workbooks.
- Using Filters: Focus on specific data for refined reports.
- Sorting Data: Order data to emphasize key insights.
- Conditional Formatting: Highlight key data such as costs or deadline dates.
6. Additional Resources for Learning Excel and Project Control
- Online Courses: Websites like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning for in-depth Excel and project management learning.
- Reference Books: Resources like 'Excel for Project Management' and 'Data Analysis Using Excel'.
