Option to colour code sheet Tabs

[Dave_W]

I was rather hoping that 2008 would catch up with the Window version - and enable sheet tabs to be individually colour coded, but no. I suspect there is a technical reason which, as a programming/code/techno novice, I wouldn't understand - but (a) is there a fix out there somewhere and (b) might it be included in an update anytime soon?

(The major formatting leap that PC 2007 made over 2003 has clearly not happened in Mac land, which is a great shame, since I'm probably going to be more inclined to be making use of 2007 and Parallels - not what I'd prefer).

 

[JE McGimpsey]

I was rather hoping that 2008 would catch up with the Window version - and
enable sheet tabs to be individually colour coded, but no. I suspect there is
a technical reason which, as a programming/code/techno novice, I wouldn't
understand - but (a) is there a fix out there somewhere and (b) might it be
included in an update anytime soon? <br><br>(The major formatting leap that
PC 2007 made over 2003 has clearly not happened in Mac land, which is a great
shame, since I'm probably going to be more inclined to be making use of 2007
and Parallels - not what I'd prefer).

There's no fix. It's probably on the list of things that would be nice
to add, but whether and when depends on user demand, technical
difficulty, and resource allocation.

If colored tabs and other formatting are really more likely to make you
work in Parallels, use Help/Send Feedback to explain your business case
to MacBU - how it will make your work more efficient, how you (and
others like you) would use the features, etc.

Even if you just would *like* to have it, send that feedback as well!

 

[Dave_W]

Thanks, I'll definitely feedback to MacBU. Coloured tabs may seem trivial, but really help navigation through multiple sheet files.

 

[Kim Thesiger]

Thanks, I'll definitely feedback to MacBU. Coloured tabs may seem trivial, but
really help navigation through multiple sheet files.

Seconded, this is a really critical feature for my company as well since
approved budgets have a green tab and without the ability to see coloured
tabs, it's impossible to see what budgets are approved and which are still
waiting for approval and may change.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Seconded, this is a really critical feature for my company as well since
approved budgets have a green tab and without the ability to see coloured
tabs, it's impossible to see what budgets are approved and which are still
waiting for approval and may change.

Please also second this by sending feedback...

 

[Eric Waldbaum [MSFT]]

Thank you for the feedback! I can see how this can be a very useful feature
in Excel and it's on our list of features we're investigating for a future
release. If you have ideas of how we can go above and beyond the Excel 2007
implementation here, please send additional feedback. Would standard/theme
color applied to the sheet tabs be enough or are there additional ways you'd
like sheet tabs to stand out?

Thanks,
Eric
MacOffice Testing
Microsoft

P.S. A XL 2008 tab trick is to right-click on the '+' sign to insert a
specific kind of sheet.

---

 

[Eric Waldbaum [MSFT]]

(Added disclamer...)

Thank you for the feedback! I can see how this can be a very useful
feature in Excel and it's on our list of features we're investigating for
a future release. If you have ideas of how we can go above and beyond the
Excel 2007 implementation here, please send additional feedback. Would
standard/theme color applied to the sheet tabs be enough or are there
additional ways you'd like sheet tabs to stand out?

Thanks,
Eric
MacOffice Testing
Microsoft

P.S. A XL 2008 tab trick is to right-click on the '+' sign to insert a
specific kind of sheet.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Would standard/theme color applied to the sheet tabs be enough or are
there additional ways you'd like sheet tabs to stand out?

Way to go, Eric! Here we've been pleading with people to please use
Help/Send Feedback... because you can't be sure that the message is
getting through otherwise, and you pop in here to make liars of us...
<vbg>

My vote (which I'll also send via in Help/Send Feedback) is to apply
Document Theme colors, but I'd also like to be able to assign sheets to
collections, so that they can be manipulated as a group (e.g.,
hidden/unhidden, moved, selected, deleted) without having to group them
individually or by position.

 

[Phillip Jones]

Could you clarify your First post a little?

You say a future Release ...

Are you referring to a future update release of 2008 or ore you talking
about 20012, 2016??

Because a warm body from MS has actually answered, People would not want
their hopes to get too high if you meant 2012, 2016 as opposed to future
update to 2008.

(Added disclamer...)

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phillip M. Jones, CET |LIFE MEMBER: VPEA ETA-I, NESDA, ISCET, Sterling
616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868
Martinsville Va 24112 |[email protected], ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet
------------------------------------------------------------------------

If it's "fixed", don't "break it"!

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<http://www.vpea.org>

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Could you clarify your First post a little?

You say a future Release ...

Are you referring to a future update release of 2008 or ore you talking
about 20012, 2016??

Because a warm body from MS has actually answered, People would not want
their hopes to get too high if you meant 2012, 2016 as opposed to future
update to 2008.

Now Phillip, you *know* that MS isn't very likely to commit to a time
frame for a new feature until they have the feature pretty well nailed
(assuming they implement it).

In general, new features are added in new VERSIONS (e.g. XL14.0).
Updates (e.g., XL12.1) generally provide bug fixes and minor tweaks.

Granted, that's not always the case - all the folks screaming about
waiting for improved Entourage Exchange features for four whole years
(e.g., 2004->2008) forget (selectively misremember?) that Entourage 2004
(11.0) didn't have ANY Exchange capability, and that significant
improvements have been made in the intermediate updates.

XL though, being a more mature product is less likely to have that
happen.

 

[Eric Waldbaum [MSFT]]

J.E.- your replies here are good and much appreciated.

I just wanted to mention in this thread that this is a known feature request
and keep the feedback coming!

-Eric

--
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

MS Mac Newsgroups: http://www.officeformac.com/ProductForums
MS Mac News & Updates: http://www.microsoft.com/mac

---

 

[Phillip Jones]

I myself am not as dumb as I appear :-D (Sometimes Dumber!) I just want
everyone not to get their hopes up that an actual MS Employee said it
might go in a future release. And some people getting hopes real high
(maybe they will actually throw it in the 12.1 or 12.2 update.

J.E.- your replies here are good and much appreciated.

I just wanted to mention in this thread that this is a known feature
request and keep the feedback coming!

-Eric

--
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

MS Mac Newsgroups: http://www.officeformac.com/ProductForums
MS Mac News & Updates: http://www.microsoft.com/mac

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phillip M. Jones, CET |LIFE MEMBER: VPEA ETA-I, NESDA, ISCET, Sterling
616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868
Martinsville Va 24112 |[email protected], ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet
------------------------------------------------------------------------

If it's "fixed", don't "break it"!

mailto[email protected]

<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/default.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/90th_Birthday/index.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Fulcher/default.html>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Harris/default.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Jones/default.htm>

<http://www.vpea.org>

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Hi Phillip,

Since Microsoft employees are reading this newsgroup at the moment, now
would be a great time to discuss how color sheet tabs might best be
implemented.

For example, in Word 2008 sheet tabs in Notebook view are on the right side
instead of the bottom. The light up when using the Find feature finds a
match on a sheet. Would something like this be useful?

What about some sort of tab structure so that you could have subtabs? Maybe
a document map of some sort?

What do you think would be the best way(s) to improve the tabs?

-Jim

I myself am not as dumb as I appear :-D (Sometimes Dumber!) I just want
everyone not to get their hopes up that an actual MS Employee said it
might go in a future release. And some people getting hopes real high
(maybe they will actually throw it in the 12.1 or 12.2 update.

--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

MVPs are not Microsoft Employees
MVP info

 

[Dave_W]

I am:
* An absolute Excel fan;
* Completely reliant on it for my work;
* Working with colleagues who use Windows;
* Not a "programmer" so don't understand "code" and all the techy stuff.

Excel 2003 (PC) and 2004 have been virtually interchangeable but:
* I have been "waiting" for colour coded tabs in the Mac version since 2003/4;
* Creating PDFs in Excel 2004 has been problematic relative to Wndows.

Having had to get a (Parallels) virtual machine up and running (to use Groove and the new functionality of Excel 2007), I am dismayed to find that in Excel 2008, aside from the lack of colour coded tabs:
* The major functionality enhancement in the PC version (a bigger toolbar, but clusters of icons for functions and actually a very intuitive feeling of navigation to replace the individual "File","Tools" etc pull down menus) is completely absent from Excel 2008;
* Creating a PDF of a multiple sheet file is still a tedious one sheet at a time task, compared to Acrobat and Excel in PC land. I guess this may be an Acrobat issue - and it's possible may be better on 10.5 - but I'm holding back on the Panther move until 10.5.2 is out.

Thus, overall, I'm very disappointed with Excel 2008 - it feels like a minor tweak over 2007. The coloured tabs would make me feel a lot better though!

 

[Shaun S.]

I need this feature so badly for my computer class I have in college dealing with Excel. Instead of me just being able to do my work in the comfort of my room, I have to go to a computer lab for this stupid problem. Thanks

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

I need this feature so badly for my computer class I have in college dealing
with Excel. Instead of me just being able to do my work in the comfort of my
room, I have to go to a computer lab for this stupid problem. Thanks

Then use the send feedback on the help menu to tell Microsoft of you plight.

 

[RKP]

To Eric Waldbaum

YES PLEASE to Coloured Tabs. Just like in PC Excel 2003 (5 years ago!). My multi-sheet spreadsheets need this for ease of use. My new Mac may have to go in the bottom draw 'til this is implimented. The Mac & PC versions of the same software should have the same functions without compatability issues. It's difficult enough keeping up with version upgrades.