Using Excel to track Grants

[Mike Webb]

I am trying to find a means to track the different grants we get for our
research that also provides a means for our Executive Director to quickly
view them for their status. I found a workbook at a non-profit website that
has 3 sheets:

(1) Expenses - this is an expense report form, essentially. We can add and
subtract money to indicate when we spend or receive money.
(2) Balance over Time - This is an X-Y line graph to depict money remaining
versus money spent over the life of the grant.
(3) Notes - Just a place with 2 columns - date and text, to write notes
about the grant over time to help with writing the technical and financial
reports required by the grantor.

My initial idea was to use one workbook per grant and have the person in
charge of that grant share it so the Executive Director could review it
easily. Not bad, but I think it can be done smarter. Also thought of using
Access to create a form to tie them together, but I am still a newbie at
Access and it'd throw the staff for a loop unless it was very user friendly.

Is there some way to tie together workbooks in one place for administrative
review, and to add as we get new grants and retire those that are completed?

TIA!!

 

[Debra Dalgleish]

There's probably accounting software that you can purchase specifically
for non-profit organizations. Do a Google search and you should find
some suggestions.

 

[CLR]

Hi Mike.........

Yes, multiple workbooks can be linked to a master Executive Abstract
Workbook. There's a zillion ways to present the data, depending on how many
Grants you're dealing with........if it's a few, charts might be best, if
many, then just probably Conditional Formatting (Green=Under budget,
Red=Over budget) etc, with links to Charts and Data of interest.........it's
a bit of a project to set up, but really nice when it's done. One problem
is, you need a relatively stable MIS dept, that don't like to rename servers
and paths, etc........this has a tendency to play havoc with
links............

hth
Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3

 

[Mike Webb]

You're right, there is, but I need a no-cost solution now until funding
becomes available.

 

[Mike Webb]

Sounds like a good idea, but what is an Executive Abstract Workbook? Looked
through Excel's help and in Google, but didn't find it or something related.

Mike

 

[CLR]

Hi Mike.....

"Executive Abstract Workbook" is not an Official name for anything......it's
just what I call those Workbooks that I create that do this sort of thing.
Sorry for the confusion and any inconvienience.

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3

 

[Mike Webb]

Okay, no problem. One last question ..... will the Help file in Excel tell
me anything about this type of workbook? If not, are there any good Excel
websites that might?

TIA,
Mike

 

[CLR]

Hi Mike......

Although the Excel HELP files are good for some things, I don't think this
is one of them. They provide very specific information, mainly about things
that you know how to ask for in the Excel lingo. An Executive Abstract
Workbook (EAB), is just like any other Excel Workbook, except that it has
links to other workbooks to bring in the main cells that the Boss might be
interested in comparing between all the like workbooks.....like the Name of
the Grant, the initial amount, the current months expenditures, and the total
expenditure, and how much is left, and remarks......those sorts of things.....

A typical "link" would be just a formula put in a cell in the EAB, for
example,
=[Grant1book.xls]Sheet'1!A1 put in Cell A1 would bring in whatever value
exists in
the file called "Grant1book.xls, from Cell A1 of Sheet1. This formula can
be copied and pasted and/or adapted to bring in any cells you want. Then the
layout and formatting of the EAB sheet depends a lot on the nature of how
your data presents itself, but there are no rules, whatever looks good and is
easy to read is ok......keeping in mind that the idea is to present to the
reader as much info as possible with as little effort on their part as is
necessary. Holler back if you have more questions.....

hth
Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3

 

[Mike Webb]

Excellent! Thanks for the help. I'll holler again if I need advice.

Mike

Hi Mike......

Although the Excel HELP files are good for some things, I don't think this
is one of them. They provide very specific information, mainly about
things
that you know how to ask for in the Excel lingo. An Executive Abstract
Workbook (EAB), is just like any other Excel Workbook, except that it has
links to other workbooks to bring in the main cells that the Boss might be
interested in comparing between all the like workbooks.....like the Name
of
the Grant, the initial amount, the current months expenditures, and the
total
expenditure, and how much is left, and remarks......those sorts of
things.....

A typical "link" would be just a formula put in a cell in the EAB, for
example,
=[Grant1book.xls]Sheet'1!A1 put in Cell A1 would bring in whatever value
exists in
the file called "Grant1book.xls, from Cell A1 of Sheet1. This formula can
be copied and pasted and/or adapted to bring in any cells you want. Then
the
layout and formatting of the EAB sheet depends a lot on the nature of how
your data presents itself, but there are no rules, whatever looks good and
is
easy to read is ok......keeping in mind that the idea is to present to the
reader as much info as possible with as little effort on their part as is
necessary. Holler back if you have more questions.....

hth
Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3

Okay, no problem. One last question ..... will the Help file in Excel
tell
me anything about this type of workbook? If not, are there any good
Excel
websites that might?

TIA,
Mike