Author: Rick

Hello! I'm a trained civil engineer and use Excel a lot. The first spreadsheet I used was Lotus 1-2-3 on MS-DOS. I liked the idea of automating it and learned how to record and edit macros. With Microsoft Windows came Excel and Excel Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). My knowledge was in demand. I started training people to use computer programs, including Excel. First, I trained staff at the firm of consulting engineers where I worked. Later I joined my future wife in her company. We offered computer training and, later, computer programming. I have written many Excel spreadsheets, often with macros, both for clients and in-house use. I've created programs in Microsoft Access, Visual Basic, VB.NET, and others. I have excellent knowledge of VBA across Excel, Access, Outlook and Word. I have trained people on computers in person for many years. Now I am putting our expertise and training online. Meanwhile, I have honed my presentation skills at Toastmasters International: I'm now a "Distinguished Toastmaster", the highest level a Toastmaster can achieve.
  • Data Tables in Excel

    What are Data Tables for? I’m glad you asked. Data Tables are a subset of “What if” analysis. You can try different data inputs and see the results in a Data Table. Data Tables in Excel are on the Data ribbon, in the Forecast group, in the What-if Analysis dropdown list. Goal Seek and Scenario…

  • Linear Interpolation in Excel

    We often need to find a value between or near two other known values. If we do not have a more accurate curve, a straight line will have to do. This is Linear Interpolation (or extrapolation). Excel is a good way to do it. For example, I read our electricity meters weekly. This lets me…

  • Look up winners based on their scores: A Toastmasters contest in Excel

    Do you need to pick out a name from a list based on some data? It might be the best-performing employee or department. Or the machine next in need of a service. Or the supplier whose concrete mix was the most consistent, or many others. This isn’t specifically an engineering application, but of general use:…

  • Hello Engineers!

    Welcome to the Excel for Engineers Blog. As Tim Urban at Wait But Why says, “a new post every sometimes”. But we’ll aim for one a week and see how it goes. If you’re an engineer who uses Excel (and who isn’t?), bookmark this blog and return often. It should be more prolific than our…