Excel Jobs?

[xld]

I'm a CPA for a local engineering firm. I started off using Excel for a lot of the project tracking, internal reporting, and invoicing. However after a while, my boss suggested I give Access a try to see if it is more aligned with what we were doing. What I realized is that what I was doing in Excel was making an overglorified vlookup database. Meanwhile I was missing out on the benefits of indexing, SQL queries, on demand reports, and much more. Now I'm not downing Excel because it surely has its place and is a great working program. But what I've found is that I am much more marketable to an employer with Access skills because not only do you have VBA under your belt, but you are forced to learn the SQL language which spans across almost every (if not all) database management system in use today. Just my $0.02.

Joe

Which suggests that you don't really understand what SQL is. It is not Access specific, not even SQL Server specific. It is a query language, and can query any data provider that supports it, and guess what, there is a data provider for Excel that supports SQL. So you can learn SQL and use Excel and never go near Access (if that be your wish).

 

[xld]

The only limit to Excel is 1) The number of rows and columns and 2) your imagination.

In Excel 2007 there are 1M+ rows and 16K columns. IMO that is the wrong way to go, it encourages poor solutions, but it is there.

 

[NateO]

Issue #2 is that not all versions of SQL are created equally, Transact SQL (SQL Server) <> Jet SQL (Access). Try running a Crosstab Query with T-SQL.

 

[Futile Crush]

Whatever you do, DO NOT teach ICT. It will be the last thing you do :P. As a child myself, I know what kind of hell teachers go through, and teaching Excel is best left to certain internet boards where the people listen and actually care about it. .

Just a tip

 

[Atroxell]

Originally posted by xld:

In Excel 2007 there are 1M+ rows and 16K columns. IMO that is the wrong way to go, it encourages poor solutions, but it is there.

Ummm, I guess my point was missed--didn't really mean that someone should literally use EVERY cell in EVERY worksheet. Rather, the idea was that the possibilities are limitless, at least in the purview of a spreadsheet program. I guess I should be clearer in the future.

Only knew one person who ever used a complete workbook--not myself--and I would never recommend doing that...