Sunday, September 28, 2014

Excel For Dummies, Like Me - Lego Inventory Pt 1, 2 & 3

Part 1 – 08/28/14
It’s been a long time since I used Excel. I want to re-learn the basics of Excel. I started keeping an inventory of things I’ve collected and one day wanted to put them on a spreadsheet. I guess that one day has come.



Purchased a program called OpenOffice that has Excel on it. Found it cheap on eBay. Been playing around with it trying to see what I could remember. Haven’t really used Excel since I was right out of High School.
     
    

Anywho, the first major thing I’m going to use Excel for is to inventory my Lego sets. The plan is to create a spreadsheet with the each Lego sets model number, set name and how many I have of that set.



I want a separate sheet for each Lego group.
I want to have the total number of sets from each Lego group to show on each group sheet. The challenge is to be able to display a total number of sets in a group and total number of sets from all the other groups for a grand total. The grand total will display on every group sheet.   



One morning I spent a good hour trying to figure out the formula that would do all this but couldn’t figure it out. Once I stepped away from the computer and started doing something else, the solution came to me.






The solution was to create a separate sheet that has all the totals from the other groups on it. Then add those numbers together for a grand total. Then have that total display on each sheet. I didn’t really want to have a sheet with the totals at first but now I’m glad I did that.




Part 2 – 09/22/14
Once I set down to start this Lego Inventory spreadsheet, new ideas were coming to me. This made it more of challenge for me along with more “leg work” but the outcome will be worth it.



Once a got the ball in motion, wanted to add more detail to each sheet. On each group sheet, added more columns of information: pieces for each set, number of minifigures that come with it, how much I paid for it, day I bought it and if I’ve put it together.


Like I said, I made this more challenging by adding all this because I didn’t have any of that information right in face besides the cost and purchase date but to get that, I had to back track through old receipts. Good thing I started labeling my receipts when I bought Legos. For ever set that I purchased before this month, I had to google it for the pieces and minifigures.


On each group sheet, there will be a total to the side for each of the columns plus a grand total from all the other group sheets. On the Total sheet, it’ll have all the totals from each group plus a grand total.


Each Group sheet will look like this.







The Total sheet will look like this. 







Made a couple predictions while I’m working on this goal. I’m guessing I’ll have 75, 000 pieces and 350 sets. I also guessed how much I’ve spent but I’m not going to get into all that on here.



This goal is kind of fun and cool. Looking forward to seeing the outcome.  



Part 3 – 09/28/14
Finished this goal this morning, I’m excited to see how things turned out. Couldn’t find all the receipts so I don’t have to accurate total cost or all the purchase dates but it’s cool. Some of those receipts will show up over time and I’ll add them then. Don’t remember all the sets I’ve put together either so that’s not going to be right.



This is the Lego Ninjago sheet







Going to put each sheet in ABC order one day, just kind of left them in order by how I wrote them down in my notebook to keep track of them. My predictions were sort of close but off. Had 75, 436 pieces and 313 sets. Eventually, going to add the Minifigures series to the mix. Next spreadsheet project will be my video games then DVDs and Blu rays. 




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