Why do most refuse to use helper columns?

Most of the users-and i mean also people that have good excel skills- refuse to use helper columns.

They prefer to use complicated CSE formulas, that sometimes "kill" their pc, rather than to use 1 or more helper-hidden columns with simple functions.

I like CSE formulas, but i prefer to don't use in my own sheets. I like as an exercise and some times i spent hours for this.

In my own projects, i prefer to use helper columns.

You?

@Fotis--I'm with you. I am a firm believer in the KISS principle. In case this concept has not reached Europe, "Keep It Simple, Stupid" Helper columns do this for you.

Alan

Aha... "KISS" --No,as i know this concept has not reached Greece!

Very nice, Alan.

When you see that an XL genius like DonkeyOte advocates the use of helper columns, one should think it is a very useful technique.

But then again, I suppose it's the same problem as people preferring VBA to existing formulas...

@Pepe

But then again, I suppose it's the same problem as people preferring VBA to existing formulas...

I think that this is referred to as the Ostrich Concept--"head in the sand."

I'm a real fan of helper columns-looks like you've done a lot more work that way :-)

imho i think helper columns can save a lot of head-scratching, and can keep formulas much simpler and far more manageable, they are generally a lot easier to edit.modify and understand, too.

...gooooo helper columns!!!!!...........

lol

@Kewin

..People have the choice, you can either answer their question or if you are against the use of array formulas then you can always decline in answering their question.

Of course they have. But this is something different. As you see i have already told my opinion, but this is not a problem for me to offer Arrays formulas in the people that prefer these. If you see my weekly replies, i suggest more than 20 CSE formulas every week.

Honestly, the reason I don't use helper columns more often is a single, easy reason: OTHER PEOPLE.

For anyone posting in the water-cooler folder, lets face it... all of this stuff is second nature. But let me go down a path of helper columns for a moment.

Situation 1: I use a table to have the equations auto-carry down. End of the table? People get crazy confused... e-mails flying, heads scratched to the point where they look like they were scalped. Anarchy reins. My mailbox looks like a sea of horror, people replying all, mail servers overstress the power grid. Nuclear power plants melt down, and we revert back to martial societies.

Situation 2: I prefix an IF(,,"") statement (I love that I can write that, and everyone probably knows what I mean), to hide my copied equation indefinitely. However, now when they go to print the document, there's the extra eventy-billion blank rows, so the printer just keeps spitting out blank pages. Forests are chopped down in order to supply paper for the seemingly endless, yet only 10 row'ed report. I'm called in to remedy the situation, so I adjust the print area. Once new rows are added, the report doesn't print correctly, and my e-mail box gets flooded... the rest you can read about in situation 1.

Situation 3: I don't copy down the equation. People don't realize there's an equation there, and they perform the actions manually. Data integrity is shot because they didn't carry a 1. Reported profits are really record losses, management gets fired, SEC launches their SWAT team to my location, where an all out battle ensues. Eventually they become convinced that it is due to floating point math highlighted in IEEE 754, and the government fears that technology has become sentient. All technology is instantly outlaws, and talk of technology becomes both heresy and treason.


And THAT is why I don't use helper columns if I can avoid it.

Apologize for this!

Fortis!

hey, you 2 are going to cause a global nuclear power plant melt-down!! (see situ 1)

Originally Posted by Fotis1991

i suggest more than 20 CSE formulas every week.

....and that's the problem with the European Union.....

We used to have just the "wine lake" and the "butter mountain", now there's also the "CSE formula Alp". Fotis is doing his level best to clear it but every one of you needs to stop with this silly "helper column" business right now and do your bit with some CSE formulas. Europe may not survive without it......

...comma seperated experssion...?

Fotis1991 20 a week ,i dont know 20 array formulas that i could even suggest.
there is a natural limit to cse formulas,the universe can only handle about 2000 million Querions, we are running out ,last estimate was about 60,000 Querions left .So over use will cause all spreadsheets to fold into 7 dimensional space creating an origami heron and a pile of pixels

... pile of pixels

Interesting metaphor

As my English are not so good,I have begged many times, when you speak to me, try to speak as much English as possible simply because I'm not able to understand what you are saying.
So I am not able to understand the meaning and the humor responses of Ddl and Martin.

If you like to explain in simple English..?

The only thing I understand is that Martin knows only fifteen to twenty CSE formulas.

So, only these that Creapson gives in his site?

http://www.cpearson.com/excel/ArrayFormulas.aspx

..i suggest more than 20 CSE formulas every week

I meaned more than 20 times per week. But only this week i suggested 10 differents CSE formulas. Also i give you 20-25 cse formulas that i have suggest from time to time.
If you want i can send to you more formulas like these.

What is my prize for this?

Originally Posted by Fotis1991

What is my prize for this?

Maybe a Straitjacket

Thanks Jeff.

So your opinion is that i deserve this Straitjacket, as a prize?! i appreciate..... it...

What a nice prize, but thanks i don't like it!

ok i agree helper columns are fine but i think the some op's don't want them because they think it looks messy and then there are those that are probably just trying to impress their boss with a knowledge of excel they just dont have!

Thanks Martin.

Now i understand which is your opinion!

My reply was, of course "tongue in cheek"

Seriously though, personally I like to challenge myself to find "single cell" solutions to many problems, and sometimes the layout (or other issues) don't allow for helper columns to be used usefully........but I agree that in many places such an approach is probably the best - you can often save on calculation time by having more, simpler formulas rather than fewer complex ones.....and it would certainly be easier to debug and understand.

@DDL

I got it!

Thanks