General Formatting Tips

[mikeczyz]

File here.

I'm building a sheet and the formulas and everything are going pretty well, but it looks like average, run of the mill trash.

How do I start making this look better? Everytime I start applying formatting, it somehow gets uglier and less clean.

Thanks!

[AliGW]

There's nothing wrong with it. It is fit for purpose, clean and simple as it is. Don't get sucked into the style-over-substance mentality!

[FDibbins]

I agree that it looks fine. Keep in mind that you are presenting data, not art. How would you like to change it, and to what?

[josephteh]

Yes, agree with AliGW... sometimes the less formatting the better. Allow me to, however, make some suggestions:
1) Use same width for related columns
2) Fit the column width closer to the texts/numbers
3) Carry down/up all references to a period to the same line in header
4) Use Accounting cell formatting (modify if necessary) so numbers don't appear too close to the right borders and text too close to the left borders
5) Avoid or use less of the left and right borders
6) Avoid or use less of middle horizontal borders
7) Header for text should be left-aligned and for numbers centered- or right-aligned
8) Use Fill Color formatting in any areas you want to highlight - use minimum number of colours in a page and avoid using strong colours
9) Make font size of any text/number you want to highlight at lease 2 points bigger than the rest
10) Use banded rows (highlight alternate rows) if say more than 5 records in a table for easy viewing
11) Create different sections (e.g. corporate and individual donors) and name them as such and have a summary for all the sections
12) Add in a chart or 2 for better visual effect
13) Center page horizontally in print setup

[josephteh]

Oh, forgot to attach... here is the file.

[mikeczyz]

Joseph, this is perfect. Clean, easy to read and the charts are awesome. Thank you very much.

[mikeczyz]

I agree that it looks fine. Keep in mind that you are presenting data, not art. How would you like to change it, and to what?

Josephteh had some great advice. Just ways to make things stand out a little bit and the small charts are perfect.