[SOLVED] Using Excel to track Grants

I am trying to find a means to track the different grants we get for our
research that also provides a means for our Executive Director to quickly
view them for their status. I found a workbook at a non-profit website that
has 3 sheets:

(1) Expenses - this is an expense report form, essentially. We can add and
subtract money to indicate when we spend or receive money.
(2) Balance over Time - This is an X-Y line graph to depict money remaining
versus money spent over the life of the grant.
(3) Notes - Just a place with 2 columns - date and text, to write notes
about the grant over time to help with writing the technical and financial
reports required by the grantor.

My initial idea was to use one workbook per grant and have the person in
charge of that grant share it so the Executive Director could review it
easily. Not bad, but I think it can be done smarter. Also thought of using
Access to create a form to tie them together, but I am still a newbie at
Access and it'd throw the staff for a loop unless it was very user friendly.

Is there some way to tie together workbooks in one place for administrative
review, and to add as we get new grants and retire those that are completed?

TIA!!
--
Mike Webb
Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, Inc.
a 501 (c)(3) organization

There's probably accounting software that you can purchase specifically
for non-profit organizations. Do a Google search and you should find
some suggestions.

Mike Webb wrote:
> I am trying to find a means to track the different grants we get for our
> research that also provides a means for our Executive Director to quickly
> view them for their status. I found a workbook at a non-profit website that
> has 3 sheets:
>
> (1) Expenses - this is an expense report form, essentially. We can add and
> subtract money to indicate when we spend or receive money.
> (2) Balance over Time - This is an X-Y line graph to depict money remaining
> versus money spent over the life of the grant.
> (3) Notes - Just a place with 2 columns - date and text, to write notes
> about the grant over time to help with writing the technical and financial
> reports required by the grantor.
>
> My initial idea was to use one workbook per grant and have the person in
> charge of that grant share it so the Executive Director could review it
> easily. Not bad, but I think it can be done smarter. Also thought of using
> Access to create a form to tie them together, but I am still a newbie at
> Access and it'd throw the staff for a loop unless it was very user friendly.
>
> Is there some way to tie together workbooks in one place for administrative
> review, and to add as we get new grants and retire those that are completed?
>
> TIA!!


--
Debra Dalgleish
Excel FAQ, Tips & Book List
http://www.contextures.com/tiptech.html

Hi Mike.........

Yes, multiple workbooks can be linked to a master Executive Abstract
Workbook. There's a zillion ways to present the data, depending on how many
Grants you're dealing with........if it's a few, charts might be best, if
many, then just probably Conditional Formatting (Green=Under budget,
Red=Over budget) etc, with links to Charts and Data of interest.........it's
a bit of a project to set up, but really nice when it's done. One problem
is, you need a relatively stable MIS dept, that don't like to rename servers
and paths, etc........this has a tendency to play havoc with
links............

hth
Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3




"Mike Webb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am trying to find a means to track the different grants we get for our
> research that also provides a means for our Executive Director to quickly
> view them for their status. I found a workbook at a non-profit website
that
> has 3 sheets:
>
> (1) Expenses - this is an expense report form, essentially. We can add
and
> subtract money to indicate when we spend or receive money.
> (2) Balance over Time - This is an X-Y line graph to depict money
remaining
> versus money spent over the life of the grant.
> (3) Notes - Just a place with 2 columns - date and text, to write notes
> about the grant over time to help with writing the technical and financial
> reports required by the grantor.
>
> My initial idea was to use one workbook per grant and have the person in
> charge of that grant share it so the Executive Director could review it
> easily. Not bad, but I think it can be done smarter. Also thought of
using
> Access to create a form to tie them together, but I am still a newbie at
> Access and it'd throw the staff for a loop unless it was very user
friendly.
>
> Is there some way to tie together workbooks in one place for
administrative
> review, and to add as we get new grants and retire those that are
completed?
>
> TIA!!
> --
> Mike Webb
> Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, Inc.
> a 501 (c)(3) organization
>
>

You're right, there is, but I need a no-cost solution now until funding
becomes available.


"Debra Dalgleish" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> There's probably accounting software that you can purchase specifically
> for non-profit organizations. Do a Google search and you should find some
> suggestions.
>
> Mike Webb wrote:
>> I am trying to find a means to track the different grants we get for our
>> research that also provides a means for our Executive Director to quickly
>> view them for their status. I found a workbook at a non-profit website
>> that
>> has 3 sheets:
>>
>> (1) Expenses - this is an expense report form, essentially. We can add
>> and
>> subtract money to indicate when we spend or receive money.
>> (2) Balance over Time - This is an X-Y line graph to depict money
>> remaining
>> versus money spent over the life of the grant.
>> (3) Notes - Just a place with 2 columns - date and text, to write notes
>> about the grant over time to help with writing the technical and
>> financial
>> reports required by the grantor.
>>
>> My initial idea was to use one workbook per grant and have the person in
>> charge of that grant share it so the Executive Director could review it
>> easily. Not bad, but I think it can be done smarter. Also thought of
>> using
>> Access to create a form to tie them together, but I am still a newbie at
>> Access and it'd throw the staff for a loop unless it was very user
>> friendly.
>>
>> Is there some way to tie together workbooks in one place for
>> administrative
>> review, and to add as we get new grants and retire those that are
>> completed?
>>
>> TIA!!
>
>
> --
> Debra Dalgleish
> Excel FAQ, Tips & Book List
> http://www.contextures.com/tiptech.html
>

Sounds like a good idea, but what is an Executive Abstract Workbook? Looked
through Excel's help and in Google, but didn't find it or something related.

Mike

"CLR" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi Mike.........
>
> Yes, multiple workbooks can be linked to a master Executive Abstract
> Workbook. There's a zillion ways to present the data, depending on how
> many
> Grants you're dealing with........if it's a few, charts might be best, if
> many, then just probably Conditional Formatting (Green=Under budget,
> Red=Over budget) etc, with links to Charts and Data of
> interest.........it's
> a bit of a project to set up, but really nice when it's done. One problem
> is, you need a relatively stable MIS dept, that don't like to rename
> servers
> and paths, etc........this has a tendency to play havoc with
> links............
>
> hth
> Vaya con Dios,
> Chuck, CABGx3
>
>
>
>
> "Mike Webb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> I am trying to find a means to track the different grants we get for our
>> research that also provides a means for our Executive Director to quickly
>> view them for their status. I found a workbook at a non-profit website
> that
>> has 3 sheets:
>>
>> (1) Expenses - this is an expense report form, essentially. We can add
> and
>> subtract money to indicate when we spend or receive money.
>> (2) Balance over Time - This is an X-Y line graph to depict money
> remaining
>> versus money spent over the life of the grant.
>> (3) Notes - Just a place with 2 columns - date and text, to write notes
>> about the grant over time to help with writing the technical and
>> financial
>> reports required by the grantor.
>>
>> My initial idea was to use one workbook per grant and have the person in
>> charge of that grant share it so the Executive Director could review it
>> easily. Not bad, but I think it can be done smarter. Also thought of
> using
>> Access to create a form to tie them together, but I am still a newbie at
>> Access and it'd throw the staff for a loop unless it was very user
> friendly.
>>
>> Is there some way to tie together workbooks in one place for
> administrative
>> review, and to add as we get new grants and retire those that are
> completed?
>>
>> TIA!!
>> --
>> Mike Webb
>> Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, Inc.
>> a 501 (c)(3) organization
>>
>>
>
>

Hi Mike.....

"Executive Abstract Workbook" is not an Official name for anything......it's
just what I call those Workbooks that I create that do this sort of thing.
Sorry for the confusion and any inconvienience.

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3



"Mike Webb" wrote:

> Sounds like a good idea, but what is an Executive Abstract Workbook? Looked
> through Excel's help and in Google, but didn't find it or something related.
>
> Mike
>
> "CLR" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Hi Mike.........
> >
> > Yes, multiple workbooks can be linked to a master Executive Abstract
> > Workbook. There's a zillion ways to present the data, depending on how
> > many
> > Grants you're dealing with........if it's a few, charts might be best, if
> > many, then just probably Conditional Formatting (Green=Under budget,
> > Red=Over budget) etc, with links to Charts and Data of
> > interest.........it's
> > a bit of a project to set up, but really nice when it's done. One problem
> > is, you need a relatively stable MIS dept, that don't like to rename
> > servers
> > and paths, etc........this has a tendency to play havoc with
> > links............
> >
> > hth
> > Vaya con Dios,
> > Chuck, CABGx3
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > "Mike Webb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> >> I am trying to find a means to track the different grants we get for our
> >> research that also provides a means for our Executive Director to quickly
> >> view them for their status. I found a workbook at a non-profit website
> > that
> >> has 3 sheets:
> >>
> >> (1) Expenses - this is an expense report form, essentially. We can add
> > and
> >> subtract money to indicate when we spend or receive money.
> >> (2) Balance over Time - This is an X-Y line graph to depict money
> > remaining
> >> versus money spent over the life of the grant.
> >> (3) Notes - Just a place with 2 columns - date and text, to write notes
> >> about the grant over time to help with writing the technical and
> >> financial
> >> reports required by the grantor.
> >>
> >> My initial idea was to use one workbook per grant and have the person in
> >> charge of that grant share it so the Executive Director could review it
> >> easily. Not bad, but I think it can be done smarter. Also thought of
> > using
> >> Access to create a form to tie them together, but I am still a newbie at
> >> Access and it'd throw the staff for a loop unless it was very user
> > friendly.
> >>
> >> Is there some way to tie together workbooks in one place for
> > administrative
> >> review, and to add as we get new grants and retire those that are
> > completed?
> >>
> >> TIA!!
> >> --
> >> Mike Webb
> >> Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, Inc.
> >> a 501 (c)(3) organization
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>
>

Okay, no problem. One last question ..... will the Help file in Excel tell
me anything about this type of workbook? If not, are there any good Excel
websites that might?

TIA,
Mike

"CLR" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi Mike.....
>
> "Executive Abstract Workbook" is not an Official name for
> anything......it's
> just what I call those Workbooks that I create that do this sort of thing.
> Sorry for the confusion and any inconvienience.
>
> Vaya con Dios,
> Chuck, CABGx3
>
>
>
> "Mike Webb" wrote:
>
>> Sounds like a good idea, but what is an Executive Abstract Workbook?
>> Looked
>> through Excel's help and in Google, but didn't find it or something
>> related.
>>
>> Mike
>>
>> "CLR" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>> > Hi Mike.........
>> >
>> > Yes, multiple workbooks can be linked to a master Executive Abstract
>> > Workbook. There's a zillion ways to present the data, depending on how
>> > many
>> > Grants you're dealing with........if it's a few, charts might be best,
>> > if
>> > many, then just probably Conditional Formatting (Green=Under budget,
>> > Red=Over budget) etc, with links to Charts and Data of
>> > interest.........it's
>> > a bit of a project to set up, but really nice when it's done. One
>> > problem
>> > is, you need a relatively stable MIS dept, that don't like to rename
>> > servers
>> > and paths, etc........this has a tendency to play havoc with
>> > links............
>> >
>> > hth
>> > Vaya con Dios,
>> > Chuck, CABGx3
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > "Mike Webb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> > news:[email protected]...
>> >> I am trying to find a means to track the different grants we get for
>> >> our
>> >> research that also provides a means for our Executive Director to
>> >> quickly
>> >> view them for their status. I found a workbook at a non-profit
>> >> website
>> > that
>> >> has 3 sheets:
>> >>
>> >> (1) Expenses - this is an expense report form, essentially. We can
>> >> add
>> > and
>> >> subtract money to indicate when we spend or receive money.
>> >> (2) Balance over Time - This is an X-Y line graph to depict money
>> > remaining
>> >> versus money spent over the life of the grant.
>> >> (3) Notes - Just a place with 2 columns - date and text, to write
>> >> notes
>> >> about the grant over time to help with writing the technical and
>> >> financial
>> >> reports required by the grantor.
>> >>
>> >> My initial idea was to use one workbook per grant and have the person
>> >> in
>> >> charge of that grant share it so the Executive Director could review
>> >> it
>> >> easily. Not bad, but I think it can be done smarter. Also thought of
>> > using
>> >> Access to create a form to tie them together, but I am still a newbie
>> >> at
>> >> Access and it'd throw the staff for a loop unless it was very user
>> > friendly.
>> >>
>> >> Is there some way to tie together workbooks in one place for
>> > administrative
>> >> review, and to add as we get new grants and retire those that are
>> > completed?
>> >>
>> >> TIA!!
>> >> --
>> >> Mike Webb
>> >> Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, Inc.
>> >> a 501 (c)(3) organization
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>>

Hi Mike......

Although the Excel HELP files are good for some things, I don't think this
is one of them. They provide very specific information, mainly about things
that you know how to ask for in the Excel lingo. An Executive Abstract
Workbook (EAB), is just like any other Excel Workbook, except that it has
links to other workbooks to bring in the main cells that the Boss might be
interested in comparing between all the like workbooks.....like the Name of
the Grant, the initial amount, the current months expenditures, and the total
expenditure, and how much is left, and remarks......those sorts of things.....

A typical "link" would be just a formula put in a cell in the EAB, for
example,
=[Grant1book.xls]Sheet'1!A1 put in Cell A1 would bring in whatever value
exists in
the file called "Grant1book.xls, from Cell A1 of Sheet1. This formula can
be copied and pasted and/or adapted to bring in any cells you want. Then the
layout and formatting of the EAB sheet depends a lot on the nature of how
your data presents itself, but there are no rules, whatever looks good and is
easy to read is ok......keeping in mind that the idea is to present to the
reader as much info as possible with as little effort on their part as is
necessary. Holler back if you have more questions.....

hth
Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3


"Mike Webb" wrote:

> Okay, no problem. One last question ..... will the Help file in Excel tell
> me anything about this type of workbook? If not, are there any good Excel
> websites that might?
>
> TIA,
> Mike
>
> "CLR" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Hi Mike.....
> >
> > "Executive Abstract Workbook" is not an Official name for
> > anything......it's
> > just what I call those Workbooks that I create that do this sort of thing.
> > Sorry for the confusion and any inconvienience.
> >
> > Vaya con Dios,
> > Chuck, CABGx3
> >
> >
> >
> > "Mike Webb" wrote:
> >
> >> Sounds like a good idea, but what is an Executive Abstract Workbook?
> >> Looked
> >> through Excel's help and in Google, but didn't find it or something
> >> related.
> >>
> >> Mike
> >>
> >> "CLR" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >> news:[email protected]...
> >> > Hi Mike.........
> >> >
> >> > Yes, multiple workbooks can be linked to a master Executive Abstract
> >> > Workbook. There's a zillion ways to present the data, depending on how
> >> > many
> >> > Grants you're dealing with........if it's a few, charts might be best,
> >> > if
> >> > many, then just probably Conditional Formatting (Green=Under budget,
> >> > Red=Over budget) etc, with links to Charts and Data of
> >> > interest.........it's
> >> > a bit of a project to set up, but really nice when it's done. One
> >> > problem
> >> > is, you need a relatively stable MIS dept, that don't like to rename
> >> > servers
> >> > and paths, etc........this has a tendency to play havoc with
> >> > links............
> >> >
> >> > hth
> >> > Vaya con Dios,
> >> > Chuck, CABGx3
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > "Mike Webb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >> > news:[email protected]...
> >> >> I am trying to find a means to track the different grants we get for
> >> >> our
> >> >> research that also provides a means for our Executive Director to
> >> >> quickly
> >> >> view them for their status. I found a workbook at a non-profit
> >> >> website
> >> > that
> >> >> has 3 sheets:
> >> >>
> >> >> (1) Expenses - this is an expense report form, essentially. We can
> >> >> add
> >> > and
> >> >> subtract money to indicate when we spend or receive money.
> >> >> (2) Balance over Time - This is an X-Y line graph to depict money
> >> > remaining
> >> >> versus money spent over the life of the grant.
> >> >> (3) Notes - Just a place with 2 columns - date and text, to write
> >> >> notes
> >> >> about the grant over time to help with writing the technical and
> >> >> financial
> >> >> reports required by the grantor.
> >> >>
> >> >> My initial idea was to use one workbook per grant and have the person
> >> >> in
> >> >> charge of that grant share it so the Executive Director could review
> >> >> it
> >> >> easily. Not bad, but I think it can be done smarter. Also thought of
> >> > using
> >> >> Access to create a form to tie them together, but I am still a newbie
> >> >> at
> >> >> Access and it'd throw the staff for a loop unless it was very user
> >> > friendly.
> >> >>
> >> >> Is there some way to tie together workbooks in one place for
> >> > administrative
> >> >> review, and to add as we get new grants and retire those that are
> >> > completed?
> >> >>
> >> >> TIA!!
> >> >> --
> >> >> Mike Webb
> >> >> Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, Inc.
> >> >> a 501 (c)(3) organization
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>

Excellent! Thanks for the help. I'll holler again if I need advice.

Mike
"CLR" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi Mike......
>
> Although the Excel HELP files are good for some things, I don't think this
> is one of them. They provide very specific information, mainly about
> things
> that you know how to ask for in the Excel lingo. An Executive Abstract
> Workbook (EAB), is just like any other Excel Workbook, except that it has
> links to other workbooks to bring in the main cells that the Boss might be
> interested in comparing between all the like workbooks.....like the Name
> of
> the Grant, the initial amount, the current months expenditures, and the
> total
> expenditure, and how much is left, and remarks......those sorts of
> things.....
>
> A typical "link" would be just a formula put in a cell in the EAB, for
> example,
> =[Grant1book.xls]Sheet'1!A1 put in Cell A1 would bring in whatever value
> exists in
> the file called "Grant1book.xls, from Cell A1 of Sheet1. This formula can
> be copied and pasted and/or adapted to bring in any cells you want. Then
> the
> layout and formatting of the EAB sheet depends a lot on the nature of how
> your data presents itself, but there are no rules, whatever looks good and
> is
> easy to read is ok......keeping in mind that the idea is to present to the
> reader as much info as possible with as little effort on their part as is
> necessary. Holler back if you have more questions.....
>
> hth
> Vaya con Dios,
> Chuck, CABGx3
>
>
> "Mike Webb" wrote:
>
>> Okay, no problem. One last question ..... will the Help file in Excel
>> tell
>> me anything about this type of workbook? If not, are there any good
>> Excel
>> websites that might?
>>
>> TIA,
>> Mike
>>
>> "CLR" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>> > Hi Mike.....
>> >
>> > "Executive Abstract Workbook" is not an Official name for
>> > anything......it's
>> > just what I call those Workbooks that I create that do this sort of
>> > thing.
>> > Sorry for the confusion and any inconvienience.
>> >
>> > Vaya con Dios,
>> > Chuck, CABGx3
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > "Mike Webb" wrote:
>> >
>> >> Sounds like a good idea, but what is an Executive Abstract Workbook?
>> >> Looked
>> >> through Excel's help and in Google, but didn't find it or something
>> >> related.
>> >>
>> >> Mike
>> >>
>> >> "CLR" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> >> news:[email protected]...
>> >> > Hi Mike.........
>> >> >
>> >> > Yes, multiple workbooks can be linked to a master Executive Abstract
>> >> > Workbook. There's a zillion ways to present the data, depending on
>> >> > how
>> >> > many
>> >> > Grants you're dealing with........if it's a few, charts might be
>> >> > best,
>> >> > if
>> >> > many, then just probably Conditional Formatting (Green=Under budget,
>> >> > Red=Over budget) etc, with links to Charts and Data of
>> >> > interest.........it's
>> >> > a bit of a project to set up, but really nice when it's done. One
>> >> > problem
>> >> > is, you need a relatively stable MIS dept, that don't like to rename
>> >> > servers
>> >> > and paths, etc........this has a tendency to play havoc with
>> >> > links............
>> >> >
>> >> > hth
>> >> > Vaya con Dios,
>> >> > Chuck, CABGx3
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > "Mike Webb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> >> > news:[email protected]...
>> >> >> I am trying to find a means to track the different grants we get
>> >> >> for
>> >> >> our
>> >> >> research that also provides a means for our Executive Director to
>> >> >> quickly
>> >> >> view them for their status. I found a workbook at a non-profit
>> >> >> website
>> >> > that
>> >> >> has 3 sheets:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> (1) Expenses - this is an expense report form, essentially. We can
>> >> >> add
>> >> > and
>> >> >> subtract money to indicate when we spend or receive money.
>> >> >> (2) Balance over Time - This is an X-Y line graph to depict money
>> >> > remaining
>> >> >> versus money spent over the life of the grant.
>> >> >> (3) Notes - Just a place with 2 columns - date and text, to write
>> >> >> notes
>> >> >> about the grant over time to help with writing the technical and
>> >> >> financial
>> >> >> reports required by the grantor.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> My initial idea was to use one workbook per grant and have the
>> >> >> person
>> >> >> in
>> >> >> charge of that grant share it so the Executive Director could
>> >> >> review
>> >> >> it
>> >> >> easily. Not bad, but I think it can be done smarter. Also thought
>> >> >> of
>> >> > using
>> >> >> Access to create a form to tie them together, but I am still a
>> >> >> newbie
>> >> >> at
>> >> >> Access and it'd throw the staff for a loop unless it was very user
>> >> > friendly.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Is there some way to tie together workbooks in one place for
>> >> > administrative
>> >> >> review, and to add as we get new grants and retire those that are
>> >> > completed?
>> >> >>
>> >> >> TIA!!
>> >> >> --
>> >> >> Mike Webb
>> >> >> Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, Inc.
>> >> >> a 501 (c)(3) organization
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>
>>