A leading data analytics and digital solutions company, inspiring success through data A leading data analytics and digital solutions company, inspiring success through data
  • +44 0333 301 0302 Call Us Now
  • hello@figuringoutdata.com Drop Us a Line
  • Home
  • What we do
  • Professional Education
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • 25 January 2019
  • develin
  • Business Skills

Tackling repetitive tasks – the copy & paste

How much time do you spend copying & pasting information?   It’s worth measuring as activities such as these sit so centrally within the working day that we rarely think about the time they take.

They can be made to disappear, especially those involving spreadsheets such as MSExcel and Google Sheets.

Many businesses keep essential information in spreadsheets.  If you are from one, place your data into one workbook and use that to feed the documents that need to make use of it. 

However, rather than copying and pasting between documents you can import data from one workbook into another.  There are several ways to achieve this, however, if you have the latest version of software (best provided through Office 365) then this can be through an import function that does not involve the need for formulae.   

Whenever the source data changes you just need to refresh the import.

The same applies to many of the systems to be found in businesses e.g. CRM, HR & Finance.  It is quite common to see data exported as comma separated text files to then be imported as a block into a spreadsheet.

However, many of them, and those operating in the Cloud in particular, provide Excel connectors permitting a direct import into a spreadsheet.  They may also provide an Application Programming Interface (API) through which you can target specific items of data to be inserted exactly where needed into a document.

If you have to move data around within a spreadsheet the steps involved can be automated.

The instructions required are stored as a Macro.  They can be developed from scratch or created by recording the tasks performed.    

In their simplest form they will simply repeat a task unquestioningly.  More sophisticated versions can detect and respond to changes in the data such as in quantity, format and quality.

The ability for systems in everyday use to share their data are growing all the time.  It means that businesses that want to make better use of their data need not necessarily spend big bucks on new integrated applications.

It’s quite possible that the gains in time and productivity that you seek most can be achieved with the systems you already possess. 

Paul Clarke

Director

FiguringOutData.com

Tags:
AnalyticsAutomationbusinessCloudconfidenceDashboardDataData StrategyDigital AdoptionGrowth
Prev PostWhat is data?
Next Post_example only

Our Services

  • Data Strategy
  • Digital Applications
  • Skills and Learning

Recent Posts

  • Close up of hands typing on keyboard with up arrows and profit line pointing upwards
    Why a Data Led Culture is key to su

    Mar 27, 2023

  • Data Important for Business
    Why Is Data Important for your Busi

    Mar 15, 2023

Policies

  • Data Privacy, Quality & Environmental
  • Information Security Management System
hello@figuringoutdata.com Drop Us a Line
+44 0333 301 0302 Call Us Now
Midsummer Court, 314 Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes, MK9 2UB
Company Number: 11791420
All content Copyright FiguringOutData.com. All rights reserved.
Powered by FiguringOutData.com web services