Excel consulting for business
Less manual work. More value from your data.
I review how your team works with Excel and build practical tools to reduce repetitive steps, bring data together and make reports easier to update.
Where Excel starts to require too much work
Too many manual steps
Repeated copying, pasting and file updates take time away from analysis.
Fragmented data
Information sits in different workbooks and sources, with no clear update procedure.
Workbooks that are hard to maintain
Complex files depend on the person who built them and are difficult to check or change.
Reports that take too long to update
Slow updates can leave people waiting for information they need to use. The aim is a clearer, repeatable route from source data to report.
Where I can help
Automation
Automate recurring steps and reduce avoidable copy-and-paste work.
Reports and dashboards
Make reports and dashboards easier to update and read.
Data preparation
Clean and combine data from different files and sources.
Operational Excel models
Build operational Excel models for tasks such as quotes, invoices and performance analysis.
Power Query and Power Pivot
Use Power Query and Power Pivot where transformations and data models fit the problem.
Workbook improvement
Improve existing workbooks so their logic is clearer and easier to maintain.
From scattered files to a repeatable report
Before
A recurring report requires opening several files, adjusting inconsistent columns and copying results by hand.
Source files
Inconsistent columns
Manual copying
The work
Define the source locations, standardize the data and calculation rules, and build a repeatable path from import to report.
Import
Data rules
Report
After
The report follows an agreed update procedure. Sources, transformations and calculations are easier to trace and check.
Update procedure
Traceable sources
Checked calculations
Illustrative example based on recurring project needs. No client result or quantified saving is implied.
From the problem to a usable solution
- Initial discussion: understand the process, existing files and intended outcome.
- Scope: agree what the solution needs to do and which activities are included.
- Build and test: develop the solution and check it against real scenarios.
- Handover and guidance: help the people using it understand how to update and maintain it.
Projects typically start at $3,000.
Each project is scoped around your goals, the data involved and the work required. It may include process analysis, solution design, development, documentation and handover support.
Questions about a project
Can you work on an existing workbook?
Yes. The starting point can be an existing file and the difficulties people encounter when using it.
What information helps with an initial discussion?
Describe the process, the difficulty and the result you need. Anonymized examples can help define the scope; do not send confidential files before agreeing how to share them.
How is confidential information handled?
Sharing arrangements and confidentiality requirements are agreed before files are exchanged. An NDA can be considered where appropriate.
Is support after handover included?
Handover guidance can form part of the agreed scope. Activities and arrangements are defined before development.
Do you work with Power Query and Power Pivot?
Yes, where repeatable transformations or a Data Model are appropriate to the process and analysis.
Does an Excel process involve too much manual work?
Describe what you want to improve and the result your team needs.