15.1. Excel Tables, the New List Maker

Excel’s data-handling tools have gone by a few different names. At first they were databases. Then the Redmond gang started calling them Lists and they gave us List Maker wizards to tackle the job. Now the nom du jour is Tables. Well, the moniker doesn’t matter. The fact is it’s easier than ever to store, manipulate, and retrieve data in Excel. Tables are great for all types of list-making tasks and they don’t necessarily have to crunch numbers. For example:

• Build a list of all of the DVDs in your vast collection and sort them by genre, rating, number of stars in reviews, whether discs have director’s commentaries—the possibilities are endless.

• Create a restaurant list for every city you visit, complete with names, categories, comments, and telephone numbers. When leaving for a trip to Detroit, you can filter that list so that it shows only the names of eateries in Detroit.

• Make an inventory list, with prices, part numbers, and warehouse location; you can later add a column to that list when you remember that you should have included something to indicate availability. Plus, you can format your list with alternating row colors that still alternate properly when you add a new column.