Need Advice on new Spreadsheet Software.

[minervaspirit]

I've used Excel for years and find that it is very versatile. And I only use a fraction of the possibilities.

[swogden]

Thanks, lvstephanie and kapeh12 for the specific responses for "freezing" and the "end" issues.

I had seen the reference to freezing in an Excel documentation, but hadn't found the comparable process in Calc.  Will test your techniques, kapeh12,  when I next play around with Calc. 

I will definately work with Calc for some time before I spend money on Excel.

I did see the conditional coloring option in Calc, but I'm not so concerned about the color of the figures in the cells as I am in having dark outlines highlighting the cells and columns.

One of the things that I've developed with Lotus123 are tax form printouts (Form 1040 and all the various Schedules and back up forms).  I've been able to recreate them with all the horizontal and vertical lines, block outlines of cell, various font sizes and formula so the printout looks and calculates like the original. 

I use Lotus123 as my primary recordkeeper for my personal financial and documentation requirements.  Never bothered with Work or Word since Lotus served me well for both purposes.  The only real disadvantage I've found is that no one else uses Lotus123 so I couldn't share files with anyone without converting them to something else. (and the format always had to be redefined for the new file.)

Kapeh12, you said you use both Calc and Excel.  Can files that you created in Excel be read into Calc (or vice versa) without having to reformat them?

I understand that you'd have to save the Excel file with a Calc extension; just wondered whether that caused the new file to be read in with default formats (column width; font size etc)

I'd hate to bring my Lotus files into Calc, reformat them to "look" right and find out I'd have to do it all again if I decided to shift to Excel.

Thanks again for your input!

[swogden]

I'd want to know your primary uses for the software.

Without that, I'll say that I've always used Excel, the personal edition.  I use it exclusively for all my financial information and it works well for those purposes.  I keep track of all my receipts (*bleep*, I know, but it has helped me look at my spending), analyze expenses by category, and have a running tally of how much money I have in my checking account.  I've used Excel in this way for 8 years without any problems.  Of course, my uses are pretty simple.

I know there are people who use it to manage mailing lists, for timesheets, and for databases with limited functionality.

I'd say my usage is very similar to yours.  I keep track of all my receipts in an Income and Receipts files; also put all transactions an annual Cash Flow file as well annual summaries into a long term financial projection file.
Also have my tax forms set up in Lotus so I can make sure that everything is in sync.

Also use it for all my letter writing.  Lotus allows me to enter wording that wraps around within the cell AND I can have the cell entry spread over several columns.  Doesn't always print out the way I see it, but it works most of the time.

Haven't figured out whether Excel or Calc has that function available, but I'm still learning.