If you have had some experience using a computerized accounting program, you probably understand basically how it balances a checking account. You can do the same thing, without all the frills, using a spreadsheet program. In fact, sometimes you can do more. You can keep track of more and different things than the accounting program will allow you to do.

     If you have a job to earn some spending money or money for college, you might want to use a spreadsheet to keep track of the money you earn. If you have customers to whom you provide a regular service (paper delivery, lawn mowing, or babysitting), you can use a spreadsheet to keep track of who has paid and who has not (you can also keep track of how much of it you have spent and what you have spent it on).

     You'll need a computer with a spreadsheet program such as Excel or Lotus 123. A printer would probably be helpful too.

     Set up your spreadsheet with a column for each piece of information you want to track, and a row for each transaction. For example, if you take care of lawns for two neighbors, you might want your spreadsheet to look a bit like this:

     Notice that the last column needs to contain a formula that adds this row's amount paid to the last row's total received. Spreadsheets are great for doing simple math for you. Look under your spreadsheet's help menu to learn how to set up formulas.

     Each time you conduct any activity in your business, enter the appropriate information into your spreadsheet. This will include each time you mow a lawn, bill a customer, or receive payment from a customer.

     Your spreadsheet will serve as a record of your business's earnings. If you have a printer, you can print it and use the printed version "on the job" to record activity in pencil until you return to your computer to enter the activity into the computer. The printed version also may be shown to your customers to remind them of the services you have performed and the payments they may still owe.

     What other information would be helpful to include in your spreadsheet? Would it be helpful to have a column for customer check number if they pay by check? Would you like a column that records the amount earned, even if it hasn't yet been paid to you? Try adding these columns and setting up the formulas necessary to let them calculate.

     Can you think of other types of information that would be good to track using an electronic spreadsheet?

     Here are some suggestions:

• Keep track of your busy schedule. Create a calendar-like spreadsheet in which days of the month are the rows and hours of the day are the columns. Record activities, meetings, and practices you have planned for the month. Also, record when school assignments are due. You may find this helps you to get to the right place at the right time having completed the right assignment!



• List the things you have to do and prioritize them into priority number 1, 2, 3. Also, categorize them as school, home chores, work, etc. Then use the spreadsheet to sort by priority or by category.



• Do you have other 4-H projects? How could you use a spreadsheet program to help you keep records on your other projects?

     Conduct a survey of people's opinions on a topic of interest to you. The topic could be related to a school project in which you ask people a series of questions about an issue currently in the news. It could be a test of people's knowledge of a history or science topic. You may even be able to help a community leader who has to make an important decision and would appreciate a survey to help make it. That person would probably help you select the questions for your survey. Or you could just conduct a People's Choice survey of the pre-season Super Bowl pick, Academy Award best picture winner, etc. Enter and analyze your data on the spreadsheet program.

     Most electronic spreadsheet programs are accompanied by a manual that will lead you through all you need to know to use that particular program. Also, the program's on-line help lets you search for a topic and provides instructions about that topic.

Adapted from material developed by Illinois 4-H. Used by permission.

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