As bloggers and business owners, we all wish we could automate more of our day-to-day lives. Since we’re in charge of our own hours and tasks, it’s often up to us to make the most of our time. While we’re able to automate more and more every day, many of us still spend endless time working in Microsoft Excel or a similar sheet program.
While this type of spreadsheet tool is essential and valuable, it is something of a time dump. Let’s face it: Excel can be tedious, and it takes a while to figure out its many nuts and bolts. Finding ways to simplify the Excel process is a must. If only the entire process could be automated, then think how many more hours you’d have in your week? We asked these top bloggers that very question to see just what they’d have to say. Their answers might surprise you! From timesheets to task management, they all have a different take on just what they’d wish they could automate with Excel.
Bloggers, discuss one excel sheet you’d like to put on autopilot:
In my experience, while I was studying my master and working at the same time here in Germany, I had to have control of my working hours. The company didn’t have a system for the intern’s time control, therefore they just gave us an excel sheet where we have to manually add the information. Since here in Germany trust in employees, it is given and time is important, it was my responsibility to respect that trust and always be on time when I started and I finished my day. Nevertheless, different countries and cultures will have different perspectives of seeing and managing time and those are the challenges for managers, especially for those who are dealing with remote or international workers.
– Carlos (BarrazaCarlos)
Excel is an amazing tool and I use it on a daily basis for a variety of reports, as well as tracking projects I’m working on. That being said, using excel to track projects and tasks is very manual and can certainly be tedious as it’s not a very intuitive tool.
– Mallory (Staff One)
As a business leader, keeping track of paying employees and contractors is a real pain; you have to make sure you get their physical timesheet or invoice (and remind them if they forget), then enter that information into some software like Quickbooks, keep track of all payroll taxes and other paycheck deductions, then schedule direct deposit and/or manual checks. Software that automates the task of employees entering timesheets as well as streamlining the processing of taxes and payment on the company side is a major time and stress saver!
– Miles Anthony Smith (Author of Leadership Books)
