IT1 Spreadsheet Modelling (Section B of the examination)
Use the following table to make revision notes for section B of the exam. You will have to give full answers, including cell references, what the
formula/function does and possible outcomes, in order to score full marks – see specimen/past papers for examples.
It would be useful if you annotate a copy of the spreadsheet with brief notes as well.
You exam answers must relate to your own spreadsheet not general descriptions and must be clearly evidenced in the submitted
spreadsheet.
What could be asked
USER REQUIREMENTS
What is the purpose of your
spreadsheet?
What will it be used for? How will it
be used?
DESIGN and IMPLEMENTATION
Group A – they could ask for two
in the exam:
– SUM
– COUNT
– MAX
– MIN
– AVERAGE
- RAND
Group B –they could ask for two
in the exam:
– SINGLE IF
What you have used Describe how used/purpose
The purpose of my spreadsheet is to calculate the cost of a Meat orders from a Meat
delivery company
The spreadsheet will be used for choosing the meat and quantity required, as well as
whether delivery is needed. It will calculate the cost.
Sum
Sum formula to add E12, E13, E14, E15, E16 (cost column, which
meat calculates cost of meat chosen with the weight required) on
meat order sheet. Value to appear in cell E18 (total meat cost) on
meat order sheet.
Count
Count formula to count the number of entries between cells F4 and
F20 (total cost column, on Order sheet) to count the total amount of
orders made and return the value in cell J5 (orders placed)
Count IF formula to count the amount of Y’s (yes) between G4 and
G20 (paid column on Orders sheet) to count the amount of orders
paid and return a value in cell J7(orders paid)
Count IF
–
–
–
MULTIPLE IF
DATE
ROUND
Date
Today formula to show today’s date in cell C4 on meat order sheet
If
IF formula to add delivery cost to meat cost if needed. If the tick
box (delivery needed) is checked it will return the value TRUE in
cell G4 (on the meat order sheet) if it does show TRUE then F6
which shows a constant £10.00 (standard delivery price) will be
added to E18 (Total meat cost) and the subsequent value will
appear in cell I16 (sub Total). If G4 (on meat order sheet) shows
FALSE then the value of E18 (total meat cost) will be shown in I16
(Sub Total)
Sum If
Sum IF formula to work out the amount of money not paid. If the
value of a cell between cells G4 to G20 (paid column on orders
sheet) is equal to ‘N’ (no) then it looks in cells F4 and F20 (total
cost) for the value which is in the same row, it will then add the
value of all the unpaid orders and return a value in cell J11
(amount owed)
Other formulae used in your
spreadsheet (probably won’t ask for
more than 2 so include 4/5 here)
Multiple sheets and 3D links
Simplification of data entry
 drop down list boxes
Multiply
Formula to times C12 (weight) by D12 (price per Kg) on the meat
order sheet and return value in E12 (cost)
Divide
Formula to divide I16 (Sub total) by K8 (customer discount) on the
meat order sheet and return the value in cell I18 (grand total)
Formula to repeat the content of C4 (Order date) from the meat
order sheet and return the value in cell B14 (order date) on the
receipt sheet
3D referencing
Drop down list boxes
I have used 5 sheets (title, meat order, receipt, orders, data)
Drop down list box used to give a choice of meat. Used over cell



•
Lists
Spinners
logical True or False or Tick
Boxes or Option boxes
lookup or vlookup or
hlookup tables
A12 (on data entry sheet) list is linked to table ‘meat’ (on data
sheet) and taken from column index number 2 (Veg)
Lists
List used for customer discount (covering cells I4 to I6). List is
linked to the table ‘customer’ (on the data sheet) and choices are
taken from index column 2(type of customer). Output value to K4
Tick Box
Tick box used on meat order sheet to find out if delivery is needed
(covers cell F4). Outputs the value of either ‘TRUE’ or ‘FALSE’
depending on whether the box is ticked and returns the value in
cell G4 to be used in an IF statement in I16 (sub total) to find out if
delivery is needed.
VLookup
Ease of use and professionalism
• startup user interface
• data entry forms
• Control buttons should be
used to initiate macros. e.g.
navigation / print/ data
transfer
Startup User interface
Data entry forms
VLookup function to find the price per kg of the chosen meat. Look
up the value of B12 (output from the chosen veg) in the meat table
(on data sheet) and return value from column 3 and show value in
D12 (price per kg)
Used a menu page (title sheet) to guide the user into the
spreadsheet and it makes it easy to get started. I have used a
button with a macro to the next sheet (meat order) to make it
instinctive for the user. I have merged cells D4 to I17 as a central
title on the page, I have also given it a dark red background to
make the title stand out.
Control buttons
Used a data entry form (meat order sheet) to make the customers’
requests easily entered into the database
Used macros to ease navigation from page to page and to save
time with a macro to print the receipt sheet.
Error trapping e.g. validation
techniques and error messages
produced NOT spinners or lists
Validation
Processing
• sorting techniques
• Search for specific criteria
e.g. single and multiple
criteria
Sorting
Searching
Searching used with auto filter on order sheet in cells A4 to A20
(name column) to search for a specific name and only show that
persons data on the sheet
Use of graphs such as bar or column Graph
graphs, line graphs, pie charts,
scatter graphs, pictographs
EVALUATION
What worked?


Some aspects of the spreadsheet or
system which could be improved
Future developments to the
spreadsheet or system
Validation used to limit the input range of cells C12 to C16 (weight
column on Meat order sheet) to a range of between 1 – 12. If it is
outside these limits then it is rejected and the message ‘must be
between 1 & 12’ will appear. Validation has been used to decrease
the margin of error in data entry through less typing.
Sorting used on cells F4 to F20 (total cost column on orders sheet)
on all the orders to sort the amounts from largest to smallest
(making £145 move to the top).


Pie chart has been used on order sheet to show the amount of
orders paid (from cell J7) compared to the amount of orders not
paid (from cell J9). The chart has the title ‘Orders paid’ and has
the labels ‘Paid’ and ‘not paid’ next to the corresponding section of
the pie chart.
I think that each one of the macros worked very well as they all achieve their
objectives perfectly
The drop down lists for choosing veg and there corresponding Vlookups work very
well
I think that the graph should have percentages on because it needs to have a more
clear meaning with the use of facts and figures
If I was to make the spreadsheet again I would use pastel coloured backgrounds to
highlight the different areas of the sheets (especially the veg order sheet) and make it
easier to use and navigate
Remember:
 You will also have some theory questions on simulation and modelling in this section
 You are advised to spend 45 minutes on section B