Writing
Practical notes on spreadsheets people actually have to read: formatting, number formats, and making a sheet look finished.
A pre-send checklist for Excel and Google Sheets — merged cells, numbers stored as text, trailing spaces, inconsistent dates, blank rows, hidden columns, ambiguous headers, and print setup, with the fix for each.
2026-08-09 · 8 min read
Data bars, color scales, and icon sets each answer a different question. Here's which one to reach for, why three-color scales usually make tables harder to read, and how to keep meaning out of color alone.
2026-08-09 · 8 min read
How Excel format codes actually work — the four-section syntax, the difference between # and 0, accounting alignment, red parentheses for negatives, date codes, and a reference table of codes with their output.
2026-08-09 · 8 min read
Seven concrete formatting rules that separate a spreadsheet that reads like a report from one that reads like a scratchpad — gridlines, accent color, number alignment, header rows, freeze panes, and column widths.
2026-08-09 · 8 min read
