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General discussion

Chores and a Point system Excel template?

Oct 27, 2007 9:47AM PDT

Hi, I'm kinda new to excel and was wondering if something like this was possible or if a template for something like this is already available. What I would like to do is make a chart of all the types of tasks (doing homework on time, making the bed, etc) for a child to do and list how many "points" doing that task would give them. Then I would like to list all the things (prizes) the child could buy with their points and how much each prize costs. What I would like is to be able to keep a total of all the points earned (maybe a easy click on the task and it adds it to the total) then have it show how many more points would be needed to get a certain prize or what they could already get with the amount of points they already have. Maybe even have something that would be like a "buy" to click on and it would subtract if from the total.
I'm not sure if that makes any sense to anyone but me but I hope someone could tell me if I can do this with excel or if some other program might work better. Also if someone knew the complexity of something like this, that would be nice to know also since I'm kinda a noob to office and would probably not want to waste my time on something that it out of my skill level.
Thanks in advance!

Discussion is locked

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Yes it makes sense
Oct 27, 2007 10:19PM PDT

and it can easily be done in Excel. In fact I would prefer to do such a thing in Excel rather than Word or a database application like Access, because it is easier to give the visual effects and arithmetical formulas that this type of task needs.

How it would be done, and what it would look like is a different matter, and looking for a pre-made template is difficult, because I don't know what words to use, Happy

eg I just Googled Microsoft Excel, Homework planner, and got some interesting results, but nothing that looks exactly like what you would require. But perhaps something like a daily or weekly school lesson timetable, would be a start, and with the additions of check or tick boxes to check off each activity, then when each box is checked, this alters a "total" function in some way.

Such a thing would be a good way for you to start to learn how to use Excel as you would learn more as you go along. If you get stuck with any particular part, use Google to research solutions. eg if you wanted to lookup how to highlight a cell background with color, you would use the term, Excel, color format cells, or similar.

Also Excel's own Help is a valuable resource because it gives you examples on how to do things.

I think it is an excellent project.

Mark

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Time Sheets
Oct 29, 2007 1:27AM PDT

For examples on some elements of this you might look at time sheet templates. These will usually have a weekly layout and blanks for filling in daily items (i.e. hours).

You obviously have to modify it, but would still be good examples.