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Esoteric Uses For Excel: Think Inside The Box

Posted by on Friday, April 12th, 2013

If you are someone who marches to the beat of a different drummer, whether that means you have a unique occupation or hobby, you may have a more esoteric use for Excel. That makes it more difficult to get your information into a spreadsheet. Creative types always find a way.

Thinking inside the box

Excel is like digital duct tape. You can use it for almost everything. Excel is the most popular database in the world, but sometimes frustration stops people from using it or experimenting with the program. Some great ideas come out of experimentation. Don’t let the limitations of Excel hold you back.

By using a PDF to Excel converter, you can increase the many uses of Excel and use it much more effectively.

For instance, some people use Excel to plot or plan a literary project, such as a screenplay or novel, or they write poetry in a spreadsheet. You can take your pages and convert them to a spreadsheet so that you can organize your thoughts. Sometimes looking at something in a different way is inspiring. Let those little blocks remove your writer’s block.

Office Haiku

Image source: Thecollaredsheep.com

People like to create all kinds of things with Excel such as games or pictures, or making synthesized music. Did you know that in 2008 the rock band AC/DC made a music video on Excel?

Ever watched one of those TV shows where people build their own strange homes? They don’t have an architect to help them create a home that is shaped like a snake or is built  into the side of a hill. If you are an innovative carpenter, or a home renovator or interior designer, you can use Excel to help plan your design.

 

It’s almost time to start planning that garden. Use Excel to plot out your vegetable or herb garden or do some new landscaping.

OK, so these ideas may not be that esoteric, but if you are someone who likes to plan things by the phases of the moon, you can use a spreadsheet to keep track of the different phases. Want to keep track of the birds and butterflies that visit your garden? Excel. You can convert PDF files that have descriptions and photographs of the species and add them to your spreadsheet.

Serious fishing enthusiasts or professional sports fishing types could also use Excel in this way.

People who appreciate fine wine and can afford a nice wine cellar need to keep track of all those bottles. Excel can help you keep track of vintages, prices and when you should drink that special bottle that you have been saving.

Astro Chart in Excel

Image source: Astrsoft.com

Astrologers can use Excel to help with natal charts. Going on an amateur anthropological dig? Even if it is in your backyard, you can use Excel to plan your dig.

Maybe you are building a wild installation for Burning Man or planning a giant sculpture or art project. You need Excel to imagine that 30 foot project on the computer screen.

Sometimes the best way to think outside the box, is to think inside the box.