Ms Excel Wizards for Logbook Help

[Adam Oke]

I've posted the logbook on here before. I can not take claim to the logbook as I know very little about MS Excel. A friend/instructor passed it on to me when I started flight training. The logbook has worked flawlessly for me, but someone above the 1000hr mark found an error.

The logbook works great with 3 digits, but as soon as you plug in 4+ digits it errors out. I am wondering if there are any MS Excel wizards out there that knows a fix.

Logbook

[aileron]

Without laboriously going through and entering a bunch of time to see the 1000 mark appear, I did a quick test based the last page with 1000. If the #### is the "error" you refer, then it's just a formatting issue. The column isn't wide enough for the number size. Just use a different font size.

[Adam Oke]

Thank you very much!

That was too easy. Here I was thinking it was apart of an elaborate formula of some sort.

[Four1oh]

since we're on this topic, does anyone know how to merge Excel files? The fool that I am, at one time had a file for every month, and I'd like to merge them all into one file if I could.

[Nark]

Do you want to add tabs to one file?

In that case create a new tab and copy and paste from your other files, and save it.

The Help tab has helpful topics.



To add to the original question, if you get a #### type error, double click on the column header (A B C etc...) and the column will automatically widen to the longest text so all boxes are readable.

This also works in various other MS programs.

[Four1oh]

Tabs would be ok, but in 20 years from now that's a lot of tabs... what about importing the data from one file into another?

[pilit]

Excel will format the cell to fit the number automatically. If I remember you use the little button at the top left of the sheet( most people don't even notice it's there). If that doesn't work let me know and I'll rummage thru my manual 'til I find it. Post the log again and I will play with it if you like.

[pilit]

4-1-0 Excel has something like 55,000 rows so why a new sheet every month? Evry day has it's own number i.e. dec. 05 2005 would be something like 11,548 to excel. I think you will want to be sure your dates are in a format excel recognizes before you try merging. You know day/mo/yr , etc. That way you can also have it track your 7day, 30 day, 90 day and so on.

[pilit]

Okay button at top left is "select all" so hit that and then go to top of window, format/automatically adjust column width. That should fix it.

[Four1oh]

If I sort by date is it smart enough to move the whole row or will it only sort the date column?

[bubba070]

If I sort by date is it smart enough to move the whole row or will it only sort the date column?

If you highlight the whole row then yes, it will sort everything and keep all the info in the appropriate row. It will only sort what you have highlighted though.
If you are constantly sorting, then I would make a Macro. You can have a button on your spreadsheet that you push and it will sort everything that you have recorded in the Macro.

[Four1oh]

Thanks, got'er all done, now all I have to do is 4 years worth of paper entry transfers...

[Louis]

Adam, the approach used in your logbook is going to pose issues in the long run: you have to copy more "pages" regularly, what if you want to add fields? change the formatting?

For a logbook, you'd ideally want an actual database, where you keep the formatting on the data to a minimum, and use reports, queries and lookups to output the data in the required presentation (ie: totals per type, printable logbook sheets, etc.).

Problem is, database programs aren't as commonplace as good ol' Excel, and not as user-friendly to develop in.

Despite the above, I've stuck with Excel so far as the amount of data to handle is quite within its capabilities, and I've kept the formatting strict enough that converting to a full-blown database down the road shouldn't pose much data-import issues. It's also much easier to update/show someone else on the road if necessary.

I started the attached logbook at the same time as my paper one, over five years ago, and have been improving it since.

Goodbye,

Louis

Download links:
English - Français

[Rufus28]

Adam, the approach used in your logbook is going to pose issues in the long run: you have to copy more "pages" regularly, what if you want to add fields? change the formatting?

For a logbook, you'd ideally want an actual database, where you keep the formatting on the data to a minimum, and use reports, queries and lookups to output the data in the required presentation (ie: totals per type, printable logbook sheets, etc.).

Problem is, database programs aren't as commonplace as good ol' Excel, and not as user-friendly to develop in.

Despite the above, I've stuck with Excel so far as the amount of data to handle is quite within its capabilities, and I've kept the formatting strict enough that converting to a full-blown database down the road shouldn't pose much data-import issues. It's also much easier to update/show someone else on the road if necessary.

I started the attached logbook at the same time as my paper one, over five years ago, and have been improving it since.

Goodbye,

Louis

Download links:
English - Français

DOH!!! Not MAC Friendly

Guess I will have to use Windoze virtually...

Thank You!

[Guido]

Alternatively if you want to go OS independent you could try Google Docs - https://docs.google.com - the only hitch here is that you'd want to download a backup copy every so often on the off chance that Google went TU. But then, you should be keeping backups of everything (personally I always have two digital copies, plus a paper copy)

[Louis]

Rufus, I was surprised to find out due to your comment that VBA is missing from Office Mac 2008...

With that said, only the "Other information" tab actually requires macros/VBA. You can do without it, as it only provides three lists: aerodromes visited, registrations of aircraft flown (with number of entries for each) and people appearing in the log. All the other pages use normal and array formulas supported by all versions of Excel.

Goodbye,

Louis

[Four1oh]

Louis that's an amazing logbook, thanks for sharing it!

[Conquest Driver]

I break out my times (or anything else) with Pivot Tables. They can be trickey but they work like a hot damn once you get used to them.

[Turbofan]

For some reason Mathewc's thread is locked so I will reply here.

In my medevac days in '98 I worked on an excel logbook that I have been using ever since.

First of all....make each year a new worksheet. In 10 years you do not want to be scrolling down 1000's of lines looking for an entry. Over the years I typically use between 100-250 lines per year...(Corpoarte flying). My Totals are always at the top of each worksheet and the SUB Totals page is also a diff worksheet and I used a "Pivot Table" to come up with the sub totals. I actually have 2 tables. one for the standard 10 columns across the top and down the side I have acft type and the other aircraft ident.
I then had my MS Word resume linked to the excel spreadsheet so that it automatically updates my totals whenever I opened my resume....very slick I thought.

Happy Landings
tf

[Nordo]

I was just reading a thread about excel log books, but I really don't want to spend the time making up an excel sheet (plus I don't run excel anyway). But Im wondering how many of you are keeping an e-log now days, and if anyone recommends one of the commercial logbook programs.

Another problem I am running into, is most of the programs that I have found on the net are written for PC.....and I gave that up for Mac a long time ago. I managed to find a program called Climb!, but it seems to be geared more for the private/rec. pilot.

Suggestions?

[wxguy]

Try Log 10 Pro (For mac)
http://coradine.com/logten-pro/

[fingersmac]

I second that. Logten Pro is by far the best electronic logbook out there, imo.

[office_supply]

I've created spreadsheets for all of my books. Pilot logbook, journey logbook, technical logs.

Best of all they're all tweaked and programmed the way I want them, and they were free (and fun to make!)

If you have OpenOffice on your mac, you should be able to open any Excel sheet.

[PAJ]

I keep a backup on http://www.mycanadianlogbook.com

It is web based so will work on any platform with pretty much any browser.
No need to back up since none of the data is stored on your machine.
Is accessible anywhere you have an internet connection.
Is customizable.
It is a subscription based product but at $12.50 per year very affordable

[Nordo]

I downloaded log 10 Pro...so far it is the coolest thing ever!!! I havent bought it yet cause I am still messing around with all the settings, but man, if I would have had this when I applied for the ATPL it would have made everything so much easier!!

I do run Open Office, and I did make a pretty good logbook with it, but not even close to the options that Log 10 Pro has. Its finds the make, model and type of your plane on TC's site, maps tracks on google earth with airport idents, and dose all of your type totals for year, month, week, and what ever you want. I probably will end up buying it, but not looking forward to entering in all my entries!!!! Very very slick!!

thanx wxguy!!