Latest posts

Below are the most recent articles or resources I’ve published. If you are looking for help on a specific topics, it would best to look at the topics in my Articles archive as I have grouped my recent and best articles by topic there.

  • Use this hack to add the data series names in the columns of a graph instead of using a legend in Excel

    When you are using a clustered column graph in Excel that has two or more data series, how do you tell the viewer which set of columns is which data series? The default method is to use colors and the legend. This video shows you a way to add the data series names into one…… Continue reading

  • Solve inconsistent audio quality in hybrid meetings with an Anker PowerConf speaker

    If you are running hybrid meetings, where some people are in the room and some are attending virtually, you’ve likely run into the common issue with audio quality. When you are using your laptop mic as the room mic the remote attendees can’t hear the people who are sitting at the other end of the… Continue reading

  • FinancialViz Makeover: Table of metrics to 3 visuals based on the message for each metric

    This makeover is based on a recent example from a session I delivered at a conference in Philadelphia. I commonly see tables of related metrics in the slides from the participants in my FinancialViz training courses. In this video I show you how to turn the table into 3 visuals, each one based on the… Continue reading

  • Thank the creators of YouTube videos that solve your problem

    Like many people, I search for solutions to problems with Excel, Outlook, Office 365, and home repairs on YouTube. Often I will find a video that solves the exact problem I am having. I am so thankful to the creators who produce these videos. For many people YouTube is considered a free training site. Some… Continue reading

  • FinancialViz makeover: Make a Top 5 / Bottom 5 bar chart communicate clearly

    This makeover is a recent visual I worked on and is similar to the “Top 5 / Bottom 5” visuals I see in my FinancialViz training courses. In this video I show you how to make the message clearer and it is done only using Excel, what you are already using. If you want to… Continue reading

  • YouTube is a poor substitute for a customized software training course

    Too many managers have decided that they don’t need to train their staff on any common office software like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, or Teams because their staff can find the answer to any question on YouTube. They figure it saves the cost of a training course from an expert. I think they are wrong… Continue reading

  • Moving from WFH to the office: Introduction

    You’ve been working from home for the last two and a half years. Now you are starting to return to the office some days of the week. You’ve got comfortable with your WFH setup. Going back to the office will be a little strange, but you think things will just go back to the way… Continue reading

  • Moving from WFH to the office: Attending a hybrid meeting or presentation

    This article is part of my series on changes business professionals should prepare for as they return some days to the office and we move from a work from home (WFH) environment to a hybrid meeting environment. You can see the full list of articles here. In this article I share three tips for attending… Continue reading

  • Fixing the “Values don’t add to 100% because of rounding” issue in Excel pie charts & tables

    Too often I see a footnote on an Excel chart or table in a presentation that says “the values don’t add to 100% because of rounding.” Sometimes the values don’t add to 100% and there is no footnote, it just appears to be a mathematical mistake. Both of these situations cause doubt in the mind… Continue reading

  • Hybrid Event Lesson 12: Have one place for details

    This article shares one of the lessons I learned when planning and running a hybrid class reunion event in May 2022. Read the introduction and see the other lessons in this series here. Lesson If you have ever attended a conference or reunion, you know how many emails and messages you get from organizers. Each… Continue reading