Hi:

I like Excel but it's a bit too complex for me. Does anyone know of a good freeware ledger that is easy to use?

Alternately, can someone tell me how to write the formula so it provides a running balance?

Thanks for any help.

Catty

Hi Catty
I don't know much about ledgers
Have a look at these (All Freeware)
http://ronadam.com/ledger.html Only issue does not print page
http://www.lazy8.nu/index.html
A lot of features in this (Not for a beginner )

Catty - a running total in Excel is nothing more than just using the SUM function.

A simple example:
Column A = Deposits
Column B = Withdrawals
Column C = Balance

Your formula would be in column C. For the first formula, you simply want to subtract your withdrawal amount (in the first row under that column) from your deposit amount (in the first rown under the column)

So, A1 is the heading of Deposit
A2 is your first cell of data

B1 is the heading for Withdrawals
B2 is your first cell of data

C1 is the heading for Balance
C2 has the formula =SUM(A2,-B2)

all you've done is subtract B from A...or a withdrawal from a deposit.

To continue with a running one you just have to incorporate each new row of data you include. If you were to continue on your spreadsheet and enter in another deposit in cell A3 and another withdrawal in B3 then your formula in C3 would be =SUM(C2,A3,-B3)
which is simply including the above balance in with the new deposit and withdrawal. Now that you have that formula, you can drag the formula down as many rows as you need so that future inputs will be reflected in the running total.

Dragging the formula in the cell will result in the following formulas in the cells:
=SUM(C3,A4,-B4)
=SUM(C4,A5,-B5)
=SUM(C5,A6,-B6) etc....

Hope this helps some. Excel is really not hard and to create a balance or total is one of the easiest functions there is. Just play around with it.

Thank you so much, bedstor. Nice to "see" you again.

Catty

Thank you, Georgia. I wondered if I dragged the formula down the column the cell numbers would change with every row, but I guess it will, huh?

I'm still wondering if there is any way to put the formula into the formula bar and keep it there while I'm working with it. As usual, MS "online help" wasn't helpful. It told me how to keep the formula from showing in the formula bar, but not how to get it there!

Good to hear from you, girl.

Love, Catty

Catty, the only reason I can think of where the formula would not be showing on the formula bar would be if the sheet was protected. Easy enough to correct. Go to Tools and scroll down to Protection then click on Unprotect Sheet. Select the cells that have the formulas in them. Then go to the Format menu and click on Cells amd then Protection. Clear the Hidden box.

Hi Georgia:

To show the formula in the formula bar, you click twice on the formula cell. This allows you to edit it in the formula bar.

It seems to me that I read somewhere that to get a running total you had to type the formula into the balance column 5 times, changing the row numbers each time. Then you could drag it. Tried this, but it didn't work. Isn't it supposed to calculate and print the balance as you drag it down? Which cell do I select to drag it down?

Thanks.

Catty

You only need to type one formula and drag (unless you use the example above - in which case you type both formulas but only drag the 2nd one) and yes, rows should change automatically in your formula and the results should show. Make sure you don't have a $ in your formula anywhere. What that does is "lock" a row or column so that it will never change when you drag the formula. For example, $B1 when dragged will turn into $B2, $B3, $B4. See, the column stayed the same.

If there is no $ sign in your formula then I am not sure why you can't drag it and have the formula update. You can e-mail it to me at work in the morning if you would like me to take a look at it. If you want my e-mail address send me a msg to hotmail and I'll give it to you.

And yes, you do have to click twice in the cell in order to edit in the formula bar. But just hi-lighting the cell should still show the formula in the formula bar.

Hi Georgia dear:

No, I will not disturb you at work. There is no hurry about this. There are no $ in my formula. It looks like this: =SUM(balance,-fax). The formula shows but when I drag nothing happens. This little book I got says that if I type my Cell names in lower case (f8, e4, etc.) that Excel will automatically change them to upper case if it recognizes them as a formula. It doesn't. The book says use F9 to calculate, that doesn't work either. I knew how to do this once!

I have GoToMyPC so if you have it or can download it, we can agree on a password and you can have a look.

Be well.

Catty

Catty....your formula doesn't really have the words "balance,-fax" in it does it? It should have actual cell reference listed not cell names. Is "balance" the name of the column? If so, then you should use the first cell under it, for example B1 (B is the column, 1 is the row). Go ahead and send it to me.....I'm sending you an e-mail now from my office address