David Ringstrom

Author's posts

Feb 11

Free Clipart For Excel

Need free clipart for your Excel spreadsheets or other documents? Microsoft offers a huge library at www.office.com/clipart

Jan 25

Free spreadsheet-based Form 1040 available for 2010 tax year

By David H. Ringstrom, CPA


Glenn Reeves of Burlington, Kansas, has created a free Microsoft Excel-based version of the 2010 U.S. Individual Tax Return, commonly known as Form 1040.
The spreadsheet includes both pages of Form 1040, as well as these supplemental schedules:
  • Schedule A – Itemized Deductions
  • Schedule B – Ordinary Interest and Ordinary Dividends
  • Schedule C – Profit or Loss from Business
  • Schedule D – Capital Gains and Losses, along with its worksheet
  • Schedule L – Standard Deduction for Certain Filers
  • Schedule M – Making Work Pay Credit
  • Schedule SE – Self-Employment Tax
  • Form 6251 – Alternative Minimum Tax – Individuals


The spreadsheet also includes several worksheets:
  • Line 10 – State and Local Tax Refund Worksheet
  • Lines 16a and 16b – Simplified Method Worksheet taxable annuities and pension benefits
  • Lines 20a and 20b – Social Security Benefits Worksheet
  • Line 32 – IRA Deduction Worksheet
  • Line 42 – Deductions for Exemptions Worksheet
  • Line 44 – Qualified Dividends and Capital Gain Tax Worksheet
  • Line 51 – Child Tax Credit Worksheet


Five additional worksheets round out the tool:
  • W-2 input forms that support up to four employers for each spouse
  • 1099-R Retirement input forms for up to four payers for each spouse
  • SSA-1099 input form to record Social Security Benefits
  • A tax table
  • Change log that records revisions to the spreadsheet


As of this writing, Reeves is putting the finishing touches on the 2010 versions of Schedules D (Capital Gains and Losses), E (Supplemental Income and Loss), and Form 2441 (Childcare and Dependant Expenses). The schedules will be available for free download in a separate workbook.


All of the worksheets in the 1040 workbook are password-protected, and most of the underlying formulas are hidden, but you’re free to add new worksheets to the file, or create links to other workbooks. As you can see in Figure 1, the form mirrors the official IRS format. The protection also means you can’t add comments to cells within the forms, or make notes out to the right. The spreadsheet also includes some basic error-checking features, as shown in Figure 2.


 
Figure 1: Glenn Reeves has updated his Excel-based version of IRS Form 1040 for the 2010 tax year



Figure 2:The spreadsheet contains basic error-checking prompts.
 


Reeves clearly states that the spreadsheet is available for free, but he does accept appreciation contributions. As you might expect for someone so intimately familiar with U.S. tax law, Reeves will report all contributions as income, but will also donate 10 percent of any proceeds to his church.


This free spreadsheet enables just about anyone to use Microsoft Excel to prepare and print his or her entire 1040 return. Along with the actual forms, the spreadsheet includes some IRS documentation, as well as links to download official IRS forms and instructions. Excel-based versions of Form 1040 are available for all years from 1996 through 2010.


The spreadsheet is available at www.excel1040.com.



A previous version of this article first appeared on www.accountingweb.com .
About the author:

David H. Ringstrom, CPA heads up Accounting Advisors, Inc., an Atlanta-based software and database consulting firm providing training and consulting services nationwide. Contact David at david@acctadv.com  or follow him on Twitter. David speaks at conferences about Microsoft Excel, and presents webcasts for several CPE providers, including AccountingWEB partner CPE Link

Jan 21

Best Format For Clipart

When inserting graphics into an Excel worksheet, make sure to use the BMP format, particularly as opposed to the PNG format.

Jan 20

Time for Smaller Companies to Learn XBRL

You can run, but you can’t hide! The three-year phase-in period for the use of eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) is about to hit the last group in the cycle. Effective June 15, 2011 smaller reporting companies (and all other remaining filers using U.S. GAAP) must now attach an exhibit with all their periodic filings. The XBRL “tags” in the exhibit will allow users to easily search for and access specific financial information.

Click here to read the full text of the article at AccountingWEB.com.

Jan 18

BlackBerry productivity apps for accountants

By David H. Ringstrom

If you’re like me, you’re still holding onto your BlackBerry with a death grip. However, you might also have app envy because, it seems, every week there are 500 new apps released for iPhone and Android.
Fear not, as we’ve unearthed productivity apps for you. And if you’re considering retiring your BlackBerry for another device, you’ll easily find iPhone/Android versions of most of these apps.

 

Expensify (free app) – This free expense report tracking tool enables you to log expenses, track credit card or bank account transactions, capture receipts, and record mileage.

 

Copy2Contact ($9.95/year) – This app allows you to add contact information from e-mail directly to your BlackBerry address book. You also can purchase a desktop-based version for Outlook or Palm Desktop, as well as CRM versions for SalesForce.com and NetSuite.

 

Intuit GoPayment (free, but transaction charges apply) – This service from the maker of QuickBooks allows you to accept credit cards on your BlackBerry. Keep in mind that you must also establish a merchant account with Intuit.

 

WordPress(free app) – The WordPress for BlackBerry app allows you to manage your blog or Web site from anywhere. You can add content, such as new posts, pictures, or video; edit pages; and manage comments.
 
IM+ (free ad-supported app, $39.95 for pro version)– This cross-platform instant messaging app allows you to chat with contacts on MSN, Yahoo, Google Talk, AIM, MySpace, Jabber, ICQ, Facebook, Skype, and Twitter.

 

Exgis Mileage Tracker ($4.99) – This simple mileage tracker allows you to maintain lists of clients, projects, and categories and then export your mileage log to Excel.

 

Kindle for BlackBerry (free) – This free app enables you to purchase and read e-books. Start reading a book on a Kindle or other device such as your computer, and your phone will display the last page you read elsewhere. This allows you to catch a few pages of the latest page-turner.

 

Mail Filters Rule Manager ($2.99) – This app offers advanced filtering capabilities for e-mail that you receive on your BlackBerry. Automatic actions include deletion, marking messages as read or forwarding to another address.

 

BuzzOff ($4.99) – This call filtering app enables you to block unwanted callers. Blocks can be set a variety of ways, including from the call log and address book. Anyone plagued by incessant telemarketers will appreciate the optional pick-up and hang-up feature, which prevents blocked callers from being able to leave a voicemail message.

 

WebEx (free) – Running late for an online meeting? This free app enables you to join a meeting from wherever you may be.



A previous version of this article first appeared on www.accountingweb.com .
About the author:

David H. Ringstrom, CPA heads up Accounting Advisors, Inc., an Atlanta-based software and database consulting firm providing training and consulting services nationwide. Contact David at david@acctadv.com  or follow him on Twitter. David speaks at conferences about Microsoft Excel, and presents webcasts for several CPE providers, including AccountingWEB partner CPE Link

Jan 18

iPhone, Android productivity apps for accountants

By David H. Ringstrom


A decade or two down the road we may consider “apps” to be the 2010s equivalent of 1980s shoulder pads and big hair. Spend a minute or two in the app store for your mobile device of choice, and you’ll uncover inane apps like iLickIt.


Fortunately, there are some actual productivity-boosting tools starting to shoulder their way through the pack of thousands of apps for iPhones, iPads, and Android devices.


LogMeIn Ignition ($29.95 for app, other monthly service charges may apply) – Although it might not be productive to access your computer from a mobile phone, devices such as an iPad or Android tablet have a large enough screen that you can e-mail yourself that file you left behind or carry out a quick task on your office computer. LogMeIn is a Web-based remote access service with both free and paid monthly plans. The Ignition app allows you to remotely control a Mac or PC and, depending on your remote access plan, even stream sound from your computer to your remote device.


SmartVault (free app, other monthly service charges may apply) – More and more accountants are moving to paperless environments. SmartVault offers Web-based document management services that integrate with QuickBooks. In turn, the free SmartVault app gives you access to your documents from anywhere, including iPhone, iPad, and Android device.


Square (free app, but transaction charges apply) – Square is a new service that enables you to accept credit cards from your Apple or Android mobile device. When you establish an account, Square sends you a card reader that attaches to the headphone jack of your device. To minimize risk, the service only works with card-present transactions, hence the reader, but payments are deposited as quickly as the next day.


Dropbox (free app, monthly service charges may apply)– Dropbox is a service that allows you to sync your files online and across multiple computers. The free iPhone, iPad, and Android apps enable you to access your files from anywhere, which includes uploading from or downloading to your device, as well as sharing links to files.


iDonatedIt ($2.99 for app) – BMG Certified Public Accountants broke new ground when they were the first CPA firm in the country to create a mobile app for the iPhone. Not resting on their laurels, the firm has now added iPad and Android versions of their app that tracks, values, and reports non-cash charitable donations for income tax purposes. Search the app store of your device to purchase.


WebEx (free app) – Running late for an online meeting? Jump in from anywhere with the free iPhone/iPad app, or use your Android device’s Web browser.



A previous version of this article first appeared on www.accountingweb.com .


About the author:

David H. Ringstrom, CPA heads up Accounting Advisors, Inc., an Atlanta-based software and database consulting firm providing training and consulting services nationwide. Contact David at david@acctadv.com  or follow him on Twitter. David speaks at conferences about Microsoft Excel, and presents webcasts for several CPE providers, including AccountingWEB partner CPE Link

Jan 18

Microsoft celebrates 25 years of Excel

By David H. Ringstrom

Microsoft Excel has come a long way from its humble beginnings in September 1985 as a spreadsheet program for the Mac environment. This year, Microsoft is celebrating 25 years of Excel with a Facebook-based contest that encourages users to post their favorite Excel memory – with a social media twist.

 

Contestants must, in turn, encourage their friends to vote for their memory.  Two winners will receive an Xbox & Kinect package. Be sure to read the rules and conditions for the contest, which runs through January 31, 2011.

 

Microsoft Excel was actually a late-comer to the spreadsheet party, preceded by Visicalc in 1981, Microsoft’s MultiPlan in 1982, and Lotus 1-2-3 in 1983. In November 1987, Excel 2.0 for Windows debuted, along with an updated Mac version. At the time, Lotus 1-2-3 continued to rest on its MS-DOS laurels, and within a year Microsoft Excel sales began outstripping Lotus 1-2-3.

 

Several catch-up attempts were made by Lotus – does anyone remember WYSIWYG? – but Microsoft Excel already had won the spreadsheet war. Interestingly, Lotus 1-2-3 still can be purchased today as part of IBM’s Lotus SmartSuite, although the last update to the software was in 2002. To get a true sense of how much spreadsheets have evolved in the past 30 years, give Visicalc a quick spin (Tip: press the / key to access the menu, and use /SQ to exit the program).

 

There have been 11 Windows-based versions of Excel over the years, culminating with the latest version Microsoft Excel 2010. In the past 25 years, the competitive landscape has changed dramatically, with the head-to-head competition with Lotus 1-2-3 and Quattro Pro shifting to a face-off between free alternatives such as OpenOffice and GoogleDocs.

 

Who knows what the next 25 years will bring with regard to spreadsheets?



A previous version of this article first appeared on www.accountingweb.com .
 

 

About the author:

David H. Ringstrom, CPA heads up Accounting Advisors, Inc., an Atlanta-based software and database consulting firm providing training and consulting services nationwide. Contact David at david@acctadv.com  or follow him on Twitter. David speaks at conferences about Microsoft Excel, and presents webcasts for several CPE providers, including AccountingWEB partner CPE Link.

Dec 06

Beyond VLOOKUP: Mastering Advanced Excel Formulas

Many users rely on VLOOKUP to return data from other locations in a worksheet, but is that the most efficient approach?

Click here to read the full text of the article at AccountingWEB.com.

Dec 02

VLOOKUP tips

In this video David Ringstrom discusses some of the ways that he maximizes the VLOOKUP function:

Nov 30

Under the Radar Part 1: Five new features in Excel 2010

By David H. Ringstrom


I have to admit, I was underwhelmed when Office 2010 was released. You’d think that an Excel expert would like nothing more than a shiny new version of Excel, but my initial experience with the new user interface in Excel 2007 left me feeling chastened.


Granted, after about two weeks, and with the use of this transition tool from MicrosoftI was humming along with Excel 2007. There’s also a set of tools available to help with the transition to Office 2010.


At any rate, I installed the beta of Office 2010 last year, but didn’t initially see much allure in Excel 2010. However, once I started using Excel 2010 regularly a couple months ago, I started noticing subtle, but significant improvements that the average user might not notice. In this first of a two-part series I’ll discuss five of my favorites that I call Under the Radar features. This series also heralds the start of a new feature on AccountingWEB, where I’ll be writing articles about Excel, but also demonstrating the techniques in an accompanying video.


1.In Excel 2010, you’re free to tinker with the ribbon to your hearts delight. Customizing the Excel 2007 interface was limited to the Quick Access Toolbar, but if you get more than about eight icons on it, it became unusable because you’d lose track of which icon did what. If you have Excel 2010 and, like me, were frustrated because there’s not a Pivot Table icon on the Data tab, simply add one, as shown in Figure 1. Even better, I’ve added over a dozen frequently used commands to my Home tab so that I spend far less time traipsing through the tabs. To get started, right-click on the ribbon and choose Customize the Ribbon.


 
Figure 1: Excel 2010 allows you to add or remove sections of the ribbon.


2.The File menu is back. Office 2007 apps all have a round logo in the top left-hand corner known as the Office button. The Office button functions like a File menu, but it’s clunky to describe. I’m glad I can say “click on File” again, instead of “click that round button up in the left-hand corner.”


3.The Recently Used File list has a new Recent Places list, too, as shown in Figure 2. This makes it easy to get to frequently used files and folders. Even better, these lists are scrollable. Choose File, Options, and, in the Advanced section, change the Show This Number of Recent Documents setting to 50, and you’ll always have anything you recently worked on at your fingertips.


 
Figure 2: The Recent Folders list is a helpful addition in Excel 2010.


4.Excel 2007 introduced the ability to pin items to the Recent Items menu, but pinned items would move down on the list as you opened other files. In Excel 2010, pinned files, or folders, for that matter, always remain at the top of the list, as shown in Figure 2.


5.Ever open a blank spreadsheet, noodle around, and then close without saving, and have one of those “D’oh! I should have saved that!” moments? Excel 2010 minimizes those by automatically archiving files, as shown in Figure 3. To access copies of unsaved files, choose File, Info, Manage Versions, and then Recover Unsaved Workbooks.


 
Figure 3: Excel 2010 often saves a temporary copy of a workbook when you choose Don’t Save.


Intrigued by what’s new in Excel 2010? You can download a free 60 day trial from Microsoft. If you’re already using Excel 2010, please post your own favorite Excel 2010 features in the comments section below.



A previous version of this article first appeared on www.accountingweb.com .
About the author:

David H. Ringstrom, CPA heads up Accounting Advisors, Inc., an Atlanta-based software and database consulting firm providing training and consulting services nationwide. Contact David at david@acctadv.com  or follow him on Twitter. David speaks at conferences about Microsoft Excel, and presents webcasts for several CPE providers, including AccountingWEB partner CPE Link

Nov 30

Under the Radar Part 2: Five new features in Excel 2010

By David H. Ringstrom


In part one of this two-part series, I introduced you to five subtle changes that Microsoft added in Excel 2010 that I’ve found quite helpful. In this second part of the series, I’ll discuss five more features that have boosted my productivity in Excel.



1.Excel 2007 introduced the ability to filter more than one item at a time, which was a great advance. However, it’s also tedious clicking and unclicking checkboxes in the dropdown list. As shown in Figure 1, filter lists in Excel 2010 have a Search box in which you can type a keyword and automatically select just those items from the list. No need to touch a tiny checkbox!


 
Figure 1: The Search field makes it far easier to select from a large list.


2.The venerable right-click menu is on steroids now, particularly with regard to the Paste Special command. As you can see in Figure 2, icons mean you can generally avoid launching the Paste Special dialog box.


 
Figure 2: Look at this fabulous right-click menu!


3. The Table feature was a great advance in Excel 2007. Take a list of data, choose Insert, and then Table, and Excel adds filtering arrows, formats your data for readability, and automatically copies formulas down the length of the table as you enter them. Further, scroll down the worksheet and you’ll see that the column headings move into the worksheet frame. As shown in Figure 3, Excel 2010 takes this a step further by also moving the filtering arrows to the worksheet frame. This means you no longer have to keep scrolling to the top of the list to change filter criteria.


 
Figure 3: Filtering arrows within tables move into the worksheet frame automatically in Excel 2010.


4.There’s a much smarter fill-handle in town now. You might not have realized that double-clicking the fill handle (that little notch in the lower-right-hand corner of the selected cell) would copy a formula or value down the length of a column and stop when a blank cell is encountered in the adjacent column. However, I often want to double-click and copy data when there’s not anything in the adjacent column. As shown in Figure 4, as long as there’s a row of headings in the section of the spreadsheet that you’re working in, you can double-click and Excel 2010 will copy the data down. This is particularly helpful when you’re compiling data to import into an accounting package, where certain columns are blank and others have required inputs that are the same on every row.


The double-click improvements don’t stop there, though. In Figure 5, if I double-click to copy the formula in cell B3, Excel 2010 stops at row 10 and does not overwrite my SUM formula in the total row. Try this in any other version of Excel and your total row will get copied over.


 
Figure 4: Double-clicking the fill handle no longer requires immediately adjacent data in Excel 2010.


 
Figure 5: Excel 2010 doesn’t overwrite your totals when you double-click the Fill Handle.


5.I’m a big fan of using Data Validation to create in-cell dropdown lists. I’m also a fan of storing the contents of such lists on a separate worksheet for safekeeping. Up through Excel 2007, the Data Validation feature wouldn’t let you refer to a list on another worksheet. Of course, you could work around this by using a named range, but it’s nice to have the option when you need it to just refer to a list anywhere in your workbook.

Figure 6: Data Validation lists can now reside on other worksheets.


That’s my rundown of my favorite improvements in Excel 2010. If you have a favorite Excel 2010 feature that I didn’t mention, click the Post a Comment button below and share your thoughts. If you’re not using Excel 2010 yet, download a free 60 day trial from Microsoft.



A previous version of this article first appeared on www.accountingweb.com .


About the author:

David H. Ringstrom, CPA heads up Accounting Advisors, Inc., an Atlanta-based software and database consulting firm providing training and consulting services nationwide. Contact David at david@acctadv.com  or follow him on Twitter. David speaks at conferences about Microsoft Excel, and presents webcasts for several CPE providers, including AccountingWEB partner CPE Link

Nov 29

Excel 2010 Tips and Tricks: Part 1

Excel guru David Ringstrom shares some of his favorite tips to make your time spent in Excel easy and efficient.
David Ringstrom, CPA, shares some new features of Excel 2010.

Click here to read the full text of the article at AccountingWEB.com.

Nov 29

Excel 2010 Tips and Tricks: Part 2

Part Two of Excel guru David Ringstrom’s tips guaranteed to turn you into an Excel pro!
David Ringstrom, CPA, shares more features of Excel 2010.

Click here to read the full text of the article at AccountingWEB.com.

Nov 23

Five More Under the Radar Features in Excel 2010

In this video David Ringstrom discusses 5 more of his favorite new features in Excel 2010:

Nov 23

Five Under the Radar Features in Excel 2010

In this video David Ringstrom discusses a number of new features in Excel 2010: