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OVERVIEW FOR VALUEWARE VERSION
AN EASY BUT POWERFUL SPREADSHEET!
*******************************
* *
* E Z - S R E A D S H E E T *
* *
*******************************
Reference Manual
Version S21
June 1988
Exclusive Distributor: EZX Corporation
403 NASA Road 1 East
Suite 377
Webster, TX 77598
For information, or just to chat, call: (713) 338-2238
Credit card orders ONLY: 1-800-999-6999 ext. EZS49
VISA/MASTERCARD/AMERICAN EXPRESS/DISCOVER GLADLY ACCEPTED.
Portions (c) Copyright 1986,87,88 by: EZX CORPORATION, P&M Software.
All rights reserved.
Program enhanced by: David Black and Allen Baker
Page 1
PREFACE
EZ-SpreadSheet is distributed under the "Valueware" concept.
Feel free to pass copies of the Valueware diskette
only to your friends, neighbors, PC users groups, and other
interested parties. users only. The Valueware version of this
program may be uploaded to bulletin boards provided this
documentation file and sample spreadsheets are included. Please
check the distribution diskette labels to see which diskettes can
be freely distributed. You may pass out copies of the
Valuware(tm) version of EZ-SPREADSHEET along the generally
accepted guidelines of "shareware" distribution. Archiving for
BBS purposes is also OK. Just do not modify any of the files!
EZ-SPREADSHEET is NOT public DOMAIN.
You may NOT sell EZ-SpreadSheet!
Disclaimer:
EZX Corporation make NO claims AND offer NO warranties of any
kind, expressed or implied, including, but not limited to the
implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a
particular purpose, for EZ-SpreadSheet. EZX Corporation assumes
NO responsibility for any sort of damage resulting from the
apparent or actual use of EZ-SpreadSheet (mental or physical).
EZX Corporation DOES want to know of any problems users have with
EZ-SpreadSheet and will fix any "bugs" found by our users. The
first 5 users documentating each bug will receive a free copy of
the fixed version as soon as it is available. If you are a
registered user, you will receive the full set. Otherwise, you
will receive the ValueWare version of EZ-SpreadSheet (diskette
#0). We will also try to incorporate changes and enhancements
based on your suggestions.
Page 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
-----------------
1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION
2.1 Installation of EZ-SpreadSheet (Registered Version)
2.2 Installation of EZ-SpreadSheet (ValueWare Version)
3.0 USING EZ-SPREADSHEET
3.1 Getting Started
3.2 Field Entry Information
3.3 Row Labels and Column Headings
4.0 CURSOR CONTROL AND EDITING KEY DEFINITIONS
5.0 LIST OF COMMANDS
6.0 FORMULAS
7.0 MISC INFORMATION
7.1 Overwritten cells
7.2 The Range and Commands using it
7.3 Defining a Worksheet
7.4 Printer Setup
7.5 Internal Rate of Return
7.6 Autocalc modes
8.0 REGISTRATION -- $49.00
9.0 TUTORIAL AND SAMPLE WORKSHEETS
Page 3
1.0 INTRODUCTION
-----------------
WHAT IS EZ-SPREADSHEET (A QUICK OVERVIEW)
A spreadsheet is a powerful electronic pad and pencil set
designed to let you add, subtract, multiply, and divide with ease
and efficiency. Or the spreadsheet can act as a "crystal ball"
letting you "divine" the end results of various situations by
performing "what-if" calculations to fit a variety of future
scenarios. Think of EZ-SpeadSheet this way: the computer display
is your paper, the cursor and keyboard is your pencil, and your
PC is the calculator. Worksheets provided with EZ-SpreadSheet
are made up of "mailboxes" or "cells" which hold formulas, text,
or numbers. The cells are arranged in 64 columns by 512 rows for
a total of 32768 cells. These worksheets provide the needed
information to tie all the elements together to get your job done
quickly and accurately. If the worksheets provided are not
adequate, EZ-SpreadSheet lets you generate worksheets
specifically tailored to your unique needs.
EZ-SpreadSheet is a fast, efficient, and ideal tool to let you
easily solve your math-related home or business problems
(however, it's a good idea not to let your kids see EZ-
SpreadSheet or else it will be doing their math homework for
them). In most cases, you can just enter your own data into the
worksheet and EZ-SpreadSheet will do all the calculations for
you. Applications for the home include calculating budgets,
loans, savings plans, etc. Business applications include
everything from simple loan calculations to complete financial
statements.
The EZ-SpreadSheet worksheet processes inputs much the same way a
calculator does, (so if you need to use a word processor, you
will need to load a different program). The worksheet is divided
into cells which can store text, numbers, and formulas. Text or
numbers are displayed at the screen cell where they were
originally entered. Results of a calculated formula is displayed
in the cell where that formula is stored. The numbers or text
displayed in this case is dependent upon the contents of the
cells referenced by the formula cell. Worksheets can be stored
to disk and retrieved any number of times. Several worksheets
are provided with the EZ-Spread package.
Why another spreadsheet? Well, almost all of the spreadsheets on
the market today require you to have a Master's degree in
Computer Science just to get the darn things going. EZ-
SpreadSheet is designed to be a easy and friendly spreadsheet
(only you can tell us if we have done our job right). Hopefully
you will feel right at home using EZ-SpreadSheet. If you are an
experienced spreadsheet user, we hope you find the quick
simplicity refreshing and turn to EZ-SpreadSheet for all but your
most difficult problems. In addition, EZ-SpreadSheet costs less
than 10% of what the "Big Boys" do but provides over 95% of their
features (including compatibility with other spreadsheet packages
via "DIF" files).
Page 4
2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION
------------------------
The executable portion of EZ-SpreadSheet consists of two files,
EZS.COM and EZS.000. EZ-SpreadSheet, like many powerful
programs, is too big to fit into memory and still leave you space
to work in. EZ-SpreadSheet keeps part of itself in an overlay
file, EZS.000, which is called into your computer's memory only
when needed. Keep all parts of EZ-SpreadSheet in the same
directory. This will eliminate a lot of unnecessary hassle for
you. You may change directories after starting EZ-SpreadSheet
because EZ-SpreadSheet will automatically find its way back to
the original directory for the overlay file This is also true for
the configuration file, EZ-Spred.CNF. This file holds the
information for your printer and screen setup.
Page 5
2.1 INSTALLATION OF EZ-SPREADSHEET (REGISTERED VERSION):
----------------------------------------------------
Your EZ-SpreadSheet package should contain two diskettes labeled
"ValueWare OK to share" and "FULL SYSTEM". MAKE BACKUP COPIES
IMMEDIATELY of both these diskettes using the DOS DISKCOPY
command and store the originals in a safe place.
Diskette System:
You MUST register the FULL SYSTEM disk in your A: drive first!
NOT doing so can cause problems later. Just put the FULL SYSTEM
diskette in your A: dirve and type
EZS <cr> <cr> = Return or Enter
This will then ask you for registration information, which you
shold fill in. Then it will print a registration form which you
should sign and return as soon as possible to EZX Corp.
EZ-SPREADSHEET will now run. Exit with Alt-X.
Copy all of the files from FULL SYSTME Diskette to a formatted diskette
(if you want to be able to boot your PC from the EZ-SpreadSheet
diskette, then add SYSTEM files and your own AUTOEXEC.BAT. This
is covered in your DOS manual).
To run the program, just type "EZS" <cr>.
Hard Disk System: (First you must "register" the FULL SYSTEM
diskette as above.)
Create a subdirectory called "EZS". eg, at C> type MD\EZS <cr>.
Copy all of the files from the Registered FULL SYSTEM diskette to
this subdirectory.
That is, put Registerd FULL SYSTEM diskette into drive A and type:
COPY A:*.* C:\EZS <cr>
Make sure you log to the C:\EZS subdirectory:
At C> type, CD\EZS <cr>
You can then run EZS.COM as per above.
2.2 INSTALLATION OF EZ-SPREADSHEET (VALUEWARE VERSION):
--------------------------------------------------------
Follow the same installation as above but refer only to the
Valueware diskette. Registration is not necessary as the
Valueware diskette is "pre-registered". The Valueware version of
EZ-SPREADSHEET is complete in every way, except that print speed
is modified in certain areas and you cannot print to a file.
Also, a sideways printing utility is not included.
Page 6
3.0 USING EZ-SPREADSHEET
--------------------
Insert the diskette containing EZ-SpreadSheet and type EZS. Some
nice to know information will come up. Please note that EZ-
SpreadSheet is a ValueWare product and as such needs user
suggestions for improvement. We will try very hard to include
your suggestions in future versions of EZ-SpreadSheet. Press any
key to continue from the opening screen into the actual
spreadsheet.
3.1 Getting Started
--------------------
What you see on the screen is only a small section (21 rows by 7
columns) of the entire worksheet. Your worksheet can "grow" to
512 rows by 64 columns (which is nearly twice as large as the
largest commercial spreadsheet available only a couple of years
ago.) Several keys are provided to move your "viewing window"
around within the larger spreadsheet. Additional status
information is also provided on the top and bottom of the screen.
The cursor indicates where on the worksheet a number you type
will be placed.
You may scroll vertically or horizontally. To scroll vertically
press the PgUp or PgDn keys. This will scroll 20 rows up or
down. To scroll a single line, move the cursor off the top or
bottom of the screen, with the up or down arrow keys. To scroll
horizontally, press the Ctrl key and the left or right arrow keys
at the same time. All of the cursor movement keys will repeat if
you hold them down. You can "lock" the screen on the currently
displayed section of the spreadsheet by pressing the "scroll
lock" key. The "scroll lock" may be activated by pressing the
"Scroll Lock" key, an indicator will show this at the bottom of
the screen. When the "scroll lock" is NOT active, you can scroll
right or left by moving the cursor off the right or left of the
screen. When "scroll lock" is active, the cursor will wrap-
around when moved off the sides of the screen.
Status information appears on the top and bottom lines of the
screen. These lines show you: the current cell, the amount of
free memory available, the auto-calc indicator, the current
marked range, the current drive and directory, the Caps, Num
Lock, and Scroll Lock indicators. On the second line of the
screen will appear messages and the numeric or formula content of
the current cell.
Page 7
3.2 Field Entry Information
----------------------------
In general, you may move the cursor to any cell you desire, and
enter the text, number or formula that needs to be in that
location. What you type will first appear on the second line of
your computer screen. This line is used as a status area and
will have various messages displayed here during your use of EZ-
Spread.
When you begin to enter something into a cell, the first
keystroke is VERY important. It will determine the type of item
stored in the cell: formulas begin with the '(' character,
numbers with 0 thru 9, '+' or '-', text with any other character.
If you want to enter a text string that begins with a number, 0
thru 9, you must prefix it with a single quote character,
example: '109. The quote will show on the screen, but not in the
printed report.
When making the first keystroke of a cell, some keys have
different meanings, than on succeeding keystrokes. For example,
the left and right arrow keys will move the cursor around the
worksheet, but during the entry of data into a cell, these keys
will act to move the cursor within the cell, allowing you to more
easily edit the data. Other keys that behave differently, are
the Home, End and "/" keys. The Home and End keys move the
cursor to the beginning or the end of the worksheet, but during
the entry of data, they move to the beginning or end of the
current cell. Also during data entry, the Esc key will act to
finish the entry and move to the cell below, so that a column of
numbers may be entered with the Num Lock turned on.
EZ-SpreadSheet gives you the ability to extend a cell out to 80
characters. This is very useful when you want a cell to contain
a long formula or a long section of text. Extending the width of
one cell will cause those cells to the right of it to be
overwritten. The cells you overwrite will be locked out from
further data entry until you release the first cell (Ctrl+End).
If you depress the "/" key, at the start of a cell, a list of
commands will appear, any of the displayed commands may be
executed by pressing the indicated letter. For experienced
users, the commands may be entered directly, without using the
"/" key, by pressing the Alt key and the command letter together.
Page 8
3.3 Row Labels and Column Headings
-----------------------------------
Worksheets are laid out in rows and columns. This wasn't by
chance, it really does make sense. Each row in EZ-SpreadSheet is
assigned a number, and each column a letter. Running across the
top of a typical worksheet will be a series of column headings
(identified by leters) describing what is in the vertical columns
located underneath them. Running up and down the left side of a
worksheet is a series of row labels (identified by numbers)
describing the information located across from them in the
worksheet. The intersections of the rows and columns are called
cells. Cells are identified by their row-column positions. When
you start creating your own worksheets, you should make these
labels and headings as descriptive as possible. This will all
become clear when you call up one of the example worksheets and
start working with it.
Page 9
4.0 CURSOR CONTROL AND EDITING KEY DEFINITIONS
-----------------------------------------------
The following are a list of keys and the effect they have within
EZ-SpreadSheet. You will notice that each key has two possible
actions depending upon whether you are in the data entry mode.
Action Action
Key Name During Data Entry Otherwise
-------------------------------------------------------------
/ | Put a "/" character | Display the command
| in the text of cell. | menu.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Up Arrow | Finish entry and | Move to cell above
| move to cell above. | the one you are in.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Down Arrow | Finish entry and | Move to cell below
| move to cell below. | the one you are in.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Left Arrow | Move 1 character to | Move to cell on the
| the left. | left.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Right Arrow | Move 1 character to | Move to cell on the
| the right. | right.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Home | Move to the start of | Move to cell at the
| the cell. | start of worksheet.
-------------------------------------------------------------
End | Move to the end of | Move to cell at the
| the cell. | end of worksheet.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Ctrl + End | Erase contents of | Erase current cell
| cell from cursor to | entirely.
| end of cell. |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Ctrl + | Finish entry and | Scroll to the left.
Left Arrow | scroll to the left. |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Ctrl + | Finish entry and | Scroll to the right.
Right Arrow | scroll to the right. |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Tab | Finish entry and | Move to cell on the
| move to cell right. | right.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Shift + Tab | Finish entry and | Move to cell on the
| move to cell left. | left.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Page 10
Action Action
Key Name During Data Entry Otherwise
-------------------------------------------------------------
Ins | Toggle Insert Mode. | Toggle Insert Mode.
| Fat cursor = Insert. | Fat cursor = Insert.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Del | Delete character at | Delete cursor at
| cursor. | cursor.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Backspace | Delete character to | No action.
| left of cursor. |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Enter | Finish entry. Stay | No action.
| in current cell. |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Esc | Finish entry and | Move cursor to the
| move to cell below. | cell below.
| Nice for using NUM |
| Lock mode with a |
| column of numbers! |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Page 11
5.0 LIST OF COMMANDS
---------------------
The following are a list of commands for EZ-SpreadSheet. You can
enter these commands in one of two ways. The first way, type /
within the spreadsheet. A command menu will come up for you to
select the desired command. Once you become familiar with EZ-
SpreadSheet you will be able to use the second method for command
entry. That is to simply hold down the Alt key and press the
desired command letter. You won't get a menu using this method.
The commands are:
COMMANDS: With Alt key or / brings up the command menu.
X - Exit to DOS. If you haven't saved your worksheet then you
will be asked if you want to save it prior to exiting to DOS.
Q - Quit command menu and return to the worksheet.
L - List the files in the current directory.
N - New directory or disk drive.
R - Read a worksheet from disk into memory.
S - Store a worksheet from memory onto disk.
Note: Please keep a close eye on the free disk space and
don't try to store a worksheet on a diskette that is
already full! More than likely, EZ-SpreadSheet will
return you to DOS if this happens. We are hard at
work on a program change to protect you from this
error. If this does happen and you aren't returned to
DOS, then use the N command to switch to a new disk
drive or specify a drive extension as part of the file
name. Be careful of wild-card characters (* and ?)
in response to file name prompts. These are invalid
characters but may be accepted by DOS and create
undesired results.
Note: Both the R and S commands assume that the filename
extension is .EZS if you don't specify one. If you
don't want an extension then end the filename with a
'.' and no extension will be used.
E - Erase the current worksheet from memory. Be careful, this
command really does work.
Page 12
G - Perform the calculations specified by your formulas. Very
useful in big worksheets when you have turned off auto-calc.
This will allow you to bring all the calculations in the
worksheet back up to date.
Note: The worksheet contents are not automatically
recalculated after you insert or delete a row or
column. You should use the G command to do this.
P - Print the worksheet to disk file or printer. This feature
is limited in the ValueWare version.
F - Change cell format. Each cell may have a different format.
The default is leading sign, no comma, and no currency
symbol. You may choose 1 of 6 different formats: financial,
percent, scientific, hidden, date, and the default. If the
date format is chosen, the cell is treated as if it contained
a Julian date and then it is converted to one of three sub-
formats: DD-MMM-YY, DD-MMM or MMM-YY. You will be given you
choice of these 3 date formats, if you select the date type.
If the financial format is chosen, you will be given the
choice of 4 sub-formats:
A. $1,000- .... Dollar sign and comma insertion.
B. 1,000- .... Comma insertion.
C. (1,000) .... Dollar sign and comma insertion,
parentheses for negative.
D. $(1,000) .... Comma insertion, parens for negative.
W - The width of each column defaults to 10, but it can be
changed with this command to any value between 0 and 30.
After setting the width, you will be asked if the column
should be given the "blank zero" attribute.
Note: If you choose a column width of 0, then this has the
same effect as if the whole column had the "hidden"
format. Anything in a 0 width column or with the
"hidden" format, will appear on the status line at the
top of the screen, but will not appear in the
worksheet.
B - Mark the start of the range at the current cell.
K - Mark the end of the range at the current cell.
H - You may specify that columns are to be held static on the
left of the screen and not horizontally scrolled. The
maximum number of column you can hold is 4.
Page 13
I - Insert a Row or Column. All formulas will be adjusted to
reflect their new locations. Absolute addresses may be used,
by placing a '0' before the row. For example 'C5' is a
relative cell address and would be adjusted if needed, but
'C05' is an absolute cell address and would not be adjusted
if you insert a row or column. Recalculation does not
automatically take place after execution of this command.
This command is very useful when you want to move a column or
row over one position. You can use this command to get
around copying a portion of the worksheet over itself in an
attempt to make room for new information. See the note under
the move and copy commands for further clarification on this
process.
D - Delete Row or Column. All formulas will be adjusted as
given above for 'I'. If the range option is selected, then
the rows or columns that fall within the specified range will
be deleted.
Note: Only rows or columns are deleted, not both at the same
time. Recalculation does not automatically take place
after execution of this command.
J - Jump directly to a cell. This command gives you an easy way
to avoid scrolling thru the worksheet when you know which
cell you want to go to.
M - Move the section of the worksheet shown in the indicated
range at the bottom of the screen to the current cursor
location. This command allows you to alter the range
specification. Formulas are adjusted as above for 'I'. Make
sure that the cell or cells you are copying to are
empty (clear). If you try to copy over cells which already
contain information, unintelligible garble may result. Use
the Delete command if necessary to clean up after the move
command.
C - Copy the indicated range to the current location. You will
be able to alter the range specification. Formulas are
adjusted as above for 'I'. Make sure that the cell or cells
you are copying to are empty (clear). If you try to copy over
cells with current information, unintelligible garble may
result. Use the Delete command if necessary to clean up after
the copy command.
Note: You cannot move or copy a section of a worksheet over
itself. Make sure that the source and destination
ranges do not overlap. EZ-SpreadSheet will give
you a warning message if you attempt this and will
prevent any damage to the worksheet. The insert
command will give you an easy workaround for this in
many cases.
Page 14
O - Sort the indicated range into ascending order. The sort
key is the first column of the range and the rows within the
range are arranged into ascending sequence based on the
textual content of the key column (the first one in the
indicated range).
A - Toggle auto-calculate. If you have a large worksheet with
many formulas, it will save time to turn auto-calculate off,
and manually calculate with the 'G' command only when you
need the calculated information to be correct.
Y - Import a DIF(tm) format file. DIF(tm) stands for Data
Interchange Format and is commonly supported by many programs
including 1-2-3(tm), & Supercalc(tm). The DIF(tm) supports
only the storage of the data, so the format control
information and the formulas are not found in the in the
DIF(tm) file. The extension ".DIF" is used automatically.
Z - Export a DIF(tm) format file. Please read the paragraph
about for the 'Y' command. The output file will contain data
only, no formulas or format control information. Also, the
DIF(tm) format is not as efficient as the EZ-SpreadSheet
.EZS format, so the exported file will probably be about
10% to 300% larger than the original file.
Note: DIF is a trademark of Software Arts Products Corp.
1-2-3 is a trademark of Lotus Development Corp. A good
description of exactly what a DIF file is, can be hard
to come by. Basically, a DIF file is similar to other
files you have in EZ-SpreadSheet but contains only
values or labels and cannot be used to
reconstruct a worksheet. It does not contain the
formulas, formats, or functions that are normally
stored is a regular worksheet file. DIF files do
provide the means by which you can transfer
information from your worksheet to other
applications. These applications can be other
spreadsheets or even a BASIC language program that
you write yourself to access the DIF file.
Support of the Data Interchange Format gives you the
potential to extend the capability of EZ-
SpreadSheet manyfold.
Page 15
U - You can control the screen colors and other options via
this command. The colors are entered as numbers from the
following list:
0 : Black 8 : Dark Grey
1 : Blue 9 : Light Blue
2 : Green 10 : Light Green
3 : Cyan 11 : Light Cyan
4 : Red 12 : Light Red
5 : Magenta 13 : Light Magenta
6 : Brown 14 : Yellow
7 : Light Grey 15 : White
Note: Other user installable options will be available under
the Alt U command menu in the future. Check your
version of EZ-SpreadSheet using the Alt U command to
get the latest list.
Page 16
6.0 FORMULAS
-------------
Formulas are composed of operational symbols (like >, =, <), cell
addresses (A1), constants (3.14), and functions ((A1+A2)). Each
formula is enclosed within parentheses, like this: (A1+C2+F4).
This formula would take the content of the 3 cells and add them
together, putting the result in the cell where the formula is
located. This all sounds very complex but is really quite easy
once you start using it.
The following functions are available:
Name Description Usage
---- ----------- --------
ABS Absolute value. ABS(p)
ROUND Rounded value. ROUND(p,prec)
TRUNC Truncated value. TRUNC(p,prec)
SQRT Square root. SQRT(p)
SQR Square. SQR(p)
MOD The remainder of p1 divided by p2. MOD(p1,p2)
INT Returns the integer portion of p. INT(p)
PI 3.1415926536 PI
SIN Sine of angle in radians. SIN(p)
ASIN Arc sine. ASIN(p)
COS Cosine of angle in radians. COS(p)
ACOS Arc cosine. ACOS(p)
TAN Tangent of angle in radians. TAN(p)
ATAN Arc Tangent. ATAN(p)
LN Natural Log. LN(p)
LOG Log base 10. LOG(p)
E 2.7182818285 E
EXP E raised to the p power. EXP(p)
NPV Net present value of a series NPV(i,r)
of future cash flows.
PMT Mortgage payment per period. PMT(pa,i,n)
PV Present value of ordinary annuity. PV(pp,i,n)
FV Future value of ordinary annuity. FV(pp,i,n)
RATE Periodic rate needed to produce RATE(fv,pv,n)
a future value.
TERM The number of payment periods required TERM(pp,i,fv)
for an annuity to grow to a future
value.
CTERM The number of compounding periods CTERM(i,fv,pv)
required for a present value to
future value.
IRR Internal Rate of Return. IRR(g,r)
Page 17
Name Description Usage
---- ----------- --------
AVG The arithmetic average (mean). AVG(r)
COUNT The number of items in range. COUNT(r)
MIN The smallest number in range. MIN(r)
MAX The biggest number in range. MAX(r)
VAR The population variance. VAR(r)
STD The population standard deviation. STD(r)
SYD The depreciation for the specified SYD(cst,sal,
period, using the "Sum Of The Years lif,per)
Digits" method.
Note: Sum of the years digits depreciation is an
accelerated depreciation method derived by
multiplying the depreciable cost by a fraction
which decreases each year during the useful life
of the asset.
SLN The "Straight-line" depreciation for SLN(cst,sal,
1 period. lif)
Note: Straight-line depreciation provides
approximately equal amounts of depreciation
expense in each accounting period. It results
in a linear or "straight-line," decline in book
value during the useful life of the asset. The
amounts of depreciation will be the same for
equal time periods.
DDB The depreciation for the specified DDB(cst,sal
period, using the "Double Declining lif,per)
Balance" method.
IF Choose between two values. IF(t,p1,p2)
p1 is returned if t is true,
p2 is returned if t is false.
NOT Reverse true and false values. NOT(t)
TRUE Returns the value for true. TRUE
FALSE Returns the value for false. FALSE
ERR Returns the value for ERR. ERR
ISERR Returns the value for true if the ISERR(p)
parameter has the ERR value,
otherwise returns the value for
false.
NA Returns the value for NA. NA
ISNA Returns the value for true if the ISNA(p)
parameter has the NA value,
otherwise returns the value for
false.
Page 18
Name Description Usage
---- ----------- --------
DATE Returns the Julian date from the DATE(y,m,d)
calendar date given as a parameter.
The year maybe between 1800 and
2100 and the date is measured in
days from December 31, 1899.
Note: Date assumes that you give it a valid date.
That is: the year should be 1800-2100, the month
should be 1-12, and the day 1-31. Valid date
example: DATE(1986,6,1).
TODAY Returns the Julian date for today. TODAY
Taken from the DOS clock, so if
you have set it wrong, then this
will be wrong.
DAY Returns the day of the month, DAY(p)
given the Julian date.
MONTH Returns the month of the year, MONTH(p)
given the Julian date.
YEAR Returns the year, given the YEAR(p)
Julian date.
HLOOKUP Table lookups find the largest table HLOOKUP(trgt,tbl,
entry not greater than the target ofs)
value. The "HLOOKUP" function
defines a horizontal table.
VLOOKUP The "VLOOKUP" function defines a VLOOKUP(trgt,tbl,
vertical table. ofs)
ROUND Rounds the value of a to p ROUND(a,p)
decimal places. p can be any
integer vluew from -11 to +11 with positive values
being to the right of the decimal point, and negative
values being to the left of the decimal point. For
instance, the formula ROUND(3.14159,3) returns
3.142000 and ROUND(316.139,-1) returns 320.00.
TRUNC Truncates the value of a to p TRUNC(a,p)
decimal places. For instance, the
formual TRUNC(3.14159,3) returns 3.141, and
TRUNC(316.159,-1) returns 310.0.
Page 19
Note: There are many examples in the sample
worksheets that accompany the program.
Note: There is no SUM function, instead use the colon,
":", as discussed below under symbols.
Where: p,p1,p2 ... Constants, cell addresses or
algebraic expressions.
i ......... Interest rate, may be any of the items
listed for "p" above. Note: all
interest rates are stated in their
fractional format, i.e. "10% = 0.1".
Note: this is an interest rate per period
and not per annum, however if the period
in use is a year, then it is per annum.
If a month is the period in use, then
conversion from the yearly rate must
be done by division by 12.
r ......... A range of cell addresses, i.e. "D4..H21".
pa ........ Principle amount, may be any of the items
listed for "p" above.
n ......... Number of periods, may be any of the
items listed for "p" above.
pp ........ Payment per period, may be any of the
items listed for "p" above.
g ......... A guess at the interest rate, usually
between 0.0 and 1.0.
pv ........ A present value, may be any of the items
listed for "p" above.
fv ........ A future value, may be any of the items
listed for "p" above.
t ......... A logical expression whose result is
0.0 for false and non-zero for true.
y,m,d ..... May be any value listed for "p" above.
They are the symbols for year, month and day.
trgt ...... May be any value listed for "p" above. It is
the value which is the target of the lookup.
tbl ....... A range of cell addresses that define the
values to be searched to find the match for
the target in a lookup.
ofs ....... May be any value listed for "p" above. It is
the value added to the matching entry's
coordinates to find the answer in a lookup
table. Usually is a 1.
cst ....... The cost of an asset.
sal ....... The salvage value of an asset.
lif ....... The life expectancy of an asset.
per ....... The period for which depreciation is to be
calculated.
prec ...... The precision desired for rounding or
truncating a number 'p'.
Page 20
Formulas may be quite complicated, an example is:
(A1+SIN(PI/2*(B2-C1)))
The only limitations imposed are those of available memory and
the fact that no formula may be longer than 80 characters. The
financial and trig function are not recursive, for example don't
do this: (IRR(IRR(.2,D4..D20),E2..M2)), it won't work very well,
if at all.
If any of the formulas cannot calculate the answer, for example
if you ask for the SQRT of a negative number, then the result
will be ERROR and you will see the word "ERR" in the result cell.
ERR may also show up if you enter a division formula in which the
denominator (the bottom part of the fraction) includes a
reference to a empty cell. Sometimes the ERR message will
disappear as you continue to add information in the rest of your
worksheet, adding the information the cell with the ERR in it
needed to complete its' calculations. The bottom line here is if
you see ERR displayed in any cell, then something is wrong either
in its formula or the information it uses.
Finally, a formula may contain the following symbols:
^ Raise to the power.
* Multiplication
/ Division
+ Addition
- Subtraction
: Range summation
| Logical OR
& Logical AND
> Greater than test
< Less than test
= Equal test
>= Greater than or equal test
<= Less than or equal test
These are probably familiar, with the exception of the colon ":"
for range summation. Let's say that you want to sum a column of
numbers, beginning at D1 and ending at D20, then this expression
would sum the column, (D1:D20).
Page 21
7.0 MISC INFORMATION
---------------------
7.1 Overwritten cells.
EZ-SpreadSheet will allow you to make text entries of any length
up to a maximum of 80 characters, numeric entries may be up to 11
characters. Any text entry that exceeds the cell width will
automatically lock the adjacent cell on the right. The lock will
be released when the length of the entry shrinks to fit within a
single cell.
7.2 The Range and commands using it.
The range is shown on the bottom left of the worksheet screen.
It is of the form: cell address..cell address. If you have not
set the range, it defaults to the beginning and ending cell of
the worksheet. There are two methods of setting the range: 1st,
you can make the beginning and ending cells with the Alt+B and
Alt+K commands, 2nd, whenever one of the commands that use the
range is invoked, you have the opportunity of changing the range
by entering the new range. For example the Copy command will
give you a menu with 3 options: Range, Copy and eXit. If you
select the Range option, you will be allowed to enter a new
range, in the same format as displayed at the bottom of the
screen. The commands affected by the Range are: Format, Copy,
Move and Print.
Page 22
7.3 Defining a worksheet.
EZ-SpreadSheet combined with your creativity can be used to
duplicate anything you're doing now with a calculator and
multicolumn worksheet.
To start, you label the columns and rows with text or number
headings. Enter the formulas into the cells in the worksheet.
The results are quickly computed based on your mathematical
formulas and inserted into your worksheet. If you decide to
change one or more numbers, an electronic spreadsheet program
will automatically recalculate and alter all other affected
numbers. In other words, what used to take you many days can now
be done hours. Yes, worksheets can be used for income tax
calculations!
Other uses for spreadsheets include:
Business:
- Depreciation calculations/schedules
- Marketing forecasts for new products (cost analysis)
- Stock portfolio management
- Sales commission register
- Break-even point analysis
- Job costing. How much it would cost you to a specific job if
certain options were changes. Spreadsheets are great at "what
if" calculations.
- Balance sheets
- Inventory for very small businesses
- Income statement
Home/Personal:
- Stock portfolio management
- Tax worksheet
- Keeping track of personal finances (home budget)
- Property management (Do you have any rental property?)
Page 23
7.4 Printer Setup.
A SPECIAL NOTE TO UNREGISTERED USERS. We hope that you find this
program useful. Although we do not limit any of the prime
functions, we do not allow you to print to a file (which would
allow the use of one of the many "sideways" programs). The only
other limitation in the ValueWare version of EZ-SpreadSheet is
that the speed of printing (to a printer) is limited after the
first 15 lines or 25% of the printout is completed.
The Print Command "/P", or Alt+P, allows printing to a file,
setting a range, printing to the printer and Setup.
If you select the Print command, one of the options presented on
the Print menu is "Setup". If you select the Setup option you
will be able to control the margins and dimensions of the printed
report. Also, you will be given the option called Control. The
Control option allows you to specify printer setup control codes
and printer exit control codes. These control codes default to
Form Feed characters, but you may specify whatever necessary.
The convention for specifying these codes is to use the decimal
numbers representing the control codes separated by commas. You
can also put plain text in the control strings, if you surround
the text with " marks. For example: "This is a control
string",12,12. If this was the setup control string, when the
print began the program would send the following to the printer:
'This is a control string' FF FF. Of course, the quotes would
not be sent, and the FF is just a symbolic way to represent the
form feed character. With this method, you may program your
printer in whatever way you wish.
Printer dot commands:
EZ-SpreadSheet allows 2 dot commands within a worksheet that will
allow you more control over your printer. If you put .PAGE in
column A of any row, it will cause a page break to occur at that
place. The remainder of the row with the dot command will not
print. After you have entered .PAUSE in column A of a row, page
breaks will cause a pause for you to insert the next page and
give you an option to reprint a page or exit the print function.
Page 24
7.5 Internal Rate of Return.
This function provides an iterative approximation for the
interest rate which will produce a zero for the Net Present Value
function. The range for this function should include present
cash flows as well as future cash flows. The approach to finding
the zero is as follows, 14 loops thru the "Bisection Method",
followed by up to 6 loops thru the "Modified-False Position
Method". Usually the IRR function will converge to within
0.000001. In some instances, where the cash flows turn negative
in a later period, there are multiple solutions, however IRR
finds the closest one only. Your guess input to this function
should be between 0.0 and 1.0. In some cases, the function will
not converge, either the solution is too small or too large, in
these cases the function will return ERR. Try adjusting your
guess and recalculate.
7.6 Autocalc modes.
EZ-SpreadSheet calculates in two modes, Autocalc-ON and Autocalc-
OFF. Use Autocalc-ON, to alter a few cells for automatic re-
calculation. All cells affected by your inputs will be
automatically re-calculated and updated. However, if you have a
lot of changes to make and the worksheet is large, then turn
Autocalc-OFF. This will save you time by not having to wait for
each individual calculation, you can do them all at once after
until you have completed all changes. Once again, any cell
affected by your inputs will be re-calculated either
automatically or at your command.
Page 25
8.0 EZ-SpreadSheet REGISTRATION -- $49.00
------------------------------------------
BENEFITS:
a. Unique Registration Number.
This qualifies you for future discounts on new or
upgraded products.
b. Printed users manual and sideways printing utility.
c. Free phone support for 30 days. After that, you can
subscribe for additional phone support for $49.00 per
year (must be purchased within 45 days).
d. Membership in the Worksheet Exchange Service. We will
act as a focal point so members can exchange useful
worksheets. Mail in several of your worksheets (on
diskette), and we will return your diskette with a
selection of other worksheets in your requested field
of interest.
NOTE: Add $5 shipping and handling to all above prices.
Add $20 U.S. for foreign orders. Canada, $10.
UPS BLUE(2 day), add $10, UPS RED (1 day), add $20.
Texas residents must add 8.00% sales tax.
You may also order EZ-SpreadSheet and EZ-Forms Executive (Forms
Generation and Management package) together for only $128.00.
Add appropriate shipping and handling.
For multiple copies and site licensing, contact EZX directly.
Send all registrations and inquires to:
EZX CORPORATION
403 NASA Road 1 East, Suite 1777
Webster, TX 77598
For information, or just to chat, call (713) 338-2238
Credit card orders ONLY: 1-800-999-6999 ext. EZS49
We accept Visa, American Express, and Master Charge by mail and
phone. POs are accepted only from established companies and must
be hard copy. We will ship your copy of EZ-SpreadSheet normally
within 48 hours.
Pricing, specifications, and conditions are subject to change
without notice. We will always try to ensure you are aware of
any changes in policy and try to provide you the greatest value
for your dollar.
Page 26
9.0 TUTORIAL AND SAMPLE WORKSHEETS
-----------------------------------
Your distribution diskette contains two example worksheets:
Example1.EZS and CashFlow.EZS.
To use EZ-SpreadSheet, just put your working diskette (or hard
drive) in the proper directory and type EZS<cr>. You will get a
screen that shows CELLS A1..thru..G21. Now press the "/" (right
slash) key and you will bring up the command menu. Press "R" and
you will be prompted to type in the desired worksheet name. In
this case, type in Example1 <cr>. The extension .EZS is not
required as this is automatically appended.
To use the template (or worksheet), just use the cursor keys to
position the light bar or cursor over the appropriate cell and
enter numbers in each expense category for your monthly budget.
EZ-SpreadSheet will calculate the total expenses and the amount
that you can save or must take from savings.
Next is an example of EZ-SpreadSheet's ability to forward
reference cells. This simply means that you can put a formula or
number anywhere in the worksheet and come up with the proper
results. Experienced spreadsheet users will appreciate this
feature.
An example of the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) Function is shown
next. By definition, the IRR is defined as the interest rate that
will discount the cash flow to zero. What this simply means is
that you can quickly determine the true profitability of most
business transactions. This is quite handy if you are doing break
even analyses. The function is powerful, but it does take a while
to calculate.
The LOOKUP TABLE function can save a lot of time by pre-defining
certain courses of action based on the circumstances. For
instance, you may want to increase the annual percentage rate on
car loans base on the length of the loan as is shown in this
example.
With EZ-SpreadSheet, depreciation calculations are a snap. Just
put in the numbers and enter the desired functions and you're
done.
When you're done with the worksheet, save it by typing Alt+S, or
/ followed by S.
Now lets call up CashFlow.EZS. Just type Alt+R followed by
CashFlow <cr>. This is a rather large worksheet, so it will take
almost a minute to load and calculate, so be patient.
CashFlow is a 5 year quarterly cash flow and profit projection
for Example Co. Inc. As you can see, some of the formulas can
get rather complex, especially in the accounts receivable area.
Page 27
At this point it is appropriate to mention the date and cell
format functions. When using the date function, remember to
change the cell format (Alt+F) to correspond to the M,Y,D format
you require. Otherwise only a cryptic number will appear. By the
way, this number is useful in trying to determine the number of
days between any two dates. Don't forget as I did, that the
first day of a month is 1 not 0 when you enter the date formula
in a cell (example: (DATE(86,6,1)) verses (DATE(86,6,0)) for
first day).
Some accountants and financial people prefer to see the brackets
around negative numbers, (1000)= -1000. You can use the format
function (Alt+F) to customize the way information is displayed
within any cell.
Page 28