Spsw

zaf1987

Hi everyone

its been a while since i posted on here, just getting back into aat after taking six months out.

Ive pretty much finished AAT Level 3, my last exam is SPSW, im regretting leaving this till last.

1. Ive got excell 2010 on my laptop, but my bpp workbook only refers to 2003 and 2007, just wondering iif there is a big difference between 2007 and 2010. am i able to get by with 2010 software but do the exam on 2007 or do i need the earlier software.

Also. once ive done SPSW , would i need to wait till i got the result before able to to sit any level 4 exam, or whilst waiting for result can i sit a level 4 exam.

Thanks Zaf

zaf1987

Also another question i have regarding spreadsheets is that in the bpp books, it gives different way or options of doing the same thing. do i need to know all the different ways? or is just any one of them enough?

Thanks Zaf

CharlotteS

Hi,

I had the same problem, my computer had office 2010 and the kaplan books only went up to 2007. There were some things I had trouble with, but it was just a case of clicking around until I found the right menu. if you're fairly confident on 2010 then you should be ok as most things are in the same place. I took the exam at a Kaplan centre and the computers there had 2010 on anyway.

Good luck!

Vlee

2010 is not too dissimilar to 2007, and if you do need help you can click the help or google - not in the exam I suspect. I find it strange that 2010 isn't included as my exam was taken in this version - I was very happy because I used 2010 most and only had a couple of gos on my husband's work laptop for 2007. It was Kaplan London.

Make sure you find out which version your exam centre used so you can identify the bits that are different. The exam was very much like the practice assessment on the MyAAT.

If you get stuck you can always ask here, my husband is a total expert and I endlessly annoyed him with questions, particularly where to find certain buttons.

steve2008

Check what version your exam centre uses. There are subtle differences between the versions. I'd recomend doing the mock test on the version your exam centre has. It adds undue stress trying to find simple things in different versions in the exam.

You can take lvl 4 exams while waiting for your results.

You only need to know one way. The guidelines seem to be that it doesn't matter what mess you make with the formulas as long as the answer is correct.

E.g. They consider "=sum(i2+j2)" as a correct answer even though the sum function isn't used to do anything here.

zaf1987

Hi thanks everybody,

Steve2008, so if i can do level 4 whilst waiting for the results of spreadsheets, can i actually do level 4
exams (for example budgeting and fnst ) before spreadsheets.

The reason I ask is that with spreadsheets, the next time i can do an exam is in 6 weeks, but i feel i can do a level 4 in that time, and maybe come back to spsw. dont like to waste time.


Thanks zaf

Nps

Yes, you can mix and match level 3 and 4 exams.

Vlee

I got my provisional result within two weeks from a tutor with feedback. I swear some of it was wrong but can be bothered enquiring - some parts asked for a second spreadsheet showing formulas but other didn't, but the feedback seemed to imply all parts needed this, I was very careful to check over the exam for this particular instruction and was surprised it was only requested for some parts. This is something for others to watch out for I guess.

I also got some "allowable errors", which my husband thinks we're the bits I did right but not in the way they wanted. I do use some lazy shortcuts learnt at work and by my husband. But I'd be interested for other people's understanding of this term.

zaf1987

Im interested in this aswell vlee, im doing the activities then checking the formulas against the the answer formulas, and alot of mine are different, they get to the right answer, how some of mine are more long winded, some are not as long.

for example difference include
B4+B5
SUM(B4:B5)

OR
SUM(C5+C6)
SUM (C5:C6)

How important is this, has anybody had issues with this in the past?

Thanks Zaf

CharlotteS

You can use either. They arent so much checking the construction of the formula, just that you've used one. They basically just want to make sure you havent just added the cells up manually and typed in the answer. Everyone types formulas slightly different so there's no 'right' way of doing it, as long as it gives the correct result.

steve2008

See Stuarts last reply on
http://forums.aat.org.uk/showthread.php?36759-SPSW-model-answers

As charlotteS said, you can do whatever you like.

zaf1987

Thanks that previous thread helped alot, just knowing that as long as the formula gives the correct
answer is enough (even if sum is used wrong).


This is first time i am using spreadsheets properly, but i havent found anything difficult at the moment,
as far as i can see as long as you know how formulas work, can produce charts etc, and are familiar with pivot and v look up and know your way around basic excel functions there isnt much else.


Am i right or am i missing something, is there anything difficult in the exam?

Thanks Zaf

Vlee

My exam didn't have any look ups, I found that the hardest bit and concentrated a fair bit when revising so the exam was easier than I anticipated. There are no guarantees it won't be in a version of the exam but if you can do the practice assessment on MyAAT you would pass the exam I had.

steve2008

Conditional formatting is another thing.

Simple enough, but was something i hadn't heard of before doing the module.

CeeJaySix

From what my training provider tutor said to me, the exams are all very very similar. As I was fairly familiar with Excel, he said don't bother with the textbook, sent me Osborne's practice paper, told me it was more or less identical to the exam format and if I had no problems with it to sit the exam.

Assuming that's true ( <-- disclaimer!!) you need to know:
SUM
MAX
MIN
AVERAGE will speed things up but not essential
IF (basic use)
Very basic formatting (font, size, bold)
How to insert headers and footers
How to sort rows by a particular column
Conditional formatting
And how to make the simplest pivot table in the world (so simple if the question didn't specifically ask for it, I wouldn't do it!)
Oh, and how to print to PDF and use the option to scale everything to fit on one A4 page.

And that's about it. I was told a lot of the marks are for formatting as much as anything else, so make sure you read the questions carefully for exactly what they want. I really took my time on the practice paper to make sure I didn't miss anything, took around two hours. The actual exam I flew through in half an hour as from my tutor's feedback I knew I had everything covered. Even if you're not familiar with Excel it shouldn't take too long to learn, if you can get to grips with the logic of accruals etc etc then a couple of formulae are a doddle.

zaf1987

Thanks for all the advice.

Im concerned that the textbook isnt giving me enough information.

for example for pivot tables all it says

1- open spreadsheet
2 - select range
3- insert>pivot table
4- select existing worksheet or new worksheet and create pivot table, enter location and click ok.
then it goes on to give couple sentences about row labels and columns.

Now everything ive heard about pivot table, is that they can get quite complex. Surely the above isnt enough to pass exam or is it?

Also for look ups it has one page on it.

some advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Nps

I'd get a new textbook. Regardless of whether or not it comes up in the exam, unless you already have some knowledge of pivot tables, that's nowhere near a good enough explanation. And if that bit is so poor, it doesn't exactly fill you with confidence for the rest of it.

I'm assuming it's not a specific AAT textbook.

Nps

EDIT - I've just noticed that you say it does go on to explain rows and columns. That's what I'd consider to be the more complex bit of pivots so it all depends on how good that section is really. A good explanation of that would be sufficient for the spreadsheet exam. You don't need a particularly in depth knowledge of pivot tables, just the basics.

CeeJaySix

Yes pivot tables can get quite complex. However for the exam, you literally need to select the range of cells (which are already correctly formatted to create a pivot - remember to select the headings of each column as part of the range); then you just need to tick or click-and-drag the relevant headings into the table formatter (different versions of Excel work slightly differently). It really is a very simple task once you've done it once.

Lookups are very useful to know, but aren't tested in the exam at all (again, disclaimer, my provider said all the exams are almost identical so shouldn't need them, but you never know).

Vlee

Is it the Kaplan book? I found it told you how to do things, although not always specifically enough, but didn't explain why and how these things were useful. I really did annoy my husband who had to create examples to explain things better. I couldn't believe anyone would bother to create such a tiny pivot table. If you know anyone who can explain things to you face to face (or even by phone) then do that as a text book, or perhaps my text book, never could explain it as well as a real person with a workable example. I'm glad I've got this one out of the way!

zaf1987

Hi thanks for the advice again, the textbook is aat specific, its bpp 2011 version, its explains how to do
things in 2003 excell and 2007 excell. Im following the 2007 as ive got 2010, and kaplan centre uses
2010. Ive not found major differences with 07 and 10, even pivot tables as some have suggested, easy enough to figure out the differences.

I dont really have time to get another textbook, my exam is on the 2nd of september.

zaf1987

zaf1987;270146]Hi thanks for the advice again, the textbook is aat specific, its bpp 2011 version, its explains how to do
things in 2003 excell and 2007 excell. Im following the 2007 as ive got 2010, and kaplan centre uses
2010. Ive not found major differences with 07 and 10, even pivot tables as some have suggested, easy enough to figure out the differences.

I dont really have time to get another textbook, my exam is on the 2nd of september.

Also which one of these is more valid
=IF(B1-B4<=0,"Retired",B1-B4)
or =IF(B1-B4<=0,"Retired",B1-B4)

They both work, i.e the IF formula performs its functions on both, just one is my answer and other is the answer in
the bpp book.

Hope everyone had a good bank holiday

Jo Clark

zaf1987 wrote: »

Also which one of these is more valid
=IF(B1-B4<=0,"Retired",B1-B4)
or =IF(B1-B4<=0,"Retired",B1-B4)

They both work, i.e the IF formula performs its functions on both, just one is my answer and other is the answer in
the bpp book.

Hope everyone had a good bank holiday

It could be me and that it is late and I've been studying for the past few hours, however they both look the same to me :huh:

zaf1987

My apologies they are the same

it should be
=IF(B1-B4<=0,"Retired",B1-B4)

or
=IF(B4<B1,B1-B4,"RETIRED")

Sorry for for confusing you this late Jo,

zaf1987

Hi

Everybody i did the practice Assessment and didn't struggle with much.

Just a few points.
1 - for example in part two in 1.6 it asks you to use a IF statement, now there is no need to use an if
statement (in the total payments) column, you can use one but it would as far as i can see utter ridiculous and over complication.

2 - how important are the small details, i.e the suggested answer puts title in A1, i placed it in A2. in question 1.1
part one the suggested answer goes like this column of sales for particular car, followed by commission for that car. In my answer ive done sales for all the cars in 3 columns, followed by total sales and then 3 columns of commission followed by total commission.

Sorry if not explaining this properly, but the answers are the same, formulas same, just layout different.

4 - when it says new worksheet, does it mean separate worksheet but in same spreadsheet, or new worksheet in new spreadsheet. if i do the first i will end up with number of worksheets in one spreadsheet, and second many saved
spreadsheets.

5 - is it wrong to do more than is asked, could i add more colours, border, i.e formatting than is asked to improve look of spreadsheet or will i get marked down.

I need to know how important the above issues are, weather these matter or not.


I know that's alot of questions, and im sorry to bother everyone with all these question recently, but im worried i will mess up, ive not been worried for any other level 3 exam except this. I would appreciate peoples opinions on the
above.

CeeJaySix

Zaf,

1. I remember thinking a similar thing; I only used the IF statement in the column it was useful for and didn't get marked down in my mock - of course I don't know how it was marked in the real thing.

2. As long as your formatting makes sense and is clear, it doesn't matter if things aren't laid out exactly as the practice answers - this is one of the reasons it's human marked. However make sure you read the question carefully and are providing all the information they ask for, complying with any specific formatting they mention.

3. Where's 3??!!

4. New worksheet, same workbook.

5. I formatted over and above what they ask for as I've got into a habit of formatting spreadsheets a certain way. Again not marked down in the mock, just be careful of undoing anything they've specifically asked for (such as certain cells in bold, or a particular font/size.

Regarding the formulae, they do exactly the same thing and use the required IF; therefore you will get full marks for it.

zaf1987

Thanks Ceejay six, sorry didnt realise left out 3.

Thanks for the advice, With the saving part, after a task it say save worksheet as as PR2, that seems bit unclear.

for example after first one it says save worksheet JAM1, then next one save worksheet as jam2, on jam2 do i just name the worksheet as jam2, but save it (i.e save as jam1), or change worksheet name and then save as jam2. Thus i now have two saved files. 1 with worksheet jam1, and another with worksheet jam1 and jam2.

Im sorry if i seem to think about this too much, i hate it when things arent clear, thats why i hated peaf.

Thanks CeeJay, thanks for the help.

Zaf

CeeJaySix

Yeah the wording's not great. You should save the workbook the way it first says (I think the very first paragraph of the exam tells you to open a new workbook and save it as something that involves your name, date etc). The 'save worksheet as' bits seem to mean just renaming the individual sheet tabs, and I think I used the same names when saving PDFs of the relevant parts.