If the list of author's names don't vary, you could use Data|Validation to make
sure you picked/typed in the correct name.

See Debra Dalgleish's site:
http://www.contextures.com/xlDataVal01.html


If your data is sorted nicely, you can use Data|Subtotals to insert a count of
articles for each author. But you'll have to remove the subtotals, sort your
data, and add the subtotals each time you add a new article.

Or you could use data|pivottable to count each author.

If you want to read more about the pivottable stuff, you may want to look at
some links:

Debra Dalgleish's pictures at Jon Peltier's site:
http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Pivots/pivottables.htm
And Debra's own site:
http://www.contextures.com/xlPivot01.html

John Walkenbach also has some at:
http://j-walk.com/ss/excel/files/general.htm
(look for Tony Gwynn's Hit Database)

Chip Pearson keeps Harald Staff's notes at:
http://www.cpearson.com/excel/pivots.htm

MS has some at (xl2000 and xl2002):
http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/2000/XCrtPiv.aspx
http://office.microsoft.com/assistan...lconPT101.aspx

slw66 wrote:

I have to pay writers per article. I cannot pay them until their total
reaches a set amount. Then I send accounting a request to pay. Right now I
just keep typing their info into excel, which means that I retype their name,
new article name, words, price, when each issue comes out, then I put them in
abc order, then I total them up on my own if they look like they might be up
to the set amount.

But I keep thinking there has to be a better way to do this. Any ideas?

--

Dave Peterson