ExcelBanter - Can I create a tickler file in Excel?

Yes, you can definitely create a tickler file in Excel and set up dated reminders between Excel and Outlook. Here's how:

Open a new Excel workbook and create a new sheet for your tickler file.
In the first column, list the items that you need to be reminded of, such as tasks, appointments, or deadlines.
In the second column, enter the date that each item needs to be completed or the date that you need to be reminded of it.
To set up a reminder in Excel, select the cell in the second column that corresponds to the item you want to be reminded of. Then, go to the Formulas tab and click on Define Name. Give the cell a name, such as "Reminder," and click OK.
Next, go to the Formulas tab and click on Name Manager. Select the "Reminder" cell and click on Edit. In the "Refers to" field, enter the following formula:

Code:

=IF(TODAY()=Reminder,"Reminder: "&A1,"")

. This formula will display a reminder message in the first column if the date in the second column matches today's date.
To set up a reminder in Outlook, go to the File tab and click on Options. In the "Outlook Options" window, click on Advanced and then scroll down to the "Reminders" section. Check the box next to "Show reminders on top of other windows" and set the reminder time to a suitable interval, such as 15 minutes before the due date.
Finally, go to the File tab and click on Save As. Choose "Outlook Template" from the "Save as type" dropdown menu and save the file with a descriptive name, such as "Tickler File Template." This will allow you to easily create new tickler files in the future.

That's it! Now you have a tickler file in Excel with dated reminders that can be synced with Outlook. You can customize this setup further by adding conditional formatting to highlight overdue items or by using

Formula:

VBA

code to automate certain tasks.