• Manual Data Entry Definition
• Mac Numbers Manual Data Entry Software

Numbers lets you build beautiful spreadsheets on a Mac, iPad, or iPhone — or on a PC using iWork for iCloud. And it’s compatible with Apple Pencil.

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1. Aug 26, 2017  Consider building your data entry form using the InsertUserform feature in the VBA Editor. You will need to write some code, but you can use it to validate the completeness and accuracy of data entered by the user before writing the results to a.
2. Store your files in iCloud and have them sync automatically to your Mac and iOS devices. Work anywhere, any time. Use the web-based iWork for iCloud to create projects on any computer—even a PC. Versions covered: This edition covers Pages for Mac 5.1, Keynote for Mac 6.1, Numbers for Mac 3.1, version 2.1 of each iOS app, and iWork for iCloud.

Numbers is a spreadsheet application that benefits from tight integration with the other Apple productivity applications, Pages and Keynote. Numbers is available on OS X for Mac, iOS for the iPad and iPhone, and via web browsers.

This article provides 10 tips for Numbers, highlighting ideas and functions that will help boost your productivity, but some of the advice is also applicable to Pages and Keynote. For example, Pages and Keynote can create tables and charts similar to those created in Numbers; however, for extra control over your data, you should create tables and charts in Numbers and then copy them into Pages and Keynote as needed.

Tip 1: Think of Numbers as a freeform canvas

Numbers documents can contain multiple sheets, each of which can be used as a blank canvas on which to add tables and charts. You might have expected these features; however, users often overlook the ability to add media such as photos or video. For example, when documenting a school's science lab experiment, adding photos and video of the processes involved could make for a visually rich presentation.

Figure 1 shows an example of a father and son's efforts to research facts about World War II. The charts and tables in Numbers were copied and pasted into Pages and Keynote for class presentations. Notice the size of the spreadsheet in Numbers; it offers plenty of space for adding special features to the research documentation.

Figure 1. The spreadsheets in Numbers are vast. Much of the text here is set in 10 pt, and the selected photo measures 6 × 5 inches.

Other types of spreadsheets might include business fact-finding, vacation planning, and so on. By adding screen grabs of websites or photos of the products or places you're researching, you can use Numbers as a number-crunching pin-board.

Tip 2: Use multiple tables rather than a large single table

Numbers lets you add tables to a sheet with ease. Where appropriate, however, break up calculations into multiple tables to make navigating your spreadsheet easier (see Figure 2).

Figure 2. Organize your data into multiple tables.

Using smaller tables also helps to isolate any math problems in complex calculations. These concepts are explored further in Lesson 10, 'Making Customized Calendars,' in Apple Pro Training Series: Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. The lesson also explains the syntax for creating advanced formulas, which can lead to spreadsheets that work as mini-applications. The example shown in Figure 2 is a photographer's price calculator for prints. The spreadsheet can be used to choose a variety of paper types, sizes, and qualities, quickly returning a price that the photographer can quote to her clients.

Tip 3: Label that table!

It's a good habit to rename tables and charts as you create them in Numbers. Suppose you create multiple tables, as suggested in Tip 2. If you don't rename them, you'll be confronted with the default references (Table 1, Table 2, Table 3, and so on) when you try to apply formulas.

In Figure 3, the table has been renamed Price Calculator. The Inspector shows that the Table Name option is enabled. If this option were deselected, the table would still be identified in the Formula Editor as Price Calculator, but the label on the sheet would disappear.

Figure 3. Labeling tables and charts descriptively is a best practice.

In the same vein, when the sheet tab is clicked. a menu appears, listing all the tables and charts on that sheet. Notice in Figure 4 that the tables are labeled as Price Calculator and Paper Prices. Having descriptive labels helps you to find and jump to the required table or chart more easily than with the default table names of Table 1, Table 2, and so forth.

Figure 4. Here the Sheet menu lists two tables: Price Calculator and Paper Prices.

Tip 4: Change data formats as needed

Numbers will try to guess which data format to use, depending on what you type into a cell. Often Numbers will guess correctly, but sometimes you'll want to set the data format manually (see Figure 5).

Figure 5. Numbers automatically chooses cell data formats, but sometimes you'll need to set the format manually.

The Numbers application's guesswork can be a great time saver, too. In Figure 6, I typed Monday into cell A1 and then dragged across the adjacent columns. Numbers automatically added the remaining days of the week.

Figure 6. The combination of Numbers' guesswork and autofill is a great time-saver for filling in days of the week, months of the year, dates, or number sequences.

To explore formatting in more detail, see Apple Pro Training Series: Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.

Tip 5: Use interactive data formats

Numbers has five interactive data formats: Checkbox, Star Rating, Slider, Stepper, and Pop-Up Menu. Often, one of these formats will be the ideal solution for data input. For example, use Pop-Up Menu to create a custom list of items from which users can select, or use Slider to quickly apply a number value in a range of your choosing.

The example in Figure 7 comes from Lesson 9, 'Making Interactive Spreadsheets,' in Apple Pro Training Series: Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. A pop-up menu is configured to show all the junior grading levels for a Kempo Ju-Jitsu club. The lead instructor only has to click a student's grade, and a custom pop-menu appears.

Figure 7. Creating pop-up menus speeds up data input.

Staying with the Ju-Jitsu club, Figure 8 shows a range of interactive data formats in a grading assessment table. Checkboxes are used for the first five assessment criteria, but for the training bouts Star Ratings have been set for qualitative assessment.

Figure 8. Use the interactive data formats to make data input intuitive and more accurate.

You can apply this idea to a wide range of assessment types, and not just in education or sports—perhaps in medical or engineering assessments, etc.

Tip 6: Learn how to change cell references

For users taking their first steps with spreadsheets, setting up calculations is a great achievement. The default reference settings work well in many cases, but changing the cell references unlocks a world of possibilities.

Earlier I mentioned Lesson 10 in the book. The lesson begins with an exercise to construct a multiplication table. For the math to work correctly, the cell references have to be changed from the default settings. In Figure 9, cell F4 calculates 5 × 4. To achieve this result, the references to row 1 and column A must be preserved, as shown in Figure 10. (If you work through Lesson 10, these concepts will be clearer.)

Figure 9. The formula in cell F4 shows that cells F1 and A4 are being referenced. Numbers' default referencing would show cells F3 and E4 in the Formula Editor, so the default referencing wouldn't work for this multiplication table example.

Figure 10. Clicking a reference in the Formula Editor opens a pop-up menu in which you can change the cell referencing.

The inquiring mind will dare to imagine great things from spreadsheets. Understanding the options for referencing cells in formulas will have you moving forward by leaps and bounds.

Tip 7: Save versions to mark waypoints in your work

This tip applies to Keynote and Pages, too. All three applications automatically save your documents as you work. This feature removes the need to remember to save your work periodically, but here's one reason why you still might want to save manually. Imagine a scenario where you've reached a point of perfection; your spreadsheet, essay, or slideshow is dazzlingly brilliant, but you want to try to take things further. Choose File > Save or press Command-S to save that specific version of your document. You can save as many versions as you like (see Figure 11).

Later, if you want, you can use Revert To options to restore that point of perfection. Find the revert options by choosing File > Revert To. A window appears that looks and behaves much like OS X Yosemite's Time Machine.

Figure 11. Restoring a version of a Pages, Numbers, or Keynote document opens a window very much like OS X Yosemite's Time Machine.

Manual Data Entry Definition

Tip 8: Design spreadsheets on OS X to use on iOS devices for data input

The versions of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote on your Mac are heavy hitters amid the other versions of the applications on iOS and iCloud. To make the most of the portable convenience of your iPad or iPhone, and the seamless integration of Numbers across the ecosystem of Apple products, design your spreadsheet on your Mac. Save the spreadsheet to iCloud so that you can test your design on your iPad or iPhone, and then continue refining the spreadsheet on your Mac until the design also displays neatly on your iOS device (see Figure 12).

Figure 12. The grading spreadsheet looks almost identical on iOS and OS X. (Compare Figure 12 with Figure 8.)

Of course, you can develop spreadsheets exclusively on your iOS device, but the OS X version has additional features you may find useful.

Mac Numbers Manual Data Entry Software

Tip 9: Use the form options on iOS

Stepping away from the OS X version of Numbers, this tip offers a great benefit for anyone entering data on an iPad or iPhone. As Tip 8 suggests, developing your spreadsheet on a Mac is likely to be the best option, but one feature in Numbers is only found in the iOS version. As you tap the plus (+) icon to create a new sheet in the iOS version of Numbers, you get two options: New Sheet or New Form (see Figure 13).

Figure 13. The Form options in Numbers for iOS are accessed via the plus (+) sign adjacent to the sheets.

Forms are based on existing tables and make data entry a cinch. Figure 14 shows the Junior Register table from Figure 12 in Form view. The image was captured on an iPad Mini, and even with the smaller screen size you can see that plenty of space is available to navigate through the register.

The interactive data formats are also available in Form view, as shown in Figure 15.

Figure 15. Interactive data formats are accessible in Form view.

Tip 10: Secure your data by using passwords

Spreadsheets often contain sensitive information, whether that's product pricing, personnel details, or a record of all the shopping you've done. Locking down a spreadsheet is not just prudent—it may be necessary to comply with data protection laws. Applying password protection is easy, and the same process is used for Keynote and Pages: Just choose File > Set Password, and enter your password in the required fields.

Conclusion

We've reached the end of our brief look at getting the most out of Numbers. Apple Pro Training Series: Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. explores these concepts in greater depth, with exercises based on real-world scenarios to help you consolidate your learning.

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1. Pages for Mac

   1. Chapter 1 Creating a Pages Document

      1. Getting Started with Pages
      2. Creating Pages Documents
      3. Opening an Existing Document
      4. Controlling the Document Window

   2. Chapter 2 Editing Text in Pages

      1. Word-Processor Text vs. Text Boxes
      2. Basic Text Editing in iWork
      3. Undoing and Backing Up
      4. Changing Font Styles and Appearance
      5. Formatting Paragraphs
      6. Spaces, Invisibles, and Special Characters
      7. Working with Lists

   3. Chapter 3 Creating and Using Styles

      1. When You Need Styles
      2. Style Central: The Text Tab
      3. Creating Styles
      4. Changing the Default Font

   4. Chapter 4 Typo-Busting Power Tools

      1. Changing Your Mind: Find & Replace
      2. Spell Checking
      3. Reference Tools
      4. Auto-Correction and Text Substitution
      5. Tracking Changes

   5. Chapter 5 Formatting and Organizing Documents

      1. Document Formatting
      2. Organizing Your Document with Sections
      3. Auto-Entry: Formatted Text Fields
      4. Adding a Table of Contents
      5. Hyperlinks

   6. Chapter 6 Beyond Text: Laying Out Documents

      1. Templates: The Key to Prefab Page Designs
      2. Planning a Layout from Scratch
      3. Creating a Page-Layout Document

   7. Chapter 7 Objects Up Close: Adding, Modifying, and More

      1. Floating vs. Inline Objects
      2. Adding Objects
      3. Working with Objects
      4. Modifying Object Styles
      5. Copying Objects and Graphic Styles

   8. Chapter 8 Building Tables and Charts

      1. Creating Tables
      2. Making Mini-Spreadsheets with Formulas
      3. Creating Charts

   9. Chapter 9 Sharing Pages Documents

      1. Password-Protecting Documents
      2. Printing Your Documents
      3. Exporting Documents
      4. Emailing Your Document
      5. Sharing via iCloud

   10. Chapter 10 Creating Templates to Streamline Projects

       1. Template-Building Basics
       2. Modifying an Existing Template
       3. Creating Templates from Scratch
       4. Deleting Templates
       5. Sharing, Exchanging, and Buying Templates

2. Keynote for Mac

   1. Chapter 11 Creating a Keynote Slideshow

      1. Themes = Templates
      2. Your First Keynote Slideshow
      3. Browsing and Organizing Your Slides
      4. Saving Your Slideshow
      5. Opening an Existing Slideshow

   2. Chapter 12 Laying Out Slides

      1. Setting Up the Keynote Document
      2. Working with Objects
      3. Adding and Formatting Text Boxes
      4. Inserting Photos and Other Graphics
      5. Adding Shapes
      6. Building Tables and Charts
      7. Adding Movies
      8. Making Noise: Sounds and Soundtracks
      9. Working with Hyperlinks
      10. Note to Self: Adding Comments
      11. Changing Slide Backgrounds
      12. Adding Slide Numbers

   3. Chapter 13 Animating Slides

      1. Adding Transitions
      2. Adding Object Builds
      3. Ordering and Automating Builds
      4. Adding Animations with Action Builds
      5. Copying Builds to Other Objects

   4. Chapter 14 Sharing Your Slideshows

      1. Setting Up the Presentation
      2. Playing Keynote Slideshows
      3. Creating Self-Playing Slideshows
      4. Setting Up Hyperlinks-Only Slideshows
      5. Printing Slides and Handouts
      6. Exporting to Other Formats
      7. Emailing Slideshows
      8. Sharing Your Slides Online
      9. Send a Copy

   5. Chapter 15 Customizing Keynote Themes

      1. Keynote Theme Basics
      2. Modifying a Theme
      3. Building Themes from Scratch
      4. Saving Custom Themes
      5. Sharing and Buying Themes

3. Numbers for Mac

   1. Chapter 16 Creating a Numbers Spreadsheet

      1. Picking a Numbers Template
      2. Your First Spreadsheet
      3. Fancy Formulas and Glitzy Graphics
      4. Organizing Data with Sheets
      5. Saving Your Spreadsheet
      6. Opening an Existing Spreadsheet
      7. Previewing Your Printed Spreadsheet

   2. Chapter 17 Editing Tables in Numbers

      1. Working with Table Objects
      2. Navigating Table Cells
      3. Editing Table Cells
      4. Using Different Types of Data
      5. Add It Quick: Data-Entry Shortcuts

   3. Chapter 18 Organizing Tables in Numbers

      1. Working with Rows and Columns
      2. Sorting and Filtering Data
      3. Find & Replace
      4. Make It Pretty: Borders and Backgrounds
      5. Conditional Formatting
      6. Working with Table Styles

   4. Chapter 19 Using Formulas

      1. Formula Basics
      2. Instant Calculations
      3. Adding Quick Formulas
      4. Editing Formulas
      5. Copying and Moving Formulas
      6. Coping with Formula Errors

   5. Chapter 20 Advanced Data Crunching with Functions

      1. How Functions Work
      2. Adding Functions with the Functions Tab
      3. Using Cell Ranges in Functions
      4. Common Math Functions
      5. Transforming Text in Formulas
      6. Working with Dates and Times
      7. What IF: Adding Logic to Formulas
      8. Looking Up and Fetching Cell Data

   6. Chapter 21 Charts: Giving Shape to Data

      1. Adding a Chart to Your Spreadsheet
      2. Working with a Chart’s Table Data
      3. Editing Chart Text and Labels
      4. Formatting Charts
      5. Avoiding Chartjunk

   7. Chapter 22 Designing Your Spreadsheet Report

      1. Working with Objects
      2. Identifying “Back Page” Data
      3. Adding Text
      4. Drawing Shapes
      5. Inserting Pictures
      6. Adding Movies and Sound
      7. Creating Custom Numbers Templates

   8. Chapter 23 Sharing Your Spreadsheets

      1. Printing Your Spreadsheet
      2. Exporting to Other Formats
      3. Sharing with Pages and Keynote
      4. Distributing Spreadsheets Online
      5. Sending a Copy of Your Document

4. iWork for iOS

   1. Chapter 24 Pages for iOS

      1. Creating Your First Document
      2. Adding Objects
      3. General Object Edits
      4. Working with Text
      5. Working with Shapes
      6. Working with Images
      7. Working with Tables
      8. Working with Charts
      9. Working with Audio and Video
      10. Sharing Your Documents

   2. Chapter 25 Keynote for iOS

      1. Creating Presentations
      2. Animating Slides
      3. Creating Hyperlinks
      4. Using Presenter Display

   3. Chapter 26 Numbers for iOS

      1. Creating a Spreadsheet
      2. Working with Objects
      3. Working with Sheets
      4. Adding Data to a Table
      5. Working with Data
      6. Using Forms to Supercharge Data Entry
      7. Converting Tables into Charts

5. iWork for iCloud

   1. Chapter 27 An Intro to iCloud

      1. Getting Started with iWork for iCloud
      2. Connecting iWork for Mac to iCloud

   2. Chapter 28 Pages for iCloud

      1. Accessing Pages for iCloud
      2. Documents View
      3. Creating a Pages Document
      4. Working with Text
      5. Working with Objects
      6. Printing Your Document
      7. Password-Protecting Your Document

   3. Chapter 29 Keynote for iCloud

      1. Creating a Presentation
      2. Working with Objects 101
      3. Transitioning Between Slides
      4. Sharing, Protecting, and Printing Your Presentations

   4. Chapter 30 Numbers for iCloud

      1. Creating a Document
      2. Working with Objects
      3. Working with Tables
      4. Adding Data to Tables
      5. Formulas and Functions
      6. Sharing and Printing Presentations

6. Appendix

   1. Appendix Installing and Upgrading iWork

      1. Creating Your Apple ID
      2. Installing and Updating iWork for Mac
      3. Installing iWork for iOS