Spending several weeks testing different spreadsheet apps for my new workout logs has been a fun, albeit somewhat frustrating, endeavor. I tried using Apple Numbers – it was kludgy and required too many work-arounds for basic functions. Next, I tried LibreOffice – it offered all the functionality I needed but is not very intuitive to work with.
I wanted to build my log, create. list of exercises and then automate several repetitive task using macros so that all I have to do is set my exercises and print my workouts my week.
I ran into a brick wall with the macros. I followed instructions from Perplexity AI and Google AI without success.
So today I tested the free personal version of Office365. I was able to import my LibreOffice work into Excel and verify that every thing – except macros, of course. If I want that functionality I have to pay $99/year.
It finally occurred to me to look at Google Apps. I had used Google apps for all of my personal spreadsheets and docs for over a decade. I only stopped using them them when I decided to standardize on all Apple products.
With Google Sheets, I was able to import my existing templates and verify everything worked. Setting up the printing parameters was intuitive. I even recorded a macro that appears to be working.
It took me about 20 minutes. Most of that time was creating and testing the macro. Otherwise, I would have been done in about 5 minutes. And, by the way, it’s free.
Unbelievable.
I’d like to smack myself in the head. I wasted many evenings messing around with the other apps when all along I could have just used what worked for me before and gotten what I wanted from Day 1.
Sometimes the obvious answer is the obvious answer. I wish I could see it earlier.