Summary

This book is the perfect complement to the Excel or Access Comprehensive texts, particularly for instructors looking for more complex, real world cases for students to work through. Included are 15 total cases (6 Excel, 6 Access, and 3 integrated).

Real world problem solving for business and beyond

The Your Office series prepares students to use both technical and soft skills in the real world. Hands-on technical content is woven into realistic business scenarios and focuses on using Microsoft Office^® as a decision-making tool. The series features a unique running business scenario that connects all of the cases together and exposes students to using Office to solve problems relating to business areas like finance and accounting, production and operations, sales and marketing.

Each chapter introduces a realistic business case for students to complete via hands-on steps that are easily identified in blue shaded boxes. Each blue box teaches a skill and comes complete with video and interactive support. Chapters are grouped into Business Units, which collectively illustrate a specific set of business concepts to achieve AACSB-related outcomes. Each Business Unit ends with a Capstone section, testing students' ability to apply concepts and skills beyond a single chapter.

Note: You are purchasing a standalone product; MyITLab does not come packaged with this content. Students, if interested in purchasing this title with MyITLab, ask your instructor for the correct package ISBN and Course ID. Instructors, contact your Pearson representative for more information.

Author Biography

Amy S. Kinser, Esq., Series Editor

Amy holds a B.A. degree in Chemistry with a Business minor from Indiana University, and a J.D. from the Maurer School of Law, also at Indiana University. After working as an environmental chemist, starting her own technology consulting company, and practicing intellectual property law, she has spent the past 15 years teaching technology at the Kelley School of Business in Bloomington, Indiana. Currently, she serves as the Director of Computer Skills and Senior Lecturer at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. She also loves spending time with her two sons, Aidan and J. Matthew, and her husband J. Eric.

Kristyn A. Jacobson

Kristyn holds an M.S. in Education from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and a B.S. in Business Education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She has been a faculty member and department chair of the Business Technology department at Madison College in Madison, Wisconsin for over 14 years. She also serves as the curriculum coordinator for Microsoft Excel beginning, intermediate, and advanced level courses for the college. As well as teaching, Kristyn provides training to businesses on the Microsoft Office Suite including MS Project, project management, customer service, personal productivity, and time management. Prior to teaching at Madison College, she taught at a business college in Des Moines, Iowa where she helped implement their online learning program while also teaching traditional business courses.

J. Eric Kinser

Eric Kinser received his B.S. degree in Biology from Indiana University and his M.S. in Counseling and Education from the Indiana School of Education. He has worked in the medical field and in higher education as a technology and decision support specialist. He is currently a senior lecturer in the Operations and Decision Technology Department at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. When not teaching he enjoys experimenting with new technologies, traveling, and hiking with his family.

Diane L. Kosharek

Diane is a full-time Business Technology faculty member at Madison College in Madison, WI. In addition to her faculty role, she works closely with business and industry specialists, developing and delivering tailored training solutions to employees in areas such as customer service, software applications and business writing skills. Prior to joining Madison College, she worked as a Technology Training Consultant, providing consultation and production assistance to teaching faculty and staff to incorporate appropriate technology in their courses to enhance learning. Diane holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master’s Degree in Educational Computing from Cardinal Stritch University.

Brant Moriarity

Brant P. Moriarity earned a B.A. in Religious Studies/Philosophy and a M.S. in Information Systems at Indiana University. He is a Senior Lecturer at the Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business where he teaches topics such as data management and analysis, as well as the strategic use of Information Systems in business. He is also the founder of Beats Per Minute Technologies, LLC, bringing the benefits of business analytics to small businesses and non-profit organizations.

EXCEL

Excel Case 1: Creating Spreadsheet Models to Support Decisions
Understanding Spreadsheet Models

The Basic Components of Spreadsheet Models
The Basic Design Principles of Spreadsheet Models

Creating Spreadsheet Models to Support Decisions
Business Background
Business Requirements
Provided File
Analysis Questions
Deliverables
Case Checklist
Key Terms

Excel Case 2: Evaluating a Plan of Action with a Decision Support System
Understanding Decision Support Systems

Decision Making in Business

Evaluating a Plan of Action with a Decision Support
System
Business Background
Business Requirements
Provided Files
Analysis Questions
Deliverables
Case Checklist
Key Terms

Excel Case 3: Excel Simulation with Sensitivity and Risk Analysis
Understanding Simulation with Sensitivity and Risk Analysis

Decision Making with Heuristics
Controlling for Conditions of Uncertainty

Evaluating the Risk of Healthcare Plan Pricing
Business Background
Business Requirements
Provided File
Analysis Questions
Deliverables
Case Checklist
Key Terms

Excel Case 4: Determining Economic Order Quantity and Optimal Product Mix to Maximize Profits
Understanding Economic Order Quantity (EOQ)

EOQ Formula Inputs
Calculating a Reorder Point with Uncertain Demand

Determining Economic Order Quantity and Optimal Product Mix to Maximize Profits
Business Background
Business Requirements
Provided File
Analysis Questions
Deliverables
Case Checklist
Key Terms

Excel Case 5: Creating and Analyzing a Financial Business Plan
Analyzing Loan Options and Business Statistics

Constructing a Loan Analysis
Calculating NPV and IRR
Depreciating Assets
Applying Basic Statistical Methods and Using Descriptive Statistical Analysis
Applying Probability Distributions and Finding Data Relationships

Creating and Analyzing a Financial Business Plan

Loan Analysis
NPV Analysis
Depreciation Expense
Statistical Analysis
Data Relationships

Business Background
Business Requirements
Provided File
Analysis Questions
Deliverables
Case Checklist
Key Terms

Excel Case 6: Identify Business Trends and Visualize Data with Dashboards
Determining a Competitive Strategy

Porter’s Five Forces
Porter’s Four Competitive Strategies

Identify Business Trends and Visualize Data with Dashboards
Business Background
Business Requirements
Provided File
Analysis Questions
Deliverables
Case Checklist
Key Terms

ACCESS

Access Case 1: Examining Business Model Classifications
Understanding Business Models

The Most Common Business Models

Managing Inventory Using E-Commerce
Business Background
Business Requirements
Provided Files
Analysis Questions
Deliverables
Case Checklist
Key Terms

Access Case 2: System Development Life Cycle Basics & Determining Business Requirements
Understanding the Systems Development Life Cycle

Phases of the SDLC

The Planning Phase
The Analysis Phase
The Design Phase
The Implementation Phase
The Support Phase

Developing a Phone App
Business Background
Business Requirements
Provided Files
Analysis Questions
Deliverables
Case Checklist
Key Terms

Access Case 3: Anticipating and Answering Business Questions with Advanced Queries
Using Advanced Queries to Provide Business Information

Grouping Data with Aggregate Queries
Creating Subqueries
Using the Query Wizards for Advanced Queries
Using Action Queries in a Database

Anticipating and Answering Business Questions with Advanced Queries
Business Background
Business Requirements
Provided File
Analysis Questions
Deliverables
Case Checklist
Key Terms

Access Case 4: Increasing Productivity with Forms and Reports
Using Forms and Reports to Increase Productivity

Designing Professional and Useful Forms
Designing Professional Reports

Increasing Productivity with Forms and Reports
Business Background
Business Requirements
Provided Files
Analysis Questions
Deliverables
Case Checklist
Key Terms

Access Case 5: Developing a Main User Interface for a Payroll System
Understanding Business Process Mapping

Guidelines to Business Process Mapping

Developing a Main User Interface for a Payroll System
Business Background
Business Requirements
Provided Files
Analysis Questions
Deliverables
Case Checklist
Key Terms

Access Case 6: Implementing a New Inventory Management System
Adopting an Implementation Strategy

The Importance of Documentation
Implementation Strategies

Implementing a New Inventory Management System
Business Background
Business Requirements
Provided Files
Analysis Questions
Deliverables
Case Checklist
Key Terms

INTEGRATED

Integrated Case 1: Linking Data for Advanced Analysis
Exchanging Data Between Access and Excel

Import Excel Data into Access
Export Access Data to Excel
Connect to Access Data from Excel
Link to Excel Data from Access
Cleanse Excel Data to Prepare it for Linking and Importing

Linking Data for Advanced Analysis
Business Background
Business Requirements
Provided Files
Analysis Questions
Deliverables
Case Checklist
Key Terms

Integrated Case 2: Determine the Feasibility of a New System
Evaluating a New Software System

Horizontal-Market Applications
Vertical-Market Applications
Custom-Developed Applications
Feasibility Analysis

Determine the Feasibility of a New System
Business Background
Business Requirements
Provided Files
Analysis Questions
Deliverables
Case Checklist
Key Terms

Integrated Case 3: Creating Business Analytics for Pricing
Understanding Business Analytics

The Definition of Business Analytics
A Framework for Applying Business Analytics
Define the Question or Problem
Explore the Data to Find Insights

Types of Data
Types of Relationships

Construct a Hypothesis Algorithm
Test and Analyze Using Simulation
Using Live Data to Rinse and Repeat and Incorporate New Insights

Creating Business Analytics for Pricing
Business Background
Business Requirements
Provided Files
Analysis Questions
Deliverables
Case Checklist
Key Terms

APPENDIX: Required Skills Mapping
GLOSSARY
INDEX

Supplemental Materials

What is included with this book?

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