Guidelines for posting questions?

[Shane Devenshire]

Hi folks,

I putting together a set of guideline for poster - which list the things we
most often need to answer a question. I already have a list but would like
any additional feedback from the rest of you.

For example, in the Mac forum every post starts with the OS, and version of
Excel and also often states the machine model. Now I know that these are
less relevent on the PC side, except for version of Excel, but you get the
picture.

 

[OssieMac]

Hi Shane,

Your comment "I already have a list ".
My first comment is to share as much as possible of the information that you
already have.

 

[Héctor Miguel]

hi, Shane !

I guess this could helps:

- http://www.cpearson.com/Excel/HintsAndTipsForNewsgroupUsers.aspx
- http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/posting.htm

hth,
hector.

__ OP __

 

[Shane Devenshire]

Hi,

The only reason I didn't is I didn't want to influence other people's ideas:

1. Please include your version of Excel
2. Post the actual formulas you are having problems with
3. Give a complete description of any error messages you are getting
4. If appropriae provide a (dummy) samples of the data layout; and based on
that sample what you are hoping to return. If you are not getting the
results you expect, what results are you getting.

The goal here is to encourage make it easier for those that are trying to
answer question. And to help poster realize what may be of help to those
trying to answer their question.

 

[JP]

To the list of links Hector posted I would add

http://catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

which can easily be adapted for a newsgroup setting.

--JP

 

[Bernard Liengme]

Telling the version is now absolutely essential !

I would add:
Try to simplify the problem.
examples:
1 If you reference a sheet with a long name in a complex formula, please
make the name short to help us read the formula
2 If we want to test our reply, it is hell having to work in a range such as
AQ1234:AX2345

Try to give us just the bare bones of the problem, not all the detail that
is of interest only to you
In short: KISS - keep it simple, spreadsheet_user

best wishes
--
Bernard Liengme
Microsoft Excel MVP
http://people.stfx.ca/bliengme

 

[OssieMac]

OK shane one that I think is very helpfull is if the poster wants code to
perform an operation then they should attempt to record the code first and
post the results. It is a great way of explaining exactly what they want to
do and then if they want loops etc added then that can be done for them.

 

[aussiegirlone]

Shane Devenshire

I have read many questions in this forum and some show that they are
complete beginners of excel no matter what version. Also, some people have
difficulty in explaining what they are trying to do or even how to ask the
question. Your guidelines should be kept very simple and basic, as a beginner
would not know how to record a macro let alone how to select multiple cells
to format or select multiple sheets to format at once.
As for myself, when I first started using these forums I never thought that
a version of Excel would make a difference to get an answer, especially now
because I have two versions available to me to test results, none the less, I
do see the importance of giving as much detail in as little words as possible
and giving it a short title helps people find questions that may have already
been asked.
A set of guidelines is a good thing and it should be up kept.