The Golden Rule

Attempt → Hint → Verify → Produce. Enter your own week honestly (Attempt), ask AI or a friend for a cleaner category list if needed (Hint), check totals with formulas (Verify), and export a one-page PDF chart (Produce).

Step 3: Core Formulas (small, powerful, and correct)

Move to a Summary section below the table (e.g., starting row 20):

• Total spent (7 days): =SUM(D2:D1000) (adjust range as needed)

• Average per day: =AVERAGE(D2:D1000)

• Number of transactions: =COUNT(D2:D1000)

Now build a Category Summary table for the chart:

Why SUMIF? It totals by category only where the category matches exactly. That’s why validation matters—no “Food ” with a trailing space, no “Foods”. Clean spelling = clean totals.

“Spelling is math. If the word changes, the sum changes.”

Step 4: Format for Clarity (human-first numbers)

• Currency: set Amount and Total to Number with 0 decimals (or 2 if you prefer) and the LKR indicator.

• Alignment: left-align text; right-align numbers.

• Header row: bold + a light fill colour.

• Table borders: minimal—thin grid or single bottom line on headers.

• Thousands: if amounts get large, turn on thousand separators (e.g., 12,500).

• Autofill: when you enter a new row, copy validation and formats down (or use a table style if available).

Formatting should help the eye, not distract it.

Step 5: Make a Chart that Speaks (Category totals → Column chart)

Select the Category and Total columns of your Category Summary (don’t include blanks). Insert → Chart → choose Column chart.

Edit chart:

• Title: “7-Day Spending by Category (LKR)”

• Horizontal labels: Category names (Transport, Food, …)

• Vertical axis: start at 0; show major gridlines

• Data labels (optional): values on top of bars if legible

• Legend: off (not needed; x-axis already names categories)

• Colours: keep default; clarity beats decoration

Place the chart under your summary or on a second sheet named Chart. The chart should answer one question instantly: Where is my money going?

Step 6: Fit to One Page (PDF that prints anywhere)

Go to Print (or File → Download → PDF) and set:

• Paper: A4, portrait (or landscape if your chart is wide)

• Fit: Fit to page or Fit to width

• Margins: Normal

• Options: “Repeat frozen rows” if your table continues to page 2

• Content: If the table is long, print Summary + Chart only (clean handout)

Export to Outputs: YYYY-MM-DD_7-Day-Budget_V1.pdf

Open on your phone to confirm legibility and Sinhala/Tamil labels, if any.

Bad vs Better (Data Hygiene)

Essentials vs Nice-to-Have

Exercises: Build Your Budget

Exercise 1 — Set the Frame (10 min) Create the file with the naming rule. Add headers, freeze row 1, format Date/Number, set Category validation.

Exercise 2 — Enter 7 Days (15 min) Log every rupee spent (or use last week if you tracked already). Keep no blanks. Use Notes for quick context.

Exercise 3 — Core Formulas (10 min) Add Total, Average, Count in a Summary box. Build the Category Summary with SUMIF for each category.

Exercise 4 — Chart It (10 min) Create a Column chart from Category Summary. Title it clearly and ensure labels are readable.

Exercise 5 — Produce (5–10 min) Export to PDF (one page if possible) with either (a) Table + Summary + Chart on one page, or (b) Summary + Chart only. Save in Outputs.

Exercise 6 — Think (5 min) Write two lines below the chart: “Biggest leak = ___ because ___.” “One change next week = ___.”

Quick Win Add data validation to Category now. Ten seconds today saves ten headaches tomorrow.

Artifact to Produce

• 7-Day Budget (Sheet) with tidy table, validation, summary formulas, and a column chart.

• 7-Day Budget (PDF) exported to Outputs as: YYYY-MM-DD_7-Day-Budget_V1.pdf

If you revise later, bump the version: V2, V3, etc.

Self-Verification (SV) Checklist

• File named with date + topic + V#, saved in Sheets

• Header row frozen; no blank rows in data

• Category uses data validation (spelling consistent)

• Amount column is Number (LKR); numbers not text

• Total, Average, Count formulas correct

• Category Summary built with SUMIF (each category totals correctly)

• Column chart created, titled, and readable

• PDF exported to Outputs (fits 1 page or is clearly legible)

• Two reflection lines written under the chart (leak + next action)

Mobile Tip (Android & iOS)

• Freeze header: tap the row number 1, then Freeze (menu).

• Validation: select Category column → Data validation → add list (comma-separated).

• Currency: select Amount → Number format → choose LKR style (or plain number).

• Fill down: after typing a formula once, tap its cell → small square handle → drag down.

• Chart: select Category + Total cells → Insert chart → Column.

• Low data? Work offline and export PDF later on Wi-Fi.

Stuck? Fast Fixes

• SUMIF returns 0 → category spellings differ (“Food ” has a trailing space). Fix via validation; re-select from the dropdown.

• Numbers won’t sum → they’re stored as text. Remove “LKR” from cells; set Number format; retype one value and copy format down.

• Chart misses new rows → your summary range is too short. Extend C2:C1000/D2:D1000 to a larger range (e.g., C2:C5000).

• Dates sort strangely → set one date format for the column; re-enter inconsistent rows.

• PDF is too small to read → choose Fit to width, landscape orientation, or export Summary + Chart only.

Common Roadblocks (and simple fixes)

If your totals feel wrong, they usually are—because of spelling, spaces, or numbers-as-text. Fix those first. If the sheet looks heavy, remove bold colours and reduce borders. If the print shop changes fonts, remember: PDF solves 95% of layout problems. If you share the sheet for review, give View or Comment access (Lesson 11), not Edit, until you’re ready.

“Small hygiene. Big clarity.”

Keeping Yourself Motivated

Your first clean chart is a quiet win. It shows that your week has a shape—and that you can shape it. Keep the habit by duplicating this sheet each week and watching one category shrink because you decided so. This is not just a spreadsheet skill; it’s a control skill. Teachers see it in your projects; employers see it in your reports. Calm numbers, calm decisions.

Your First Step Is Complete

You can now create a tidy table, calculate totals and averages, summarise with SUMIF, and present a one-page column chart that prints anywhere. Save your 7-Day Budget sheet, export the PDF to Outputs, tick the SV checklist, and move on with confidence.