Question 1

Can I use Sheet Reserve files in commercial work?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Under the Sheet Reserve license you can use downloaded files in personal and commercial work, including client work, modify them freely and share what you make with them, such as filled-in reports, charts and analyses. You cannot resell or redistribute the files themselves, upload them to template marketplaces or file-sharing sites, or share an account. Dataset sources may require attribution.

Question 2

Debt avalanche or snowball: which pays off debt faster?

Accepted Answer

The avalanche pays debts off in order of highest interest rate first, and the snowball pays the smallest balance first. When rates are fixed and you pay the same total every month, the avalanche costs the least interest and finishes no later, because high-rate balances grow fastest. The snowball gives earlier wins, which some people find easier to keep up.

Question 3

Can Google Sheets open ODS files?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Google Sheets imports OpenDocument Spreadsheet files. Choose File > Import > Upload, select the ODS file and pick an import location; the data becomes a regular Google Sheets file. You can also export back with File > Download > OpenDocument format (.ods). Formulas and basic formatting carry over, but macros and some advanced features do not.

Question 4

What is the difference between water withdrawal and water consumption?

Accepted Answer

Water withdrawal is the total volume taken from a river, lake or aquifer for use. Water consumption is the part of that volume that does not return to the local water system, mainly lost to evaporation, plant transpiration or incorporation into products. Withdrawal is never smaller than consumption, and datasets such as FAO AQUASTAT report withdrawals, not consumption.

Question 5

How are Sheet Reserve files converted in my browser?

Accepted Answer

Each workbook is stored once on the server as compressed JSON. When you download, your browser receives that compressed copy, typically tens of kilobytes, and JavaScript on the page writes the XLSX, ODS, XML, CSV or Numbers file locally. No conversion server sees the file. Formulas and styles are kept in XLSX, ODS and XML; CSV holds values only.

Question 6

How does the Sheet Reserve membership work?

Accepted Answer

A Sheet Reserve membership costs US$19.85 per year, sold through Gumroad. It lets you download every sheet in the library in every format, including sheets added while you are a member. Two sheets are free with any verified account. After you buy, you paste the Gumroad license key on the Account page to activate the membership on your account.

Question 7

How do I calculate beam deflection?

Accepted Answer

Beam deflection comes from Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. Identify the support conditions and load, then apply the standard formula for that case, such as 5wL^4/(384EI) for the midspan deflection of a simply supported beam under uniform load. E is the elastic modulus and I the second moment of area. Keep units consistent and compare the result with a limit such as L/360.

Question 8

How do I calculate a loan payment with PMT?

Accepted Answer

Use =PMT(rate/12, years*12, -loan_amount) for a fixed-rate loan with monthly payments. Divide the annual rate by 12, multiply the years by 12, and enter the loan amount as a negative number so the payment comes out positive. For 250,000 at 6.5 percent over 30 years, the payment is 1,580.17 per month.

Question 9

How do I calculate occupant load?

Accepted Answer

Divide the floor area of each space by the occupant load factor for its use in IBC 2021 Table 1004.5, which lists square feet per person as either gross or net area. For example, business areas use 150 gross, so 4,200 square feet gives 28 occupants. Spaces with fixed seating are counted by seats. Always confirm the factors in the code your jurisdiction has adopted.

Question 10

How do I calculate percentage change in a spreadsheet?

Accepted Answer

Subtract the old value from the new value, divide by the old value, and format the result as a percentage. With the old value in A2 and the new value in B2, enter =(B2-A2)/A2. A rise from 1,200 to 1,290 gives 0.075, which displays as 7.5 percent. A negative result is a decrease.

Question 11

How do I cite World Bank data?

Accepted Answer

Credit the World Bank, the dataset and the original data source, then add the indicator name or code, the date you retrieved it and the URL. Most World Bank datasets are licensed CC BY 4.0, which allows commercial reuse if you give attribution, say whether you changed the data and do not imply World Bank endorsement. Check each indicator's metadata for exceptions.

Question 12

How do I convert XLSX to CSV without losing data?

Accepted Answer

Prepare the sheet first, because CSV keeps only displayed values for one sheet. Check that cells hold the precision and text you want, then in Excel choose File > Save As and select CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited). Export each sheet separately, and keep the XLSX original, since formulas, formatting and extra sheets are not stored in CSV.

Question 13

How do I freeze the header row in Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice and Numbers?

Accepted Answer

In Excel choose View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Top Row. In Google Sheets choose View > Freeze > 1 row. In LibreOffice Calc choose View > Freeze Cells > Freeze First Row. In Numbers, select the table and tick Freeze Header Rows in the Table tab of the Format sidebar. The header then stays visible while you scroll.

Question 14

How do I keep leading zeros in a CSV file?

Accepted Answer

The zeros are usually still in the CSV; Excel removes them when it converts the column to numbers on opening. Import the file with Data > From Text/CSV and set the column to Text, or format the column as Text before pasting. Opening the file by double-click and saving it again makes the loss permanent.

Question 15

How do I open a .numbers file on Windows?

Accepted Answer

Windows has no Numbers app, but you can open the file for free in a browser. Sign in at iCloud.com with an Apple Account, open Numbers, upload the file, then download a copy as Excel or CSV. Alternatively, ask the sender to export it from Numbers to XLSX or CSV, or try LibreOffice's partial import.

Question 16

What is the difference between nominal GDP and GDP at PPP?

Accepted Answer

Nominal GDP converts a country's output into US dollars at market exchange rates, so it shows what that output is worth on currency markets. GDP at PPP converts it at purchasing power parity rates, which equalize the price of a common basket of goods, so it shows what the output can buy domestically. PPP figures are usually higher for economies with lower price levels.

Question 17

VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP: which should I use?

Accepted Answer

Use XLOOKUP when everyone who opens the file has it, meaning Excel 2021, Microsoft 365, Google Sheets, or LibreOffice 24.8 and later. It defaults to an exact match, looks left or right, and has a not-found argument. Use VLOOKUP when the file must work in Excel 2019 or older, or in older LibreOffice versions.

Question 18

What does the #REF! error mean and how do I fix it?

Accepted Answer

The #REF! error means a formula refers to a cell, range or sheet that no longer exists or is not valid. It usually appears after you delete rows, columns or sheets that a formula used, or paste over referenced cells. Undo the change, or edit the formula and replace the #REF! token with a correct reference.

Question 19

What happens when my Sheet Reserve membership ends?

Accepted Answer

Downloads stop, but nothing you already have is taken away. If you cancel in Gumroad, access continues until the end of the year you paid for, then new downloads stop until you renew. Files you already downloaded stay yours to keep using under the license terms. Previews remain visible, and the two free sheets stay available to a verified account.

Question 20

What is a 13-week cash flow forecast?

Accepted Answer

A 13-week cash flow forecast is a week-by-week projection of the cash a business expects to receive and pay out over the next quarter. It starts from the actual bank balance, adds expected receipts, subtracts expected disbursements and shows the closing balance for each week. Its purpose is to reveal cash shortfalls early, and it is rolled forward every week.

Question 21

What is a grossing factor in space programming?

Accepted Answer

A grossing factor is the multiplier that converts net assignable area, the space people and equipment actually occupy, into gross area, which adds circulation, walls, shafts, structure and building services. A factor of 1.35 means every 1,000 square feet of net needs 1,350 gross. Programmers often apply one factor per department and a second for the whole building.

Question 22

What is a .numbers file?

Accepted Answer

A .numbers file is a spreadsheet created by Apple Numbers, the spreadsheet app included with macOS, iOS and iPadOS. Current files are packages built from Apple's proprietary IWA format, which Apple has not publicly documented. Numbers opens Excel and CSV files, but other programs usually need the file exported to XLSX or CSV first.

Question 23

What is an amortization schedule?

Accepted Answer

An amortization schedule is a table listing every payment on a loan and how each payment splits into interest and principal, with the remaining balance after each one. Early payments are mostly interest, and the principal share grows each month. It shows the total interest cost and the date the balance reaches zero.

Question 24

What is an ODS file?

Accepted Answer

An ODS file is an OpenDocument Spreadsheet, the native format of LibreOffice Calc and Apache OpenOffice Calc. It is a ZIP package of XML files defined by the OASIS OpenDocument standard, also published as ISO/IEC 26300. Excel, Google Sheets and many other programs can open and save ODS, though advanced features may not carry over.

Question 25

What is an XLSX file?

Accepted Answer

An XLSX file is a spreadsheet saved in the Office Open XML format, the default for Microsoft Excel since Excel 2007. It is a ZIP package of XML files holding cell values, formulas, formatting and multiple worksheets. The format is standardized as ECMA-376 and ISO/IEC 29500, and Excel, LibreOffice, Google Sheets and Numbers can all open it.

Question 26

What is an XML spreadsheet (Excel 2003 XML)?

Accepted Answer

An XML spreadsheet, formally XML Spreadsheet 2003, is a single plain-text XML file that stores a workbook using Microsoft's SpreadsheetML 2003 schema. Excel 2003 introduced it as an alternative to binary XLS. Current Excel versions can still open and save it, and LibreOffice can too. It is human-readable but larger and less capable than XLSX.

Question 27

What is discounted cash flow (DCF)?

Accepted Answer

Discounted cash flow (DCF) values a business or project by forecasting its future free cash flows and discounting each back to today at a rate that reflects risk, usually the weighted average cost of capital. The present values of the forecast years plus a terminal value are summed to give enterprise value. Subtracting net debt gives equity value.

Question 28

What is RSS tolerance analysis?

Accepted Answer

RSS (root sum square) tolerance analysis is a statistical way to stack up part tolerances. Instead of adding every tolerance, as worst-case analysis does, it takes the square root of the sum of their squares. The result is smaller because it assumes variations are independent and rarely all sit at their limits together, so it predicts the likely spread of an assembly.

Question 29

What is the 50/30/20 budget rule?

Accepted Answer

The 50/30/20 rule splits after-tax income into three parts: 50 percent for needs, 30 percent for wants and 20 percent for saving and extra debt repayment. Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren Tyagi described it in their 2005 book All Your Worth. It is a starting guideline, not a law, and high housing costs often push the needs share above 50 percent.

Question 30

What is the Darcy–Weisbach equation?

Accepted Answer

The Darcy–Weisbach equation gives the head or pressure lost to friction when fluid flows through a full pipe. Head loss equals the friction factor times length over diameter times velocity squared over twice gravity. It applies to any Newtonian fluid and flow regime. The friction factor depends on the Reynolds number and pipe roughness, and comes from the Colebrook equation or an approximation.

Question 31

Why does Excel put my whole CSV in one column?

Accepted Answer

Excel splits a CSV using the list separator from your computer's regional settings, which is a semicolon in many countries. If the file uses commas, or the reverse, every row lands in column A. Import the file with Data > From Text/CSV and pick the right delimiter, or use Text to Columns on the pasted data.

Question 32

What is the difference between XLSX and CSV?

Accepted Answer

XLSX is a ZIP package of XML that stores formulas, formatting, data types and several worksheets. CSV is a plain text file of comma-separated values for one table, with no formulas, formatting or types. Use XLSX to keep a working spreadsheet intact, and CSV to move raw rows between programs, databases and scripts.

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