Chapter 25. Developing User-Oriented Applications

In This Chapter

In this chapter, I attempt to pull together some of the information presented in the previous chapters.

  • A description of a user-oriented application

  • A close look at the Loan Amortization Wizard, which generates a worksheet with an amortization schedule for a fixed-rate loan

  • A demonstration of application development concepts and techniques by the Loan Amortization Wizard

  • An application development checklist

This discussion centers around a user-oriented application called the Loan Amortization Wizard. Useful in its own right, this workbook demonstrates quite a few important application development techniques.

What Is a User-Oriented Application?

I reserve the term user-oriented application for an Excel application that can be used by someone with minimal training. These applications produce useful results even for users who know virtually nothing about Excel.

The Loan Amortization Wizard discussed in this chapter qualifies as a user-oriented application because it’s designed in such a way that the end user doesn’t need to know the intimate details of Excel to use it. Replying to a few simple prompts produces a useful and flexible worksheet complete with formulas.

The Loan Amortization Wizard

The Loan Amortization Wizard generates a worksheet that contains an amortization schedule for a fixed-rate loan. An amortization schedule projects month-by-month details for a loan. The details include the monthly payment amount, the amount ...

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