When it comes to running a logistics business, there are a lot of moving parts. You have to keep track of inventory, customers, shipments, and more. Luckily, Microsoft Excel is here to help. With suitable Excel workbooks, you can streamline your logistics operations and keep everything organised in one place.
But what are the specific workbooks that you should be using? In this blog post, Excel Experts and Business Owners share six of the most critical Excel workbooks for logistic businesses. Stay tuned!
● Tracker
Shipping Calculator
A crucial Excel workbook type for Logistics businesses is a shipping calculator, which can help them calculate shipping costs based on the size and weight of packages, the distance they need to be shipped, the method of shipping, and any additional costs or fees. By creating a shipping calculator in Excel, businesses can easily calculate the costs of their shipping and shipping services, which can help them stay competitive by helping them decide whether to reduce shipping costs for customers.
Matthew Ramirez, Paraphrase Tool
Stock Control Spreadsheets
Stock control spreadsheets are an absolute necessity for most businesses that lean heavily on logistics. These spreadsheets reflect inventory quantity, price, and dates, as well as transfer status (in and out). This workbook type won’t be applicable to all logistics companies, but for those that hold and move stock, they are a must-have. With some basic formulas in Excel, you can establish conditionality to show when more stock is needed or when there is a surplus. And you can always filter data for manual reviews. It is a very basic workbook type but strictly necessary for those companies carrying stock.
John Ross, Test Prep Insight
Calculator
One part of the Excel workbook that is incredibly helpful is the calculator. It makes life so much easier as it's automatic. The AutoSum feature is fantastic as I don't have to manually enter anything. All you have to do is create the formula one time. After that, it's a matter of copying and pasting into cells. The only issue I had was learning how to input the formula but it wasn't hard to learn.
Steve Mascarin, Taunton Village Dental
The Analyze Data Tool
A crucial element in Logistics Business is the Analyze Data tool. It is easy to use as you answer questions or you can enter a question yourself. It goes through it and gives you an analysis of all that you've input. It is a big time-saver when you want to look at specific data in a spreadsheet or need a piece of information for a presentation. It also helps you plan future strategies quickly and accurately. Many people don't realize that Excel has this feature but it has helped me considerably in many ways
Tanya Klien, Anta Plumbing
PerfectXL
As far as an all-round tool goes, PerfectXL is fantastic for logistics businesses. A problem with a lot of the tools is simply that they spread their integrations too 'thin', or just don't quite seem to get what logistics businesses and their very specific sub-sectors require. PerfectXL is very straightforward in its solutions, and the auditing suite is as reliable as it is intuitive.
Wendy Makinson, Joloda Hydraroll
Tracker
One crucial Excel workbook type for logistics businesses is a tracker. A tracker can be used to track shipments, inventory, and other data points important to the business. A tracker can help logistics businesses keep track of their business and ensure that they are running smoothly. This will save a lot of headaches!
Tyler Hull, Modern Exterior
Conclusion
Anyone who has ever worked in logistics knows that organisation is key. With so many different elements to keep track of - from stock control to shipping calculator- it is essential to have a system in place that can help you stay on top of everything.
Excel workbooks can be a lifesaver in this regard. By keeping all of your information in one centralised location, you can ensure that you never lose track of anything again.
What's more, with the right formulas and macros in place, you can automate many of the tasks involved in logistics, making your job that much easier.
If you are looking for a time and cost-saving way to improve your logistics processes, Excel VBA Automation is definitely worth considering.
