Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Phase 2 and Beyond

     The second Phase of IS101 is more difficult than I anticipated. I expected it to be harder, but the amount of concepts in Excel that I have never experienced was very surprising. Doing A6 Spreadsheet with Analysis Trailer was fine. I made some mistakes at first but now I'm more knowledgeable on how to format stuff like that so it prints better while also being more pleasant to read.

    The chapter I chose for my third post is 5.10.4 VLOOKUP. This function is used when trying to find specific information within a large amount of data. VLOOKUP takes four arguments the cell/data you're looking for, the table that the information is in, the column number that the data is in, and whether you want Excel to match the approximate value (1/TRUE) or the exact match (0/FALSE). You can copy the formula by setting the lookup value and table array as absolute values by pressing F4 while they're selected. You can change the column if needed.

    Outside of Phase 2 of IS101 I think I'll be able to use my knowledge of Excel and transfer it to my current job right now to create schedules. I'll also be able to use it in the future for different career options. Excel is a very valuable skill to have on you're resume and for general knowledge.

    In this next coming Phase, I hope I'll be able the finish assignments earlier and not just on time so I don't leave it to the last minute and stress about it. I will also try and be better with asking questions and looking for help without being afraid of sounding unintelligent.

16 comments:

  1. Hey Izabelle, I can relate to what you said about Phase 2 being more difficult than expected. Excel really does introduce a lot of new concepts all at once, so it makes sense that it felt overwhelming at first. I like that you focused on VLOOKUP, because once it starts to make sense, it becomes a very useful tool for working with large sets of data.

    The part about using F4 to lock values is also important, since that small step can prevent many errors when copying formulas. It is also good that you are already thinking about how to apply these skills in your current job and future opportunities, because that is where Excel becomes more meaningful. Hopefully in the next phase, you are able to stay ahead of your work and feel more confident asking questions when needed.

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  2. VLookup, what an elegant choice, Izabelle :-)

    Yes, Phase 2 is the most challenging portion of IS101. I'm glad you will be able to use and transfer your knowledge of Excel to your current job right now and for future career options ^_^

    You will finish Phase 3 and IS101 strong!

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  3. Hi Izabelle, Phase 2 for me had more work and more memorization involved but the extra practices definitely made up that gap of difficulty for me.

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  4. Hi Izabelle, I really enjoyed the VLOOKUP chapter I was kind of sad it wasn't included in the exam because it was a very helpful tool especially for navigating large amounts of data. You should always ask questions; I have learned especially in college many people are wondering the same thing as you are but are too afraid to ask. If you think of it as helping yourself and others gain the knowledge it may help your nervousness.

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  5. Hey Izabelle, yeah second phase was definitely harder for me but luckily phase one set the tone and foundation of how the class and exams will be like. Also, I know the feeling of being afraid to sound unintelligent but the courage to keep moving forward and being honest shows great resiliency and strength. Keep up the great work!

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  6. Hi Izabelle, I agree that Excel can be challenging at first, especially with functions like VLOOKUP, I also think it’s good that you want to improve your time management for the next phase.

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  7. Sometimes it makes me jealous that people can apply what they have learned in class in their workplace. That's good that you're applying what you have learned especially the chapter you chose since it very hand to know VLOOKUPS when handling larger data sets. You mentioned as well that you create schedules, so by that alone you must handling different and more data so hopefully everything you learned from this class applies well.

    I also agree that expecting the Phase 2 would be difficult and it's more than just difficult, it was something that I struggled with, like climbing the peak of a mountain.

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  8. Hi Izabelle. I agree that some of the concepts in Excel were hard to use since you had to understand what types of arguments are used for each cell and remember to add a space or comma for the arguments. I especially had a hard time with using the concatenate function.

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  9. Hello Izabelle, I agree phase 2 was more challenging than I expected the use of formulas really threw me off. I also shy away from asking for help out of fear of sounding silly as well, thankfully most times it's in our head and no one actually thinks that.

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  10. Hi Izabelle. Never be afraid of asking for help, it is one of the best ways to learn. Also, i like the idea of using Excel to create a schedule, I will try and do it.

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  11. Hi Izabelle, VLOOKUP was honestly one of the most confusing things at first but it felt really satisfying once it finally clicked. And I like that you mentioned asking more questions because a lot of people are probably scared of sounding unintelligent too.

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  12. Hey Izabelle, Phase 2 definitely stood out as the more difficult phase and it wasn't generally learning how to navigate throughout it, but memorizing the formulas. But in it's sense that's why I believe it as the all the more valuable. Best of luck!

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  13. Hi Izabelle, I agree that it was harder than what most of us anticipated (maybe with the exception of people who can easily grasp concepts). I thought it'd be much easier since I had some experience with C++ coding language which had IF functions and nesting functions and such. However, I still struggled, got confused, but most importantly passed and made it. I'm glad you were able to push through as well :)

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  14. I saw someone's blog and they're blending together at this point, but they leaned into doing small projects like budgets for example and I bet there's more to it and how it could help!

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  15. Hi Izabelle! Never be afraid to ask questions! No one will think of you as unintelligent for doing so!

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  16. Hello Izabelle. Great pick with LabSim! VLOOKUP is a very useful feature that can cut down on the tediousness of working with a lot of data!

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