Excel has many templates you can choose from for various different activities such as a to-do list, an inventory tracker, a weekly timesheet and much more. After looking through all these templates one in particular really stood out for me, the pros vs. cons template. I like this one because it is useful when deciding between two things, which is a common occurrence in my daily life.
The pros and cons template is different than just making one by hand because you can rate the value/ importance of each item. At the end when you have inputted all your data excel will calculate the values of each one and tell you which one (pros or cons) wins! This function helps you to make a decision but it also provides a place where you can put your thoughts down. It helps you to compare and analyze the data in your list. Here is what the template looks like when you first click on it.
To use this template you enter items into the item section and enter values under the importance section (scale of 0-10). You enter the value of importance to indicate the weight of each of those items. 10 is the highest importance and 0 is the lowest. Excel calculates the total value of all the items under the pro section and the con section to show you, which one is more important to you. The rating scale is basic but very helpful. You can categorize the items alphabetically to help you organize your list or just put them in whatever order is most helpful for you. I made my own pros and cons list using this template and I found it super helpful and easy to use. I especially like how they calculate the values up to show you which one wins. This made it easy for me to realize which one is more important to me. Here is the beginning of the list I made. 
Overall, I would highly recommend this Excel template to anyone who likes to make pro and con lists. It is an easy way to observe and value your items.
Thanks for reading and stay tuned for next weeks post!
References:
https://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/pros-and-cons-list.html
elissahalliday 