MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS by E. Al Diamond How do you know if your agency is doing well? Some agents subscribe to the 'checkbook philosophy.' Their answer is, 'If I can pay a...

The best way to master the tools reviewed here is to practice using them on the next spreadsheet you create. Sometimes it pays to take a step back and ask, "How can this basic spreadsheet be enhanced?" When these tools (along with a myriad of others that Excel has to offer) are applied properly, it's amazing what a spreadsheet can do.

Once these tools are mastered, it will be difficult to go back to that old pocketknife. When preparing your next spreadsheet, keep in mind the Excel tools discussed here, and use them often. Just as your trusty pocketknife comes in handy in many different situations, so will these tips for Excel spreadsheets.

In today's knowledge economy, you need well-trained workers to leverage your bottom line. Training can be either technical or emotional...

USING OPERATING RATIOS AS A MANAGEMENT TOOL TO INCREASE AGENCY VALUE by Robert Westin The days of determining value solely by applying an assumed multiple to gross commissi...