■ Digital productivity

Work better, not more. tools, methods and automation

Spreadsheets, automation, digital organisation and documents: clear methods to work better with your computer, every day.

Explore →About me
Send automated emails with Python: attachments and credentialsYour first VBA macro in Excel: record, read and improve itOCR for scanned documents: searchable PDFs with OCRmyPDFText expanders: type less with abbreviations and snippetsData validation: drop-down lists and rules against input errorsINDEX and MATCH: flexible lookups in any spreadsheet programProtecting sheets and cells: what really locks and what does notXLOOKUP: the modern lookup function explained with examplesEmail aliases and separate addresses: less spam, more controlLinked notes and Zettelkasten: an archive of ideas that growsRealistic inbox zero: handling email with four decisionsChangelogs and release notes: how to document changesLaTeX for beginners: the structure of your first documentPDF/A: what it is and how to create PDFs fit for archivingSend automated emails with Python: attachments and credentialsYour first VBA macro in Excel: record, read and improve itOCR for scanned documents: searchable PDFs with OCRmyPDFText expanders: type less with abbreviations and snippetsData validation: drop-down lists and rules against input errorsINDEX and MATCH: flexible lookups in any spreadsheet programProtecting sheets and cells: what really locks and what does notXLOOKUP: the modern lookup function explained with examplesEmail aliases and separate addresses: less spam, more controlLinked notes and Zettelkasten: an archive of ideas that growsRealistic inbox zero: handling email with four decisionsChangelogs and release notes: how to document changesLaTeX for beginners: the structure of your first documentPDF/A: what it is and how to create PDFs fit for archiving

Topics

Spreadsheets, automation, digital organisation and documents: clear methods to work better with your computer, every day.

Σ

Spreadsheets

Formulas, lookup functions, pivot tables, validation and charts in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets.

25 articles →
⟳

Automation

Macros, Python scripts for files and PDFs, no-code automations and repetitive flows to hand over to the computer.

25 articles →
▤

Digital organisation

Folders, file names, email, calendar, notes, passwords and personal backups kept in order.

25 articles →

Writing & documents

Markdown, LaTeX, PDF, templates and styles, technical documentation and effective presentations.

25 articles →

Featured articles

Σ Spreadsheets

Choosing the right chart: lines, bars, pies and scatter plots

Which chart to use for each question: trend over time, comparison, composition or relationship between variables, plus axis and colour mistakes to avoid.

5 min read →
⟳ Automation

Send automated emails with Python: attachments and credentials

How to send automated emails with Python and smtplib: attachments, encrypted connections, app passwords, credentials kept out of code, paced sends.

4 min read →
▤ Digital organisation

Time blocking: using your calendar to protect real work

How to apply time blocking in a digital calendar: blocks for focused work, realistic buffers, colours, a daily review and the mistakes to avoid.

4 min read →
¶ Writing & documents

Accessible PDF: tags, reading order and testing

How to create PDFs that work with assistive technology: tag structure, real headings, reading order, tables, document language and the tools to check them.

4 min read →
Σ Spreadsheets

Designing a spreadsheet that is readable and easy to maintain

How to organise a spreadsheet: separate data, parameters, calculations and results, data as a list, clear names, built-in checks and notes for users.

5 min read →
⟳ Automation

Combine dozens of Excel files into one with Python and pandas

How to consolidate many Excel or CSV files into one table with pandas: read a folder, align columns, track where each row came from, catch duplicates.

4 min read →
▤ Digital organisation

Document versions: no more «final_v2_really-final» in file names

How to manage versions of documents and shared files without confusion: numbering, built-in cloud version history, drafts, tracked changes and archiving.

4 min read →
¶ Writing & documents

Document templates in Word and Writer: creating a .dotx or .ott

How to build a reusable template in Word and LibreOffice: what to include, styles, fields, placeholders, where to save it and how to keep it updated.

4 min read →
Σ Spreadsheets

INDEX and MATCH: flexible lookups in any spreadsheet program

How to combine INDEX and MATCH to look up values in any direction, in two dimensions and with several criteria, in Excel, LibreOffice Calc and Sheets.

4 min read →
⟳ Automation

LibreOffice macros: Basic, the recorder and first scripts

Macros in LibreOffice Calc and Writer: enable the recorder, write readable Basic code, work with sheets and cells and set up macro security properly.

4 min read →
▤ Digital organisation

File naming: practical rules so you can always find everything

Concrete rules for naming files: characters to avoid, order of elements, dates, separators and shared conventions that keep your documents easy to find.

4 min read →
¶ Writing & documents

Math formulas in LaTeX: from inline text to equations

Inline and display math, fractions, sub- and superscripts, symbols, systems and numbered equations with amsmath: a guide to well-written formulas.

4 min read →