Ok let me first start out by saying I have no clue about spreadsheets, lol . Anyways I downloaded the pricing matrix and I am trying to customize it to fit my needs. This looks like it will be a great program once I learn how to customize it the way I need. Here is my problem, and since I dont know anything about spreadsheets I hope I explain it without confusing anyone, .

Under the "Shopping List" tab where it says "Cake" and "White frosting" everything is working perfect (I got that figured out, lol). Under where it says "Regular frosting" I can plug a number in, take for example where it says "Cups of Shortening" I can say I need 5 cups, then I go to the "Groceries" tab and it calculates fine, but when I go to the "Calculate Price" tab nothing is calculated. The whole section under "Regular Frosting" will not calculate anything on the "Calculate Price" tab. How do I get it to calculate?

I originally want to instead of using the "White frosting" section use it as my "Filling" section where I can calculate the amount of filling for the cake.
So sorry this was soooo long but I am about to give up on the matrix . Thanks for any help!

~Sonya

Sonya - I can't offer any insight, as I am totally confused by the matrix as well! lol I get what it's supposed to do for you, but I ran into some of the same problems as what you stated. I sure hope someone more experienced with this matrix can offer some pointers. My husband is dying for me to get mine finished out so that HE can be clear on what it's costing me and what I'm charging, so HE can be sure I'm charging enough!! Gotta love a husband who looks out for ya, huh? lol Thanks for posting your question & I hope someone answers with a resolution soon!

what is this matrix that everyone speaks of?

chefdot - look at the very first topic in the Cake Business forum...there's a topic there titled "get your price matrix here" or something like that. The matrix is a spreadsheet type thing that helps you cost out your ingredients and everything so that you can better price your cakes. It's customizable in the way of letting you put in the prices of what you pay for your ingredients, etc. since that's a little different wherever you are.

chefdot - look at the very first topic in the Cake Business forum...there's a topic there titled "get your price matrix here" or something like that. The matrix is a spreadsheet type thing that helps you cost out your ingredients and everything so that you can better price your cakes. It's customizable in the way of letting you put in the prices of what you pay for your ingredients, etc. since that's a little different wherever you are.

I think I have a different Matrix. My shopping list tab self-calculates based on what I enter on the Matrix tab. Sorry, I can't help you either! Where did you get the matrix you have? I can look at it and try to trace the formula for you.

What did you plug in on the Matrix tab? I'll play with it and see if it does the same thing to me. I looked at the spreadsheet available on this site and it looks like the formulas are good. I'll let you know.

BTW: Is the "Regular Frosting" considered crumb coat frosting? Can someone explain why it's broken out?

Okay, I think I've figured out the problem. I'm not sure that I can explain it without getting too technical, though... but let's see...

In the sections that are working, the "white frosting" section on the "Shopping List" tab is connected to the "white frosting" section on the "Groceries" tab, and the "cake" section on the "Shopping List" tab is connected to the "Pillsbury Cake Mix" section on the "Groceries" tab. This means the right data is going to the right place, and the rest of the connections follow along to make the calculated price work properly. However, the "regular frosting" section on the "Shopping List" tab is connected to the "chocolate frosting" section on the "Groceries" tab, which is probably incorrect. I'm not sure what the spreadsheet creator's original idea was for where the "regular frosting" data would go, but it IS going to the chocolate area. Moreover, the "chocolate frosting" area is missing the almond, meringue and cocoa data from that tab, too!

I don't know who created the spreadsheet, and don't know if they are able to fix it for us... but if I have time to figure out the fix for this problem, I will let you know. Right now, my eyes are crossed from figuring OUT the problem in the first place!!

Whew! I love Excel, but I've got a headache now!!

...Andrea

Thanks so much, Andrea for taking the time to figure that out! I know what you mean about getting crossed eyes when working with that thing...lol

Here is what I have so far. On the "shopping list" and "groceries" tab anything down from the Marshmallow fluff, I havent customized, so that part is the same as the origingal matrix that I downloaded. Also the prices I have plugged in is just random numbers.

I have it working when I plug a number into the "shopping list" tab it does calculate on the "groceries" tab, however it does not calulcate on the "calculate price" tab.

So basically what I need is the whole "shopping list" tab to work just like the section under the white frosting(on the original martix) or work just like the section under "White Viva Frosting" on the matrix I have customized and I need it to calulcate on the "groceries" tab and the "calulcate price" tab.

Thanks for the help!
My head hurts, lol
~Sonya

What exactly are you trying to do with the matrix? Do you want to put in how many cake layers you are making and have it calculate how much of each ingredient you should purchase then have the calculate price combine all that?

can you give me your ingredients and how many cups the yeild is for each recipe. If you can I can fix this problem for you.

You deleted some formulas from the original matrix. they just need to be put back in place.

Here is the corrected matrix. PM me with any questions. I will be happy to help with it in anyway I can.

I am so happy to know I wasn't the only one who didn't understand this. I was feeling so dumb.

Thank you sooooo much for your help GMA1956!! This is a lot better than the matrix I tried to customize, lol. . Anyways I will look over it and if I need anything changed I will let you know.

Thank you!!!

~Sonya

No problem at all. I love working with Excel files. It is part of my degree.

Ok GMA1956, I have still been trying to customize this matrix the way I need it and I have learned a lot about spreadsheets, cause when I first started trying to customize it I had noooooo clue what I was doing, lol . Anyways I am still working on it but I am having a problem under the "Pre-Made Fondant" area..... I cant seem to get it to calculate anything . What am I doing wrong?

Thank you again for your help!!!
~Sonya

Here is what I have so far...........

It was nothing you were doing wrong, I just had not finished my statement in a formula. Try it now.


I had to reload it after I posted it just a little while ago. Now try.

You also want to be careful when you erase or delete across rows and columns that contain a 0 in it. They usually have a formula in them and you erase the formula it it when you delete that field. These fields could be protected from erasure, but you would not be able to change them then.

GMA1956 - Great Job! I actually was able to taylor that to my costs, and it works out perfect. Think you could design one for things like cookies, brownies, etc.? That would be a great one to have.

GMA1956 thank you so much once again for your help! I think I have the matrix pretty much set the way I want it now, untill I find something else to change, LOL. When you finish with the one you are working on please let me know because I know it will be great!!

Cookielady1 I am glad you can make since out of the matrix I tried to customize, LOL anyways I could NOT have done it without GMA1956's help at all because when I first started messing around with the matrix I had noooo clue about spreadsheets, LOL but I learned some things very quickly by looking at the formulas GMA had put into the spreadsheet to get it to work!
Thanks for all the help!!!!!!!!

~Sonya

enter info into "matrix" sheet first, the others should fill in. don't try and enter on other sheets or you'll erase the formulas.

gma1956- The matrix you worked on for Sonya made more sense to me. I was missing a page from the other one I downloaded. Could you tell me how to clear the columns so that I don't delete the formula accidentally?

I am computer illiterate (sp) It was just a generic question. So I just close out everytime I use it without saving? I thought about saving it twice, once under the name "matrix template" and once under "matrix" that way if I inadvertantly screw something up, I have the main matrix. I'll always keep 2 on the computer, for safety's sake.

Would someone please send me a link to this matrix? So many people asking for it, but i can't find a link. I googled it, and got lots of the matrix movie, but no links to a pricing matrix.
send to [email protected]

Thanks to anyone who can help!

Becky L.

There is a downloadable file of the matrix in the 10th reply above your last reply.

I attached it there. If you still can't get it PM me and I will send it to you.