I neglected to say that they all had to pick different businesses and notify me of their choice. So, yes, you are correct with your suggestion. It is possible to copy and paste with Excel and Access, yet with the assignments based on the different businesses, students using a grocery store, (for example), would set up different categories, different #'s of categories, and different formulas (say based on fruit and vegetable weights) as opposed to a sporting goods store with its own categories and formulas based per item or on bulk rates for golf balls, etc. Taxable and non-taxable items… >>>

One way to curb the desire and/or opportunity to cheat would be to assign individualized work. You don't have to go to the trouble of individualizing all student work if you set up an assignment that can apply to multiple situations. For example: You want your students to show their progress with proficiency in Excel and Access. You ask them to visit and select a business of interest. Every part of your course lesson plan can be related to the real-world business of choice. An Excel budget set up for a large department store would be different from a budget… >>>