Strict organization within the spreadsheet is necessary for maintaining an effective spreadsheet because the whole purpose of the spreadsheet is to ensure that all votes are accounted for. When amending the spreadsheet, always organize the votes according to the following order:
- State (ordered alphabetically)
- House Legislation
- House Bills (ordered from lowest to highest bill number)
- Amendments to House Bills (order according to the bill number, then the amendment number)
- House Resolutions (ordered from lowest to highest)
- Amendments to House Resolutions (order according to the bill number, then the amendment number)
- House Joint Resolutions
- Amendments to House Resolutions (order according to the bill number, then the amendment number)
- House Concurrent Resolutions
- Amendments to House Concurrent Resolutions (ordered according to the bill number, then the amendment number)
- Other Types of House Legislation
- Amendments to Other Types of House Legislation (order according to the bill number, then the amendment number)
- House Confirmation Votes
- Senate Legislation (ordered from lowest to highest bill number)
- Senate Bills (ordered from lowest to highest)
- Amendments to Senate Bills (order according to the bill number, then the amendment number)
- Senate Resolutions (ordered from lowest to highest)
- Amendments to Senate Resolutions (order according to the bill number, then the amendment number)
- House Joint Resolutions
- Amendments to Senate Resolutions (order according to the bill number, then the amendment number)
- House Concurrent Resolutions
- Amendments to House Concurrent Resolutions (order according to bill number, then amendment number)
- Other Types of Senate Legislation
- Amendments to Other Types of Senate Legislation (order according to the bill number, then the amendment number)
- Senate Confirmation Votes
A few things to note: (1) when it comes to amendments to amendments, the rules is still the same - order according to the bill number, then the amendment number; (2) with respect to multiple votes on the same bill, order according to the bill history (ex: Passage with Amendment Vote would preceed a Concurrence Vote); and (3) when it comes to congressional votes, there is a separate spreadsheet, and therefore you don't have to worry about ordering the states alphabetically - simply order them all according to bill numbers. Here is an example:
- 2010 State Votes Spreadsheet (partial expert of Missouri and Nebraska votes).
