A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating an Interactive Dashboard

Introduction

Creating an excel dashboard can be a great way to display key metrics and create an impactful visual representation of your data. This beginner’s guide will provide an overview of the steps, tools and skills needed to create an excel dashboard. The goal is to cover all of the crucial information and give clear instructions on creating a dashboard that is informative and easy to understand.

Creating a good excel dashboard involves a few important steps. These include:

Gathering your data
Creating a visual representation of the data
Considering which metrics will be most useful and relevant
Understanding formatting and design principles for effective display and communication

Prepare the Data

Creating an Excel dashboard begins with making sure your data is set up properly. For the most effective dashboard and the most accurate insights, your data should be organized and formatted before creating your dashboard. Here's how.

Organizing the Data

The first step is to organize your data. Start by arranging the data into relevant categories or labels. This will help you interpret the data in your dashboard and create visualizations that are easy to understand.

Copying and Pasting the Data

Next, copy and paste the data into Excel. Make sure all of your columns and rows are in the right place, deleting any unnecessary extra rows or columns. Double-check that all the data is formatted correctly in each field and all of the columns match the labels you created.

Formatting the Data

After copying and pasting your data, you should format it to ensure accuracy. This includes changing the currency, language, date, time, and any other fields that may need to be updated. To make sure all the fields have been changed to the appropriate format, select the entire dataset and press the “format” button.

Setting the Data Type

To ensure that all of your data is interpreted correctly, you'll want to make sure it's using the right data type. Data types tell Excel how to interpret the data and can be numeric, text, or special data types such as dates or currency. To set these, select your data, click the “data type” dropdown, and select the appropriate type for each field.

Numeric - used for numbers
Text - used for names, email addresses, etc.
Dates - used for dates
Currency - used for money

Create the Dashboard

Now that you have gathered the raw data and it is in the format of an Excel table, you are ready to create the dashboard. The dashboard will be a visual representation of the data, making it easier to track key performance indicators. It should be designed to give the user easy access to the data points they need to get the job done.

Adding the chart and visuals

The first step to creating an Excel dashboard is to add the charts and visuals. Depending on the type of data, you can choose from a variety of charts and visuals, such as bar charts, line charts, pie charts, and so on. You will also need to add titles and legends to your charts to make them more readable.

Inserting condition formatting

Another useful feature of Excel dashboards are condition formatting. This is a way to make the data more visible by adding colour and symbols to emphasize the data points. For example, you could make the values that fall above a certain threshold appear as red, while those below the threshold appear as green. This helps to quickly gauge the performance of the data.

Setting up filters and slicers

Filters and slicers are another powerful feature of Excel dashboards. They allow you to quickly filter the data according to specified criteria. For example, you can filter the data to show only data from a certain period of time or to show only the data from a certain region. This feature can help to quickly hone in on the information that matters.

Adding links and interactivity

The last step in creating an Excel dashboard is to add links and interactivity. This can include links to other sheets in the workbook, to external webpages, or to emails. You can also add interactive features such as buttons that link to other components of the dashboard. This helps to make the dashboard more intuitive and easier to use.

Make It Look Good

You have now created your very own Excel dashboard. Now it's time to spruce it up and make it look more professional. Here are a few tips for how to make your dashboard look its best.

Adding Borders, Backgrounds, and Graphics

Borders and backgrounds can be a great way to define sections of your dashboard. You can also add graphics, such as icons and pictures, to further enhance the visual appeal of your dashboard. Use these features to add sections and division to your dashboard, such as splitting charts into groups.

Adjusting the Size of the Dashboard

The size of the dashboard can make a huge difference in the overall look. You can use the 'Format Sheet' option to adjust the size and make your dashboard fit in with the rest of the sheet. Doing this will make your entire sheet look more aesthetically pleasing.

Inserting Titles, Subtitles, and Notes

Using titles, subtitles, and notes is a great way to break up the information in your dashboard and make it easier to understand. Use these to add some clarity and guide the user through the various regions of your dashboard.

Adding Sparklines and Gridlines

Using sparklines and gridlines is another great way to design your dashboard. Both of these features can add a nice visual touch and can be used to draw attention to different parts of your dashboard. Sparklines are especially useful in displaying trends.

Finish With Final Touches

Once you have developed a basic Excel dashboard, there are a few more steps you need to take to finish the project. This includes automating the data retrieval, creating a dynamic data range, and setting up pivot tables and sheets. These are essential for ensuring that your data is always up-to-date and easy to access.

Automating Data Retrieval

Before automating the data, it is important to make sure that all of the data points are correctly connected to the underlying database. This includes checking which fields are being used, how the data is being sorted, and what query is being used. Once these steps have been taken, you can set up a scheduled task to automatically refresh the data. This can be done in the Microsoft Query window, which can be accessed through Data -> Get External Data -> Refresh every... With this task, you can also choose to update only certain cells, or the entire sheet.

Creating a Dynamic Data Range

Once the automated refresh has been set up, it is time to create a dynamic data range. This is necessary for ensuring that the dashboard remains up-to-date, as all of the data will be refreshed whenever the database is amended. Dynamic ranges are created using the OFFSET function, which can be found under the Formulas tab in Excel. This function allows you to specify a range that is a certain number of rows and columns away from a certain cell. This range can then be used in the dashboard to always show the most current data.

Setting up Pivot Tables and Sheets

The final step in creating an Excel dashboard is to set up pivot tables and sheets. Pivot tables allow you to quickly analyze large sets of data and extract meaningful insights. This can be achieved by dragging and dropping fields from the data range into the pivot table. By setting up multiple sheets and linking them to pivot tables, you can easily create an interactive dashboard that can be used to quickly analyze and visualize data.

Testing the Dashboard

To get started, you need to make sure that your Excel dashboard is connected to the right database and that it’s optimized to refresh quickly and accurately. You can do this by following these steps:

Connecting the Database

The first thing you need to do is to connect your Excel dashboard to your database. You can do this by finding the connection settings in the “Data” tab of the excel workbook. When you open the data connection settings, you will see a list of available databases. Select the database you want to connect to and click “OK.” The database will then be successfully connected to your Excel dashboard.

Refreshing the Database

Now that you have successfully connected the database to your Excel dashboard, you need to make sure that the data refreshes quickly. This can be done by going to the “Data” tab and selecting “Refresh.” This will start the process of refreshing the data from the connected database. Depending on the size of the database and the speed of your computer, this process can take up to a few minutes.

Once the refresh process has completed, you should check the data to make sure that it has been successfully updated. You can do this by comparing the newly-refreshed information to the previous data to make sure that everything is up-to-date.

Conclusion

Creating an Excel dashboard can seem daunting to a beginner at first, but once you understand the fundamentals and practice building your own custom dashboards, it can become an easy routine. This guide outlined a step-by-step process for creating your own dashboard in Excel, including understanding necessary data sources, setting up the sheet, and creating presentation-ready visuals.

Summary of the Dashboard Creation Steps

Creating a dashboard in Excel requires the following steps:

Gathering the necessary data sources
Setting up the spreadsheet
Visualizing data with charts, graphs, and other visuals
Polishing the dashboard with presentation-friendly features, such as color schemes and font styles.