Utilizing Excel Workbook Merges for Dashboard Development

Introduction

A dashboard is an interactive, data visualization platform designed to quickly and easily provide relevant, actionable insights to users. Dashboards are used to quickly analyze complex data sets and present useful visualizations to make critical business decisions.

The benefits of creating a dashboard are numerous. Dashboards can help businesses organize their data, save time, anticipate trends, prioritize tasks, and optimize performance levels. They help provide overarching analytics that can be used to quickly measure, react, and improve all areas of a business.

One efficient tool used to create and update dashboards is the Excel workbook merge. This article will provide an overview of Excel workbook merge, discussing its features and how it is utilized to aid dashboard development.

Setting up Your Source Sheets

Excel workbook merging is an effective way of creating dashboards in Microsoft Excel, but it can be daunting to set up the source sheets. Follow the steps below to set up your source sheets in preparation for creating a dashboard.

Create the Source Worksheets

The foundation of an effective dashboard is establishing the source worksheets. Take time to create separate worksheets that contain very specific information that can be used to generate the dashboard. You will use these source worksheets as the basis for the dashboard.

Define Names for Each Worksheets

Once the worksheets have been created, you will need to define names for all of the worksheets in your workbook. This step is important as it will make it easier to create formulas in Excel and identify the source worksheets in the merge process. To do this, select the worksheet tab and right click to select “Define Name”. Add a name in the “Name” field that accurately describes the contents of the worksheet.

Start the Merge Process

Once the source worksheets are set up and named, you are ready to begin the merge process. Start by selecting the data from each of the source worksheets that you want to include in the dashboard. You can also add custom formatting, such as colors and fonts, to the data if you wish. You can also choose to highlight certain data points or metrics to be included in the dashboard. Finally, you can choose to filter the data and select only the data points that you want to analyze for the dashboard.

Merging the Data

When creating a dashboard in Excel, one of the most important steps is merging data into the workbook. This can be done in Excel by employing workbook merges, which involve combining multiple spreadsheets into one dashboard. By following these steps, the dashboard can become a comprehensive and up-to-date document.

Create the Data Structure

Before merging data, it is important to first create a data structure. This involves organizing the data into multiple sheets within the dashboard. Organizing the data into separate sheets would ensure that each sheet can focus on a specific data set within the dashboard. Furthermore, organizing the data into the correct structure will help when the data is merged together into the dashboard.

Establish the Column Headers

Once the data structure is created, it is important to establish the column headers. Column headers are the labels for each column, and they should accurately reflect the data within each column. This step is important because it will help to maintain consistency across all the sheets in the dashboard. Furthermore, the column headers will help when merging the data into the dashboard.

Merge the Data into the Dashboard

Once the data structure and column headers have been established, the next step is to merge the data into the dashboard. This can be done by selecting the individual sheets and merging them into one document. Once the data has been merged into the dashboard, it is important to review the merged document to ensure that the data is accurate and complete. Furthermore, data visualization tools should also be employed to ensure that the dashboard is able to adequately display the data.

Developing Calculations

When working with Excel workbook merges to create dashboards, it is important to develop the calculations needed to represent data accurately and accurately tell the story that the data is telling. This includes both simple calculations and more complicated formulas that can be used to develop the information desired.

Create Calculations That Relate to the Dashboard

The calculations that are used to create the dashboard should be based off of the data that is being displayed. For example, a dashboard that is reporting on sales data may have point-of-sale unit totals, number of items sold, or gross revenue figures, among other calculations. It is important to create the necessary calculations based off of the data that the dashboard is intended to show.

Format the Numbers on the Dashboard

Once the necessary calculations are available, it is important to format the numbers on the dashboard to ensure that the data is clearly presented and understandable. This can include activities such as rounding numbers to the nearest whole number, setting an appropriate margin of error, or toggling between different types of numerical displays (e.g. number of items sold can be displayed as an integer or a percentage).

Create Formulas to Calculate the Totals

Finally, formulas should be created that allow the user to quickly calculate overall totals based on the dashboard's data. This includes formulas to calculate total revenue or to compare different outcomes (e.g. sales in 2019 compared to sales in 2018). Creating such formulas allows the user to quickly understand the overall story that the data is telling.

Customizing Your Dashboard

Once your Excel workbook merge is in place, it'll be time to customize your dashboard according to your project needs. First, you’ll want to establish the look and feel of the dashboard. This includes setting the visual elements like fonts, colors, and design elements.

Incorporating graphs and charts can add visual elements that help your audience understand the data. For example,you could have a pie chart depicting the split of products being sold. Or a bar graph that shows a comparison of sales month to month. Leveraging Excel features and workbook merges, these eye-catching visual representations can be generated with ease.

Finally, slicers can help filter data points and show a particular view depending on the audience’s needs. By using a slicer, you can select which data points to display in the dashboard. For instance, you can filter out specific productNames, customerType, or even specific salesperson. This ensures viewers can focus on exactly what they need without being overwhelmed by the entire dataset.

Presentation

When it comes to preparing a dashboard for presentation, there are certain steps that should be taken to ensure the dashboard is optimized for its audience. The first consideration is to format the headers and footers to ensure the information is properly presented and organized. This is especially important when multiple Excel workbook files are merged to create a larger dashboard.

Next, visuals should be included to create a look and feel that is both pleasing and informative. This includes incorporating appropriate colors, fonts, and graphs to create an engaging experience. Doing so will help make the dashboard easier to navigate and understand.

Finally, it is imperative to optimize the design of the dashboard for the specific audience. This could include tailoring the language and visuals to suit their needs and preferences, ensuring the dashboard is easy to read, and adding contextual cues that will speed up their decision-making process.

Conclusion

The use of Excel workbook merges to create dashboards is a great way to visualize your data in a new, easy-to-understand way. With the ability to combine your data into one workbook file, you can quickly and seamlessly create beautiful, data-rich dashboards. The use of Excel workbook merges can simplify the process of creating a dashboard, allowing you to focus on creating an informative and dynamic data story.

When utilizing Excel workbook merges for dashboard development, there are a few considerations. Careful thought should be put into the data sources to be merged, the structure of the data, and the structure of the final dashboard. These considerations ensure that you get the most out of your Excel workbook merges and create a meaningful dashboard that meets the needs of your organization.

When effectively utilized, Excel workbook merges can be a great way to get started building your own dashboards. From tracking budget expenses to visualizing customer segmentation data, Excel workbook merges can provide a great entry point into dashboard development.

Summary of Benefits

• The ability to combine your data into one workbook file
• Quickly create beautiful, data-rich dashboards
• Simplify the process of dashboard building
• Carefully consider data sources, structures and dashboard layout
• Great entry point into dashboard development

Final Words of Encouragement

To get started creating your own dashboards with Excel workbook merges, use the points discussed in this article to your advantage. If you are new to the world of dashboard design, Excel workbook merges can provide a great opportunity to learn and start building your own data-driven stories. With the right data sources, structure and design, you can create a dashboard with Excel workbook merges and start sharing your data insights with the world.