Troubleshooting Common Issues with Excel Dashboards

Introduction

An Excel dashboard is a powerful tool that helps you to track key performance indicators (KPIs), analyze data and make better business decisions. It presents a graphical summary of complex data by providing visual representations of the information, in one glance. Excel dashboards can be created to display data points like trends, comparisons, operational metrics, and more.

Common issues that might arise when troubleshooting an Excel dashboard include:

• Misaligned data
• Graphical errors
• Wrong calculations
• Inaccurate visualizations
• Stale data
• Formatting errors

Problem 2: Problems with Data Links

Data links, which link the content of an Excel dashboard to the underlying data, are essential to the smooth functioning of dashboards. Any issue that occurs with data links can directly affect the performance of the dashboard and should be addressed as soon as possible. In this section, we analyze three of the most common problems with data links: issues with external data sources, refresh issues and unstable data structures.

a. External Data Sources

Most Excel dashboards are set up to link to external data sources. These links often break, requiring the user to re-establish the link or update the data source. This process can be difficult if the data source has become corrupted or if the user does not know how to use the specific functions for linking. It is also important to note that different versions of Excel may not be compatible with the same external data sources, so upgrading to a newer version may be necessary.

b. Refresh Issues

Data links that are connected to external data sources must be refreshed periodically to ensure the dashboard remains up to date. If the refresh process is interrupted, the dashboard will not be able to display the most recent data. In these cases, the user must manually refresh the data or find a way to automate the refresh process to avoid having to constantly manually update the data.

c. Unstable Data Structures

Unstable data structures can cause issues with data links by causing the dashboard to display incorrect or inconsistent information. This is most likely to occur when the underlying data changes frequently, or when the user does not maintain an organized, consistent data structure for their dashboard. To avoid this problem, it is important for users to use consistent, organized data structures and regularly review their data links to make sure they are functioning properly.

Inaccurate Calculated Values

When troubleshooting your Excel dashboards, it is important to make sure that the calculated values are accurate. Inaccurate values can lead to incorrect visualization and presentation of information. Here are two of the most common issues that can cause incorrect calculations in your dashboard.

Formula Issues

Formulas are the backbone of your dashboard, and any mistake in them can lead to erroneous calculations. Common causes of formula issues include:

• Incorrectly linking of data sources: When two separate data sources are being used, you must make sure that all relationships between them are established correctly, causing any linked formulas to return accurate values.
• Incomplete data: If data is incomplete in any of the fields, the calculated values can become incorrect due to assumptions that the calculations make about the data.
• Incorrect assumptions in the formula: Formulas that incorrectly assume the direction of information or the type of calculation are likely to return incorrect values.
• Wrong order of operations: The order in which data is processed can have an effect on the calculated values. If the order of operations is incorrect, the results of the formula can be incorrect.

Corrupted Data

When the data that is being used to calculate the values is corrupted, the calculated values can become inaccurate. Common sources of corrupted data are:

• Duplicate entries: When entries have been entered multiple times, calculations based on the data can become skewed.
• Outdated/inaccurate data: When data is out of date or inaccurate, calculations will be affected.
• Incorrect merging of data: When data from two different sources is merged together incorrectly, values may be incorrect.

Formatting Glitches

Design is one of the most integral components of an Excel dashboard. Without proper formatting and alignment, it can be difficult to intuitively grasp the information being presented. To tweak and maintain your dashboard’s eye-popping design and layout, consider troubleshooting the common issues outlined below.

General Layout Issues

Excel’s auto-formatting options instantly create visual appeal, however, a dashboard’s components can quickly become misaligned. If you are experiencing layout problems, check all of your objects for centering and alignment. Dashboard elements may also be prone to overlapping. Finally, consider manually resetting elements that may have been moved by accident. This can make a huge difference in the overall look of your dashboard.

Font Sizing Misalignment

Ensuring consistent font size across the entire dashboard is key for a seamless design. When objects look out of place or suffer from inconsistent sizing, check your row and column heights. If necessary, override the default font size and manually adjust fonts across different sections.

Conditional Formatting Troubles

Conditional formatting is a powerful Excel feature that can highlight key pieces of information with colors, icons, or data bars. If certain sections of the dashboard won’t respond to changes in the formatting, double check the formulas associated with it. Make sure that the range is correctly set and that there are no typos or mistakes in any of the formulas. In addition, ensure that the formula is correctly resolving as “True” or “False.”

Performance Delays

Performance delays are one of the most common problems experienced with Excel dashboards. There are two primary common issues when it comes to performance delays – slow-running queries and inability to zoom and navigate dashboards. It’s important to identify the root cause of any dashboarding issues before attempting to resolve them.

Slow-Running Queries

If your queries are running slowly this can lead to performance delays when loading your dashboards. To identify the source of the slow queries, you can use Microsoft SQL Server Profiler and Trace Parser to find out the exact queries that are causing the issue. Once the slow-running queries have been identified, you should assess the queries and work to improve the performance of the queries.

Inability to Zoom and Navigate Dashboard

Your Excel dashboard may be running slowly due to the inability to zoom and navigate it. To fix this, you should ensure that you’re using the latest version of Excel, as well as the latest versions of other software packages that you’re using to create or access your dashboards. Additionally, you’ll want to check your user settings, making sure the window size is set for optimal performance when navigating the dashboard.

You may also want to check your hardware, as outdated hardware can cause performance issues. Your computer’s RAM and processor speed can affect how quickly your dashboards load, so it’s important to make sure your computer meets the minimum requirements for running Excel dashboards.

Finally, you can check the complexity of your dashboards. If there are too many objects, calculations, or data points, the dashboard will likely be slow to navigate. To fix this, you can assess the dashboard and look for areas where you can simplify or streamline the design.

Solution Options

When troubleshooting common issues with Excel Dashboards, there are generally three different solution options available: data analysis tools, data validation, and cleaning up data sets.

Data Analysis Tools

Data analysis tools are the most commonly used solution when troubleshooting with Excel Dashboards. These tools are powerful tools that allow the user to analyze data, identify patterns, and perform calculations quickly and efficiently. Data analysis tools can be used to identify errors, inconsistencies, and discrepancies in datasets that may be causing the issue.

Data Validation

Data validation is another solution option that can be used when troubleshooting with Excel Dashboards. Data validation is a process of verifying the accuracy and completeness of data using formulas, formulas, or other methods. This process allows the user to identify potential errors prior to creating the dashboard, ensuring that the final output is correct and consistent.

Cleaning Up Data Sets

Finally, cleaning up data sets is another solution option when troubleshooting with Excel Dashboards. This process involves removing unnecessary and irrelevant information, as well as restructuring data so that it is correctly formatted and organized. Additionally, data cleansing can also involve adding new data points or removing existing data points if needed.

With these three solution options, it is possible to effectively troubleshoot common issues with Excel Dashboards and ensure the output is accurate and effective.

Conclusion

Excel dashboards provide data-driven insights that allow users to better understand their business and make decisions based on those findings. However, like any other technology, they can be vulnerable to certain issues that configure or impede access to data. With a few troubleshooting methods and creative problem-solving, most of these issues can be resolved quickly and easily.

Common Issues are Manageable

It can be frustrating when an Excel dashboard refuses to work as expected, but with a bit of trial and error and some investigative skills, these issues can typically be managed. Whether its troubleshooting data connections, sorting out connectivity issues, or debugging server communication errors, most Excel dashboard problems can be addressed.

Resources to Effectively Address Issues

Solutions to Excel dashboard issues can be found in a variety of places. Microsoft documentation, web tutorials, blogs, and dedicated toolkit pages are all viable resources for problem-solving. Additionally, there are many forums that include noted experts and experienced contributors, providing helpful advice and guidance to people facing all kinds of Excel-related problems.

With a combination of creative problem-solving and the right resource in hand, most Excel dashboard issues can be resolved in a timely manner. Knowing where to look and successfully tackling common issues can provide a sense of clarity and competency to the data and analytics field.