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Top 25 Best Tips on Excel Dashboards

Click here to see the complete article on 25 Best Tips on Excel Dashboards.
http://www.criticaltosuccess.com/top-25-best-tips-on-excel-dashboards/

1. Talk to the Dashboard Users. Build for their Needs and Decisions.
Identify and interview the dashboard’s primary users. Use a structured interview.
http://www.criticaltosuccess.com/top-25-best-tips-on-excel-dashboards/

2. Use Proven KPIs

Check with industry associations, online sources, and metric books for standard business metrics.

3. Map the Metrics that Drive Your Custom KPIs

Use Post-It notes to map your processes, then identify the KPI and back track to find driver metrics.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowchart

4. One Performance Domain. One Dashboard. Minimal KPI(s) and Their Drivers.
On one dashboard put one performance domain, it’s KPI(s) and the metrics that drive it.

5. Put Key Data at Top Left. Group Related KPIs and Metrics.
In the LTR reading world, put important data at top left. Put driver metrics right and down.

6. Group Data and Visuals in a Clean and Simple Layout

Keep dashboards clean and simple. Use grid layouts and whitespace to separate areas.

7. Use Conditional Icons for Quick Assessment

Use icons for quick assessment alerts. Excel’s Conditional Formatting includes colored directional icons.
http://www.excel-easy.com/examples/icon-sets.html

8. Learn Basic Design Concepts

Learn enough design principles to be confident. Read “The Non-Designer's Design Book (4th Edition).”
https://www.amazon.com/Non-Designers-Design-Book-4th/dp/0133966151/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

9. Keep It Clean
Keep the look clean. Use lots of white space. Click and delete unneeded chart trash.

10. Use Cell, Chart, and Dashboard Templates for Consistency

Use Excel’s custom cell styles and chart templates for consistent look. Create grid templates for a standardized
layout so users know where to look on the dashboard.
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/antoni/2013/05/13/operations-manager-2012-dashboard-widgets/
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Apply-create-or-remove-a-cell-style-472213bf-66bd-40c8-815c-
594f0f90cd22
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Create-and-apply-a-chart-template-70943401-3f6b-4364-b74c-
68642f617ae8?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US&fromAR=1

11. Keep Charts/Reports, Calculations, Menu Items, and Data on Separate Sheets
Layout, formatting, data entry, and protection are all better and safer when on separate sheets.
 Critical to Success
Business Skill and Tools that
Accelerate Your Career and Business
12. Don’t Keep Data in the Worksheet
Keep data in the database and link to it so you don’t create “many versions of the truth.”

13. Use Structured Range Names for Clarity

Use a structured syntax for range names so they are self-documenting and easy to find.
http://www.criticaltosuccess.com/structured-prefix-for-range-name-types/
http://www.criticaltosuccess.com/range-naming-convention/

14. Create Dynamic Dashboards for Data Interaction

Engage users with interactive dashboards.
http://www.criticaltosuccess.com/how-to-create-a-dynamic-excel-chart-using-a-data-validation-list/
http://www.criticaltosuccess.com/dynamic-chart-with-drop-down-list/
http://www.criticaltosuccess.com/creating-dynamic-excel-chart-titles-that-link-to-worksheet-cells/

15. Use PivotTables and Slicers for Large Data Interaction

Slice and dice databases with PivotTables. Use “slicers” to interactively filter data.
http://www.excel-easy.com/data-analysis/pivot-tables.html
http://www.contextures.com/CreatePivotTable.html

16. Create a Visual Comparison Between Forecast and Actual

Make it easy to see comparisons such as budget vs. actual.
http://www.criticaltosuccess.com/5-top-budget-vs-actual-excel-charts-you-need/

17. Show Trends when Analyzing Growth

Show trends by smoothing erratic data and showing the overall direction of movement.
http://www.criticaltosuccess.com/using-excels-trend-function-create-trend-lines-excel-charts-dashboards/
http://www.criticaltosuccess.com/using-trend-function-forecast-future-values-excel-charts-dashboards/

18. Format with Tables so Excel Charts Expand Automatically to include New Data
Format data as an Excel Table so that when you add data the chart automatically expands.

19. Use Dynamic Range Names so Excel Charts Expand Automatically

Use OFFSET and COUNT or COUNTA functions to create dynamic range names for charts that automatically
expand. These also give you control to make awesome interactive charts.
http://www.criticaltosuccess.com/dynamic-charts-in-excel-resize-with-offset-function-named-ranges/
http://www.criticaltosuccess.com/11-best-dynamic-excel-chart-tips/

20. Be Wary of Pie Charts

21. Never Use 3D Charts
22. Use Excel’s Cell Comments to Create In-Context Help
23. Post a Version and Date on each Report or Dashboard
24. Document Your Work
25. Sometimes You Do the Best You Can and Fix It in Version 3