How do you use Excel features and tools to enhance the usability and functionality of your KPI dashboard?

To enhance the usability and functionality of your KPI dashboard in Excel, leverage features like PivotTables for dynamic data analysis, Conditional Formatting to highlight key metrics, and Charts (such as pivot charts or sparklines) for visual representation. Use Data Validation to ensure data integrity and interactivity. Incorporate slicers and timelines for intuitive filtering, and consider incorporating macros for automated updates and actions. These tools not only streamline data presentation but also enhance user interaction and decision-making capabilities within your dashboard.

When building a dashboard, it's essential to have a clear understanding of the metrics you want to track and the data sources you'll use to measure them. This way, you can ensure that the dashboard reflects the key performance indicators that matter most to you and your team. By defining KPIs and data sources upfront, you can also avoid any potential data discrepancies or inaccuracies down the line. Additionally, having a well-defined set of KPIs and data sources can help you make more informed decisions and take action based on real-time data.

As part of your KPI discovery phase, I would suggest mapping out the data flow as it currently exists in the business. This will give you a clear idea over how solid your data sources are, especially if a system is due to be replaced or upgraded. The last thing you want is a dashboard re-build. One final point on KPIs is make sure you get the weightings and the structure right. A three-tiered approach starting from metrics, through KPIs and up into Sectional performance is ideal. Get that right, and you won't waste time reviewing performance in irrelevant areas.

Understand the key metrics of your industry and how they relate to each other for visual flow. Also consider the dashboard consumers perspective and quick takeaways.

When creating a dashboard, it's crucial to consider the end-users and their requirements. The dashboard should not only provide a clear overview of KPIs but also allow users to interact with and explore the data in detail. Interactive visuals like drill-down charts, filters, and slicers can be used to focus on specific parts of the data. Aesthetics also play a role, with colors, fonts, and images that align with the brand. Designing a user-friendly and visually appealing dashboard can increase user engagement and adoption, leading to better decision-making and business outcomes

If you've got time, then wireframing your dashboard is a good idea. There are tons of free and cheap tools out there for this. There's no real point in going for a high-fidelity wireframe as you might as well build the thing for real, but there's certainly value in a mid-fidelity wireframe and reviewing that with stakeholders before building it for real.

With Macros you can empower your users to make informed decisions and take action based on the data. Macro buttons are a powerful tool for creating custom actions on your dashboard. With macro buttons, you can automate repetitive tasks, such as refreshing data, filtering data, or running calculations. For example, you can create a macro button that refreshes or filters all the data on your dashboard to match a certain perspective with a single click. This can save you and your users a lot of time and effort, especially if you have a large amount of data or complex calculations. With macro buttons, you can make your dashboard more efficient and user-friendly, ultimately leading to better decision-making and business outcomes.

Macros can be useful, but you run the risk of bloating the file speed if you've got too many, and if the designer leaves then you'd better have someone else in the business with experience of Macros. A better solution I've found is to use Power Query and combine that with a few slicers. Then if you add in dynamic named ranges you can create a really quick, agile and insightful dashboard based off the PQ table.

Para aprimorar a usabilidade e funcionalidade de um painel de KPIs no Excel, utilize fórmulas básicas como SOMA e MÉDIA para cálculos rápidos. Funções avançadas, como PROCV e ÍNDICE, ajudam a integrar dados de diferentes fontes, oferecendo uma visão completa. A formatação condicional é crucial para criar indicadores visuais claros—como ícones verdes, amarelos e vermelhos—facilitando a interpretação e a tomada de decisões. Esses recursos garantem um painel dinâmico e eficiente para o acompanhamento dos KPIs.

Testing and troubleshooting a dashboard involves not only checking for technical errors but also evaluating the usability, functionality, and relevance of the dashboard. To achieve this, you can conduct user testing and gather feedback from your team members to identify any issues or areas for improvement. Additionally, you should consider the security and privacy of the dashboard, ensuring that sensitive data is protected and accessible only to authorized users. By testing and troubleshooting your dashboard from different perspectives, you can ensure that it's reliable, user-friendly, and secure, ultimately leading to better engagement and adoption among your audience.

Before sharing your dashboard, you need to nail down the security first. Is there any sensitive data in the dashboard? Have you set up security groups or RLS to lockdown certain data tables? If you're uploading to a SharePoint site, do the right people have access to it? These, and many others, are vital questions you need to resolve before you share and publish anything.

KPIs live and die by how KEY they are. They absolutely must drive the performance of the business. So stay clear of vanity metrics like "Site Visitors" etc. They don't mean anything. You don't need more than 10 - 15 KPIs really. Once you've nailed the KPIs, your dashboard must tell a story. It's no good putting a ton of visuals on a page if none of them tell you WHY the performance is what it is. Anyone should be able to look at the dashboard and immediately see what needs to be improved and how to do it.