Here’s a clear, beginner-friendly explanation of Charts and Dashboards in Excel, plus how to create them.
✅ What is a Chart in Excel?
A chart is a visual representation of data—like a graph. It helps you quickly understand patterns, trends, and comparisons.
Common Types of Charts
- Column Chart – Compare values across categories
- Bar Chart – Similar to column, but horizontal
- Pie Chart – Show percentage distribution
- Line Chart – Show trends over time
- Area Chart – Trend + volume
- Combo Chart – Two chart types together
- Scatter Plot – Relationship between variables
🟦 How to Create a Chart in Excel
- Select your data (including headers).
- Go to Insert tab.
- Choose a chart from Charts group (Column, Pie, Line, etc.).
- Customize using:
- Chart Design
- Format
- Add Elements (title, data labels, legend, axis, etc.)
📊 What is a Dashboard in Excel?
A dashboard is a collection of charts, tables, and KPIs arranged on one sheet to give a quick overview of important insights.
Dashboards usually include:
- Charts
- Pivot tables & Pivot charts
- Slicers
- Timelines
- Conditional formatting
- KPI indicators
🟩 How to Create a Simple Dashboard in Excel
Step 1: Clean & Organize Your Data
Make sure your data is in a proper table format:
- No blank columns
- Clear headers
- Use
Ctrl + Tto convert into an Excel Table
Step 2: Create Pivot Tables
- Select your data
- Insert → Pivot Table
- Drag fields into Rows, Columns, Values
Step 3: Create Pivot Charts
- Select Pivot Table
- Insert → Pivot Chart
- Choose appropriate chart
Step 4: Insert Slicers (Filters)
- Click on Pivot Table
- Insert → Slicer
- Select fields (Category, Date, Region, etc.)
Slicers allow interactive filtering.
Step 5: Create Dashboard Sheet
- Insert a new sheet named Dashboard
- Copy & paste your charts
- Arrange them neatly
- Add headings, shapes, and color theme
🛠Best Practices for Dashboards
- Keep it clean and simple
- Use fewer colors
- Use consistent font style
- Avoid clutter
- Use slicers for interactivity
- Show key metrics (Total Sales, Avg Revenue, Growth %, etc
Sure! Here is more detailed, practical, and advanced information about Charts and Dashboards in Excel, including tips, examples, and advanced features.
🔵 1. Advanced Chart Types in Excel
A. Combo Chart
Used when you want to compare two different data types.
- Example: Sales (column) + Profit % (line)
Steps
Insert → Combo Chart → Choose series as Line or Column.
B. Waterfall Chart
Shows increases and decreases over time.
- Used in finance to track Profit/Loss.
Insert → Waterfall Chart.
C. Sparklines
Tiny charts inside a single cell.
- Insert → Sparklines → Line, Column, Win/Loss.
D. Map Chart
For geographical data (country/state/city level).
- Insert → Map Chart.
E. Funnel Chart
Used for processes like sales pipeline.
- Insert → Funnel Chart.
🟦 2. Chart Customization
A. Chart Elements
Add/remove elements:
- Axis titles
- Data labels
- Chart title
- Legend
- Gridlines
- Trendlines
Right-click → Add Chart Element.
B. Formatting Chart
You can format:
- Colors
- Chart background
- Bar thickness
- Font size
- Data label position
Use:
- Format Pane
- Chart Design Tab
🟩 3. Excel Dashboard – Step-by-Step (Advanced)
Here is a complete dashboard-building workflow.
STEP 1 — Prepare Your Data
Your data should be:
- Clean
- No empty rows
- Proper headers
- Numeric fields correctly formatted
- Convert to a Table (Ctrl + T)
STEP 2 — Create Measures / Calculations (if needed)
For dashboards, you may calculate:
- Total sales
- Average order value
- Growth %
- Profit margin
Using:
- Formulas (SUMIFS, COUNTIFS, etc.)
- Pivot calculations
- Power Pivot measures (advanced)
STEP 3 — Create Pivot Tables
Use Pivot Tables to:
- Summarize data
- Group dates (month, quarter, year)
- Filter by region, category, etc.
Example: Rows → Month
Values → Total Sales
STEP 4 — Create Pivot Charts
Turn each Pivot Table into a chart.
Recommended charts:
- Line (Trend)
- Column (Comparison)
- Pie/Donut (Share %)
- Cards (KPIs using text boxes)
STEP 5 — Insert Slicers & Timelines
Make your dashboard interactive.
Slicer
Filters by:
- Category
- Region
- Product
- Salesperson
Timeline
Filters by:
- Year
- Quarter
- Month
- Day
STEP 6 — Build Dashboard Layout
Create a new sheet named Dashboard.
Add:
- Title
- Shapes (rectangles with light color)
- Charts
- Slicers
- KPI boxes
Align everything neatly:
- Home → Format → Align/Distribute
🔶 4. Professional Dashboard KPIs
Include top KPIs at the top of dashboard:
Typical KPIs:
- Total Sales
- Total Profit
- Customer Count
- Conversion Rate
- Monthly Growth %
- Top 5 Products
- Sales by Region
🔵 5. Useful Excel Formulas for Dashboards
1. SUMIFS
Sum with multiple conditions
=SUMIFS(Sales, Region, "East", Month, "Jan")
2. COUNTIFS
Count rows with multiple conditions
=COUNTIFS(Status,"Closed",Agent,"Amit")
3. IF + AND/OR
Create KPIs or status indicators
=IF(Sales > 100000, "Target Achieved", "Not Achieved")
4. TEXT + CONCAT
For KPI labels
="Total Sales: ₹"&TEXT(SUM(B2:B50),"#,##0")
5. VLOOKUP / XLOOKUP
For dynamic referencing.
🟣 6. Dashboard Design Tips (Very Important)
✔ Keep one color theme
✔ Use simple charts
✔ Prefer Slicers over filters
✔ Avoid clutter
✔ Use white space
✔ Align all objects
✔ Use consistent font (e.g., Calibri/Segoe UI)
✔ Highlight only important numbers
🟢 7. Examples of Dashboard Ideas
-
Sales Dashboard
- Sales by region
- Top 5 products
- Monthly trend
- Profit %, slicers
-
HR Dashboard
- Headcount
- Attrition rate
- Department-wise strength
- Gender ratio
-
Finance Dashboard
- Revenue
- Expenses
- Profit/Loss waterfall
- Cash flow.
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