IntroductiontoDashboardsin

Excel2007

CraigW.Abbey
DirectorofInstitutionalAnalysis
AcademicPlanningandBudget
UniversityatBuffalo
 CourseObjectives
1. Learnhowtolayoutvarioustypesof
dashboardsinExcel
2. Learnhowtocreatehighqualitygraphsfor
useinadashboard
3. Learnwhenandhowtochangegraph
scaling,gridlinesanddatalabels
4. Learnhowtousecolorstoemphasizeand
highlightdataseriesanddatapoints
 TopicsCovered
TheoryandExamples
Creatingandformattingchartsfortimeseries,
ranking,distribution,andnominalcomparison
relationships
Resizingcolumnsandrowstodefinespaces
Fillingcells,settingborders,formattingaxes
Timesavingtricksandtips
 SuggestedBook
InformationDashboardDesign
byStephenFew

Excel2007Charts
byJohnWalkenbach
 Data,InformationandKnowledge
Data areraw.Theyaresymbolsorisolatedand
noninterpretedfacts.
Information isdatathathasbeengiven
meaningthroughinterpretationbywayof
relationalconnectionandpragmaticcontext.
Knowledge isinformation,whichhasbeen
cognitivelyprocessedandintegratedintoan
existinghumanknowledgestructure.
Source:S.O.Tergan andT.Keller(Eds.):KnowledgeandInformationVisualization,LNCS3426,2005.p.3
 Tablesvs.Graphs
Table(Data) Graph(Information)
Dataareexpressed intheformoftext Dataareexpressgraphically(thatis, asa
(thatis,wordsandnumbersratherthan picture)
graphically)

Dataarearrangedincolumnsandrows Dataaredisplayedinrelation tooneor

moreaxesalongwhichrunscalesthat
assignmeaningtothevalues

Workbestwhen thedisplaywillbeused Work bestwhenthemessageyouwishto

tolookupindividualvaluesorthe communicateresidesintheshapeofthe
quantitativevaluesmustbeprecise. data(thatis,inpatterns,trendsand
exceptions)

Source:EffectivelyCommunicatingNumbersbyStephenFew,November2005,p.4.
 Tablevs.GraphExample
TableShowsActualValues GraphsShowTrend
Firsttime, FullTimeRetention 90%

Sem 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

85%
ester

2nd 80%
81.9% 83.4% 83.5% 86.1% 87.6% 87.6% 89.3%
3rd 75%
78.0% 81.0% 80.0% 83.0% 85.0% 84.0% 86.0%
4th 70%
71.8% 73.7% 74.4% 73.9% 79.9% 77.0% 77.1%
5th 65%
69.8% 71.1% 72.3% 71.8% 75.4% 74.3% 75.0%
6th 60%
65.8% 69.2% 68.2% 67.7% 72.7% 72.3% 70.7%
7th
64.0% 66.8% 66.3% 65.8% 68.6% 69.8% 68.8%
8th
61.7% 64.9% 64.5% 63.6% 66.2% 67.8% 66.1% 3rdSemester 5thSemester
 DataTableversus
Inner Harbor University November 09

Chart # Enrollment and Outcomes F 05 F 06 F 07 F 08 F 09

1 Headcount Total 16,751 17,204 17,426 16,998 16,293
Undergraduate 11,780 11,884 11,953 11,796 11,388
Graduate 4,971 5,320 5,473 5,202 4,905
1 Full-time Equivalent Students (FTE) 14,020 14,524 14,576 14,314 13,992
2 New Students (Total Full-Time) 3,347 3,312 3,469 3,259 3,097
First-Time, Full-Time 2,218 2,221 2,282 2,158 2,013
Transfer, Full-Time 1,129 1,091 1,187 1,101 1,084
Freshman Quality
3 Mean SAT 1161 1159 1153 1168 1165
3 Mean HS GPA 88.4 89.2 89.5 90.0 90.7
4 Applicants 19,947 20,673 21,170 20,843 20,669
Freshman 16,394 16,934 17,534 17,194 17,078
Transfer 3,553 3,739 3,636 3,649 3,591
Residency of New Studnents
6 % MD Res. 86.5% 85.4% 84.5% 83.9% 83.5%
6 % Non-MD, US 8.7% 9.4% 10.2% 11.3% 11.3%
6 % Int'l 4.7% 5.2% 5.3% 4.8% 5.2%

800 - 900 900 - 1000 1000 - 1100 1100 - 1200 1200 - 1300 1300 - 1400 1400 - 1500 1500 - 1600
5 SAT Score Distributiom 17 140 488 1022 970 349 101 10

Poli Sci Chemistry Biology English History

7 Intended Major of New Students 204 150 131 98 48
 Dashboard
InnerHarborUniversity November2009
Dashboard

1 2 3 4
Headcount and FTE New Students Freshman Quality Applicants

3,500 1170 91 21,500

18,000 3,400 90 21,000
17,426 1160
17,204 3,300 89 20,500
16,998 3,200
16,751 1150 88 20,000
17,000 3,100
16,293 3,000 1140 87 19,500
2,900 19,000
16,000 F F F F F
F 05 F 06 F 07 F 08 F 09 05 06 07 08 09 F 05F 06F 07F 08F 09
15,000 14,524 14,576
14,314 Full-Time Freshmen and Transf ers SAT in Red, HS GPA in Blue Freshmen and Transf ers
14,020 13,992
14,000 5 6 7
SAT Distribution Residency Intended Major
13,000
250
1,200 % MD
5.2% 200
12,000 1,000 11.3 Res.
150
800 %
600 % Non- 100
11,000 400 MD, US
50
200 83.5
0 % Int'l 0
%

Chem
10,000

Biology
Poli Sci

English
History
F 05 F 06 F 07 F 08 F 09
Full- and Part -t ime St udent s (Bars), Full-t ime Equivalent St udent s (Line) First -t ime, Full-Time Ent ering Cohort Residency of New St udent s

University System of Maryland

 TheUseofColor
SaturatedColorsShouldbeUsedforEmphasis
ChooseCommonColors

StandardColors EmphasisColors
GestaltPrinciplesofVisualPerception
Proximity
Closure
Similarity
Continuity
Enclosure
Connection
 Proximity
3Groupsor10Dots? RowsandColumns
 Closure
SeetheShape? OnlyNeedTwoAxis
 Similarity
GroupbyColor,Size,Shape InaGraph
3.5

2.5

1.5

0.5

0
0 1 2 3 4
 Continuity
Howmanylines? Indentation
Headcount
Fulltime 4,302
Parttime 1,293
Degrees
Associates 1,007
Bachelors 2,982
Enclosure
Connection
 DesignisImportant!
Total Research Federal Research Endowment
$250,000 120 120,000 National
Rank
120 600.0 M 200.0

$200,000 100 100,000 100 500.0 M

Total 150.0
80 Resea
rch
80,000 80 400.0 M
$150,000
60 Nation 60,000 Control Rank
60 300.0 M 100.0
al
$100,000 Rank
40,000 40
40 200.0 M
$50,000
Contr 50.0
20 ol
Rank
20,000 20 100.0 M
$0 0 0 0 0.0 M 0.0
National Rank Control Rank
02 03 04 05 06 02 03 04 05 06 20032004200520062007

versus
1 2 3
Total Research Federal Research Endowment
$250,000 0 $120,000 0 $600 0

$200,000 20 $100,000 20 $500

50
40 $80,000 40 $400
$150,000
60 $60,000 60 $300 100
$100,000 $40,000 80
80 $200
$50,000 150
100 $20,000 100 $100
$0 120 $0 National Rank Control Rank
120 $0 200
National Rank Control Rank National Rank Control Rank
02 03 04 05 06 02 03 04 05 06 03 04 05 06 07
To tal NSF R&D ($ In Tho usands) Federal NSF R&D ($ In Tho usands) Endo wment ($ In M illio ns)
 KeepitSimple
ExtraneousFeatures LessisBetter
AnnualBudget AnnualBudget
$4.70M $4.60 $4.8M
$4.60M $4.50
$inMillions

$4.50M $4.40 4.6

$4.40M $4.6M 4.5
$4.30M $4.20
$4.20M $4.10 4.4
$4.10M $4.4M
$4.00M
$3.90M Annual 4.2
$3.80M Budget $4.2M 4.1
FY200506
FY200607
FY200708
FY200809
FY200910

$4.0M

$3.8M
Year 0506 0607 0708 0809 0910
 20%
40%
60%
80%
100%

0%
Fall2000
Fall2001
Fall2002
Fall2003
Fall2004
Fall2005
StartatZero

Fall2006
GraduationRate

Fall2007
Fall2008
Fall2009

56%
57%
58%
59%
60%
61%
62%
63%
64%

Fall2000
Fall2001
ChartScaling

Fall2002
Fall2003
Fall2004
Fall2005
Fall2006
GraduationRate

Fall2007
ScaletoShowChange

Fall2008
Fall2009
 TimesSeries LevelversusTrend
Level Trend
1stYearRetention 1stYearRetention
94% 93.1% 93.3%92.9%
94%
92.8%
93% 92.1%
93%
91.9% 91.8%
92% 92%
90.9%
91% 91%
89.8%
90% 90%
88.9%
89% 89%
88% 88%
87% 87%
86% 86%
Fall2007
Fall2008
Fall2009
Fall2000
Fall2001
Fall2002
Fall2003
Fall2004
Fall2005
Fall2006

Fall2000
Fall2001
Fall2002
Fall2003
Fall2004
Fall2005
Fall2006
Fall2007
Fall2008
Fall2009
 StackedBarCharts
Blueseries
WhatsImportant? BetterView accountsfor
14 14 mostof
differencein
12 12 totalvalue

10 10

8 8

6 6

4 4

2 2

0 0
Cat1 Cat2 Cat3 Cat4 Cat1 Cat2 Cat3 Cat4
 RankingRelationships
SortbyCategory SortbyValue
DegreesAwarded DegreesAwarded
Biology PoliticalScience
Chemistry Biology
English Geography
Geography Chemistry
Sortingby
History English valuegives
PoliticalScience usasenseof
History therank
0 40 80 120 160
0 40 80 120 160
 ParttoWholeRelationship
PieChart BarChart
EnrollmentbyCounty EnrollmentbyCounty
30%
9% 25%
28% 20%
17%
15%
19% 10%
27% 5%
0%
Erie Niagra Monroe
Genesee Orleans
 DeviationRelationship
Number Percentage
ActuallessGoal ActuallessGoal
40 25%
20 15%
0 5%
20 5%
40 15%
60 25%
 DistributionRelationship
AreaChart OverlappingBarChart
CHEM101Grades CHEM101Grades
18% 18%
16% 16%
14% 14%
12% 12%
10% 10%
8% 8%
6% 6%
4% 4%
2% 2%
0% 0%
F D D+ C C C+ B B B+ A A F D D+ C C C+ B B B+ A A
 CorrelationRelationship
GraduationRatesandSAT
100%
90%
80%
GraduationRate

70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400
AverageSATScore
 NominalRelationships
Wrong Right
ProgramCreditHours ProgramCreditHours
140 140
135 135
130 130
125 125
120 120
115 115
Exercise1 TimeSeriesCharts

TotalHeadcountEnrollment HeadcountEnrollment
15,000 16,000
14,123
14,000 12,987 13,346
14,000 12,521
12,000 11,045 3,310
3,686
2,617 2,805
13,000 10,000 2,209
12,000 8,000
6,000
11,000 9,904 10,182 10,036 10,437
4,000 8,836
10,000 2,000
9,000
05 06 07 08 09
8,000
05 06 07 08 09 Undergraduate Graduate
 Exercise1 TimeSeriesChartsSteps
LineChart Trend
1. OpenExercise1Workbook
2. SelectA3:F4
3. ChooseInsert,Linewith
MarkersChart(UnderCharts)
4. DeletetheLegend
5. RetitletheChartTotal
HeadcountEnrollment
6. SelecttheYaxis,FormatitSo
itRangesfrom8,000to
16,000
StackedBar Values
1. SelectA3:F6
2. ChooseInsert,StackedColumn(UnderCharts)
3. SelectTotalontheLegendandPressDelete
4. FormattheLegendsoItsontheBottom
5. SelectEachDataSeries,RightClickandSelectAdd
DataLables
6. OverthePlotArea,RightClickandChooseSelect
Data,UsingtheArrows,MovetheTotalseriesto
lastinthelist,ClickOk
7. SelectaDataSeries,ChooseFormatDataSeries,
SettheGapWidthto50
8. SelecttheLables forUndergraduate,ChangeFont
ColortoWhite,RepeatforGraduate
9. SelecttheLabelsforTotal,RightClick,Select
FormatDataLabels,ChangetheLabelPositionto
InsideBase
10. SelecttheTotalDataSeries(Blue),RightClick,
SelectFormatDataSeries,SetFilltoNoFill,Set
BorderColortoNoLine.
11. SelecttheYaxis,FormatitSoitRangesfrom0to
16,000
12. UnderChartTools,LayoutonRibbonBar,adda
TitleandTurnofftheGridlines
 Exercise2 DistributionCharts

SATScores SATScores
350 350
300 300
250 250
200 200
150 150
100 100
50 50
0 0
800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500
900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600
 Exercise2 DistributionCharts
1. OpenExercise2Workbook
2. SelectA3:I4
3. SelectInsert,ClusteredColumnunderChartsArea
4. SelecttheLegend,PressDelete
5. SelecttheDataSeries,RightClick,SelectFormat,
ChangeGapWidthto0,SelectClose
6. ForanAreaChart,SelectthePlotArea,RightClick,
SelectChangeChartType,SelectAreaChart,ClickOk
TIP:UseCopyandPastetoSaveTime.SelecttheChart,
CopyandPaste.ChangetheChartTypeBackto
ClusteredColumn.NowYouHaveBothStyles.
Exercise3 Nominal/Categorical
Charts

Degrees
250
204
200
150
150 131
98
100
48
50

0
Biology Chemistry English History PoliSci
 Exercise3 Nominal/Categorical
Charts
1. OpenExercise3Workbook
2. SelectA3:F4
3. ChooseInsert,ClusteredColumnunderChartsArea
4. SelecttheLegend,PressDelete
5. WiththeChartSelected,SelectLayout,GridlinesunderAxes,
SelectPrimaryHorizontalGridlines,SelectNone
6. SelecttheDataSeries,RightClick,SelectFormatDataSeries,Set
GapWidthto75,SelectClose
7. SelecttheDataSeries,RightClick,SelectAddDataLabels

TIP: SelecttheDataLabelforHistory(asingledatalabelcanbe
selectedbyselectingthedatalabelsandthenclickingagain),Right
Click,SelectFormatDataLabel,SelectFillandtheSolidFill,Under
Color,SelecttheFillColorofYourChoicetoEmphasize,Select
Close.
 Exercise4 RankingCharts

Degrees
Degrees
250 PoliSci 204
204
200 Chemistry 150
150
150 131
Biology 131
98
100
English 98
48
50
History 48
0
PoliSci Chemistry Biology English History 0 50 100 150 200 250
 Exercise4 RankingCharts
1. OpenExercise4Workbook
2. SelectB3:F4
3. SelectSort&Filter,CustomSortunderEditingAreaof
HomeRibbon
4. SelectOptions,SortLefttoRight,ClickOK
5. SetSortbytoRow4,SetOrdertoLargesttoSmallest
6. SelecttheChart,Copy,SelectA21andPaste
7. Selectthe2ndColumnChart,RightClick,SelectChange
ChartType,SelectClusteredBar
8. SelecttheYaxis,RightClick,SelectFormatAxis
9. ChecktheCategoriesinReverseOrderBox
10. SelecttheAtMaximumCategoryRadioButton
 Exercise5 CreateaSimple
Dashboard
AVerySimpleDashboard
FallEnrollment SATDistribution DegreesGranted
15,000 350 250
300
14,000 250 200
13,000 200 150
150
12,000 100 100
11,000 50 50
0
10,000 0

900 1000
1000 1100
1100 1200
1200 1300
1300 1400
1400 1500
1500 1600
9,000 800 900
8,000
05 06 07 08 09

HeadcountEnrollment MeanVerbalandMath 200809AcademicYear

 Exercise5 CreateaSimple
DashboardSteps
1. OpenExercise5Workbook
2. ResizeColumnsA,C,E,Gto3Wide
3. ResizeColumnsB,D,Fto30Wide
4. ResizeRow4to150Height
5. FillA1throughG6withWhite
6. MergeA1throughG1andFillwithColorofYourChoice
7. FillB3,D3,F3withColorofYourChoice,ChangeTextColor
toWhite
8. FillB4:B5,D4:D5,F4:F5withaLighterShade
9. CreateGraphsusingDataWorksheetData
10. BesuretoEnterTitlesinRow3Headersanda
TitleonRow1.EnterdatanotesinB5,D5andF5.
Exercise6 CreateaFancier
Dashboard
AFancierDashboard
FallEnrollment SATDistribution
350
16,000 300
250
14,123 200
14,000
12,987 13,346 150
12,521 100
50
12,000 3,686 0
11,045 2,805 3,310
2,617

900 1000
1000 1100
1100 1200
1200 1300
1300 1400
1400 1500
1500 1600
800 900
10,000 2,209

8,000
MeanVerbalandMath
6,000
9,904 10,182 10,036 10,437 DegreesGranted
8,836
4,000 250
200
2,000 150
100
50
05 06 07 08 09
0

Undergraduate Graduate

HeadcountEnrollment 200809AcademicYear
 Exercise6 CreateaFancier
DashboardSteps
1. OpenExercise6Workbook
2. SelectandCopyA3:G6.PastetheninA7.
3. CopytheFormatofRows3:6toRows7:10.
4. DeletecontentsofF3:F5.YoullneedtoSelecttheChartandDeleteItSeparately.Repeat
forD7:D9.
5. CutD3:D5andPasteitinF3.
6. SelectB3:D3.MergeandCenter.
7. SelectB4:D8.MergeandCenter.
8. SelectB9:D9.MergeandCenter.
9. CreateaStackBarChartfromA3:F6ontheDataWorksheet.ResizeittofitinB4:D8of
yourDashboard.
10. SettheChartsBorderColorandFillColortoNoLineandNoFill
11. ChangethePositionoftheLegendtotheBottom.SelecttheFallEnrollmentonthe
LegendandDeleteit.
12. UseSelectDatatoChangetheDataSeriesOrder.MoveTotalEnrollmenttotheBottom
oftheList.
13. AddDataLabelstoAllDataSeries.FormatasDesired.
14. FormattheTotalEnrollmentDataLabels,SettingtheLabelPositiontoInsideBase.
15. FormattheTotalEnrollmentDataSeries,SettingBorderColorandFillColortoNoLine
andNoFill
16. FormattheYaxistoRangefrom0to16,000.
 SampleDashboard
InnerHarborUniversity November2009
Dashboard

1 2 3 4
Headcount and FTE New Students Freshman Quality Applicants

3,500 1170 91 21,500

18,000 3,400 90 21,000
17,426 1160
17,204 3,300 89 20,500
16,998 3,200
16,751 1150 88 20,000
17,000 3,100
16,293 3,000 1140 87 19,500
2,900 19,000
16,000 F F F F F
F 05 F 06 F 07 F 08 F 09 05 06 07 08 09 F 05F 06F 07F 08F 09
15,000 14,524 14,576
14,314 Full- Time Fr eshmen and Transf er s SAT in Red, HS GPA in Blue Fr eshmen and Transf er s
14,020 13,992
14,000 5 6 7
SAT Distribution Residency Intended Major
13,000
250
% MD
1,200 5.2% 200
12,000 1,000 11.3 Res.
150
800 %
600 % Non- 100
11,000 400 MD, US
50
200 83.5
0 % Int'l 0
%

Chem
10,000

Biology
Poli Sci

English
History
F 05 F 06 F 07 F 08 F 09
Full- and Par t - t ime St udent s (Bars), Full-t ime Equivalent St udent s (Line) Fir st -t ime, Full- Time Ent ering Cohor t Residency of New St udent s

University System of Maryland

 SummaryAdvice,TricksandTips
ThinkAboutthePointYouareTryingtoMake
beforeYouGraph
DesignMattersandCanHelpYouCommunicate
Information
DatathatDoesntShowAnythingCanstillTella
Story
ResizeorMergeCellssoGraphsFitInsideSingle
Cells
CopyandPasteGraphstoSaveTime
LimitedColorPalateOftenBetter
ThatsAllFolks!

ContactInformation:
CraigW.Abbey
cwabbey@buffalo.edu