Creating KPI Dashboards in Microsoft Excel is a series of 6 posts by Robert from Munich, Germany.
This 6 Part Tutorial on KPI Dashboards Teaches YOU:
Creating a Scrollable List View in Dashboard
Add Ability to Sort on Any KPI to the Dashboard
Highlight KPIs Based on Percentile
Add Microcharts to KPI Dashboards
Compare 2 KPIs in the Dashboards Using Form Controls
Show the Distribution of a KPI using Box Plots
The Challenge – Sorting
With the post KPI Dashboard – Setting up a Scrollable Table we started a little series of posts on how to create interactive dashboard tables with Microsoft Excel. Showing an extract of a longer list of items and enabling the user to scroll up and down was only the first step. Allowing deeper data analysis on the executive dashboard definitely needs more features. One of the most simple but common techniques for data analysis is sorting. Again we want to enable the user to select the sort criteria and see the results immediately without leaving the dashboard. That is: no need to go to the sheet with the raw data, no need to select ranges, no need to use the sort commands on the Excel menu or ribbon. And of course we want to do this without using VBA.
The Solution
The table on our KPI dashboard looks almost the same as the first one, except the 5 option buttons to select the sort criteria beneath the column headers and the fact that the selected column is highlighted with a darker fill color.
Download the excel file with KPI Dashboards – Scroll and Sort and read below to find how it is done.
The implementation
After some smaller changes on the dashboard, like adding the option buttons, linking them to the same cell and adding simple conditional formatting to the columns, the interesting part is the sorting algorithm on the sheet “calculations”. There are various solutions for sorting in excel using formulas. Most of them are use array formulas, definitely the most elegant way of doing this, but hard to understand. The step-by-step solution with several “help columns” may not be as elegant as an array formula, but it will probably be easier to understand.
This is how the dashboard sorting works:
- Get the relevant data (depending on the sort criteria) by using the function OFFSET (column E)
- Make sure to have a list with unique entries by adding a very small number (column F)
- Sort the list using the function LARGE (column G)
- Use MATCH to find the corresponding position of every value within the unsorted list (column H)
- Put together the whole data table in a sorted form by using the results in column H and OFFSET (columns (J to O)
We are almost there. All we have to do now is changing the starting references in the OFFSET-functions on the dashboard (refer to row 9 on sheet calculation instead of row 5 on sheet data). That is all.
Final remarks
If you are using Excel 2007, you will notice that the conditional formatting of the cells underneath the option buttons will behave somehow strangely when clicking on another button. If you scroll down until the range is out of sight and scroll back again, everything looks fine. This doesn’t happen with Excel 2003, so it seems to be a bug in Excel 2007.
What next?
Download the KPI Dashboards Excel and learn
Read the next post in this series: Part 3: Highlight KPIs Based on Percentile
Also, Checkout our Excel Dashboards Page for more examples and resources.
Update on Aug 28, 2008 Justin commented that it would be better if the sort order could be reversed so that you can analyze bottom 10 of any KPI using the dashboard. Robert is kind enough to oblige the request. He sent me another excel with sort enhancement. Download it if you want to see this.
Chandoo‘s note: Robert is a regular reader of this blog. Leave your comments / questions / love here and I am sure he will respond during free time.
24 Responses
I’d suggest simply using the subtotal function and filtering the data using the Win/Loss column. You get the same results and the formula is more comprehensible.
@John
That is one option.
There are times however when you want to see the whole data table or a filtered subset and still want to produce summary reports against an unfiltered field.
Is there a particular reason why you are using a comma and the unary (–) operator for the second array in the SUMPRODUCT formula? It seems to work the same if you were to string the arrays together using the asterisk (*). The advantage is that SUMPRODUCT treats the entire string of arrays as a single array.
@Mathew
Your correct, There is no difference.
I thought it may have been easier to explain this method.
Is there a way to do this on a large set of data? As in ~100,000 rows? When I try I get an error because the formula becomes too long. It says the max length of a formula is 8,192 characters. Excel 2010.
How do I incorporate a specific text within a cell for the second array. For instance, – -(C7:C13=”Apple”)
when I chose a specific text the formula does not work.
@RB
I am not sure what is the issue as if I use the sample data in the post the following work fine
Count:
=SUMPRODUCT(SUBTOTAL(3,OFFSET(C7:C13,ROW(C7:C13)-MIN(ROW(C7:C13)),,1)), –(C7:C13=”L”))
Sum:
=SUMPRODUCT(SUBTOTAL(3,OFFSET(C7:C13,ROW(C7:C13)-MIN(ROW(C7:C13)),,1)),(C7:C13=”L”)*(D7:D13))
You may want to check that there are no leading or trailing spaces in your list of Apples
I should have given a better explanation. Heres my situation. I have a column with cells filled with names like Column 1, Column 2, Pier 1, Pier 2, etc. If the cell just contained Pier and searched for that it works. But because it has other characters in the cell its not recognizing the pier. So how can I extract specific characters of a string of text in this formula?
Hopefully this was a better explanation
Hello-
This formula works pretty well for me except that it slow down excel and prevents some of my macros from working. I was wondering if there was a way to program this in VBA so that excel isn’t always trying to recalculate it. I would like to use a push of a button to get it to run then paste in a cell.
Thanks!
I am trying to sum filtered data in a column, but would want to ignore the negative values in the column. How to go about doing this?
@Akshay
Why not just add a filter to that column to only show the values greater than zero?
The negative values are required for reporting purposes, but their effect on the total is distorting the required output. Please advise.
@Akshay
I’d suggest making a post in the Chandoo.org Forums
http://forum.chandoo.org/
Attach a sample file to simplify the task
I have this working for counting and summing, however, I have a list and for the second array, I need a criteria. That is, I’m looking for b13:b200=”01.??.??” or =left((a1,2) or something like that. These types of criteria matches do not appear to work as I get a blank as a result.
Thanks!
@Bob
As your formula b13:b200=”01.??.??” looks like you are trying to check the first day of the month of the range
What about trying Day(B13:B200)=1
Hai Experts,
i understood this formula well and working fine in MS Excel 2013
but when the same am trying to place in google Spreadsheet it shows error as
“SUMPRODUCT has mismatched range sizes. Expected row count: 1. column count: 1. Actual row count: 2014, column count: 1.” and as a result #VALUE! Appears in cell.
Can anyone please help me how would i get it done in Google Spread sheet
or is there any other formula as a substitute for this.
Thank you very much.
thanks for providing this.. but why does excel keeps on prompting Circular referencing in cell D3?
@Vivek
I don’t know
I just downloaded the file and it is working fine and not showing that error
Goto the Formulas, Calculation Options Tab and check that Calculation is set to Automatic
What version of Excel and Windows are you using ?
I know that this forum is for MS Excel, but I am trying to help someone who is working in Google Sheets. The below formula works in Excel but Google Sheets returns:
“SUMPRODUCT has mismatched range sizes. Expected row count: 1. column count: 1. Actual row count: 39000, column count: 1.” and as a result #VALUE! Appears in cell.
This is the same problem asked by Srichirin above. Does anyone know if there is a formula for Google Sheets that will replicate what MS Excel does?
=SUMPRODUCT(SUBTOTAL(3,OFFSET($C$6:$C$39500,ROW($C$6:$C$39500)-MIN(ROW($C$6:$C$39500)),,1)),- -($C$6:$C$39500=H1),($D$6:$D$39500))
Trying to find a SUMPRODUCT formula that counts the word Closed by date for the last 7 days in a filtered list.
=COUNTIF(M:M,”>”&TODAY()-7) works ok for unfiltered count Column M contains Closure dates (blank if open) and Column L is Status Open or Closed
@ Terry
Please ask the question at the Chandoo.org Forums
https://chandoo.org/forum/
Please attach a sample file to ensure a quicker more accurate answer
I used this formula and worked like a charm! But, now I’ve been requested to use it but adding not one but two criteria in the same formula. For instance the sum I was doing added negative and positive numbers. I’ve been asked to use the exact same formula but adding that only positive numbers were considered… any idea on how to do this?
How exactly do you do sum filtered cells when two criteria are need not just one?
Thank you so much brother literally I have been struggling since morning to get the sum of the filtered category, however, after reading your blog attentively i got my solution, so thanks a lot once again.