It has been a while since I have proposed “tweetboards” an option for people making dashboards. I have received two very good examples of the dynamic (automatically updating) tweetboard implementations from our readers.
1. The first example from Fernando
I must appreciate Fernando for sending this beautifully implemented tweetboard. Not only that, he took great troubles to change the formulas so that the dashboard would work in my version of Excel (he prepared it in Portuguese version where the formulas are named differently, so when I open it in my comp, the formulas would show #NAME! error)
Thank you Fernando 🙂
Download the tweetboard implementation example 1 and see it yourself.
2. The second example from Lee
Lee has combined traditional dashboard charts with descriptive text message idea from tweetboard to create this neat claims dashboard. It is very well implemented.
Thank you Lee 🙂
Download the tweetboard implementation example 2 and see it for yourself.
If you want to share your tweetboard implementations
Please drop a comment or tweet me at @r1c1 or email me at chandooDOTd @ gmail.com
If you are wondering what the hell tweetboards are…
Read this post.
Also, read our 6 part tutorial on preparing KPI dashboards in Excel.
9 Responses to “Show forecast values in a different color with this simple trick [charting]”
While this works in a pinch, it clearly "lightens" the colors of the entire chart. Depending on where you use this, it will be blatantly obvious that you don't know what you are doing and present a poor looking graph.
Why not separate the data into different segments when charting and have as many colors as you have data points? You might have to create a new legend and/or repeat the chart in "invisible ink", but it would be cleaner and more consistent when new or updated data becomes available.
While I think I agree that doing it "properly" via a second series is preferable, I don't necessarily agree that making the entirety of the "future" (data, gridlines, and even the axis) semi-transparent is "poor looking". I think it could be seen as adding more emphasis to the "future-ness" of the forecast data.
In short, it's another tool for the toolbox, even if it's never needed.
Simply and clever 🙂
Quick & effective, cool. thanks.
I always use the dummy series.
Nice little trick, thanks very much!
Two sets of data better. Control is much better.
You can use the same chart next month to see what is actual and what is forecast.
To use this trick, I think grid lines has to be removed, that will make the graphic much more sharp.
to be honest, i dont understand why there is needed to do this way... in this case horizontal lines will be pale as well. then why a just can't change the color of the line partly???
Great tutorial. Thanks for the tutorial!