Making a Dynamic Dashboard in Excel [Part 1 of 4]

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This is a guest post by Myles Arnott from Clarity Consultancy Services – UK.

In this and next 3 posts, we will learn how to make a Dynamic Dashboard using Microsoft Excel.

At the end of this tutorial, you will learn how easy it is to set up a dynamic dashboard using excel formulas and simple VBA macros.

Dynamic Dashboard in Excel

[Click here for large version of the image]

Introduction:

The dashboard also demonstrates the standard approach I use in all of my models which is to incorporate three key sheets in addition to the data and analysis tabs.

These are:

  • Home page
  • Inputs (or drivers)
  • Helpsheet

The dynamic dashboard can be downloaded here [mirror, ZIP Version]

The dashboard file works in Excel 2007+. Pls. enable macros to get it work.

The plan is to break this dashboard tutorial down into four parts over the next four weeks. If further topics fall out as a result of discussions either Chandoo or I will pick them up and if necessary post further parts.

I would like to take a quick opportunity to give credit for some of the elements of functionality in the model:

  • Boxcharts – Chandoo [Link]
  • Scrolling report – Chandoo [Link]
  • Competitor analysis – Chandoo [Link]
  • Use of camera tool – Chandoo [Link]
  • In cell microcharts – Chandoo [Link]
  • Helpsheet – John Walkenbach

Okay so lets get started with an overview:

What is the objective of the report?

The Dynamic Dashboard is intended to provide pertinent summary information to aid management decision making. Combining a high level of flexibility within each report and then allowing the user to choose which reports to include and where to position them allows an enormous amount of flexibility over the message to be communicated.

What does this Dynamic Dashboard do?

The dynamic dashboard allows the user to select a report from the range of reports within the model and decide where to position it on the page. The user can select “hide” to hide a report that they do not want to see or select “view” to preview it prior to choosing its position.

  • Clicking on either the hyperlink name or the report image will take you to the report.
  • Each report is highly flexible allowing the user to cut the data in many ways to show management the most pertinent information.

Overview of Dashboard Tabs:

Home Page

I always include a homepage in my models and often set an auto_open routine to select this as the first page seen on opening. The Home page is designed to present the contents of the model to the user and provide links to each page for easy navigation.
Dynamic Dashboard - Homepage Worksheet

The Dynamic Dashboard

This is the main tab for pulling together the dashboard and will be covered in parts 3 and 4.
Dynamic Dashboard - Finalized Dashboard

Inputs

This is the page for all validation lists and drivers.
Input Data for Dashboard Data

Help Sheet

Once again a sheet that is in all of my models. This user form based help sheet provides the user with a quick help function and complements the accompanying user notes. I find it helpful to lay it out in tab order.

Dashboard Help Sheet Setup

This is how the Help user form looks once opened. The user can either choose the topic from the dropdown or by clicking next.

Dashboard Help Sheet Demo

Chart 1 and 2 : Flexible pie charts

Dynamic pie charts with the option to select the KPI, period and product/salesperson to be analyzed. These are covered in part 2.
Charts 1 & 2 - Dynamic Dashboard

Chart 3 & 4: Flexible line charts

Dynamic line charts with the option to select the KPI, period and product/salesperson to be analyzed. These are also covered in part 2.
Charts 3 & 4 - Dynamic Dashboard

Chart 5: Box Chart

Details on how to create these box charts.
Chart 5 - Bullet Chart - Dynamic Dashboard

Chart 6: Scrolling Report of KPIs

Chandoo’s blog on how to create this scrolling report can be found here. Micro charts which is of my favorite blogs from Chandoo are covered here.

Chart 6 - Scrollable KPI List - Dynamic Dashboard

Chart 7: Scrolling Comparison Chart

Details on how to create this scrolling chart.
Chart 7 - Scrollable Comparison Chart - Dynamic Dashboard

Chart 8 : Executive Summary

A simple executive summary. Please see Chandoo’s article on a twitter board for an alternative view.
Chart 8 - Executive Summary - Dynamic Dashboard

So that was an overview of the model and its main tabs.

What Next?

Next week we will look at  Part 2 of this series and learn how to construct dynamic charts.

Download the complete dashboard

Go ahead and download the dashboard excel file. The dynamic dashboard can be downloaded here [mirror, ZIP Version]

It works on Excel 2007 and above. You need to enable macros and links to make it work.

Added by PHD:

Myles has taken various important concepts like Microcharts, form controls, macros, camera snapshot, formulas etc and combined all these to create a truly outstanding dashboard. I am truly honored to feature his ideas and implementation here on Chandoo.org. I have learned several valuable tricks while exploring his dashboard. I am sure you would too.

If you like this tutorial please say thanks to Myles.

Related Material & Resources

This is a guest post by Myles Arnott from Clarity Consultancy Services – UK.
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14 Responses to “How many ‘Friday the 13th’s are in this year? [Formula fun + challenge]”

  1. in C3=2016
    in C4=3
    in C5=1 (the first next year with three Friday the 13ths)

    =SMALL(IF(MMULT(--(MOD(DATE(C3+ROW(1:1000),COLUMN(A:L),13),7)=6),ROW(1:12)^0)=C4,C3+ROW(1:1000)),C5)

    formula check in the next 1000 years

  2. Brian says:

    This will generate a table of counts of Friday the 13th's by year. If I didn't screw it up the next year with three is 2026.

    I created a simple parameter table with a start date and end date that I wanted to evaluate. That calculates the number of days and generates a list of those days. Then filter and group. The generation of the list in power query (i.e. without populating a date table in excel) is pretty cool, otherwise this isn't really doing anything than creating a big date and filtering/counting.

    let
    Source = List.Dates(StartDateAsDate, Days2, #duration(1,0,0,0)),
    ConvertDateListToTable = Table.FromList(Source, Splitter.SplitByNothing(), null, null, ExtraValues.Error),
    AddDayOfMonthColumn = Table.AddColumn(ConvertDateListToTable, "DayOfMonth", each Date.Day([Column1])),
    AddYearColumn = Table.AddColumn(AddDayOfMonthColumn, "Year", each Date.Year([Column1])),
    AddDayOfWeekColumn = Table.AddColumn(AddYearColumn, "Day of Week", each Date.DayOfWeek([Column1])),
    FilterFriday13 = Table.SelectRows(AddDayOfWeekColumn, each ([DayOfMonth] = 13) and ([Day of Week] = 5)),
    Friday13thsByYear = Table.Group(FilterFriday13, {"Year"}, {{"Number of Friday the 13ths!", each Table.RowCount(_), type number}})
    in
    Friday13thsByYear

    • Brian says:

      With the parameters replaced by values should you want to play along at home. This runs for 20 years starting on 1/1/2016.

      let
      Source = List.Dates(#date(2016,1,1), 7300, #duration(1,0,0,0)),
      ConvertDateListToTable = Table.FromList(Source, Splitter.SplitByNothing(), null, null, ExtraValues.Error),
      AddDayOfMonthColumn = Table.AddColumn(ConvertDateListToTable, "DayOfMonth", each Date.Day([Column1])),
      AddYearColumn = Table.AddColumn(AddDayOfMonthColumn, "Year", each Date.Year([Column1])),
      AddDayOfWeekColumn = Table.AddColumn(AddYearColumn, "Day of Week", each Date.DayOfWeek([Column1])),
      FilterFriday13 = Table.SelectRows(AddDayOfWeekColumn, each ([DayOfMonth] = 13) and ([Day of Week] = 5)),
      Friday13thsByYear = Table.Group(FilterFriday13, {"Year"}, {{"Number of Friday the 13ths!", each Table.RowCount(_), type number}})
      in
      Friday13thsByYear

  3. Alex Groberman says:

    =MATCH(3,MMULT(N(WEEKDAY(DATE(C3+ROW(1:100)-1,COLUMN(A:L),13))=6),1^ROW(1:12)),)+C3-1

    • David N says:

      It should be pointed out that Alex's solution, unlike some others, has the additional advantage of being non-array. My solution was nearly identical but with -- and SIGN instead of N and 1^.

      =C3-1+MATCH(3,MMULT(--(WEEKDAY(DATE(C3-1+ROW(1:25),COLUMN(A:L),13))=6),SIGN(ROW(1:12))),0)

  4. SunnyKow says:

    Sub Friday13()

    Dim StartDate As Date
    Dim EndDate As Date
    Dim x As Long
    Dim r As Long

    Range("C7:C12").ClearContents
    StartDate = CDate("01/01/" & Range("C3"))
    EndDate = CDate("31/12/" & Range("C3"))
    r = 7
    For x = StartDate To EndDate
    If Day(x) = 13 And Weekday(x, vbMonday) = 5 Then
    Cells(r, 3) = Month(x)
    r = r + 1
    End If
    Next
    End Sub

    • SunnyKow says:

      Calculate next year with 3 Friday 13th. Good for 100 years different from year entered in cell C3

      Sub ThreeFriday13()

      Dim StartDate As Date
      Dim EndDate As Date
      Dim x As Long
      Dim WhatYear As Integer
      Dim Counter As Integer

      Range("E7").ClearContents
      StartDate = CDate("01/01/" & Range("C3") + 1)
      EndDate = CDate("31/12/" & Range("C3") + 100)
      Counter = 0

      For x = StartDate To EndDate
      If WhatYear Year(x) Then
      WhatYear = Year(x)
      'Different year so reset counter
      Counter = 0
      End If
      If Day(x) = 13 And Weekday(x, vbMonday) = 5 Then
      Counter = Counter + 1
      If Counter = 3 Then
      WhatYear = Year(x)
      Exit For
      End If
      End If
      Next
      Range("E7") = WhatYear

      End Sub

      • SunnyKow says:

        *RE-POST as not equal did not show earliuer
        Calculate next year with 3 Friday 13th. Good for 100 years different from year entered in cell C3

        Sub ThreeFriday13()

        Dim StartDate As Date
        Dim EndDate As Date
        Dim x As Long
        Dim WhatYear As Integer
        Dim Counter As Integer

        Range("E7").ClearContents
        StartDate = CDate("01/01/" & Range("C3") + 1)
        EndDate = CDate("31/12/" & Range("C3") + 100)
        Counter = 0

        For x = StartDate To EndDate
        If WhatYear NE Year(x) Then
        WhatYear = Year(x)
        'Different year so reset counter
        Counter = 0
        End If
        If Day(x) = 13 And Weekday(x, vbMonday) = 5 Then
        Counter = Counter + 1
        If Counter = 3 Then
        WhatYear = Year(x)
        Exit For
        End If
        End If
        Next
        Range("E7") = WhatYear

        End Sub

  5. Devesh says:

    I've a doubt with using array formula here.
    In sample workbook, I tried to replicate the formula again.
    =IFERROR(SMALL(IF(WEEKDAY(DATE($C$3,ROW($A$1:$A$12),13))=6,ROW($A$1:$A$12)),$B7),"")
    For this I selected C7 to C12, and typed the same formula and pressed ctrl+alt+Enter. But in all cells it is taking $B7 (and not $B7, $B8, $B9.... etc)
    and since it is array formula I can't edit individual cell.
    Please guide.
    Thanks

  6. Pablo says:

    Hi Chandoo,
    Cool stuff. You need to clarify that the answer of 5 represents the 1st month in the year that has a Friday the 13th, and not the number of Fridays the 13th in the year. Subtle, but important difference.
    Thanks,
    Pablo

  7. Micah Dail says:

    I like the MMULT() function far more, but here's how I would have tackled it. It uses an EDATE() base and MODE() over 100 years. I'm assuming that 100 years is enough time to catch the next year with 3 friday 13th's. Array entered, of course.

    {=MODE(IFERROR(YEAR(IF((WEEKDAY(EDATE(DATE(C3, 1, 13), ROW(INDIRECT("1:1200"))))=6), EDATE(DATE(C3, 1, 13), ROW(INDIRECT("1:1200"))), "")), ""))}

  8. Jason Morin says:

    Finding all the Friday the 13ths in a Year:

    =SUMPRODUCT((DAY(ROW(INDIRECT(DATE(C3,1,1)&":"&DATE(C3,12,31))))=13)*(TEXT(ROW(INDIRECT(DATE(C3,1,1)&":"&DATE(C3,12,31))),"ddd")="Fri"))

  9. jmdias says:

    {=sum(if(day.of.week(DATe($YEAR;{1;2;3;4;5;6;7;8;9;10;11;12};13);1)=6;1;0))}
    just list the years

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