If I were to hire an data analyst, I would simply ask them to write a complex IF formula in Excel. If they can write it, the interview progresses, else, they are out. In other words,
=IF(person_can_write_big_fat_IF_formula=TRUE, proceed_with_interview, say_thanks_and_call_next_person)
If you are able to write IF formulas for any situation, then you are bound to be awesome in Excel.
So, to test how well you know your IFs & Boolean functions, let me give you a small challenge.
Galo, one of our readers emailed this to me.
I would like to ask for your help in creating a tracker sheet for rewards program if they meet the qualifiers in order to avail it.
The conditions will be the following:A.If the attendance is equals to 0% then they will earn Php 1500
If the attendance is less than 3% then they will earn Php 1000 only.B.If the handling time less than 500 seconds reward will be Php 1000 (applicable only phone call request)
If the handling time less than 560 seconds reward will be Php 1000 (applicable only fax request)
Note: They can never have both phone and fax requestC.If there’s a commendation (1 or more) reward will be Php 1000
D.If the quality audit is 98% -100% reward will be Php 1500
If the quality audit is 96% -97.99 % reward will be Php 500Overall if they were able to meet all of the qualifiers they can earn Php 5000.
Download the sample data
Click here to download the sample data. Your objective is to fill column I with appropriate IF formula to calculate the Cash bonus component.
Post your answers
Once you complete the formula, share them with me & others using comments. Go ahead and tell me the answer.
Note: when posting your answers, make sure you add space after any < or > symbols. Or else, they will not show up. So instead of writing A1>10, write A1 > 10 or A1 GT 10. Sorry for the extra hassle.
Learn how to use IF formulas
IF formula is an important for any Excel analyst. Read these articles to learn more about IF formula & related formulas.
- IF formula – what is it and how to use it?
- IF formula – 5 examples
- Introduction to SUMIF & COUNTIF formulas
- Introduction to SUMIFS formula
- Logical & Conditional formulas in Excel
- More IF Formula examples & scenarios
Thanks to Galo for emailing this question.
14 Responses to “Group Smaller Slices in Pie Charts to Improve Readability”
I think the virtue of pie charts is precisely that they are difficult to decode. In many contexts, you have to release information but you don't want the relationship between values to jump at your reader. That's when pie charts are most useful.
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Chandoo,
millions of ants cannot be mistaken.....There should be a reason why everybody continues using Pie charts, despite what gurus like you or Jon and others say.
one reason could be because we are just used to, so that's what we need to change, the "comfort zone"...
i absolutely agree, since I've been "converted", I just find out that bar charts are clearer, and nicer to the view...
Regards,
Martin
[...] says we can Group Smaller Slices in Pie Charts to Improve Readability. Such a pie has too many labels to fit into a tight space, so you need ro move the labels around [...]
Chandoo -
You ask "Can I use an alternative to pie chart?"
I answer in You Say “Pie”, I Say “Bar”.
This visualization was created because it was easy to print before computers. In this day and age, it should not exist.
I think the 100% Bar Chart is just as useless/unreadable as Pies - we should rename them something like Mama's Strudel Charts - how big a slice would you like, Dear?
My money's with Jon on this topic.
The primary function of any pie chart with more than 2 or 3 data points is to obfuscate. But maybe that is the main purpose, as @Jerome suggests...
@Jerome.. Good point. Also sometimes, there is just no relationship at all.
@Martin... Organized religion is finding it tough to get converts even after 2000+ years of struggle. Jon, Stephen, countless others (and me) are a small army, it would take atleast 5000 more years before pie charts vanish... patience and good to have you here 🙂
@Jon .. very well done sir, very well done.
good points every one...
I've got to throw my vote into Jon's camp (which is also Stephen Few's camp) -- bars just tend to work better. One observation about when we say "what people are used to." There are two distinct groups here (depending on the situation, a person can fall in either one): the person who *creates* the chart and the person who *consumes* the chart. Granted, the consumers are "used to" pie charts. But, it's not like a bar chart is something they would struggle to understand or that would require explanation (like sparklines and bullet graphs). Chart consumers are "used to" consuming whatever is put in front of them. Chart creators, on the other hand, may be "used to" creating pie charts, but that isn't an excuse for them to continue to do so -- many people are used to driving without a seatbelt, leaving lights on in their house needlessly, and forwarding not-all-that-funny anecdotes via email. That doesn't mean the practice shouldn't be discouraged!
[...] example that Chandoo used recently is counting uses of words. Clearly, there are other meanings of “bar” (take bar mitzvah or bar none, for [...]
[…] Grouping smaller slices in pie chart […]
Good article. Is it possible to do that with line charts?
Hi,
Is this available in excel 2013?