You have been there before.
Trying to compare last year numbers with this year, or last quarter with this quarter.
Today, let us learn how to create an interactive to chart to understand then vs. now.
Demo of Then vs. Now interactive chart
First, take a look the completed chart below. This is what you will be creating.
Inspiration for this chart
Before we jump in to Excel and understand how this is done, let me thank NY Times for providing the inspiration for this chart. I saw a similar chart in their climbing income ladder visualization.
Creating Then vs. Now chart in Excel
1. Arrange data
As usual, the first step is to get the data in to Excel. Structure your data like this.
2. Insert a combo box control to select a region
Since our chart will display values for one region at a time, we need a mechanism to let user control which region is displayed. We will use a combo box control do this. Follow these steps.
- Go to developer ribbon and insert combo box form control.
- Right click on the combo box and go to format control.
- Set up input range to list of regions in your data.
- Set up cell link to a blank cell in your workbook.
Related: Introduction to form controls.
3. Fetch selected region’s data
Now that we have a combo box to select which region to show in the chart, next step is to fetch data for selected region. You can use either VLOOKUP or INDEX formulas to do it.
Using VLOOKUP formula:
Assuming region name is in D17, and data is in values table, write:
=VLOOKUP(D17, values, 2, false)
to get 2nd column (then sales) value.
Using INDEX formula:
Assuming region number is in D16, and data is in values table, write:
=INDEX(values[then],D16)
4. Create a chart showing then to now movement
Next step is to create a chart that would show a line going from then value to now value. Lets take a closer look the line to understand how to make it in Excel.
We can create this chart with either XY (scatter) plot or line chart. Lets go with scatter plot.
In your workbook, set up a table like this:
Then, select the above and create a scatter plot. Select the scatter plot with connecting lines.
5. Formatting the chart
Since we want to show a thick circle at the beginning of then value and arrow at the end of now value, lets go ahead and do the formatting song and dance.
Formatting the first point:
- Select the first point of then values (you need to click once on it, take 3 deep breaths, click again and sacrifice a goat).
- Press CTRL+1 to format the data point.
- Go to Marker options and select built in marker and use the circle symbol.
Formatting the last point:
- Select the last point (same as above, but this time sacrifice a chicken)
- Format the data point.
- Go to line style, select End type and choose arrow.
Formatting the horizontal axis:
- Select horizontal (x) axis and press CTRL+1
- Set axis minimum to 1, maximum to 6.
- Click ok and delete the axis as we do not need it on the chart.
6. Adding “Break-up” of now values chart
This is easy, Just select fetched break-up values for selected region and create a bar chart. Format it as per your fancy.
7. Put everything together
Place the combo box, scatter plot and bar chart together in a nice fashion. Add a surrounding box shape so that everything looks like one report.
Add a descriptive title on the top. If possible, make chart title dynamic so that you can show the selected region name and % change in it.
8. Your Then vs. Now chart is ready
That is all. Your Then vs. Now chart is ready. Go ahead and flaunt it.
Download the chart workbook
Click here to download the chart workbook and play with it. Examine the formulas, chart settings and shapes to understand how this is set up.
Do you make then vs. now charts?
I think about half the charts made businesses around the world fall in to this category. I make these type of charts all the time. I use a variety of chart types to convey this information. Thermometer chart, waterfall chart and conditionally formatted tables are some of my favorite techniques.
What about you? Do you create then vs. now charts? what type of charts do you use? Please share your techniques and ideas using comments.
Learn more…
If you are not working in a cave or behind a huge stack of desks, chances are your job involves communicating for a living. Go ahead and read-up below articles to learn how to communicate with charts better, when it comes to then vs. now situations.
25 Responses to “Display Alerts in Dashboards to Grab User Attention [Quick Tip]”
I prefer the red,grey,light grey,black icon set. I've also used in-cell pie charts from Fabrice's Sparklines for Excel as an alert which could also provide another piece of information.
I prefer the red,grey,light grey,black icon set. I've also used in-cell pie charts from Fabrice's Sparklines for Excel as an alert which can also provide another piece of information.
For Excel 2007, your formula should do the same as the Excel 2003 version, so that non-alert rows are blank - if they are 0, the unnecessary green icon will show
Hi Chandoo,
Nice Post !! just to add something for EXL 2003, we can also 4 Ifs and link to the alert data
For Ex: If we have alert data in Cell A2 and want to split in 4 orders namely <25%, 25-50%, 50-75% and 75%< then we can following formula and put fonts as you have suggested :
=IF(A2<0.25,CHAR(153),IF(A2<=0.5,CHAR(155),IF(A2=0.76,CHAR(152)))))
And then using Conditional Formating we can dashboard reflected on different COLOURS as per their respective alert.
Best Regards
Rohit1409
Hi Chandoo,
Nice Post !!! just to add something for EXL 2003, we can also 4 Ifs and link to the alert data
For Ex: If we have alert data in Cell A2 and want to split in 4 orders namely <25%, 25-50%, 50-75% and 75%< then we can following formula and put fonts as you have suggested :
=IF(A2<0.25,CHAR(153),IF(A2<=0.5,CHAR(155),IF(A2=0.76,CHAR(152)))))
And then using Conditional Formating we can dashboard reflected on different COLOURS as per their respective alert.
Best Regards
Rohit1409
The Complete formula [Don't Know how it got cut ]
=IF(A2<0.25,CHAR(153),IF(A2<=0.5,CHAR(155),IF(A2=0.76,CHAR(152)))))
PS : Use in single line [I have split it to avoid cuts 😉 ]
Hi Chandoo..
why it is not displaying the complete formula..
anyways here is the balance
"=IF(A2<0.25,CHAR(153), IF(A2<=0.5,CHAR(155), IF(A2=0.76,CHAR(152)))))"
@Rohit... your formulas are fine. Just that the width of comment area is fixed and hence my website is cropping it at 640pixels. I just edited your formula and added few white spaces so that it wraps nicely.
Very good idea btw.. kudos!
Hi,
Maybe just go for 'bold' ; 'underline' or 'italic' to draw the users attention? Those methods (if those can be called methods) are used cross media type (books, journals, blogs, billboards, ...) to guide the readers eye to valuable information.
Just a basic thought
@Tom.. good idea..
[...] has a very nice writeup on how to add such alerts to dashboard sheets. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Divide your data set into workbooksHow to enforce [...]
Hi Chandoo,
You certainly grabbed my attention! although I wasn't sure what my brother (Suresh) and cousin (Shyam) were doing right, and I was doing wrong? 😉
I love your blog btw - Many thanks for all your hard work in unravelling the secrets and mysteries of Excel!
Best regards
Ramesh
I thought I saw an advertisment for a book about learning excel called excel himalaya or something. It cost about 35.00 us money but seemed to have the things I need to have my admin assistant to start to use. I was hoping to start with this book and then send her to school if she shows some interest and aptitude. Any help on this would be appreciated. Thanks
Great web site and information!!!!
@Jeff... checkout http://chandoo.org/wp/2010/08/25/excel-everest-review/
thanks, your website is awesome!
[...] Alerts to highlight focus areas [...]
[...] There are lots of numbers in this dashboard. I would suggest adding few more visualizations like showing indicators or applying conditional formatting or replacing a table with a chart. This would reduce the [...]
[...] is the same technique as alert icons in dashboard. Just that I also showed green [...]
[...] is the same technique as alert icons in dashboard. Just that I also showed green [...]
Hi Chandoo
Firstly thanks for all the cool tips on how to use Excel better.
I am new to the site and have a question which you may be able to assist with but dont know if these comment boxes are the best way of asking ?
I am looking at assets and trying to calculate the depreciation total by taking a year (say 2010) adding the expected life of the asset (say 10 years) then comparing that to a future date (say 2015) using an IF statement. The calculation in normal is - IF((year in col B (2010) plus 10years)>year 2015, add a years depreciation, otherwise leave blank). The converted date value does not appear able to add 10 years in order to compare it to 2015. Am I missing something ?
I use the “IF” Statement in conjunction with Conditional Formatting in MS Excel to give verbiage to alert one of a required action, dependant on a review date. This makes a visual stimulus, plus it clues one as to what the conditional format is trying to warn you about and what follow-up actions are required.
Wow, I'm really impressed with dashboards. I had no idea this stuff was even possible with excel. I'd like to offer an interactive dashboard to my customers, showing analytics of their data. I have a .pdf file with the datapoints. I'd like them to enter the data on my website, and be able to see their data. Is something like that possible.
Hi Chandoo,
I've recently purchased the package for both templates.
In the portfolio dashboard,under the calculations worksheet, I'm attempting to change the date range in the gantt chart to show only the range of the project that starts in late 2013. How do I do this?
Thanks
Adam
[...] is the same technique as alert icons in dashboard. Just that I also showed green [...]
Hi Chandoo,
I'm new at Excel Dashboard and found your blog really useful and helpful! It's very nice of you that you dedicate your time to do this.
Could you please explain how can I use Alerts based on dates on a Dashboar?
For example, if a target date is coming closer to the actual date, the alert is yellow or red.
I'd really appreciate some help!
Thank you
Where can I download the file Excel of Averall Statistics ???
Thanks a lot.