Kaushik, one of our forum members has an interesting problem.
Need to quickly visualize 3 variables ( Company, years, Financials) in a single […] chart.
Multiple variables over several years – How to chart?
Let’s take a look at the data first.

Ways to visualize such data…
Whenever you want to visualize business data, the first thing to ask is,
- What is the purpose of this visualization?
Related: How to create right chart from your data?
Since we don’t know why Kaushik wanted to visualize all 100 numbers in a single chart, let’s define some goals for the chart.
- Yearly trends of financial metrics
- How one company compares with another over years
- How individual metrics contribute to overall revenue (all the 5 metrics add up to 100)
- What are the most interesting numbers, drastic changes or alarming trends
One way to answer these questions is thru a panel chart. It shows massive data in a concise chart and allows for exploration of inter-relationships.
See below.
Absolute trends:
Made with sparklines.

Indexed Trends:
And of course you can use indexed charts technique to explore the numbers better.

Your challenge – How would you visualize this data?
So here is something fun for you. Visualize this multiple variable data and share your charts.
What’s in it for you?
This is a contest. The two most awesome charts will $100 Amazon Gift Cards.
How to submit your entries:
- Simple. Download the data workbook.
- Create your chart in a new tab.
- Email your files to chandoo.d@gmail.com with the subject “Multiple variable challenge”
- Send in your entries before July 4th, 2016 (Monday).
- We will showcase all the entries and pick winners by July 11th.
Fine print:
- You may submit multiple entries, but you can maximum of one gift card.
- No VBA based solutions. Excel or Power BI charts are ok.
- If you cannot accept Amazon gift card (because of where you live), you can opt for $100 cash thru PayPal.
Get busy charting…

















6 Responses to “A quick personal update”
Thank you for the personal update. It was quite encouraging and a breath of fresh air in my Inbox. Take care and stay safe.
David
Doctors advise:
Virus obstructs lungs with thick mucus that solidifies.
Consume lot hot liquids like tea, soup, and sip of hot liquid every 20 min
Gargle w antiseptic of lemon, vinegar, & hot water daily
It attaches to hair/clothes detergent kills it, when come from st go straight shower
Hang dirty clothes in sunlight/cold overnight or wash immediately.
Wash metal surfaces as it can live on them 9 days
Do not touch hand rails
Do not smoke
Wash hands foaming 20 sec every 20 min
Eat fruit/veg and up zinc levels.
Animals do not spread it
Avoid common flu
Avoid eat/drink cold things
If feel sore throat do above immediate as virus is there 3-4 days before descends into lungs
Would love help with my database mgt in excel.
Thanks for being thoughtful of us.
BTW How do you track your expenses/income in excel? Can you share the worksheet please.
Stay safe you and your family, best wishes.
Thanks for the update and happy to know that you and family are doing good. A 21 day lockdown has now been announced in India (I live around Kolkata) so it's uncertain times ahead. I check up on your wonderful articles often and will do so even more regularly now. Stay safe and God bless.
Hi from Argentina, I follow you for a lot of years now. We here are in a quarantine for 2 or 3 weeks, because the pandemia.
Excel is also my passion and I came here looking for a Num2Words formula, but in spanish. If anyone have it, please let me know.
Best regards.
Pablo Molina
La Rioja - Argentina
I'm glad to have your personal update. I'm from India & following you for so many years. Cheers to have any further personal update.