Analyzing competition is one of the key aspects of running a business. In this article, learn how to use Excel’s scatter plots to understand competition.
Recently, Kaiser at Junk Charts pointed to a very effective business chart that shows the dynamics of competitive land scape with ease.
The chart shown aside originally appeared in Asymco, shows how mobile handset market has changed between 2007 & 2010.
What is so special about this chart?
I like this type of chart because it clearly tells the story of what happened in mobile handset market between 2007 and 2010. It shows how then leader, Nokia, kept loosing profit share despite a tiny loss in market share. It shows how new entrants like Apple have eroded the profit share for others. [related: good charts tell stories]
The chart instantly lets me ask important questions like, “So what did Nokia do wrong?”, “How come RIM is also in the same league as Apple (ie both market share and profit share went up) ?” etc. and explore for answers.
And that is what a chart should do. It should present a story and poke our curiosity to ask questions (or address problems).
How to construct similar chart in Excel?
Here is how you can construct similar business chart in excel.
Step 1: Get your data
In case of analytical charts like this, getting correct data is all important. For the sake of example, we will use the same variables – Market Share & Profit Share for 4 fictitious products – A,B,C & D. The data is shown below:
Step 2: Re-arrange the data, so we get first and last values
This is very simple. Use cell references to extract the data for just first and last periods. Now make starting values as zero and calculate ending values. Something like this:
Step 3: Make a scatter plot
Select the data and make a scatter plot. When you are done, it should look something like this:
Step 4: Format the chart
Do the following to format the chart:
- Add lines to scatter plot so that starting and end point are connected
- Set arrow symbol as the end-point style for these lines (new feature in Excel 2007 and above)
- Remove grid lines and legend
- Add data labels to either starting or end points alone.
- Add axis labels, position them accordingly
- Make axis and labels subtle.
- Add a descriptive chart title
And you are done. The chart should look something like this:
Bonus Step: Making a scatter plot of absolute values
As you can see, the above chart only shows changes in market share and profit share of products between Q1-2008 and Q2-2010. But a more descriptive option would be to show absolute position of each product at both times.
Like this:
To make this chart, all the steps are same as above, just change your data to starting and end points, not the calculated ones.
Download Competition Analysis Chart Templates:
I have prepared a simple excel chart template to help you create similar charts on your own. Click below links to download.
You can see the chart construction steps in the downloaded workbook.
What do you think about this chart?
As I mentioned I really liked how this chart lays out the dynamics of market place without complicating or animating anything. I think it is both simple and elegant [related: keep your charts simple]
What do you think? Please share your opinion and ideas thru comments. Also, tell us how you would have plotted same data?
More Excel Charts for Analysis:
Excel charts are powerful visual tools for analysis and exploration. We have posted several useful chart templates & ideas on chandoo.org. Please visit these pages for more resources on charting & analytics.
14 Responses to “How to Add your Macros to QAT or Excel toolbars?”
We have only just got excel 2007 so this is helping me navigate my way through the differences cheers.
For Macro's i always add a Command Button, rename it something obvious, change the colour of it and finally add the following to its View Code section.
Application.Run "MAcro1"
This way anyone opening the file knows what to do if i ever win the lottery and dont make it in 🙂
Hi,
Good article. But I have this problem.
1) Customized QAT with a macro. Macro name = MacroX
2) Runs OK from original location (e.g. C:\TestLoaction1\TestFile.xls)
3) Copy past file to new location (e.g. C:\TestLoaction2\TestFile.xls)
Menu button now fails:
Cannot run the macro "C:\TestLoaction1\TestFile.xls'!MacroX' The macro may not be available in this workbook...
Of course the code is there, and macros are enabled.
Could get it to work after deleting and recreating macro custom buttons. So have to re-assign macro to QAT button every time I move the file?
If I put a form button on he worksheet and assign the macro to that, it's location independent.
Any ideas?
Thanks
@Ron
What you have said is correct
Macros within a worksheet are stored within the worksheet and hence follow it.
Macros referenced by a button in the QAT or elsewhere are locaed in a file and if that file is moved the linkages don't follow.
The easiest way around this is to store all your macros in a location that doesn't move and is in fact reloaded everytime that Excel starts and that is called the Personal.xlsx/b file.
These are refered to several time at Chandoo.org or have a read of
http://www.rondebruin.nl/personal.htm
or
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/deploy-your-excel-macros-from-a-central-file-HA001087296.aspx
In Excel 2003 and prior versions, a button added to the Toolbar maintained a DYNAMIC link to the file (e.g. Personal.xlsb) holding the assigned macro, such that if the file was relocated for any reason (by using Excel's native Save As command rather than just moving it via Windows Explorer), the link between the button and the file was updated.
I expected the same to occur with Excel 2007+, but alas, Microsoft in their infinite wisdom have removed another feature useful to advanced users (just as they did by removing the ability to design your own buttons)!!
So having just done some reorganisation of my files, I now have to remove and recreate every friggin macro button on my QAT (I have lots) - what a pain in the proverbial!!
Hi Hui,
Thanks for the help, that's really useful.
1) The macros I'm adding are for one specific Excel application, so I really wanted the macros to follow the file
2) I didn't want to have to pass other files around too and have users installing those - either Personal.xlsx/b or as an Add-In.
3) I realise now that the QAT additions will appear for other Excel workbooks in which I don't want the macros available.
So, it looks like I need to keep it local, by using a button on the worksheet. Unless you can suggest any way of adding to menus just for a specific workbook.
Thanks again for your help. Great site, so I'll be signing up for the emails.
Ron
I know I'm a little late jumping on this post, but wondering if anyone knows how to add a UDF to the QAT? I've saved my UDF in my personal workbook, but it does not show up in my list when I choose Macros when customizing my QAT. Suggestions? Thanks!!
@Cheryl: UDFs cannot be accessed like Macros. You can use them from other macros or from worksheet cells as formulas...
@David: If you save your macros file and then install it as an add-in then it will be always available for you.
The instructions work great when you are creating a new file, and it is still open. I find that I can't access macros after I've saved a file as an xlam and closed it. When I reopen the xlam, either by browsing to it, or by having it set to open as an addin using Excel Options, the macros are no longer available in the macros list when I go to edit the QAT. Any way around that?
[...] Add this macro as a button to Quick Access Toolbar [...]
I need to create a button that will run a macro. Once you click the button it needs to open up a browser asking you to select a report/file. Once you select the file, it will run the macro on the selected file and then save it as a new report with a name and the current date. I created the macro to sort/modify the report but I do not know how to do what I mentioned above. I hope this makes sense.
I'm having trouble adding a macro to the QAT. I've done everything up to step 5 but my macro isn't showing up. What am I doing wrong?
[...] Add Macros to Quick Access Toolbar (works in Excel 2003 & above) [...]
Hi,
Thank you for the explanation. Very useful for a recent switcher from office 2003 to office 2010.
My follow-up question is: in Excel (or ppt) 2010, can you customize the macro button that you put in the QAT?
In office 2003, once you chose the custom button for your Macro, you could then edit pixel by pixel the said button.
For instance, I've created 2 Macros in PPT that are converting all my slides to either English or French language, so I'd like one button to show EN and the other FR... that would be more meaningful that any of the possible "custom" office 2010 buttons
I read all the post and one important aspect to the QAT was never mentioned. That is, you have a macro driven worksheet that you want to share with other. You have customized the QAT with two icons to run the macros (VBA programs in reality). However, when the others receive the workbook, the icons are no where to be found. It's my understanding those "customized buttons" have been saved to an outside file, Excel.qat. QUESTION: Could one simply attach that file to your email, along with the worksheet, and tell the recipients to copy that file to correct location on their computer - C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office|\
Would the customize macro buttons then appear in the worksheet and, more importantly, work? Thanks for your thoughtfulness and thanks for well written instructions Chandoo!
MortW