How to Create a Dynamic Excel Dashboard in Just 5 Steps

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Microsoft Excel is a great tool for creating business dashboards. Recently, I made the below dashboard using Excel in just 5 steps.

Step 1: Figure out what you need

The first step for any successful dashboard is to understand what information your users want and how they want it.

dashboard-sketch

  • Talk to your users and ask them “what and why” they need the information.
  • Prepare a mock-up sketch of the dashboard and get the buy-in.
  • Identify data sources and refresh options.

At the end of STEP 1, you should have a clear idea about where you data is, how it should be gathered, analyzed and presented.

Step 2: Clean & Set up data

If you look long and hard, you can find the Loch Ness Monster, the truth about Bermuda Triangle before you locate the Perfectly Clean Business Data.

The next step is to clean & structure your data in a tabular format.

  • Use Power Query to connect to the data source(s) and fetch the data.
  • Set up necessary data cleaning processes with in Power Query.
  • Load the data to Excel either as tables or to the data model.
At the end of this step, you should have one or more tables of data in Excel.
Clean and set up data in a tabular format in Excel

Step 3: Calculate the KPIs with Pivots

Load the cleaned data into “data model” based pivot tables in Excel. Now, using Power Pivot DAX measures, calculate the necessary KPIs.

For example, for the above business dashboard, I’ve calculated:

  • Total Sales =SUM(sales[Sales])
  • Total Boxes = SUM(sales[Boxes])
  • Total Expenses = SUM(sales[Expenses])
  • Total Profit = [Total Sales] – [Total Profit]
  • Profit % = [Total Profit] / [Total Sales]

Create the pivot tables using these measures.

Related: Learn more about Power Pivot & DAX in Excel.

Calculate the necessary metrics / KPIs using DAX

Step 4: Make Interactive Charts

First create the necessary pivot charts (refer to the mock-up you made in step 1). 

Then, make them interactive using Slicers, Timelines or Report Filters.

Learn how to create a slicer here.

We can create interactive charts with pivot charts & slicers

Step 5: Bring Everything Together & Format

We are ready for the big finale!

Bring all the charts, KPIs and slicers you have created so far to a new sheet. (Cut & Paste).

Arrange them neatly and format as needed.

Viola, your dashboard is ready!

Final dashboard is a collection of various KPIs, pivots, pivot charts & slicers

Video Tutorial - How to create a dynamic business dashboard

I’ve created a 30 minute tutorial on how to create the above dashboard with all the necessary steps. Watch it below or on my Youtube channel.

Sample Workbooks

Please download the blank template file from here.

If you want the full dashboard (with al the workings), you can find it in my Excel School Online Course.

More Dashboard Tutorials & Examples

I have a confession to make. Dashboards are kind of my thing. So I have been writing about them for almost 15 years now. Here are some of my best Excel & Power BI dashboards.

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21 Responses to “Make a Pivot Table in Excel [15 Second Tutorial]”

  1. [...] First step is to create Pivot Table. Here is a video tutorial on making pivot tables. [...]

  2. Wilson says:

    Dear Sir,

    I would like to study pivot table from basics detailed.Pls send me the tips of that

  3. baran says:

    merccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

  4. [...] Click here to see a video tutorial of making pivot tables in excel | One more Pivot Table Video Tutorial [...]

  5. surbamanyam says:

    it is very useful

  6. jitender says:

    hello sir

    please send me some information of pivotable. and how to use it
    because I am beginer so how can i learn it the pivotable.
    and sir will you send me pivotable data because i have no data and i don't
    know how to applyed for the pivotable. give some videos so I learn quikely.

    thank you
    and my best
    anticipation

  7. keri says:

    Hi,

    This tutorail was helpful. If possible can you please email me some data, so I can create another pivot table? I am trying to learn ASAP and need some info.

    Thank you

  8. yemi says:

    Top of the day to you. can you pls send me a detailed tutorial on the pivot table tutorial? Thanks.

  9. karthick says:

    Hi,
    please tell me how to use Pivot table.

  10. Pooja says:

    Dear Sir,
    I visited this website of urs for the very first time and trust me this is fabulous.i learnt pivot table through this.Thanks a lot.In corporate world nobody gonna make u learn these things.m very grateful to u.This is a great initiative from ur side.Commendable job done.Hats off to u.For beginners also this is very helpful.The way this website makes u learn excel is very good.

    Pooja

  11. Priscilla says:

    Can you please email me information to put into a pivot table and possibly a complete set of instructions?  I am a beginner to pivot tables and am possibly interested in obtaining a position that requires pivot tables.  thank you.

  12. [...] Click here to see a video tutorial of making pivot tables in excel | One more Pivot Table Video Tutorial [...]

  13. Kawsar says:

    It's simply great..!!

  14. James Perry says:

    Cool!
    Fast but not furious.

  15. Adepoju Teniola says:

    Pls email me details of pivot table. I want to learn it asap because I just got a job that requires this. Thanks

  16. nihal ahmed says:

    it is very useful..............thanks

  17. Tabassum says:

    Sir please can u send me the complete explanation of pivot tables from basics

  18. Guruprasad says:

    hello,

    I wanted to know how to put pivot with emp id, emp name, emp position in one row.

    Ex:-
    cel A4 should have Emp id
    Cell B4 should have Emp Name
    Call C4 should have Emp Position

    many thanks in advance

  19. George Dorne says:

    Nice information, thanx my dear.

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