Nothing gives a teacher more satisfaction than seeing a student apply the knowledge to do something awesome. So naturally, I jumped with joy when I got this email from Dan, one of my VBA Class students,
Hi Chandoo,
After going thru your VBA Classes, I realized that we can lots of awesome stuff with pivot tables + simple macros. I recently created an Excel Dashboard to depict MLB (Major League Baseball) Pitching Stats. I could not have done this had I not learned VBA. Thank you so much for teaching the class.
I got curious and requested Dan, if I could share the file with you all. Being a lovely person, Dan agreed immediately.
MLB Pitching Stats Dashboard – using Excel + VBA

[Click here for larger version]
How does this dashboard work?
Dan used a lot of techniques to weave together this dashboard. Since it would take me until Christmas if I explain everything, I made a short video explaining how this dashboard works. See it below:
You can see it on our youtube channel too.
What techniques are used in this dashboard?
Dan is a regular reader of Chandoo.org, so he used many of the charting & formula techniques we teach here (as well as in my Excel School & VBA classes). Click thru below links to learn them.
- Dynamic Named Ranges using OFFSET formula
- Dynamic Charts
- Using Form Controls
- Sorting a list using Pivot Tables
- Updating Pivot Table Report Filters using VBA
- Excel Dashboards – Examples, Resources & Ideas
- Highlighting points in line charts & scatter plots
Download MLB Pitching Stats Excel Dashboard
Click here to download the Excel workbook and play with the dashboard.
Ready to Create your Own Dashboards & VBA Code?
If you want to create similar stuff and wow everyone at work, then joining my upcoming batch of VBA classes is a good idea. We are re-opening enrollments for this course on September 5th.
Click here for course details.
If you are interested in our VBA class, join our newsletter.
Thank you Dan
Thank you so much Dan for making my day. I really liked the way you have put together many concepts to create a stunning dashboard.
If you liked this dashboard, say thanks to Dan.














12 Responses to “Analyzing Search Keywords using Excel : Array Formulas in Real Life”
Very interesting Chandoo, as always. Personally I find endless uses for formulae such as {=sum(if(B$2:B$5=$A2,$C$2$C$5))}, just the flexibility in absolute and relative relative referencing and multiple conditions gives it the edge over dsum and others methods.
I've added to my blog a piece on SQL in VBA that I think might be of interest to you http://aviatormonkey.wordpress.com/2009/02/10/lesson-one-sql-in-vba/ . It's a bit techie, but I think you might like it.
Keep up the good work, aviatormonkey
Hi Chandoo,
You might find this coded solution I posted on a forum interesting.
http://www.excelforum.com/excel-programming/680810-create-tag-cloud-in-vba-possible.html
[...] under certain circumstances. One of the tips involved arranging search keywords in excel using Array Forumlas. Basically, if you need to know how frequent a word or group of keywords appear, you can use this [...]
@Aviatormonkey: Thanks for sharing the url. I found it a bit technical.. but very interesting.
@Andy: Looks like Jarad, the person who emailed me this problem has posted the same in excelforum too. Very good solution btw...
Realy great article
"You can take this basic model and extend it to include parameters like number of searches each key phrase has, how long the users stay on the site etc. to enhance the way tag cloud is generated and colored."
How would you go about doing this? I think it would need some VB
Hi,
I found the usage very interesting, but is giving me hard time because the LENs formula that use ranges are not considering the full range, in other words, the LEN formula is only bringing results from the respective "line" cell.
Using the example, when I place the formula to calculate the frequency for "windows" brings me only 1 result, not 11 as displayed in the example. It seems that the LEN formula using ranges is considering the respective line within the range, not the full range.
Any hint?
@Thiago
You have to enter the formula as an Array Formula
Enter the Formula and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter
Not just Enter
Thank you, Hui! I couldn't work out how this didn't work
is there a limit to the number of lines it can analyse.
Ie i am trying to get this to work on a list of sentances 1500 long.
@Gary
In Excel 2010/2013 Excel is only limited by available memory,
So just give it a go
As always try on a copy of the file first if you have any doubts
Apologies if I am missing something, but coudn't getting frequency be easier with Countif formula. Something like this - COUNTIF(Range with text,"*"&_cell with keyword_&"*")
Apologies if I missed, but what is the Array Formula to:
1. Analyze a list of URL's or a list of word phrases to understand frequency;
2. List in a nearby column from most used words to least used words;
3. Next to the list of words the count of occurrences.