Creating a Digital Dashboard

In this activity, you will create a Digital Dashboard, integrating data from a number of sheets and pivot tables. If you have any questions or get stuck as you work through this in-class exercise, please ask the instructor for assistance. Have fun! Dashboard.

  1. Download & open this spreadsheet with data for this exercise. Click on the yellow Enable Editing button at the top of the screen.

  2. Look at the data in each sheet, by clicking on the tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet (see below). Note that the “Workshop Most Popular” pivot table sheets summarize the “Workshop Data” sheet. Tabs.

  3. Click on the Dashboard tab at the bottom left of the spreadsheet and give this sheet the title of DSC Dashboard in cell A1.

  4. Link the Most Important statistics or Key Data to your Dashboard from other sheets: Image of Column A and B.

    • In A3 type Month. In B3 type # of Workshops. In C3 type Participants. In D3 Print Jobs. In E3 type $ Printed.
    • In the rows under month column type: Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec (see right).
    • Add the number of workshops from each month to the Dashboard sheet: In cell B4 type: = then click on the Workshop by Month tab, and select cell B5, then press Enter. Do the same for October, November, & December.

    Demonstration of adding the number of workshops for each month.
  • Add the number of participants from each month on the Dashboard sheet: In cell C4 type: = then click on the Workshop by Month tab, and select cell C5, then Enter. Do the same for October, November, & December.

Demonstration of adding the number of participants.
  • Add the number of print jobs from each month on the Dashboard: In cell D4 tupe: = then click on the Print by Month tab, and select cell B4, then press Enter. Do the same for October, November, & December.

Demonstration of adding the number of print jobs.
  • Add the dollar value of print jobs from each month on the Dashboard: In cell E4 type: = then click on the Print by Month tab, and select cell C4, then press Enter. Do the same for October, November, & December.

Demonstration of adding the dollar value for each month.
  1. Create Visualizations for your most important statistics or key indicators: Recommended charts icon.
  • Create a bar graph of workshop participants by month by selecting A3:A7 and then hold down your ctrl key (or command key on a Mac) and select C3:C7.
  • Next, select the Insert tab at the top of the screen, and then click on Recommended Charts. The default bar chart should work fine, so click OK. Click on the Chart Title and rename it to Participants.
  • Create a bar graph of $ printed by month by selecting A3:A7 and then hold down your ctrl key (or command key on a mac) and select E3:E7.

  • Next, select the Insert tab at the top of the screen, and then click on Recommended Charts. The default bar chart should work fine, so click OK. Click on the Chart Title and rename it to $ Printed

    Demonstration of inserting recommended chart and change title.
  1. Now when you enter additional data into either your Workshop Data or Print Data sheets, your Dashboard sheet summary numbers and charts will update automatically!
    Image of Digital dashboard chart.

Digital Dashboard visual.

Great job!

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