Excel Tips: Simple Dashboards – Tech Tip for May 1, 2026

In this week’s tech tip, we’re highlighting how to turn Excel data into simple dashboards that highlight key insights and make reporting easier to review and share across teams. Instead of manually reviewing rows of data to understand performance or trends, dashboards provide a clear way to organize and present important information. Let’s dive in!

Start with Organized Data

Before building a dashboard, your data should be clean and structured. Each column should represent a specific type of information, such as dates, categories, or values. Well-organized data makes it easier to create visuals that update correctly and remain consistent over time.

TIP: Make sure your data uses consistent formatting, especially for dates and categories to avoid issues when building charts.

TIP: Remove blank rows or inconsistent entries so your data range remains stable.

Work with Charts to Visualize Data

Charts are the foundation of most Excel dashboards. They help turn raw data into visual summaries that are easier to understand at a glance.

Work with Charts:

• Open Excel and an existing workbook containing your data.
• Select the data you would like to visualize.
• Select the ‘Insert’ tab in the Excel ribbon menu.
• Choose a chart type such as ‘Column,’ ‘Line,’ or ‘Pie.’
• Insert the chart and move (or copy and paste) to a clear area of your worksheet.
• Resize and arrange charts to create a simple dashboard layout.

TIP: Use column or bar charts for comparisons and line charts for trends over time.

TIP: Keep chart formatting simple so that focus remains on the data.

Highlight Key Metrics

Dashboards are most effective when they focus on a small number of meaningful metrics rather than trying to show everything at once.

Examples include:

• Total sales or revenue
• Activity or volume trends
• Status counts or progress tracking

Set Up Your Metrics Area:

• Click on a blank area of your Excel worksheet or start a new sheet
• Create two columns:
  • Column A: Metric names (labels)
  • Column B: Values (formulas)
• Add formulas for each metric (edit the defined rows/columns in the parenthesis):
  • Try: =SUM(I2:I52) for a Total (sum) of all sales.
  • Try: =COUNTA(A2:A52) for an Order (count) of all orders.
  • Try: =AVERAGE(I2:I52) to calculate an Average (amount) of all sales.
  • Try: =COUNTA(UNIQUE(A2:A52)) to calculate Unique items in defined cells (this formula will avoid empty cells).

TIP: If using the same sheet as your data for a dashboard: always allow 2-3 empty rows or columns between existing table data and new table data to make sure you are using empty/clear cells.

TIP: Place your most important metrics at the top or center of the dashboard for quick visibility. Avoid overcrowding the dashboard with too many visuals or charts.

TIP: Looking for insight into different types of Formulas and built-in functions? Visit the Microsoft Overview of Formulas in Excel or contact TechWise Group to learn more.

Keep Dashboards Easy to Maintain

A good dashboard should update as new data is added, without requiring manual adjustments.

To support this:

• Use consistent data ranges
• Avoid hard-coded values in charts
• Ensure charts reference the full dataset where possible

TIP: Test your dashboard by adding new data to confirm everything updates correctly.

Turning Insights into Action

Once your dashboard is built, the next step is sharing those insights with others. In many organizations, dashboards are used as part of regular reporting and are distributed through tools like Outlook to provide updates and highlight key changes.

Dashboards help teams:

• Share visual summaries instead of raw data
• Highlight trends and key performance indicators
• Support faster decision-making

TIP: Keep dashboards focused so they can be easily understood without explanation.

Excel dashboards can help your teams move from raw data to clear insights. When combined with structured communication, they can also support more consistent and efficient reporting across organizations. We hope you’ll give dashboards a try!

Reach Out to TechWise Group

Contact TechWise Group to review how your team is working with the latest Microsoft 365 tools that include modern Excel and Copilot features and updates.