by Charley Kyd, MBA
Microsoft Excel MVP

The quote above is from a reader who thanked me for writing "Dashboard Reporting With Excel."

Other readers have told me how their boss or their Board of Directors love their Excel dashboard reports.

Still other readers have told me about their engineers, or doctors and nurses, or managers, or sales teams, or accountants, or some other profession. They all love their Excel dashboard reports.

This is great news for many Excel users. In a weak economy, it's nice to be appreciated.

At first glance, it's obvious why people in business want dashboard reports like these. Their old Excel reports were as dull as tax tables, but Excel dashboard reports are interesting!

That's not the end of the story, however. Excel dashboard reports offer your company or your clients more important benefits than merely an easy read.

Excel dashboards can help your bottom line.

Bottom-Line Benefits of Dashboard Reporting With Excel

Dashboard reporting with Excel can help your bottom line in several ways. Here are three of the most important:

1. Excel dashboards offer quick insight!

The people who read your Excel reports are looking for insight about better ways to help your company succeed. They want to know what's going well or what's going badly. They're looking for problems or opportunities. They're looking for useful ideas.

With a few dashboard reports, your readers can gain this insight quickly. They don't need to dig through pages of columns of numbers, trying to find meaning in data.

2. Excel dashboards can display any data your managers need.

Do your managers need reports with data about your competitors? Or failure rates? Or headcounts? Or exchange rates? Do they need data from legacy systems that don't talk to your other computer systems? 

One way or the other, you can get any data you need into Excel, and then into your Excel dashboards.

3. Excel dashboards are low-cost and low-risk.

Commercial dashboard software can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. But you already own Excel. For all practical purposes, Excel dashboards are free.

And you risk nothing when you buy my dashboard book. I offer a one-year no-questions-asked guarantee.

Click here to see a brief video of an Excel dashboard in action.

You Can Create Reports of This Quality

The video at the link above demonstrates the dashboard report that my e-book shows you how to create from scratch. Thousands of Excel users have already created their own dashboards using this book.

And you can too.

Do you doubt it? Just glance through the testimonials on this page. You'll find enthusiastic notes from Excel users working...

...on at least four continents.

...in very large and very small companies.

...in Finance, of course, but also in marketing, support areas, operations, executive offices, and engineering.

...in many industries, including pharmaceuticals, banking, health care, transportation, consulting, wood products, airlines, universities, communications, travel, oil, automotive, newspapers, and even a ministry.

...at all levels, from presidents and owners of companies, to Excel users just out of school.

If they can create Excel dashboards, you can too!

Here's a brief video showing three Excel dashboards in action. All  are available with Dashboard Reporting With Excel.

How I Invented Spreadsheet Dashboards...And Why!

When I worked as a management accountant I used to print tall stacks of spreadsheet reports like the ugly ones at the top of this page. I worked hard on those reports.

But my audience usually didn't appreciate my hard work. In fact, they often groaned when they got my reports.

The reason was obvious. My reports were too much work for busy managers to read and understand. My reports provided facts, but no insight.

And that wasn't my only reporting problem.

Each period, I worked long hours to prepare those reports. I had to import the data, sort it, merge it, rearrange it, error-check it, and print it. I had to do the same thing for the next report, and the next. Then, in a week or a month, I had to do that same work all over again.

I spent too much time processing the data, and too little time using it to improve company performance. I spent too much time in spreadsheet hell!

Then I discovered two articles from the Harvard Business Review.

A 1978 article was titled "Graphic shorthand as an aid to managers." It was written by the VP Finance of one of Mexico's largest companies at the time. It showed how the author's company reported performance using many small charts on one page. 

These Excel dashboard reports are based on examples and figures from the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, and Business Week.

A 1980 article was titled "Graphic indicators of operations." Written by a manager at one of the Big Eight accounting firms, it showed how to use many small charts and tables on a page to serve as a business early warning system.

I looked at the easy-to-read examples in those articles. Then I thought of the dreck that I was producing. And I was shamed by the comparison.

So I grew determined to create easy-to-read reports in my spreadsheets.

I began the work about 1980, using VisiCalc. When Lotus 1-2-3 was introduced I switched to that program. In my first book, Financial Modeling Using Lotus 1-2-3, which I wrote for McGraw-Hill, I devoted a chapter to the "mini-chart" techniques that I had developed.

Then, after Excel hit the market, I figured out how to convert my Lotus mini-graphs into magazine-quality dashboards like those above. I've been doing this a long time!

Here's a brief video that demonstrates an Excel traffic light in action.

The Advantages of Excel Dashboards

With the help of just a few simple techniques, Excel can offer significant power to generate high-quality, low-cost, low-maintenance dashboards. Here are some specific reasons that using Excel dashboards is a good idea for any business:

  Because Excel dashboard reports require no software other than Excel, this method is free. "Real" dashboard software can cost many thousands of dollars.

  Excel can generate "magazine-quality" reports, as shown in the videos.

  Excel can display data from any number of sources, of any kind, using virtually any design...all in one report.

  Excel users can update their reports in seconds...reducing Spreadsheet Hell significantly. (The second video above illustrates this point.)

  Excel users can create magazine-quality Excel reports on their own. Excel developers aren't needed. Nor is the IT department.

  Because we can change our Excel reports quickly, we can respond quickly to our companies' changing information needs. We don't need to wait for help from programmers and consultants.

  Excel's reports can trap errors that standard reports ignore.

The techniques you learn for Excel dashboard reporting can improve your other Excel reports and analyses.

There's only one book that explains how to use Excel for such powerful reporting: Dashboard Reporting With Excel.

Click here to view the first of three brief videos that demonstrate spreadsheet power that's almost like magic, power that's been hidden inside Excel for years.

What Kind of Data Can Your Excel Dashboards Display?

To illustrate, you can find a note at the bottom of this page from an engineer who uses his Excel dashboards for energy savings analyses.

"I still think that dashboard reports are one of the neatest things I've ever done in Excel," he writes.

"Initially, I was using a dashboard to report energy usage for monthly management meetings. I followed on from that by using them to create PPM & TPM summary reports. In all these areas the use of dashboards saved me hours & hours of time every month."

We're not sure what PPM and TPM reports are, but we're pretty sure that they have nothing to do with Finance.

Here's the second of three brief videos showing Excel's hidden power. Do you know how this Excel trick is done?

Do You Need the Excel Files With the Book?

The order form refers to "21 Excel files." But at last count, there were 23 of them.

If you plan to connect your dashboard reports to an Excel database, these files provide a significant benefit: They provide many examples of the formulas needed to connect your dashboard workbook to your database.

Here's a summary of the files:

  The dashboard report shown in the first video, which the book shows you how to create.

  Four Excel database workbooks that supply data to the dashboard report.

  The three working dashboards shown in the second video, and the "Acme" database they link to.

  Databases of actual public financial data for Microsoft, General Motors, and Procter & Gamble. The three dashboards can link easily to any of this data.

  Six Excel workbooks that show Excel versions of figures from    business magazines.

  The traffic-light workbook demonstrated in a video above.

  An Excel workbook that uses the ExcelUser color scheme, which helps to illustrate the section in the e-book that explains how to set up your own colors in Excel.

  The special Postage Stamp report that can display 110 charts on one printed page. It includes a well-documented macro that populates the page.

  The workbook shown in the trio of videos that demonstrate Excel's hidden power.

These files normally are priced at $29.95. But if you buy them bundled with the book, you pay only $19.95, a 33% savings.

Click here to see the last of three brief videos showing Excel's hidden power. This example really looks like magic!

Frequently Asked Questions about the Book

  How soon will the book arrive?

Almost immediately. Within minutes after you place your order you'll receive an email message with download links. Just click the links to download your book and files.

  What if I don't like the book?

No problem. We offer a one-year money-back guarantee.

  I'm an Excel expert, but my co-worker can hardly spell the word. Won't one of us be disappointed?

Probably not. Less than 1% of our readers have asked for their money back. Of these, about 40% thought the book was too simple and 60% thought it was too advanced. So both of you probably will benefit from it.

  If my hard drive crashes can I get another copy?

No problem. This happens all the time, unfortunately. Just send me an email message and I'll send you another download link.

  Can I buy your book without giving you my credit card information?

Certainly! You can send us a check or even a wire transfer. Just email me for further instructions. However, I will say that we've sold thousands of books by credit card and haven't had one security problem.

  Can I get a receipt so my company will reimburse me for the book?

No problem. You'll receive one type of receipt within minutes of purchase. If its format doesn't meet your needs, just email me. I'll send you another version with more complete information. And if that doesn't work let me know. One way or the other, I'll get you what you need.

Important... 1. We offer a one-year, unconditional money-back guarantee. 2. We send a receipt automatically. If your company needs a different format to reimburse you for your purchase, we'll work to get you what you need. 3. We respect your email privacy.

Download Dashboard Reporting With Excel immediately...

	For Classic Excel (97 - 2003)   --The ebook only $29.95 --21 sample files (save $10) $19.95
	For New Excel (2007)   --The ebook only $29.95 --21 sample files (save $10) $19.95
	Both versions (a 30% savings) $69.95

...or, download our bundle with Dashboard Reporting With Excel, plus the 21 sample files, plus our Plug-N-Play #1 dashboard kit...

	For Classic Excel (97 - 2003) (Get the PNP for half price.) $64.95
	For New Excel (2007) (Get the PNP for half price.) $64.95
	Both versions (A savings of $39.75.) $119.95

If you don't already have Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader, you can download a FREE copy here. You'll probably use it a lot. To open the Zipped version, you'll need to install a program like WinZip. You can download a free copy here.

Here's some additional information about ordering:

• Secure transaction protects you.
• Privacy protection against identity theft.
• About the author.
• How does an "e-book" differ from a printed book?
• Satisfaction guarantee and refund policy.

If you need a receipt so that your company can reimburse you for your purchase, please let me know after you've purchased the kit.

If you have any problems downloading or un-zipping the file, contact me immediately. I'll make sure to get you what you need.

Download Dashboard Reporting With Excel immediately...

	For Classic Excel (97 - 2003)   --The ebook only $29.95 --21 sample files (Save $10.) $19.95
	For New Excel (2007)   --The ebook only $29.95 --21 sample files (Save $10.) $19.95
	Both versions (Save 30%.) $69.95

...or, download our bundle with Dashboard Reporting With Excel, plus the 21 sample files, plus our Plug-N-Play #1 dashboard kit...

	For Classic Excel (97 - 2003) (Get the PNP for half price.) $64.95
	For New Excel (2007) (Get the PNP for half price.) $64.95
	Both versions (Save $39.75.) $119.95

---

"I love the product! The dashboards are great and the book is very helpful and well written."

Kelly L Martin
Senior Research Analyst
Ministry of Children and Family Development
 

---

"I am just writing to tell you about how helpful your book has been...

"I am sending you the advance I have achieved so far. The report is incomplete because all the information for it is still being generated. But I wanted to share it with you...

"Your book is well written and very clear on every explanation."

Luis Iturriaga
Quality Systems Consultant
Ingeniería, Calidad y Competitividad
 

---

"We'll need to train the different levels of management before we distribute our dashboards. Most of them hate this, of course, because with limited reports they were not held accountable for results. Now they will be, and their bonus will be tied to the results achieved and measured.

"You have no idea how much your publication "Dashboard Reporting with Excel" has helped me and my clients."

Leslie Jedrychowski
Consultant
KnowledgeVantage

---

"Thank you very much for the dashboard package. It is absolutely brilliant!

I have been an Excel business user for many years and have learnt more from your publication than from any of the courses that I have attended."

James Campbell
Client Services Director
Paretian Asset Management

---

"With your help and the information in your eBook, I’m creating a dashboard report the likes of which my company has never seen. I’m sure I’ll get lots of questions and this will give me a ton of visibility in the organization."

Scott Papay
Six Sigma Black Belt
Trane Residential
 

---

"I purchased your Dashboard this week and can say that it's the best ever!!!

"I'm so impressed with my purchase that I can't wait to start creating dashboards for all of my KPIs!

"I've attached a file of sales by key account so you can see how far I've progressed in just 48 hours...!!!"

Mike Murphy
Nat'l Specification Sales Manager
IG Lintels
 

---

"I wanted to let you know that the product has been extremely helpful in implementing a new dashboard tool for our department. I've been an Excel user for over 7 years and the info in your manual has enlighten me many times over."

Chuong Ma
Product Analyst
Triad Financial

---

"Thanks for the opportunity to buy your book. I thought I knew a lot about charts. I program extensively in Excel, but your book shows how much I didn't know. I have seen tips in your book that I have never seen in countless manuals I have purchased over the years. "

Richard de Manincor
Developer
Entellitrix Consulting
 

---

"Great book! You clearly have been working with Excel for a long time."

Joe Little
President
Jet Reports
 

---

"Charley Kyd's e-book is an unbelievable value for the price I paid.

"I've seen bonehead, half-baked programs & reporting modules for which my Fortune 200 company has paid consultants and programmers hundreds of thousands of dollars. But they can't do half the great things that Charley's ideas deliver.

"They're fully customizable, fully adaptable to your business...the way you need your information.

"The key to great business decisions is the management and reporting of data. Charley provides the "great reporting" part.

"With fantastic and simple visuals to help the mind grasp the numeric trends, Charley's work turns my data into a gold mine.

"All the results without the $100K expense. Charley isn't just smart ...he's honest!"

Douglas Wesney
Pricing Manager
Fortune 200 Company

---

"Thought I'd send you a quick email to update you on my progress with dashboards.

"It must be well over 2 years since I bought your ebook & samples. At the time I was engineering manager for Vitafibres in the UK (I think one of my comments is still on your website somewhere!). I still think that dashboard reports are one of the neatest things I've ever done in Excel. Initially, I was using a dashboard to report energy usage for monthly management meetings. I followed on from that by using them to create PPM & TPM summary reports. In all these areas the use of dashboards saved me hours & hours of time every month.

"Since then, I've moved on from Vitafibres, but I'm still using dashboards! I still don't use them to present financial data (I'm an engineer, after all!), but I still keep finding other uses for them - currently I'm working on an Excel application to carry out some detailed energy saving analysis. This application has a lot of VBA code behind it, but I intend to use a dashboard for the summary section of the customer report. I think that the main thing that I've learned over the past couple of years is that you don't need to be a genius or an excel guru to create dashboards, but the applications are almost limitless.

"I think that for me, one of the things that brought home the real usefulness of dashboards was the first one I created. I presented my report at the monthly management meeting as usual, but this one included my dashboard report. No comment was made during the meeting, but afterwards the divisional director of the fibres division came up to me and said something along the lines of ' that report was excellent, it summarised all the energy usage in a clear & readable manner, and now I can get a real feel for our energy usage & expenditure.....but that report must have taken you hours to produce'........well ok it took me 4 days to create the template, but I didn't tell him that producing the report just took me just the time it takes to click 'print'!

"All I can say in closing is keep up the good work!"

Mark Lees
Control systems engineer 

Download Dashboard Reporting With Excel immediately...

	For Classic Excel (97 - 2003)   --The ebook only $29.95 --21 sample files (Save $10.) $19.95
	For New Excel (2007)   --The ebook only $29.95 --21 sample files (Save $10.) $19.95
	Both versions (Save 30%.) $69.95

...or, download our bundle with Dashboard Reporting With Excel, plus the 21 sample files, plus our Plug-N-Play #1 dashboard kit...

	For Classic Excel (97 - 2003) (Get the PNP for half price.) $64.95
	For New Excel (2007) (Get the PNP for half price.) $64.95
	Both versions (Save $39.75.) $119.95

---

 

Legal Information: Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Earnings Policy.