Advanced Excel · Beginner level

Beginner level · Module 5 of 5 · 10 guided hours

Dashboard Fundamentals in Excel

Design and build a clear one-page dashboard that answers managers' key questions at a glance.

Learning objectives

  • Plan a dashboard around users' questions
  • Use conditional formatting, sparklines and key figures effectively
  • Build and present a one-page monthly dashboard

Topics

  • dashboard planning
  • layout and visual hierarchy
  • key figure cards
  • conditional formatting
  • sparklines
  • presenting a dashboard

Lessons

  1. Lesson 1 Planning a Dashboard

    Start from the decisions the dashboard supports and sketch its layout before building.

    user questionskey figureslayoutvisual hierarchy

  2. Lesson 2 Conditional Formatting, Sparklines and Key Figures

    Highlight what matters with conditional formatting, show trends with sparklines and present key figures clearly.

    conditional formatting rulesformula-based rulessparklineskey figure cards

  3. Lesson 3 Building and Presenting the Dashboard

    Assemble the dashboard, test it with new data and present it.

    assemblyrefresh testprotecting layoutpresentation

Practical activity

Build the level project's one-page dashboard for the distributor and present it to the 'owner'.

Expected outcomes

  • Clear, decision-focused dashboards
  • A complete level project

Assessment

The level project assessed against its criteria with a short presentation.

Free taster lesson Building a Simple Dashboard Read a free self-study lesson on this topic in the Free Course Library.

Taught live by an instructor — online or in person. Free course lessons are for self-study and do not lead to a certificate — see registration options.