Excel KPI Dashboard: What It Is and How to Choose It
The KPI dashboard, also known as a key performance indicator dashboard, is one of the adaptable dashboards that can be used on occasion in accordance with business requirements.
The majority of the time, it is a graphic representation of several business processes that have advanced along with specific already established (predefined) measurements for the fulfillment of the goal.
The dashboard offers the best visual representation of KPIs and how they compare to one another. It is both important to set startup KPIs and KPIs for big enterprise companies. These are visual metrics that enable you to rapidly determine whether or not the existing company values are progressing as anticipated and to do so in the simplest manner possible without having to examine a large amount of data.
What Makes Up a KPI Dashboard?
Excel KPI dashboards usually include five to fifteen charts that are related to a specific topic. Tables, and measures are just a few of the components included in Excel dashboards that aid in presenting the data.
As an example, let’s concentrate on “safety.” Here, the dashboard may be located on a factory floor and display how many days have passed since the last incident at the business. The safety dashboard’s charts may comprise the following from the aforementioned KPI dashboard examples:
- The financial savings from fewer accidents
- The days the production line was in operation
- How many hours were put in
- How many safety briefings there were
- Hours missed as a result of any safety incidents
- Cost of all safety-related occurrences during the past year
The best KPI dashboards are those that present the complete story as simply as possible. In addition, in each chart, include RAG status pointers or another illustration of the desired outcome. For instance, knowing if 30 days without any accident is a record may encourage staff to act appropriately.
Qualitative data should be added to the KPI dashboard. Some sophisticated dashboards include frequently updated text to showcase a story or explain a performance decline. This kind of explanation might assist everyone grasp the implications of the dashboard in a certain manner.
How Do You Choose the Best KPI Dashboard?
You need to comprehend the kind of dashboard you’re generating in addition to defining an excel KPI dashboard. You have to decide whether the dashboard is intended to motivate behavior or to communicate information. Information-sharing KPIs can help employees become more knowledgeable about their work. The majority of the business measures (such as safety) should ideally be under control.
However, some dashboards will display data that is out of control. For instance, this may be data on financial markets (such as a financial markets dashboard showing the Dow, Nasdaq, S&P, bond prices, oil prices, security prices, mortgage rates) or a map displaying the length of a city’s pipe to your consumers.
KPIs that influence behavior might encourage workers to work toward a goal. For example, employees may decide to attend a safety seminar if their driving habits directly affect their bonuses.
Endnote
Keep in mind that dashboards can be quite advantageous for your company. Establish the goal and target audience for your dashboard, choose the KPIs, and develop a narrative that encourages the desired behavior in your business.