How to Build a Dashboard from an Excel File
A dashboard should answer “what is happening now?” quickly and provide enough context for the next question. Build a focused view of key results instead of a collection of unrelated charts.
Start with decisions, not available charts
Define who uses the dashboard and which decisions they make. An executive may track revenue, expenses, and profit, while a sales manager tracks target achievement, active customers, and team performance.
Choose a small set of KPIs that describe current performance. Give each KPI a chart or table that explains the change instead of repeating the same figure in several forms.
From a file to the first dashboard item
Import an Excel or CSV file, review the sample and issues, then choose Continue. In the new table preview, choose Analyze, prepare a chart, and check the last executed result. Choose Add to dashboard, select a new or existing personal dashboard, and confirm. Saving a view first is not required.
Save view lets you reopen an analysis from Analytics. A dashboard item keeps the configuration added to it; changing the saved view later does not automatically change that item. Newly imported or API data is available when the connected view runs again.
Arrange hierarchy and shared filters
Place KPI cards at the top, followed by trend and comparison charts, with detailed tables lower down. Map a shared period or department filter only to items with compatible fields. Saved confirms the server wrote the change; Done ends editing and may save remaining changes such as removing a KPI or changing your personal default dashboard.
- Leave enough room for titles, values, labels, and chart axes to remain readable.
- Use item sizing to emphasize what matters most.
- Review mobile layout and keyboard alternatives for arranging items.
- Set a validated dashboard as your home view or open it in fullscreen mode.
Example: revenue, expenses, and target achievement
For the first item, import period, department, and revenue. Choose Analyze, group revenue by department using SUM, then Add to dashboard. Profit and target achievement KPI cards need additional fields or formulas and belong to a more advanced follow-up.
A dashboard should shorten the path to the next question
A strong layout shows status, trend, and the reason for a variance without searching several files. Check for Saved, choose Done, then duplicate the dashboard if useful. Undo/Redo move through editing steps; Restore initial version writes a new state to the server.