Introduction to Advanced Excel Dashboards Course:

Welcome to the Advanced Excel Dashboards course, where we will explore the art and science of creating dynamic and impactful data visualizations using Microsoft Excel. In today's data-driven world, effective data visualization is a critical skill for professionals across various domains. In this course, we will equip you with the tools, techniques, and best practices to design stunning dashboards that transform complex datasets into meaningful insights, enabling better decision-making and communication.

Throughout this course, you will delve into the principles of data visualization, understanding how to choose the right chart types for different data scenarios and discovering the art of designing engaging and informative dashboards. We will cover advanced charting techniques, such as waterfall charts for financial analysis, treemaps for hierarchical data, and heatmaps for spotting patterns. Moreover, you will learn how to create interactive dashboards with slicers, form controls, and dynamic elements that adapt seamlessly to changing data.

By integrating Excel functions, macros, and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), you will automate repetitive tasks and optimize the performance of your dashboards. Our hands-on approach will guide you through real-world scenarios, building interactive sales dashboards, financial reports, HR analytics, marketing insights, project management tools, and more. Furthermore, you will explore dashboard security, sharing options, and learn valuable tips and tricks for effective dashboard design.

Whether you're an analyst, manager, or professional from any field, this course will empower you to present data in a visually compelling way, adding value to your reports, presentations, and business communications. Join us on this exciting journey to master Excel dashboards and unleash the potential of data visualization to make a significant impact in your professional career!

Course Objectives:

1. Mastering Data Visualization: You will learn how to transform raw data into meaningful insights by using advanced charting techniques and visualizations. We will focus on various visualization best practices to ensure your dashboards are clear, concise, and effective in conveying information.
2. Dynamic Dashboard Design: This course will guide you through creating interactive dashboards that update automatically when new data is added. You will learn how to incorporate slicers, drop-down lists, and other controls to make your dashboards user-friendly and adaptable to changing data.
3. Data Connection and Analysis: You will explore how to connect Excel to external data sources and perform data analysis within the Excel environment. We will cover functions, pivot tables, and data modeling techniques to transform raw data into meaningful insights.
4. Dashboard Automation: Learn how to automate repetitive tasks and update your dashboards with the latest data using macros and Excel's Power Query and Power Pivot functionalities.
5. Advanced Charting Techniques: Discover various advanced chart types, such as waterfall charts, treemaps, and heatmaps, to effectively visualize different types of data and trends.
6. Dashboard Formatting and Design: You will learn how to use formatting, color schemes, and layouts to make your dashboards visually appealing and cohesive, enhancing the overall user experience.
7. Interactive Dashboard Components: Explore the usage of form controls, buttons, and hyperlinks to create interactive elements that enable users to explore and analyze data independently.
8. Dashboard Performance Optimization: Learn techniques to optimize the performance of your dashboards, ensuring they run smoothly and efficiently, even with large datasets.
9. Integration with Excel Functions: Integrate advanced Excel functions into your dashboards to perform calculations and create dynamic data-driven visualizations.
10. Dashboard Security and Sharing: Understand the best practices for protecting sensitive data in your dashboards and learn various methods for sharing and distributing dashboards with stakeholders.

Organization Benefits:

• Improve data-driven decision-making through effective data visualization.
• Increase employee productivity and efficiency in data analysis and reporting.
• Enhance the quality of presentations and reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Enable faster and more informed decision-making at all levels of the organization.
• Empower employees to work with data independently and gain insights without relying on IT support.

Course Duration:

• 5 days (The Duration, module sequence, and content can be customized based on specific training needs and objectives of participants)

Target Participants:

• Business Analysts and Data Analysts
• Financial Analysts and Accountants
• Project Managers and Team Leads
• Marketing and Sales Professionals
• HR Professionals and Administrators
• Anyone interested in enhancing their data visualization skills in Excel

Course Outline (Modules):

1. Introduction to Excel Dashboards
• Understanding the Purpose and Benefits of Dashboards
• Overview of Excel's Data Visualization Capabilities
2. Data Visualization Principles and Best Practices
• Selecting the Right Chart Types for Different Data
• Designing Effective and Engaging Dashboards
3. Connecting Data Sources and Data Analysis in Excel
• Data Import and Connection Methods
• Data Cleaning and Transformation Techniques
4. Building Interactive Dashboards with Slicers and Form Controls
• Creating Slicers for Interactive Filtering
• Adding Form Controls for User Interaction
5. Advanced Charting Techniques: Waterfall Charts, Treemaps, Heatmaps
• Creating Waterfall Charts for Financial Analysis
• Visualizing Hierarchical Data with Treemaps
• Heatmaps for Spotting Patterns and Trends
6. Dynamic Dashboard Design with Excel Functions
• Utilizing Dynamic Named Ranges
• Using INDEX, MATCH, and OFFSET Functions for Dynamic Data
7. Creating User-Friendly Navigation and Drill-Downs
• Implementing Navigation Buttons and Hyperlinks
• Building Drill-Down Dashboards for Detailed Analysis
8. Advanced Formatting and Design for Dashboards
• Customizing Chart Elements and Data Labels
• Enhancing Dashboard Aesthetics with Themes and Styles
9. Dashboard Automation with Macros and VBA
• Recording and Editing Macros for Automation
• Introduction to Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)
10. Introduction to Power Query and Data Cleaning
• Using Power Query for Data Transformation
• Cleaning and Shaping Data for Dashboards
11. Power Pivot for Advanced Data Modeling
• Building Data Models with Power Pivot
• Creating Relationships and Calculated Columns
12. Advanced Dashboard Components: Checkboxes, Buttons, and Drop-Downs
• Using Checkboxes for Multi-Select Options
• Adding Buttons for Macros and Actions
• Utilizing Drop-Down Menus for Interactive Selection
13. Dashboard Interactivity with Hyperlinks and Camera Tool
• Creating Hyperlinks for Quick Navigation
• Implementing the Camera Tool for Dynamic Visuals
14. Optimizing Dashboard Performance
• Techniques for Improving Dashboard Speed
• Reducing File Size and Calculations
15. Building Interactive Sales Dashboards
• Analyzing Sales Performance with Dynamic Charts
• Visualizing Sales Trends and Regions
16. Financial Dashboards and KPI Tracking
• Building Financial Reports and KPI Metrics
• Using Sparklines for Compact Data Visuals
17. HR Dashboards for Workforce Analytics
• Tracking Employee Metrics and Performance
• Presenting Employee Data with Pivot Tables
18. Marketing Dashboards for Campaign Analysis
• Analyzing Marketing Campaigns and ROI
• Using Pivot Charts for Marketing Insights
19. Project Management Dashboards with Gantt Charts
• Visualizing Project Timelines with Gantt Charts
• Tracking Project Progress and Milestones
20. Inventory and Supply Chain Dashboards
• Managing Inventory Levels with Interactive Reports
• Tracking Supply Chain Metrics
21. Security and Data Protection in Dashboards
• Implementing Data Protection and Passwords
• Securing Sensitive Information
22. Dashboard Sharing and Distribution Options
• Saving and Sharing Dashboards with Colleagues
• Publishing Dashboards to SharePoint or OneDrive
23. Advanced Dashboard Examples and Case Studies
• Analyzing Real-World Dashboard Examples
• Replicating Complex Dashboard Designs
24. Tips and Tricks for Effective Dashboard Design
• Efficiency Tips for Building Dashboards
• Designing Dashboards for Different Audiences
25. Final Project: Creating a Comprehensive Interactive Dashboard
• Applying All Concepts and Techniques Learned
• Showcasing the Final Dashboard Project

General Notes

• All our courses can be Tailor-made to participants' needs
• The participant must be conversant in English
• Presentations are well-guided, practical exercises, web-based tutorials, and group work. Our facilitators are experts with more than 10 years of experience.
• Upon completion of training the participant will be issued with a Foscore development center certificate (FDC-K)
• Training will be done at the Foscore development center (FDC-K) centers. We also offer inhouse and online training on the client schedule
• Course duration is flexible and the contents can be modified to fit any number of days.
• The course fee for onsite training includes facilitation training materials, 2 coffee breaks, a buffet lunch, and a Certificate of successful completion of Training. Participants will be responsible for their own travel expenses and arrangements, airport transfers, visa application dinners, health/accident insurance, and other personal expenses.
• Accommodation, pickup, freight booking, and Visa processing arrangement, are done on request, at discounted prices.
• Tablet and Laptops are provided to participants on request as an add-on cost to the training fee.
• One-year free Consultation and Coaching provided after the course.
• Register as a group of more than two and enjoy a discount of (10% to 50%)
• Payment should be done before commence of the training or as agreed by the parties, to the FOSCORE DEVELOPMENT CENTER account, so as to enable us to prepare better for you.
• For any inquiries reach us at training@fdc-k.org or +254712260031
• Website:www.fdc-k.org