Presentation of metrics in your #Excel reports

If you're having trouble deciding how to display data in your reports, try starting with this simple method. I start a ton of my reports with this basic layout and then build on it based on my client's needs.

This is designed to help you avoid the most common errors I see in Excel reports and PowerPoint presentations.

– Give a clear and easy to understand title (no jargon or acronyms)
– Add any contextual information users need to understand what the metric actually means
– Don't assume that your audience understands your data or visualizations as well as you do.
– Give comparison measures: some examples could be a comparison with the mean/median or a comparison with a previous period.
– Add a chart that shows data plotted over time

This will cover the main information most people need to correctly interpret the data you show them. It's not perfect, it won't work in every scenario, but it's a great starting point for the vast majority of Excel reports or presentations.

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