Building Google Sheets Dashboards: 7 Easy Steps

Google Sheets provides its users with an online Spreadsheet for the storage of data. Google Sheets further houses formulas and other tools that users can leverage to draw insights from their data. Such insights can make the work of decision-makers easier and efficient. 

However, it is difficult to analyze textual or numerical data and draw insights from it. The human brain can grasp information more quickly from a visual presentation than from textual or numerical data. That’s why you should consider presenting your Google Sheets data visually. The best way to achieve this is by creating a Dashboard from your data using Google Sheets Dashboards.

Google Sheets Dashboards feature different types of visualizations to communicate the insights to users. It makes it easier for everyone to understand the information you are trying to communicate.

This article provides a detailed overview of Google Sheets Dashboards and also acts as a step-by-step guide for setting up your Google Sheets Dashboards.

Introduction to Google Sheets

Google Sheets is an online Spreadsheet application owned by Google. It is similar to other Spreadsheet Tools, but the fact that it’s an online platform makes it more useful than other Spreadsheet Applications. 

Following are some unique features of Google Sheets that make it a better Spreadsheet application:

• It is a Web-Based Application that can be used from any location. Thus, you can access your files from anywhere and anytime. 
• It is usable on multiple devices. There are Google Sheet Applications for iOS and Android and the Web-Based Core Application. 
• Google Sheets is a Free Application and it’s connected to Google Drive, Google Docs, and Google Slides for document sharing. 
• It is user-friendly and accumulates all the necessary elements for Data Visualization.
• With Google Sheets, you can download add-ons and even create your own add-ons.
• Since it’s an online tool, you can use your Spreadsheet to collect data automatically.

For more information on Google Sheets, click here.

Introduction to Google Sheets Dashboards

Consider the last time you wanted to check a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) or a Metric for a report. Probably, you had to search through raw data in multiple Spreadsheets. This can be a great challenge, especially when you need to get answers quickly. The best way to solve this problem is by creating a Dashboard in Google Sheets. 

The purpose of Dashboards is to present your data visually, which gives you an at-a-glance overview of the Key Metrics for your business. Google Sheets Dashboards provide options for you to visualize your data using Tables, Charts, and Graphs. This makes it easier for your team members and users to understand information extracted from the Spreadsheet.

Benefits of Using Google Sheets Dashboard

• Data source connection: Dashboards can connect to multiple data sources, allowing users to create custom dashboards that showcase important KPIs from different departments. 
• Centralized information: Dashboards present all key information in one place, saving time by eliminating the need to view multiple pages for updates. 
• Data visualization: Dashboards allow users to create interactive charts and graphs that can help identify trends and patterns in data. 
• Data accuracy: Dashboards give everyone access to the same accurate information, allowing teams to make decisions based on data. 
• Customizable layouts: Users can create their own layouts and design elements to customize dashboards to fit their specific needs. 

Steps to Set up Google Sheets Dashboards

The process of creating a Dashboard in Google Sheets involves creating and adding different types of visualizations. Follow the steps given below to Set Up Google Sheets Dashboards:

• Step 1: Logging In
• Step 2: Load Data into Google Sheets
• Step 3: Insert Chart
• Step 4: Select Chart Type
• Step 5: Using the Chart Editor
• Step 6: Insert Other Charts
• Step 7: Share the Google Sheets Dashboards

Step 1: Logging in

Log into your Google Sheets account.

Step 2: Load Data into Google Sheets

The second step is to Load Data into Google Sheets. Click the “File” menu and choose “Open”. This will open a new window that prompts you to select the data to be loaded.

There are different sources where you can Load Data from. To upload the data from the computer, click the “Upload” tab then navigate to where the data is located. Select the data and then click the “Open” button to load it into your Google Spreadsheet.

The data will be loaded into the Spreadsheet as shown above. In this case, the data loaded is eCommerce data that shows the Views, Adds to Cart, Checkouts, Quantity Purchased, and Revenue Generated by different products on sale.

Step 3: Insert Chart

Now that the data has been loaded into the Spreadsheet, you can create a chart. Select the rows and columns in the file that need to be visualized using charts. Click the “Insert” menu and choose “Chart”. You can also click the “Insert Chart” icon from the menu bar.

In the given example, column A and B have been selected to generate a column chart that shows the number of views for different products.

Step 4: Select Chart Type

Google Sheets will automatically suggest the right chart for you based on the type of data that you’ve selected.

Step 5: Using the Chart Editor

If you need to make any changes to the chart, you can do so using the “Chart Editor” window shown on the right side of the Spreadsheet. 

For instance, if you need to change the type of chart, use the “Chart Type” drop-down button to select another type of chart for your Dashboard.

Step 6: Insert Other Charts

Follow the same sequence of steps to insert another chart(s) into the Dashboard. For example, to see the products and their associated checkouts, select column A, hold down the Ctrl key, and select column D.

Click the “Insert” menu and select “Chart”. By default, it will insert a Column Chart. You can change the type of chart using the Chart Editor window. For example, you can change it to a Pie Chart.

Step 7: Share the Google Sheets Dashboards

Once done, share the Dashboard with other users by clicking the “File” menu and selecting the “Share” button.

A new window will pop up asking you to type the emails of individuals and groups that you need to share the Dashboard with. Once done, click the “Done” button.

You have successfully created Google Sheets Dashboards and shared them with others.

Limitations of Google Sheets Dashboards

The following are the challenges that users’ experience when creating and using Google Sheets Dashboards:

• Insufficient Data Visualization Tools: Google Sheets doesn’t come with a wide variety of Data Visualization Tools like other Spreadsheet applications such as Microsoft Excel. 
• Complex Process: The process of creating Dashboards in Google Sheets is a bit complex and can puzzle inexperienced Google Sheets users. 
• Importing Data from Other Sources: Users experience challenges when they need to import data from other data sources into Google Sheets in real-time.

Conclusion

Google Sheets Dashboards help you to visually represent your data using Pie Chart, Bar Plot, Histogram, etc. This article has provided an overall picture of Google Sheets Dashboards. It has provided the 7 easy steps to set up your Google Sheets Dashboards. This article has also talked about the challenges you might face while working with Google Sheets Dashboards. In case you want to migrate data, then Hevo Data is the right choice for you! It will help simplify the ETL and management process of both the data sources and the data destinations.

Hevo Data provides its users with a simpler platform for integrating data from 100+ sources(including 40+ free sources) for Analysis such as Google Sheets for free. It is a No-code Data Pipeline that can help you combine data from multiple sources. You can use it to transfer data from multiple data sources into your Data Warehouses/Databases, or a destination of your choice. It provides you with a consistent and reliable solution to managing data in real-time, ensuring that you always have Analysis-ready data in your desired destination.

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