Turn Your Excel Spreadsheets into Beautiful, Custom Dashboards in Databox

Good news! Databox now integrates with Microsoft Excel..

This means you finally have an easy way of visualizing and presenting all of that data you currently store in spreadsheets. 

Excel gives you the power and flexibility needed to manage and analyze large sets of data. But when it comes time to visualize and present all that data, Excel isn’t the most effective solution. 

The Databox + Excel integration was created so users can do more with their Excel data—from creating custom metrics, to powerful dashboard reporting that can be shared and understood by the entire organization.

Why use Excel with Databox? 

Whether you’re using Excel to track your budgets or to stay on top of your sales pipeline, Databox can provide you with easy-to-understand visuals to give you more effective insights, so that you can take quick action. 

Financial Reporting

Do you track your budget or financial projections in Excel? Connect these spreadsheets to Databox so you can create dashboards for each of your financial objectives. These dashboards are easy to share and include powerful data visualizations so anyone can spot trends and understand the analysis. 

Sales Performance 

Sales pipeline, lead tracking, and performance data are critical metrics for sales teams. If your team is tracking this data in Excel, using Databox can help you keep the whole team up-to-date on the metrics that matter most. Create dashboards that can be projected from TVs on the sales floor or from the mobile phones of account managers.

Inventory Management

Excel is a great place to store all of your ever-changing inventory data. If you’re looking to create a cross-functional inventory report alongside, say, your revenue data, it’s easy to create dashboards from multiple sources within Databox.

Business goals can be complex and require inputs from multiple teams. In Databox, you can connect all of your data sources in a single place, meaning the dashboards you build will be based on objectives, not platforms. With Databox, comprehensive and effective reporting using your Excel data is just a few clicks away.

How to use Excel with Databox 

Import your Excel workbook into Databox 

First, go to the Data Manager in your Databox account. Click the New Connection button in the top right corner of the page, and then select Excel. From here, you have three options. You can connect via Google Drive, One Drive, or Dropbox. Ensure that a copy of the Excel workbook you want to connect is already uploaded into one of these locations for quick access. Once selected, you can create your first metric. 

Create custom metrics 

Creating the custom metrics you need is easy with the Excel Wizard tool. To build your metrics, select Metrics from the left-hand navigation bar. Click on the + Add Metric button in the top right corner. Select your Excel spreadsheet from the Browse by data source dropdown menu. 

From here, you’ll see this screen: 

Click on the box with the + sign under custom metrics. From here, you’ll be directed to verify your data. 

Once you’ve looked over the data and everything looks correct, click Continue. 

Now we can begin creating your first metric! Start by selecting the value you’d like to measure. This is the primary numerical value you want to track for your metric. 

Click Continue. 

From here you have the option to further segment your metric by adding a Dimension—this could be something like Region, Industry, or in the example above, Segment. Dimensions will allow you to categorize your metrics the way you want them. Click Continue, and ensure the date range is correct. 

Once you select your date range and click Continue, you’ll be led to the final setup screen for your Excel spreadsheet and your first metric:

Here you can name the metric, determine how the data is displayed, select a date range, and select a visualization option. When you’re finished, select Continue to save your metric. 

Prefer to go through the metric creation steps manually with the Databox Query Builder? You’ll always be able to select the Switch to manual setup button in the top right corner of any of the Wizard setup screens. 

Once you’ve created the metrics you want to track, you can start building your dashboard.

Build a dashboard 

The Dashboard Designer allows you to drag, drop, expand, or move any of the metrics you want to see into a single dashboard so you don’t have to go digging for the numbers you need. Databox will automatically sync with your Excel sheets and update so you can ensure your numbers are accurate and up-to-date, without any manual work needed on your end.

To start designing, select Databoards from the left-hand navigation bar. Click New Databoard in the top right corner. You’re ready to drop in your Excel metrics. 

From here you can: 

Set and visualize goals: 

Change date ranges and compare data against previous date ranges. Click on the arrow next to the date range on the individual metric block. 

Databox’s large library of visualizations allows you to select the right visual for each of your individual metrics, serving the core purpose of the dashboard.

How to make the most of your dashboards 

Once you have your metrics uploaded into a dashboard, there are many ways you can start making your data actionable. 

Visualize relevant data quickly 

Looking to watch progress towards a goal? With the Goals feature, Databox dashboards will give you quick insight into where you stand so that you can quickly identify and share any gaps or concerns with your team. 

Share data easily & effectively 

Share dashboards quickly and easily with team members by sending Snapshots or linking them directly to view your dashboards. This gives stakeholders visibility into the data that matters, without needing to make any edits to access permissions in your Excel spreadsheet. 

Databox dashboards are also incredibly easy for everyone to read and understand. If you’re looking to influence data-driven decisions in your organization, dashboards are a critical tool. 

If you’re looking to learn more about the Databox + Excel integration, check out this guide.

Already on a Professional or Performer plan? Log in to start using Excel today.

New to Databox? First, create a free account. From here, you can sign up for a free 15-day trial to try out the Excel integration.