Latest posts
Below are the most recent articles or resources I’ve published. If you are looking for help on a specific topics, it would best to look at the topics in my Articles archive as I have grouped my recent and best articles by topic there.
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Graph using Excel Data Bars; Issue #420 August 7, 2018
Most business professionals are familiar with creating graphs in Excel using the powerful built-in graph features. Today I want to show another feature of Excel that can be used to create a bar graph quickly in Excel. It has limitations but can be particularly useful when you want to create multiple bar graphs of related…… Continue reading
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Redefining the KPI acronym; Issue #419 July 24, 2018
In a presentation I did earlier this year at a number of regional Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) conferences I suggested that we redefine the acronym KPI. As organizations have started to measure more activities, they are deciding on which metrics should be Key Performance Indicators, the traditional definition of the acronym KPI. I suggest…… Continue reading
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“But they want ALL the data!”; Issue #418 July 10, 2018
Earlier this year a new record was set for the largest number of cells I have seen copied from an Excel spreadsheet onto a PowerPoint slide: 3,128 cells! I couldn’t make that up even if I tried! This beat the previous records of 2,100 and 1,975. When I share this in my customized workshops I…… Continue reading
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FinancialViz Comparing common elements; Issue #417 June 26, 2018
I recently posted a new FinancialViz makeover that illustrates a better way to compare common elements using color and position. The original visual was published in the May 2018 issue of the Globe and Mail ROB magazine and looked like this. One reason I selected this visual is because it is a good example of…… Continue reading
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FinancialViz Makeover: Comparing common elements using color and position
This makeover shows how using color and position helps the audience compare common elements in two categories or data series. Continue reading
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How to select information for a Gantt chart; Issue #416 June 12, 2018
No matter what area of an organization you work in, you are likely involved in projects. They may be called initiatives or some other term, but they have a clear goal, specific deliverables, and tasks that need to be done to complete the project. You will have to report on your progress to a steering…… Continue reading
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Process/sequence diagrams with many steps; Issue #415 May 29, 2018
Sometimes you may have to discuss a process or sequence that has many steps. It is a good idea to show a process using a sequence diagram such as a shapes and arrow diagram. The challenge when you have many steps is fitting them all on the slide. Here is an example based on a…… Continue reading
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FinancialViz Makeover: Putting comparisons side-by-side
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Launch of FinancialViz.com; Issue #414 May 15, 2018
Too often financial results or analysis are reported using spreadsheets or paragraphs of text. I have worked for a number of years helping professionals in finance, treasury, and other areas use visuals to effectively communicate important messages. Often the most impactful part of my customized workshops or conference sessions are the real-world examples I show.…… Continue reading
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Comparing growth in Sales and Expense categories over time; Slide Makeover #92
Use an index line graph to compare trends in different data series using a common starting point Continue reading
