Microsoft Excel — Using the #Infographic Resource Dashboard

The User Experience Perspective

Dashboard Resource Output in Mobile View

Introduction

In Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, I walked through the development of a dashboard as an #infographic resource tool. In this post, let’s walk through using the tool from an end-user perspective!

I will start at the point that the resource is open in Microsoft Excel on the user’s computer.

Here we go…

1 — Update for New Data

The dashboard imports it’s information from a file housed on the internet, so updating it will retrieve the current information automatically.

Starting point…

Starting point — click on sequence of buttons to update table & formatting

Updated data table…1,438 records are added!

Updated data table — 1,438 records added

2 — Conduct Search(es) on Topics of Interest

For purposes of this demonstration, I’m going to select topics from a continuing education session I am attending at the end of October. These topics are identified as “hot” topics for the accounting profession, but they are all relevant to any business person today.

OSCPA Advance Session — Topics to search for #Infographic resources?

So, I will conduct searches on “analytics”, “millennials”, and “blockchain”.

Ready?

Analytics

Filtered Analytics Search — 413 records

Millennials

Filtered Millennials Search — 83 records

Blockchain

Filtered Blockchain Search — 546 records

It’s obvious these are relevant topics we may want to explore — simply based on the number of infographics created!

3 — Print Search Results to a PDF Report

Next, I want to explore the filtered list for anything I might have a particular use for. It’s easy to use this since content is linked and I can easily access the related infographic.

Here’s how to do it for the iPad (iPhone works the same way — just smaller…).

Click “Print Selection to PDF” button

NOTE: The “Tweet Link” column in the report below is converted to a hyperlink BEFORE printing. I use ASAP Utilities for this.

Click “Print Selection to PDF” button

Here is a sample PDF report view.

Sample PDF — “Analytics” Search Results

I send it to my iPad (email, cloud storage, etc. — however you want to get it there!)

4 — View From the iPad

The document can be opened up in a PDF viewer (iBooks works on the iPad, or whichever document management app you prefer).

PDF view → Tap link to open Tweet — Tap Link to get Infographic

Share Infographic OR Save Image to your Camera Roll — whatever suits you!

Conclusion

There you go.

This is example is based on a search for infographic mentions on Twitter and building a data set. However, that search can be any thing on Twitter that interests you.

Once you set the Excel file up, complete the power query, etc., you now have a MASTER Excel file that you can simply map to a different source.

About Don

“It’s time for different”

Don is passionate about helping professionals and organizations keep up and adapt to the changing business world that we operate in.

“What Do You Do?”

I frequently get this question. My response (it’s not what you think!)? Check it out here!

Connect with Don!

LinkedIn, Flipboard, Twitter, Snapchat

Or, just Google me…I’m everywhere