ExcelDashboardWidgets

Helping you create stunning dashboards in Microsoft Excel including dials, speedometers, thermometers, and much more...

Upload and share your dashboard spreadsheets with other users here.

Moderator: DashboardWidgets

#260
So...

I've followed a few threads.... what exactly does the activation code do?

I'm interested in the commercial version, but the data available *doesnt* show me whether its easy or hard to configure...

Can't get a single widget to paste and behave :-(

Suggest you email me at the email provided with the registration.

Thanks.

Matt
User avatar
By DashboardWidgets
#261
Hey Matt

The activation code allows you to enter your own values into the configuration page of the example dashboard. If you don't enter the activation code, it just uses random numbers every time you refresh.

I don't know if it will help, but we've unlocked one of the widgets for you below so you can 'look under the hood' and 'kick the tyres' a bit.
Widget Duplication Exercise.jpg
(13.61 KiB) Downloaded 940 times
I'll upload a post shortly with a tutorial describing how to design a simple dashboard using this widget.

Hope this will hope you figure out how to duplicate and configure these widgets.

Warm regards

DashboardWidgets
User avatar
By DashboardWidgets
#262
As promised, here is a quick Duplicating Widgets Tutorial using the unlocked widget from the previous post.

Step #1

Create a new Excel spreadsheet with three tabs as follows..

1. My Dashboard Page
2. My Configuration Page
3. My Calculations Page

Step #2

Select the up/down widget from the old spreadsheet ‘Widget Duplication Exercise’ Tab and copy onto your new spreadsheet ‘My Dashboard’ Tab three times.

Your new dashboard should look something like this…
#2.jpg
Step #3

Select the configuration table from the old spreadsheet and copy onto your new spreadsheet ‘My Configuration Page’ Tab three times.

Your new ‘My Configuration Page’ should look something like this (note that I stretched the cells a bit so we can read the text)…
#3.jpg
Step #4

Select the calculation table from the old spreadsheet and copy onto your new spreadsheet ‘My Calculations Page’ Tab three times.

Your new ‘My Calculations Page’ should look something like this (note that I stretched the cells a bit so we can read the text)…
#4.jpg
Step #5
Go to the “My Configuration Page” and change the titles of the three configuration tables as follows..

1. Monthly Website Visitors
2. Monthly New Website Visitors
3. Monthly Existing Website Visitors

Enter six values into the boxes entitled ‘widget value’ and ‘previous value’ (the value from the previous month).

Step #6

Go to the “My Calculations Page”. Select the first widget VALUE cell (you’ll notice in the formula box it says “=#REF!”) and link it to the “My Configuration Page” first widget value. The best way to do this is as follows..

1. On the “My Calculations Page” select the first widget VALUE cell.
2. Type “=” into the formula bar.
3. Use your mouse to select the “My Configuration Page”.
4. Select the first widget VALUE box.
5. Press enter.

Repeat the exercise for the PREVIOUS VALUE cell.

Repeat the exercise for the second and third widgets calculation tables.

Press F9 to update the spreadsheet and you’ll notice that the PERCENT and UP/DOWN cells will now update automatically.

Now comes the fun part – the “My Dashboard Page” is now ready for building!

Step #7

Go to the “My Dashboard” tab (which should have the three unlinked up/down widgets).

On the ribbon, select “FIND & SELECT > SELECTION PANE”.

Your screen should look a little like this…
#5.jpg
In the selection pane you should see the elements that make up the three up/down widgets.

You may find it helpful to rename the widget elements #1, #2, and #3 as follows…
#6.jpg
Step 8

Follow these steps to link the text boxes to their correct data sources.

1. Select “Up / Down Widget #1 Title” in the selection page on the right hand side.
2. In the formula box type “=”.
3. Using the mouse click the “My Calculations Page” tab.
4. Click the widget #1 VALUE cell.
5. Press enter.

Your dashboard should look like the one below…

IMPORTANT NOTE: This process always seems to revert the textbox back to its default text font size (typically Arial 10). You will need to manually change the font size back to the settings you like!
#7.jpg
Step 9

Repeat Step #8 and link the rest of the text boxes in the RHS selection pane to their correct data sources.
Your final dashboard should look like this..
#8.jpg
You can download this final dashboard here….
(16.39 KiB) Downloaded 884 times
If you are really adventurous, you could add a dropdown selection box (to choose the month) which automatically looks up the values for the month in a very simple database (without using any macros). There is an example dashboard that does this in the post here…

http://www.exceldashboardwidgets.com/ph ... p?f=9&t=14

Please feel free to get in touch if there is anything that is not clear.

Good luck with your dashboard project.

DashboardWidgets
By bpt
#263
Thanks for the two quick replies and the extensive tute.
I'll have an experiment

Matt.
#491
Hi.. I'm new to this forum. I have already registered and downloaded the example file. However, I have not been able to unprotect the worksheets with the activation code provided. What should I do to unprotect?

Thank you in advanced :ugeek:
#492
Hi morenrl - welcome to the forums!

As we have attempted to explain on the download page, registration with the forum increases functionality of the dashboard and allows you to enter your own data (rather than using random data). The idea is that this is enough of a 'proof of concept' to allow potential users to make a decision as to whether they wish to purchase a license for the fully unprotected dashboard spreadsheet.

Sorry for any confusion caused.

Regards

DashboardWidgets

Download and try for free!