Dashboards are the control centre of any business. They tell you what’s working, what’s broken, and where to focus.
The problem? Building them in Excel can be time-consuming — formulas, pivot tables, formatting… it adds up.
That’s where AI steps in. With ChatGPT + Excel, you can create dashboards that turn raw data into insights in minutes.
Here’s my workflow.
1️⃣ Start with Your Data
Your dashboard is only as good as the data feeding it.
- Sales numbers
- Marketing campaigns
- Customer support tickets
- Inventory logs
Pro tip: Keep raw data clean and organized — one sheet for inputs, another for outputs.
2️⃣ Use AI to Generate Formulas
Instead of hunting through Google for formulas, ask ChatGPT directly.
Prompt Example:
“You are an Excel expert. Write a formula that calculates the average order value by month using data in Column B (sales) and Column C (orders).”
Within seconds, you’ll have the formula ready to paste.
3️⃣ Build Pivot Tables with AI Guidance
Pivot tables = the backbone of dashboards.
AI can walk you step by step:
- Grouping data by categories
- Showing trends over time
- Filtering out irrelevant noise
Prompt Example:
“Explain how to create a pivot table showing total revenue by product category and region. Include step-by-step instructions.”
4️⃣ Add Conditional Formatting for Insights
Instead of numbers blending together, highlight the critical ones.
Prompt Example:
“Write a conditional formatting rule that highlights sales numbers in red if they are 20% below average for that month.”
Suddenly, weak spots pop out visually.
5️⃣ Create Charts & Visuals with AI Suggestions
Ask AI what kind of chart fits your data best:
- Line charts → trends
- Bar charts → comparisons
- Heatmaps → performance zones
Prompt Example:
“Suggest the best chart type to visualise monthly website traffic growth vs. conversion rate. Explain why.”
To Unlock the Full Potential of Excel with 320 Special Prompts: ChatGPT Prompts for Excel
6️⃣ Automate the Dashboard
With macros or scripts, you can update dashboards in one click.
AI can even write VBA for you.
Prompt Example:
“Write a VBA script that refreshes all pivot tables, updates charts, and formats the dashboard with a single button click.”
Why This Works
AI removes the trial-and-error guesswork.
Instead of spending hours fixing formulas or Googling “Excel pivot help,” you get step-by-step clarity.
It means you can spend less time building dashboards and more time acting on insights.
Final Thought
Dashboards aren’t just about data — they’re about decisions.
And with AI, you can make dashboards faster, clearer, and smarter.
Start with one dataset, one dashboard, and one AI-generated formula.
Build from there.
Next Post: “My 3-Step Workflow for Turning Ideas into Articles with AI” — how I write consistently without burnout.
Top comments (1)
Start with one dataset, one dashboard, and one AI-generated formula.