Updated: 23 October 2026

Plan a spreadsheet dashboard

This prompt plans a dashboard in Excel or Google Sheets for your purpose, based on the data columns you have.

text-spreadsheet-dashboard-plan — chatgpt — 54 words

I want to build a dashboard in [EXCEL / GOOGLE SHEETS] for [PURPOSE].

My data columns: [COLUMNS]
Questions the dashboard must answer: [QUESTIONS]
Audience: [AUDIENCE]

Recommend the key metrics, the best chart type for each, the layout, formulas or pivot tables needed, and how to keep it updating. Keep it simple enough to maintain.

Edit in the builder Copy & open ChatGPT ↗Copy & open Gemini ↗Copy & open Claude ↗

Decide the three decisions the dashboard should support before you draw any chart.

Get a better result

What you will get

A dashboard plan with the key metrics, the best chart type for each, a layout, the formulas or pivot tables needed and a way to keep it updating, kept simple enough to maintain.

Common mistake

It suggests charts for data you do not have.

Fix: List your actual columns with one sample row, then reply “use only these columns and tell me what is missing for the other questions”.

Also watch for

Too many charts compete for attention. Set a limit: “maximum five visuals, one headline number at the top, nothing that does not support the three decisions”.
The formulas do not work in your spreadsheet tool. Name the tool and version, and test each formula on a few rows before copying it down. Functions differ between spreadsheet apps.

Try a variation: easy refresh

Add “design it so I only paste new data into one tab and everything else updates”. A one-step refresh is what keeps a dashboard alive.

Still not right? Reply with this

Use only my columns, limit the dashboard to five visuals plus one headline number, and give formulas that work in my spreadsheet tool.