Update #2 for Google Spreadsheet KPI Dashboards

Continuing my posts from earlier in the year on using Google Spreadsheets to manage KPI Dashboards (here, here, and here), there are several areas we’ve been able to improve. Let’s look at them now:

• Use absolute cell references for the goals so that when you copy and paste a column to represent a new week, the goals are persisted (yes, this is junior-level knowledge for most Excel users, but was new to me)
• Put the goals in a separate sheet and then insert a new column each quarter reflecting the new goals, so that the previous goals are maintained and can be tracked over time, as well as maintaining existing KPI percentages
• Incorporate a hidden row that represents the percent complete of the current quarter so that KPIs can be based off that, if applicable (e.g. some KPIs, like number of trouble tickets per week, aren’t time sensitive whereas others like a specific recurring revenue target, are time sensitive)

We’ve found the Google Spreadsheet KPI Dashboards to be very effective for us and are going to continue using them next year.