Real Excel dashboards — sales, ecommerce, HR, NPS, and executive reporting — with a note on the design choice that makes each one work. Every example is built in plain Excel, no third-party BI tool required.
These are all built in Microsoft Excel. No Power BI, no Tableau — just deliberate layout, restrained color, clean typography, and well-chosen charts. It's proof of the core idea behind Excel design: a spreadsheet can look like a polished product.
One clear focal metric, a calm neutral palette, and a single accent color doing all the "look here" work. This is hierarchy done right — your eye knows where to land first.
Get this template →The big Sales & Profit card is the focal point. It gets the strongest color and the largest number, while the filters sit in their own column on the left.
I use this example in my layout lessons because you can see how each card groups related information. Start with the metrics and the story, then work out how much room each group needs. A headline number, a chart, and a filter do not all need the same amount of space.
One thing I'd change: there is more information here than many reports need. Before copying the layout, decide what your reader actually needs to see. You do not have to fill every available space just because you can.
Get this template →The same data, dressed for a presentation. High contrast and glowing accents make KPIs pop on screen — proof that a "theme" is just a reusable design system.
Get this template →A classic talent-review matrix made legible: clear quadrants, readable labels, and color used to encode meaning rather than to decorate.
Get this template →Headcount, hiring, and retention in one view, with a configurable KPI system. Grouping related metrics into clear cards keeps a dense report scannable.
Get this template →Raw survey ratings turned into one honest headline number and a supporting chart. The design resists the urge to show everything at once.
Get this template →This set is for pulling apart the visual effects: glowing outlines, bright chart colors, and layered panels on a dark background. Open the workbook and look at how those effects are built.
I go over the top in some of my examples so you can see what is possible in Excel. That does not mean your next corporate report should look like a spaceship. Start with the audience and the situation. You can borrow one effect without taking the whole look.
Get this template →The map gives you the locations. The cards give you each location's latest value and a small trend chart. There is also a bar chart at the bottom left for comparing regions side by side.
This is a sample to deconstruct if you want to understand geographic dashboards, charts, and filters. It is not a workbook where you can drop in any set of locations and expect the map to follow along. You will need to customize it for the places you want to show.
Get this template →Every dashboard above is a native Excel file. What separates them from an ordinary spreadsheet isn't a feature — it's a set of design decisions: a clear hierarchy, restrained color, consistent spacing, and charts chosen to show the comparison fastest. Before moving an existing report into BI, use the framework for when a dashboard should replace a spreadsheet.
Want this for your own reports? Start from one of the templates, or hire Josh for a proper dashboard or reporting-system redesign.
Yes — every example is a native Microsoft Excel workbook, built for Excel 2021 and Microsoft 365. No Power BI, Tableau, or external design tools.
Most are available as templates you can buy once, with no subscription. Each example links to its template page, or you can browse the full library.
Yes. If you already chose a compatible Big Excel Energy template, the narrow Brand + Setup add-on may fit. If the dashboard needs new logic, a different structure, or a real redesign, use the short project form for a full design engagement.
A clear focal point, restrained color, consistent spacing and alignment, and honest charts. Read the full breakdown on what Excel design is.