Shelly Cashman Excel 2016 Module 3 SAM Project 1

Shelly Cashmanexcel 2016 Module 3 Sam Project 1ashelly Cashmanexcel

Analyze a detailed sales report for Pick Up Motors, involving working with large worksheets, creating visual charts, and performing what-if analysis to assist sales commissions forecasting for 2018. The task includes data manipulation, chart customization, using formulas (IF function), goal-seeking for sales targets, and timestamping with the current date, culminating in a professional Excel workbook ready for submission.

Paper For Above instruction

The project undertaken involves comprehensive use of Microsoft Excel 2016 to analyze sales data for Pick Up Motors, a car dealership, focusing on January to June 2018. The task requires proficient data management, chart creation, formula application, and utilization of advanced features such as Sparklines and Goal Seek to simulate real-world sales and commission calculations. Through these steps, the goal is to provide insights into sales performance, forecast future commissions, and produce visually appealing reports for managerial review.

Initially, it is essential to prepare the dataset and worksheet environment by opening the provided Excel file, renaming it appropriately, and verifying personal information is correctly displayed in the documentation worksheet. This foundational step ensures proper tracking and personalization of the report.

Focusing on the sales data worksheet for 2018 January to June, the worksheet setup involves adjusting the worksheet view by removing split panes and freezing rows above the data table to facilitate easy navigation and consistent viewing. Adjusting the column width for column A to 31 ensures uniformity, and filling cells with sequential months helps in proper labeling, forming a basis for an accurate timeline representation.

The creation of Sparklines provides a compact visual summary of monthly sales data, enhancing quick comparative analysis. A Column Sparkline is inserted in cell H5 based on sales data from column B to G, and this is copied down to further rows to maintain consistency across data points. The Format Painter is employed to replicate the styling, ensuring visual uniformity.

Data formatting enhances readability; applying percentage formatting with zero decimal places to relevant ranges standardizes the display of sales contribution percentages, crucial for clear interpretation of numeric data.

Next, the project emphasizes data visualization through charting. The stacked column chart titled "Monthly Sales per Vehicle Type" is customized by adding axis titles for clarity and changing the vertical axis number format to an accounting style, making financial figures more understandable. Similarly, a 3-D pie chart illustrating monthly sales contribution to the six-month total is styled with a predefined style and data labels to facilitate better visual understanding of sales distribution among vehicle types.

A critical analysis feature involves calculating Charlie’s gross monthly commissions using the IF function, with different percentages based on sales thresholds. If sales exceed $400,000, a 2.5% commission is awarded; otherwise, a 1.5% rate applies. These formulas dynamically adapt as sales figures change, supporting real-time scenario analysis.

Subsequently, net commissions are calculated by accounting for deductions via a multiplication with a fixed percentage, employing absolute referencing to lock in the net percentage while allowing flexible reference to the gross commissions. The project also involves creating Sparklines in line and column formats, styled with dark-themed options, for visual trend analysis in Pearson’s sales performance over months.

Further, sensitivity analysis is conducted through Goal Seek, accurately determining the required six-month sales total to achieve a targeted net commission of $60,000, assuming an average rate of 2%. This feature demonstrates how data-driven decision-making supports sales strategy planning.

The workbook integrates a dynamic update of the current date via the NOW function, formatted as a short date, adding a timestamp to the report, which is essential for record-keeping and report validity.

The final step involves creating a clustered column chart based on the summarized sales and commission data, moving it to a dedicated worksheet named "Commissions 2018". The chart is further customized with appropriate titles and axis labels to enhance clarity. Adjustments to the worksheet arrangement facilitate a logical flow from sales data to commission analysis, culminating in an organized, professional report ready for presentation or submission.

Throughout this process, adherence to Excel best practices—such as proper cell referencing, formatting, and chart customization—ensures the deliverable is both aesthetically professional and analytically robust. Mastery of these features equips users with vital skills for business analysis, financial modeling, and strategic planning within Excel.

References

  • Walkenbach, J. (2015). Excel 2016 Power Programming with VBA. Wiley.
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  • Higgins, R., & McCulloch, K. (2017). The Definitive Guide to Excel Charts. Pearson.
  • Alexander, M., & Kusleika, J. (2018). Excel VBA Programming For Dummies. Wiley.
  • Leon, A. S., & Leon, M. (2015). Business Statistics Using Excel. Pearson.
  • Pratt, M. K., & Bruns, C. (2016). Microsoft Excel Data Analysis and Business Modeling. Microsoft Press.
  • Few, S. (2012). Show Me the Numbers: Designing Tables and Graphs to Enlighten. Analytics Press.
  • Deprez, P. (2015). The Visual Organization: Data Visualization, Data Solving, and The Art of Communication. Wiley.

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