How to create a dashboard from your spreadsheet data
Create a dashboard, add your sheets, then build it out with chart, data table, KPI and text widgets.
Turn spreadsheets into a live dashboard
Tired of flipping between spreadsheets, screenshots and slide decks to answer “how are we doing?” A dashboard puts your charts, tables, key metrics and notes on a single page that’s always up to date. InstaCharts makes building one fast and completely no-code.
TLDR: Sign up for a free account and build your first dashboard in minutes!
1. Create the dashboard
Start by creating a new dashboard. Pick a theme and give your dashboard a title. Don’t stress over the theme choice - you can retheme the entire dashboard at any time (more on that below).
2. Add a sheet
Every dashboard is powered by your data. Add a sheet to the dashboard by either:
- Picking an existing sheet from your workspace, or
- Uploading a new sheet from a spreadsheet file
InstaCharts supports many file types, including Excel, CSV, TSV, JSON and Google Sheets. For a full walkthrough of uploading data, see our guide on how to create a chart from a CSV file.
Want to combine data from several spreadsheets? Just keep adding sheets. A single dashboard can pull from multiple sheets, so there’s no need to merge files first.
3. Add widgets
With your sheets in place, it’s time to build out the dashboard. Widgets are organized into rows, so your dashboard stays neatly laid out as it grows. There are four widget types to mix and match:
Chart widgets
Chart widgets are fully customizable, just like a regular InstaCharts chart. Pick the chart type, choose the columns to plot, and adjust the titles, labels and colors until it tells the story you want.
Data table widgets
Add a sortable data table of your sheet data right alongside your charts. You can choose to include only certain columns, so viewers see exactly the data that matters - and nothing else.
KPI widgets
Show off your KPIs with dedicated KPI widgets. Set the value, label and an optional trend for each one, and they render as big, readable numbers - an at-a-glance summary row that stakeholders love.
Text widgets
Numbers rarely speak for themselves. The text widget lets you format text and add extra information directly on the dashboard - titles, context, explanations and takeaways.
And don’t worry about how it looks on a phone: dashboards are responsive and automatically resize for mobile.
4. Retheme your dashboard
Changed your mind about the look? You can retheme your dashboard with ease:
- Select Dashboard Settings, then Appearance.
- Choose a main theme.
- Check the checkbox Update widgets with new theme.
All widgets will update with the new theme, including chart color schemes and colors. One click, and the whole dashboard matches.
Want finer control? Toggle on Customize theme to go further: pick a header color, background color, default chart color scheme and more.
5. Share your dashboard
When your dashboard is ready, share it! Dashboards are shared with your workspace members by default, so your team sees the latest numbers automatically. You can also share a dashboard publicly, or with certain other users (only if you have a paid account).
Because dashboards stay connected to your sheets, everyone always sees the current data - no more emailing stale screenshots.
Give it a try
From spreadsheet to shareable dashboard in five steps - no code, no design skills, no data team required. Sign up for a free account and build your first dashboard today!
