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Enhancing Report Automation in Excel for Efficient Data Management

This comprehensive report by Alison Joseph and Billy Hutchings explores the benefits of automating report generation in Excel, aimed at enhancing efficiency, reducing staff turnover issues, and ensuring consistent data presentation. It discusses which reports to automate, the necessary data sources, and the steps to begin the automation process. The guide features insights on utilizing data from Access, Excel formulas, and design strategies for effective reporting. It serves as a resource for institutional planning and effectiveness, emphasizing timeliness and user-friendliness in report generation.

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Enhancing Report Automation in Excel for Efficient Data Management

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  1. Report Automation Using Excel Alison Joseph & Billy Hutchings NCAIR 2013

  2. 9608 students Master’s Comprehensive Mountain location Residential and Distance

  3. Why automate? • Efficiency • Time • Mitigates problems related to staff turn-over • Consistency • Data (same queries/criteria) • Format/design/branding • Timeliness • Reports are ready as soon as data is available

  4. What to automate? • Same report generated throughout the year(s) • Fact Book • Census reports • Admissions reports • Facilities utilization • Class-level profiles • Grade distribution • Same report generated at the same time for several different groups • Program/Dept. profiles • Main campus v. other teaching sites/distance • Legislative reports

  5. What can be included? • Data tables • Graphs • Complex graphics (e.g., maps with enrollment) • Cover pages • Branding/logos

  6. Getting started • Start with an end product in mind • Real data or mock-up • Determine data source • We needed combined data files • Link the data in • Start writing formulas

  7. Excel structure • Data tab • All data • Process tab • All formulas and data manipulation • Report tab • This is the final report • No formulas – only cell references • Why do this • Consistent/organized • Allow multiple people to work on the same document • Compartmentalize different parts

  8. Data tab • Where does data come from • Access • SQL Server • ODBC Connection • Analysis Services • XML • Text files

  9. Data - Access • We use Access • Benefits • We already have our data there • Cheap/most people already have • User friendly • Point & click • Approachable for entry-level staffers • Drawbacks • Slow • Limited functionality • Sometimes multiple steps needed

  10. How do you connect the data? • Build query in Access the returns the data elements that we need • Go to Data tab in Excel and click on Connections • Add new • Browse out to your Access file, and link • Point it to your table or query

  11. Process tab • All formulas • Frequently used: • Sumifs • Averageifs • Countifs • Max(year) • More complex • Vlookup • Index & Match • Sumproduct • Other array formulas (medianifs?)

  12. Report tab • Make it look great – this is your finished product • No formulas, only cell references & graphs

  13. Getting more complicated • Program/Department Profiles • Several sets of data, process, report tabs • Report can be generated for each program • Use the camera tool in Excel for formatting on main report page • Use a macro to: • Cycle through • Print off PDFs • Name them well • Put them into a well-structured series of folders

  14. Resources • PurnaDuggirala (http://chandoo.org/wp/ ) – Excel help • Jon Peltier (http://peltiertech.com) – Excel templates

  15. Contact Information Alison Joseph, Business and Technology Applications Analyst ajoseph@wcu.edu Billy Hutchings, Social Research Assistant wshutchings@wcu.edu Office of Institutional Planning and Effectivenessoipe.wcu.edu, (828) 227-7239 Special thanks to David Onder (OIPE staffer), Stephanie Virgo (former WCU employee) and John Bradsher (student employee)

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