As you prepare to communicate the next steps in the consulting partnership between your organization, Business Consultants, and your client, New Hampshire Business Products, you will prepare three deliverables using office productivity applications. For Milestone Two, you will prepare a draft of your second deliverable: a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. You will create a dynamic spreadsheet that will allow you to organize and manipulate the given sales data with basic automatic calculation functions.
Prompt
Using Excel, create a spreadsheet that clearly and functionally displays the numerical data provided in the .
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
Spreadsheet: Create a spreadsheet that clearly and functionally displays the numerical data provided in the scenario.
For current sales, display sales by category and total.
For projected sales, display sales by category and total.
Apply formatting conventions appropriate for a business audience.
Select a consistent font and font size.
Format the spreadsheet with row and column spacing, row and column alignments, and cell formatting.
Apply labels that identify the values contained in each row and column.
Apply formulas to calculate totals for current sales as well as projected sales.
Embed a bar chart that accurately displays the total sales for the current year.
Embed a bar chart that accurately displays the projected sales for the next five years.
Embed a line graph that accurately displays the projected sales growth over the next five years.
To create a dynamic Excel spreadsheet for the consulting partnership between Business Consultants and New Hampshire Business Products, we will structure the spreadsheet to effectively organize and manipulate sales data. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to achieve the specified requirements:
Step 1: Organizing the Spreadsheet Layout
1. Open Excel and create a new workbook.
2. Set Up the Header:
- In cell A1, you can write "Sales Data Overview".
- Merge cells A1 to E1 for a clean header appearance.
- Apply bold formatting and adjust the font size to 14 for visibility.
3. Define Sections:
- In cell A3, type "Current Sales" and bold it.
- In cell A10, type "Projected Sales" and bold it.
- Leave a row space between sections for clarity.
Step 2: Inputting Current Sales Data
1. Column Labels for Current Sales:
- In row 4, input the following headers:- A4: "Category"
- B4: "Sales Amount"
2. Input Sample Data:
- Fill in categories and sales amounts from A5 to B9 (example categories: "Electronics", "Furniture", "Office Supplies", etc.).
- Example:A5: Electronics B5: 150000
A6: Furniture B6: 85000
A7: Office Supplies B7: 60000
A8: Total Sales B8: =SUM(B5:B7) (This will automatically calculate total sales)
3. Formatting:
- Align the text in columns to center or left as appropriate.
- Format the sales amounts in column B as currency.
Step 3: Inputting Projected Sales Data
1. Column Labels for Projected Sales:
- In row 11 (after the Current Sales section), input the following headers:- A11: "Category"
- B11: "Projected Sales Amount"
2. Input Sample Data:
- Fill in projected categories and sales amounts (example categories could be similar to current).
- Example:A12: Electronics B12: 180000
A13: Furniture B13: 95000
A14: Office Supplies B14: 70000
A15: Total Projected B15: =SUM(B12:B14) (This will automatically calculate total projected sales)
3. Formatting:
- Maintain consistency with formatting similar to current sales.
Step 4: Creating Charts
1. Insert Bar Chart for Current Sales:
- Highlight the data range (A5:B8).
- Go to the "Insert" tab, select "Bar Chart," and choose your preferred style.
- Adjust the title of the chart to "Current Year Sales by Category."
2. Insert Bar Chart for Projected Sales:
- Highlight the data range (A12:B15).
- Insert another bar chart using the same method.
- Title this chart "Projected Sales for Next Year."
3. Insert Line Graph for Projected Growth Over Five Years:
- Create a new section (for example, starting in A18).
- List projected sales growth over five years (e.g., Year 2024-2028).
- Input corresponding projected sales figures in the adjacent column.
- Highlight this data range and insert a line graph.
- Title it "Projected Sales Growth Over Five Years."
Step 5: Final Formatting Touches
1. Font Consistency:
- Select a consistent font (e.g., Arial) and font size (e.g., 11 or 12) throughout the spreadsheet for professionalism.
2. Row and Column Spacing:
- Adjust row heights and column widths to ensure all text is visible and neatly formatted.
3. Cell Formatting:
- Apply borders to distinguish between sections clearly.
- Use background shading in header rows for better readability.
4. Save Your Work:
- Save your Excel file with an appropriate name, such as "Sales_Data_Overview.xlsx".
Conclusion
Your Excel spreadsheet should now display current and projected sales data clearly and functionally, with appropriate charts that visualize the information effectively. This organized layout not only enhances readability but also provides valuable insights into sales trends for New Hampshire Business Products, facilitating informed decision-making in your consulting partnership.