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Visually Effective Excel Dashboards (Udemy.com)

Design and build fully interactive Excel dashboards with dynamic charts, form controls, and KPI reporting

Created by: Leila Gharani

Last updated March 2026

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What you will learn

  • Plan and structure an Excel dashboard project using a proven workflow from wireframe to final delivery
  • Add interactivity to Excel reports using form controls including combo boxes, check boxes, option buttons, and scroll bars
  • Build a complete KPI dashboard with scrolling tables, dynamic charts, conditional formatting, and top and bottom analysis
  • Build a regional pivot slicer dashboard with custom sorting, info-charts, and automatic pivot refresh
  • Apply professional dashboard design principles: layout, color schemes, and formatting for clear decision-making reports
  • Create advanced Excel charts including scrolling line charts, error bar techniques, info-graphics, and dynamic map charts
  • Use INDEX MATCH, INDIRECT, CHOOSE, LARGE, and GetPivotData for complex dashboard formula logic
  • Apply the Excel Camera tool and shape-based techniques for polished, print-ready dashboard layouts

How it compares

Against the other 355 rated Udemy courses in Excel on CourseDuck:

  • Rating4.7 out of 5higher than 81% of them
  • Reviews22,632#22 of 356 by number of reviews
  • Length11 hourslonger than 74% of them
  • Last updatedMarch 2026more recently than 78% of them

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Course Description

Building an Excel dashboard from scratch is harder than it looks. This course gives you a repeatable process that works every time.

Most Excel users know enough to put data in charts. This course goes further: you'll learn how to design, structure, and build fully interactive dashboards that update dynamically, look professional, and are easy for anyone to maintain.

You build two complete dashboards from start to finish, downloading working project files at each stage so you can follow along or pick up from any point.


What you'll be able to do after this course:

  • Plan and wireframe an Excel dashboard before writing a single formula

  • Apply professional design principles: layout, color schemes, typography, and spacing for clear, readable reports

  • Use advanced formulas for dashboard logic: INDEX MATCH, INDIRECT, CHOOSE, SUMIFS, LARGE, GetPivotData, and more

  • Add interactivity with form controls: combo boxes, check boxes, option buttons, spin buttons, list boxes, and scroll bars

  • Build advanced chart techniques including scrolling charts, error bar methods, dynamic series labels, info-graphics, and map charts

  • Create a full KPI dashboard with scrolling data tables, conditional formatting arrows, top and bottom analysis, and dynamic headers

  • Build a regional pivot slicer dashboard with custom sorting, pivot chart integration, and automatic refresh using VBA

  • Use the Excel Camera tool for advanced layout design and picture-based lookups

  • Apply everything to Microsoft 365 using FILTER, SEQUENCE, and XLOOKUP where available


What makes this course different from other Excel dashboard courses:

Most dashboard courses teach you features. This one teaches you a process. You get a checklist for starting new dashboard projects, design guidelines you can apply immediately to any report, and templates you keep after the course.

Every technique is taught in context, inside a real dashboard project, not as isolated examples. By the end you'll have a transferable workflow you can apply to any Excel reporting project.


What's inside:

  • 2 complete dashboard projects built step by step with downloadable draft files at each stage

  • KPI dashboard: scrolling tables, dynamic charts, form controls, conditional formatting, and top and bottom analysis

  • Regional dashboard: pivot slicers, pivot charts, advanced shapes, VBA for auto-refresh, and info-charts

  • Dashboard design section: layout, color, design principles, and a project checklist

  • Formula toolbox covering every function you need for professional dashboard work

  • Templates, checklists, and design guidelines included


Who this is for:

This course works best for intermediate to advanced Excel users who already know the basics and want to build reports that genuinely impress. Beginners are welcome but will get more from the course after completing a foundational Excel course first.


Taught by Leila Gharani, Microsoft MVP and trusted by 515,000+ students across 11 courses on Udemy.

Enroll now and start with the dashboard planning checklist in Section 1.

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Instructor Details

Leila Gharani

Leila Gharani, a Microsoft MVP (most valuable professional), has one mission: to make data work for you. With her clear and practical teaching style, she helps professionals master Excel, Google Sheets, and other tools to create impactful reports, automate tasks, and solve real-world problems - quickly and confidently.

Leila knows the challenges of juggling complex data and tight deadlines because she’s been there. With over 15 years of experience in Finance and IT, she’s streamlined systems, tackled tough data problems, and delivered results for global companies.

Her courses are designed with your success in mind. You’ll find step-by-step lessons, relatable examples, and hands-on exercises that make learning simple and fun. Every concept is tied to real-world applications so you can start seeing results immediately.

Through her YouTube channel and courses, Leila has empowered thousands of learners worldwide to improve their skills, impress at work, and achieve their career goals.

If you’re ready to take control of your data, save time, and stand out as a professional, Leila’s courses are here to help you succeed.

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Reviews

4.7

22,632 ratings on Udemy

Select a bar to show only those reviews.Select the bar again to show every rating.

By Ryan Bagus Pangestu on 8/25/2026

Amazing course! Leila Gharani explains complex dynamic charts and interactive KPI dashboards in a very clear and structured way. The project-based approach makes it so easy to apply directly to real-world business reports. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to level up their Excel skills

By Wendy E Seel on 6/10/2026

Excellent course - well structured and clearly delivered. Loads of really useful content. Thank you! Two minor things.. 1. I found the cursor difficult to follow sometimes. I had to watch a couple of times to see where it went and what to click on. A highlighted cursor would help massively with this. 2. Answers to questions posted are not as prompt as in some other Udemy courses.

By Carolyn Northup on 4/22/2026

I'm only about half-way through the course, but this instructor does a wonderful job of simplifying complex information. The resources that allow the learner to follow along are fantastic!

By Mike Parsons on 4/19/2026

This was an amazing and very comprehensive course. This is not for an Excel beginner. I found I knew a lot, but I still learned a lot, and it filled in lots of gaps I didn't know existed. True, it's a few years old now, but it's still well worth 5 stars. The course covers the creation of 2 complete, complex dashboards. There are practice workbooks, checklists, colour templates, and PDF templates. It has some of the most comprehensive and well put together support material of any course I've done. Thank you Leila, a course to be proud of.

By Brian Caulfield on 3/23/2026

Absolutely fantastic and exactly what I was looking for right now. So much here that I'd forgotten and much more that I never knew. The delivery was really clear and packed with info. Excellent!

By Bedanga Saikia on 2/27/2026

Explanation is poor. It is difficult to understand what she is saying and what needs to be done.

By Miles Mercer on 2/17/2026

Great examples and easy to follow course from an expert who is clear and and explains the topics well. I would recommend to anyone who wants in depth knowledge of some of the advance features available.

By Peter RINTOUL on 1/15/2026

I have watched Leila Gharani on Youtube for years, and I found this course in Udemy so had to watch. She explains techniques very well and is extremely knowledgeable in MS Excel!!! Many thanks Leila!!!

By Mandar Kelkar on 12/27/2025

This course was very informative and well structured, making complex topics easy to understand and apply in real situations. The logical sequence of modules and assessments makes the concepts easy to follow and apply.

By Mohammed Bakuri Suleman on 10/18/2025

This course is without doubt the best course I had purchased. It took me a while to complete but it is insightful, practical and far beyond my expectation. I have a firm grasp of most of the concepts and ideas expressed therein and would definitely be referring to it when need arises. I recommend Visually Effective Dashboard to anyone ready to level up on Excel dashboard design or more generally your excel skills. Thanks Leila!

Sim, atendendendo plenamente minhas expectativas!!
Curso excepcional!!

Excellent course, very well explained. Excellent tools to apply in dashboards

Showing 12 of 67 reviews

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Overall Score : 94 / 100