Google Sheets vs Excel comparison - Dashboard Approaches Compared

Dashboard Mode - Google Sheets vs Excel comparison

Dashboard Goal

This dashboard helps compare key features and capabilities of Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel to decide which tool fits your needs better.

Sample Data

Feature	Google Sheets	Microsoft Excel	Notes
Collaboration	Real-time online collaboration	Collaboration with OneDrive/SharePoint	Sheets is web-native; Excel desktop needs cloud
Offline Access	Limited offline mode	Full offline desktop app	Excel better for offline work
Functions	400+ functions	500+ functions	Excel has more advanced formulas
Macros	Google Apps Script (JavaScript)	VBA (Visual Basic)	Excel macros more powerful
Price	Free with Google account	Paid license or subscription	Sheets is free; Excel is paid
Integration	Google Workspace apps	Microsoft 365 apps	Depends on your ecosystem
Data Size Limit	Up to 10 million cells	Up to 1 million rows per sheet	Excel handles larger files better

Dashboard Components

• KPI Cards: Show quick facts about collaboration, offline access, and price comparison using formulas to highlight differences.
• Comparison Table: Displays the sample data for side-by-side feature comparison.
• Bar Chart: Visualizes number of functions and data size limits for each tool.
• Notes Section: Summarizes key points from the comparison.

Formulas used:

• =IF(B3=C3, "Same", IF(B3>C3, "Google Sheets better", "Excel better")) - To compare numeric features like functions count.
• =SPARKLINE({400,500}, {"charttype","bar"}) - To create a simple bar chart for functions count.

Dashboard Layout

+----------------------+----------------------+
|      KPI Cards       |    Comparison Table  |
| (Collab, Offline,    |                      |
|  Price)              |                      |
+----------------------+----------------------+
|      Bar Chart       |      Notes Section    |
| (Functions, Data     |                      |
|  Size Limits)        |                      |
+----------------------+----------------------+

Interactivity

Add a filter dropdown to select a feature category (e.g., Collaboration, Offline Access, Functions). When a category is selected, the comparison table and KPI cards update to show only relevant rows and data. The bar chart also updates to reflect numeric data for the selected category.

Self Check

If you add a filter to show only "Functions" related features, which components update?

• The comparison table shows only the Functions row.
• KPI cards update to highlight function counts.
• The bar chart updates to show function counts for both tools.
• The notes section updates to show notes about functions.

Key Result

A dashboard comparing Google Sheets and Excel features side-by-side with KPIs, charts, and notes.