Why integration multiplies value in Google Sheets - Business Case Study

Scenario Mode

👤 Your Role: You are a business analyst at a retail company.

📋 Request: Your manager wants to understand how combining two marketing channels increases overall sales more than using them separately.

📊 Data: You have monthly sales data from two marketing channels: Email and Social Media. Each channel's sales and combined sales are recorded.

🎯 Deliverable: Create a spreadsheet that shows individual sales, combined sales, and calculates the multiplication effect of integration.

Sample Data

Month	Email Sales	Social Media Sales	Combined Sales
January	1000	800	2200
February	1100	900	2500
March	1200	950	2700
April	1300	1000	3000
May	1250	1050	3100
June	1400	1100	3400

1

Step 1: Enter the sample data into your Google Sheets with columns: Month, Email Sales, Social Media Sales, Combined Sales.

Expected Result

Data is organized in columns A to D, rows 2 to 7.

2

Step 2: Calculate the sum of Email Sales for all months.

=SUM(B2:B7)

Expected Result

7250

3

Step 3: Calculate the sum of Social Media Sales for all months.

=SUM(C2:C7)

Expected Result

5800

4

Step 4: Calculate the sum of Combined Sales for all months.

=SUM(D2:D7)

Expected Result

16900

5

Step 5: Calculate the expected combined sales if there was no integration effect by adding Email and Social Media sums.

=SUM(B2:B7)+SUM(C2:C7)

Expected Result

13050

6

Step 6: Calculate the integration multiplier by dividing actual combined sales by expected combined sales.

=SUM(D2:D7)/(SUM(B2:B7)+SUM(C2:C7))

Expected Result

1.295

7

Step 7: Format the integration multiplier cell to show 3 decimal places.

Use Format > Number > Number with 3 decimals

Expected Result

1.295

8

Step 8: Add a note explaining: 'Integration multiplier > 1 means combined marketing channels generate more sales together than separately.'

Expected Result

Clear explanation visible next to the multiplier.

Final Result

Month     Email Sales  Social Media Sales  Combined Sales
---------------------------------------------------------
Jan       1000         800                 2200
Feb       1100         900                 2500
Mar       1200         950                 2700
Apr       1300         1000                3000
May       1250         1050                3100
Jun       1400         1100                3400

Totals:   7250         5800                16900

Integration Multiplier = 1.295

This shows combined sales are 29.5% higher than sum of individual channels.

✓The combined sales (16900) are higher than the sum of individual sales (13050).

✓The integration multiplier is 1.295, meaning integration multiplies value by about 29.5%.

✓Using both marketing channels together creates more sales than using them separately.

Bonus Challenge

Create a chart showing monthly sales for Email, Social Media, and Combined to visualize the integration effect.

Show Hint

Use Insert > Chart, select Line chart, and include all three sales columns.