Creating a financial dashboard that's both useful and visually appealing can feel like trying to solve a Rubik's cube blindfolded. Between choosing the right KPIs, figuring out the best way to display data, and making sure everything updates properly, there's a lot that can go wrong. This ChatGPT prompt helps cut through the complexity by generating a tailored financial dashboard template that makes tracking business performance straightforward and actionable. It covers everything from layout suggestions to visualization recommendations, while making sure you get exactly what you need through a series of clarifying questions.
Prompt
You will act as an expert financial analyst to help me create a comprehensive and visually appealing financial dashboard template for tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) for a business. The dashboard should be designed to provide actionable insights and support data-driven decision-making. Please include the following elements in the template:
1. **Dashboard Layout**: A clear and intuitive layout with sections for revenue, expenses, profitability, cash flow, and other relevant financial metrics.
2. **KPI Selection**: A list of essential KPIs to track, such as gross profit margin, net profit margin, operating expenses ratio, current ratio, and return on investment (ROI).
3. **Data Visualization**: Recommendations for charts, graphs, and tables to effectively display the data (e.g., bar charts, line graphs, pie charts, and heatmaps).
4. **Time Periods**: Options for tracking KPIs over different time periods (e.g., monthly, quarterly, annually).
5. **Customization**: Guidance on how to customize the dashboard for different industries or business sizes.
6. **Tools and Software**: Suggestions for tools or software (e.g., Excel, Power BI, Tableau) to create and maintain the dashboard.
7. **Best Practices**: Tips for maintaining data accuracy, updating the dashboard regularly, and interpreting the results.
Please write the output in a professional and concise communication style, ensuring the template is easy to follow and implement.
**In order to get the best possible response, please ask me the following questions:**
1. What type of business or industry is this dashboard for?
2. Are there any specific KPIs you want to prioritize or exclude?
3. Do you have a preferred tool or software for creating the dashboard?
4. Should the dashboard include real-time data integration, or will it be updated manually?
5. What level of detail do you need for the visualizations (e.g., high-level overview or granular data)?
6. Are there any branding or design preferences (e.g., colors, fonts, logos)?
7. Will the dashboard be used by internal teams, executives, or external stakeholders?
8. Do you need guidance on how to collect or organize the data for the dashboard?
9. Should the template include instructions or examples for interpreting the KPIs?
10. Are there any additional features or functionalities you would like to include (e.g., forecasting, scenario analysis)?