For freelancers and consultants, efficiency and accuracy are key to building trust and authority with your clients.
Designing an automated client reporting software using Excel’s powerful nested INDEX and MATCH functions can transform the way you handle client reports.
While specialized client reporting software exists, Excel remains one of the most powerful and accessible client reporting tools available.
This guide will walk you through automating project status updates, pulling data from multiple sheets for comprehensive reporting, and leveraging these functions for streamlined, professional client reporting dashboards.
What is Client Reporting?
Client reporting is the process of creating detailed reports that provide clients with insights into the progress, performance, and results of their projects.
These reports are crucial for maintaining transparency, accountability, and trust between businesses and their clients.
Effective client reporting involves compiling data into easily understandable formats, such as dashboards and templates, to communicate key metrics and project statuses.
Key Elements of Client Reporting:
- Project Status Updates: Regular updates on the status of ongoing projects, including progress made, milestones achieved, and any delays or issues encountered.
- Performance Metrics: Key performance indicators (KPIs) that measure the success and effectiveness of a project. These could include metrics like revenue, expenses, return on investment (ROI), and client satisfaction.
- Data Visualization: Using charts, graphs, and tables to present data in a visually appealing and easy-to-digest manner.
- Actionable Insights: Providing recommendations or next steps based on the data presented to help clients make informed decisions.
Examples of Client Reporting:
There are different client reports depending on the service you are rendering. Common ones include:
- Monthly Sales Report: Used to provide clients with an overview of their sales performance over the past month. The components may include Total sales revenue, Number of units sold, Previous months’ results, and Analysis of top-selling products using visuals like Bar charts and line graphs.
- Project Progress Report: Used to update clients on the progress of their projects. The key components may include Project timeline and milestones, Percentage of tasks completed, Budget versus actual expenditure, Risks and issues encountered, and visual presentations using Gantt charts and progress bars.
- Marketing Campaign Performance Report: Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of a marketing campaign. The KPIs monitored include the Number of leads generated, Conversion rates, Cost per lead, ROI, and overall campaign performance. You can use visuals like Pie charts and histograms
Effective client reporting has the following benefits:
- Increased Client Satisfaction: Regular, transparent reporting demonstrates your commitment to their project, fostering trust and improving overall satisfaction.
- Improved Project Outcomes: Data-driven insights from reports enable informed decision-making, leading to more effective strategies and better project results.
- Reduced Misunderstandings: Clear and concise reporting minimizes miscommunication, ensuring everyone is aligned on goals, progress, and expectations.
- Enhanced Collaboration: Reports provide a common ground for discussion, encouraging collaboration and feedback between you and your client.
- Proactive Problem-Solving: By identifying potential issues early through reporting, you can take proactive steps to address them before they escalate.
- Demonstrated Value: Regular reporting showcases the value you bring to the client, justifying their investment and strengthening your professional relationship.
- Risk Mitigation: Timely reporting helps identify and mitigate potential risks, ensuring smooth project execution.
Client Reporting Software
Client reporting software is a type of business intelligence tool designed to automate the creation, management, and distribution of reports for clients.
These tools streamline the reporting process by automating data collection, analysis, and visualization, allowing for more efficient and professional communication of project statuses, performance metrics, and other critical information.
These tools are particularly useful for businesses that need to provide frequent updates and analytical insights to their clients, such as marketing agencies, consultancy firms, and service providers.
Examples of client reporting tools are DashThis, Tableau, Klipfolio, Power BI, AgencyAnalytics, etc.
Client Reporting Dashboard
A client reporting dashboard is a visual interface that displays key metrics and data points relevant to a client’s projects and performance.
These dashboards are designed to provide real-time insights in an easily digestible format, helping clients quickly understand the status and progress of their projects.
They are an essential tool for maintaining transparency, improving communication, and fostering trust between service providers and their clients.
The Problem with Manual Client Reporting
Manual client reporting involves manually collecting, analyzing, and presenting data to clients. This typically includes:
- Data Collection: Gathering data from various sources like spreadsheets, project management tools, or other databases.
- Data Analysis: Manually analyzing the collected data to identify trends, patterns, and insights.
- Report Creation: Creating reports using tools like Microsoft Word or Excel, which involves formatting, adding visuals, and writing narratives.
- Distribution: Manually sharing the reports with clients, often through email or other file-sharing platforms.
While manual reporting can be effective for small-scale projects or infrequent reporting, it can be a nightmare as clients grow.
Some of its limitations are:
- Time-consuming: Creating reports from scratch can take hours, taking away from billable work.
- Error-prone: Manual data entry can lead to mistakes and inaccuracies.
- Limited insights: It’s hard to provide detailed analysis and trends without automation.
Automated Client Reporting
Automated client reporting leverages software and tools to streamline the entire reporting process. This involves:
- Data Integration: Automatically collecting data from various sources (e.g., project management tools, CRM systems, analytics platforms) into a centralized repository.
- Data Analysis: Employing algorithms and AI to analyze data, identify trends, and generate insights.
- Report Generation: Creating customized, professional-looking reports with dynamic visuals and clear explanations.
- Scheduled Delivery: Automatically sending reports to clients at specified intervals, ensuring timely updates.
Advantages of Automated Client Reporting:
- Efficiency: Saves significant time and effort by automating repetitive tasks.
- Accuracy: Reduces errors and ensures data consistency.
- Timeliness: Delivers reports on schedule, improving client communication.
- Scalability: Easily handles increased reporting needs as your business grows.
- Professionalism: Provides polished, branded reports that enhance your image.
- Data-Driven Insights: Offers deeper insights into performance metrics and trends.
- Customization: Allows for tailored reports based on specific client needs.
By automating client reporting, you can focus on higher-value activities, strengthen client relationships, and drive better business outcomes.
Understanding INDEX and MATCH Functions
The INDEX and MATCH functions in Excel are powerful tools that, when used together, enable you to perform advanced lookups and data retrieval tasks.
They provide a more flexible and versatile alternative to the commonly used VLOOKUP function.
INDEX Function
The INDEX function returns the value of a cell in a specified range based on the row and column numbers you provide. It is particularly useful when you need to extract data from a specific location within a table.
The Syntax: INDEX(array, row_num, [column_num]), where
- Array is the range of cells or array from which you want to retrieve the value.
- row_num is the row number in the array from which to retrieve the value, and
- column_num (Optional) is the column number in the array from which to retrieve the value. If omitted, the function defaults to the first column.
MATCH Function
The MATCH function searches for a specified value in a range and returns its relative position. It is used to find the position of an item in a list or array.
The Syntax: MATCH(lookup_value, lookup_array, [match_type]), where
lookup_value is the value you want to search for.
lookup_array is the range of cells or array containing the value you are searching for, and
match_type: (Optional) is the type of match: This can be -1, 0, or 1.
For a more detailed tutorial on Index and Match functions, visit:
Nested INDEX and MATCH Functions in Excel
Nested INDEX and MATCH functions in Excel allow you to perform complex lookups by combining multiple criteria and searching in both rows and columns. This method is more versatile and powerful compared to using VLOOKUP or HLOOKUP alone.
The syntax is like this: INDEX(array, MATCH(lookup_value, lookup_array, [match_type]))
Where the MATCH function is used to retrieve the specific position and the INDEX function is used to retrieve the specific value.
We can use this system to retrieve data on the same worksheet or different worksheets. This combination is:
- Versatility: They can handle complex lookups involving multiple criteria.
- Flexibility: They are not constrained to the first column of the lookup range and can work in any direction.
- Dynamic: They allow for dynamic referencing, making your spreadsheets more adaptable to changes.
In our next section, we are going to leverage this powerful function to create an automated client reporting system.
Designing an Automated Client Reporting Software in Excel
Delivering timely and accurate reports to your clients is crucial for building trust and maintaining strong relationships.
Designing an automated client reporting software in Excel can streamline this process, saving you time and ensuring that your clients always have up-to-date information.
This section will walk you through the steps to create a powerful and efficient client reporting system using Excel’s advanced features, including the nested INDEX and MATCH functions.
Let’s dive into the process of designing a system that will elevate your client reporting to the next level.
Workbook organization
First organize our client reporting workbook into 6 sheets, namely, Instruction, Projects, Clients, ProjectInfo, ProjectTasks, and Report.
Step 1: Create the Workbook
- Open Microsoft Excel:
- Save the workbook with a descriptive name like “Clients Reporting System”.
Step 2: Setup the Worksheets
- Rename Default Worksheet:
- By default, Excel opens with one worksheet named “Sheet1”. Double-click on it and change the name to “Instructions”.
- Add New Worksheets:
- Click on the “+” icon next to the “Instructions” sheet to add five more sheets.
- Rename them to “Projects”, “Clients”, “ProjectInfo”, “ProjectTasks”, and “Report”.
Structure the Worksheets
Step 1: Instructions Sheet
- Click on the “Instructions” tab.
- In cell A1, add a title like “Automated Clients’ Reporting System”.
- Below the title, provide a brief description and step-by-step instructions on how to use the business income and expense tracker.
- Remove the gridlines: On the View tab, under Show, deselect “Gridlines”.
Step 2: Projects Sheet
- Set Up Columns for Projects header:
- Click on the “Projects” sheet.
- Set up the following columns in row 1: A: PID, B: Project Name, C: Description
- Customize the Projects headers.
- Highlight column B, Go to Formulas > Define Names > Define Name
- In the dialog box, enter “Project_Name” in the Name box, and click OK.
- Enter Data:
- Enter data in the Projects sheet, and list all your specialized projects.
- If you do not have data, use hypothetical data for testing. You can copy the sample data provided below.
- Convert the Range into a Table:
- Select the entire data, Go to Insert > Table
- Name your table “Projects”
This is the sample Project data in the Projects sheet.
| PID | Project Name | Description |
| Web | Web Design | Website designing and development services |
| App | App Design | App creation and development service for web, Android and IOS |
| Dat | Data Analysis | Data analysis services for clients and businesses |
| Den | Data Entry | Data entry and retrieval services of all kinds |
| Res | Research & Development | Research services including writing and analysis related to academics |
| Con | Content Creation | Blog posts and related services |
| Gra | Graphics Design | Brand design and development services |
Step 3: Clients Sheet
- Set Up Columns for Clients header:
- Click on the “Clients” sheet.
- Set up the following columns in row 1: A: ClientID, B: Client Name, C: Location, D: Contact, E: Email F: Industry
- Customize the Clients headers.
- Highlight column B, Go to Formulas > Define Names > Define Name
- In the dialog box, enter “Client_Name” in the Name box, and click OK.
- Enter Data:
- Enter data in the Clients worksheet.
- If you do not have data, use hypothetical data for testing or copy the sample data provided below.
- Convert the Range into a Table:
- Select the entire data, Go to Insert > Table
- Name your table “Clients”
Sample Clients Data in the Clients sheet
| ClientID | Client Name | Location | Contact | Industry | |
| Tet | TetraCum Inc. | Texas | Hughes Mild | tetrainc@tetracom.us | Fashion |
| Tec | TechCorp Inc. | NC | Dick Benson | techcorp@gmail.com | IT |
| Glo | Global Marketing | NY | Robert Vila | global@gmail.com | Beauty |
| Des | Design Masters | Chicago | Bon Dunez | designmasters@yahoo.com | IT |
| Fit | FitnessPro LLc | Texas | Irish Brown | fitnessprollc@yahoo.com | Fashion |
| Teg | TechGear Inc. | Califonia | Mitchel Sandas | techgearinc@techgear.net | Construction |
| Don | Donuz Construction Co. | Califonia | Sandis Coles | donuzconstructionco@yahoo.com | Construction |
Step 4: ProjectInfo Sheet
- Set Up Columns for ProjectInfo header:
- Click on the “ProjectInfo” sheet.
- Set up the following columns in row 1: A: SNo., B: Date, C: Project, D: Client, E: Start Date F: End Date G: Hourly Rate
- Customize the ProjectInfo headers.
- Highlight column A, Go to Formulas > Define Names > Define Name
- In the dialog box, enter “SNo” in the Name box, and click OK.
- Convert the Range into a Table:
- Select the headers and 2nd row, Go to Insert > Table
- Name your table “ProjectInfo”
- Enter Data:
- Select Cell C2 (Project Column) > Go to Data > Data Validation > List, and input =Project_Name
- Select Cell D2 (Client Column) > Go to Data > Data Validation > List, and input =Client_Name
- Enter data in the ProjectInfo sheet.
- If you do not have data, use hypothetical data for testing or copy the sample data provided below.
Sample Project data in the ProjectInfo sheet
| SNo | Date | Project | Client | Start Date | End Date | Hourly Rate |
| 1 | 15/09/2024 | Web Design | TetraCum Inc. | 20/09/2024 | 15/10/2024 | 65.00 |
| 2 | 20/09/2024 | Data Analysis | TechCorp Inc. | 25/09/2024 | 30/09/2024 | 85.00 |
| 3 | 22/09/2024 | App Design | Design Masters | 01/10/2024 | 30/11/2024 | 75.00 |
| 4 | 30/09/2024 | Data Entry | Global Marketing | 01/10/2024 | 03/10/2024 | 35.00 |
| 5 | 05/01/2024 | Graphics Design | TetraCum Inc. | 06/10/2024 | 10/10/2024 | 35.00 |
| 6 | 10/10/2024 | Web Design | FitnessPro LLc | 15/10/2024 | 31/10/2024 | 52.00 |
Step 5: ProjectTasks Sheet
- Set Up Columns for ProjectTasks header:
- Click on the “ProjectTasks” sheet.
- Set up the following columns in row 1: A: SNo. (Must be the Unique registered No in the ProjectInfo sheet), B: Tasks, C: Start Date, D: End Date, E: Hours Worked F: Status
- Customize the ProjectTasks headers.
- Convert the Range into a Table:
- Select the headers and 2nd row, Go to Insert > Table
- Name your table “ProjectTasks”
- Enter Data:
- Select Cell F2 (Status Column) > Go to Data > Data Validation > List, and input: Completed, In-Progress, Not Started
- Enter data in the ProjectTasks sheet. If you do not have data, use hypothetical data for testing or copy the sample data provided below.
Sample Project tasks in the ProjectTasks sheet
| SNo | Tasks | Start Date | End Date | Hours Worked | Status |
| 1 | Get Domain and Hosting | 20/09/2024 | 21/09/2024 | 3 | Completed |
| 1 | Install WordPress, Theme and Customize | 22/09/2024 | 26/09/2024 | 8 | Completed |
| 1 | Add Pages, Posts and images | 27/09/2024 | 10/10/2024 | 32 | Completed |
| 1 | Testing, Publishing and Optimization | 11/10/2024 | 15/10/2024 | 10 | Completed |
| 2 | Retrieving data for analysis | 25/09/2024 | 26/09/2024 | 2 | Completed |
| 2 | Cleaning and exploring data | 27/09/2024 | 28/09/2024 | 10 | Completed |
| 2 | Analysing and reporting Data | 29/09/2024 | 30/09/2024 | 14 | In-Progress |
| 3 | Generate content with AI and humanize it | 01/10/2024 | 02/10/2024 | 3 | Completed |
| 3 | Create content for the lead generation | 08/10/2024 | 09/10/2024 | 3 | Completed |
| 3 | Create content for Ogs marketing content | 15/10/2024 | 16/10/2024 | 3 | Completed |
| 3 | Generate report for the ongoing sales advert for the month under reviwe | 22/10/2024 | 23/10/2024 | 3 | Completed |
| 3 | Create an analytical report for the sales promotion | 29/10/2024 | 30/10/2024 | 3 | Completed |
| 3 | Create content for the monthly report | 05/11/2024 | 06/11/2024 | 3 | Completed |
| 3 | Generate AI content for health facility and review it | 12/11/2024 | 13/11/2024 | 4 | Completed |
| 3 | Create a blog post that will accompany the new product realease | 19/11/2024 | 20/11/2024 | 3 | In-Progress |
| 3 | Create a second content for the new product with emphasis on benefits | 26/11/2024 | 27/11/2024 | 3 | Not Started |
| 3 | Analyse cunstomer responses and create content to bolster it | 29/11/2024 | 30/11/2024 | 4 | Not Started |
| 4 | Download datasheet | 01/10/2024 | 02/10/2024 | 2 | Completed |
| 4 | Convert, validate and upload data | 02/10/2024 | 03/10/2024 | 6 | Completed |
| 5 | Design a logo for the new product launch | 06/10/2024 | 10/10/2024 | 12 | Completed |
| 5 | Retouch approved logo to align with brand | 11/10/2024 | 12/10/2024 | 4 | Completed |
| 5 | Recreate logo and other digital materials in response to customer feedback | 13/11/2024 | 18/11/2024 | 8 | In-Progress |
| 5 | Present results of different logo testings and designs | 20/11/2024 | 22/11/2024 | 4 | Not Started |
Step 5: Report Sheet
- Set Up Report Layout:
- Click on the “Report” sheet.
- Set up the report sheet as shown in the sample below as follows:
- In cell A1, type a title for your report
- In cell A3, type a brief description for the client to understand the purpose of the report
- Create a space for client information as shown in the example. Include name, contact, address, and email or any other relevant data.
- Create a space for the Projectinfo Sno. This is the unique number that identifies each project you are executing. E.g.
- In the sample report, in cell D7 type “Select SNo”
- Then in cell E7 use the data validation tool to create a list
- In the Source box, type: =SNo, click OK
- Create a space for a project overview as shown in the sample. Include project name, start and end date, etc.
- Create a space for project progress
- Finally, create a space for deliverables. This table should include the following headers or more: deliverables/ milestones, status, hours worked/ duration, etc. Include the KPIs that matter most to your clients.
- For the sample we have the following headings: Deliverables, Status and Hours.
- Highlight the headings and as many rows as you want and insert a table.
- Name the table “Deliverables”.
Your report sheet is now set up. We’ll create formulas to populate it whenever a project is selected.
Create the Client Reporting Software with Nested INDEX and MATCH Functions
We have discussed the need for and benefits of nested index and match functions; we’ll revert to using them to create our automated client reporting system.
Meanwhile, we’ll be using a couple of functions which I’ll discuss in subsequent posts. For example, we’ll use the IFERROR and the array functions.
Applying INDEX and MATCH Functions in our Report
If you set up your report sheet as discussed above, then follow these steps to enter the appropriate functions.
- For client name, in cell B8 enter the formula: =INDEX(ProjectInfo[Client],MATCH(Report!$E$7,ProjectInfo[SNo],0))
- For contact person, in cell B9 enter the formula: =INDEX(Clients[Contact],MATCH(INDEX(ProjectInfo[Client],MATCH(Report!$E$7,ProjectInfo[SNo],0)),Clients[Client Name],0))
- Here the first nested Index-Match function:{INDEX(ProjectInfo[Client],MATCH(Report!$E$7,ProjectInfo[SNo],0))} is used to retrieve the Client’s name.
- This client’s name becomes the lookup value for the second (i.e. the outside) Index-Match function, which value is retrieved from the Clients table.
- You can go around this by using this function: =INDEX(Clients[Contact],MATCH(Report!$B$8,Clients[Client Name],0))
- Copy the formula to cells B10 and B11
- For location, in cell B10 change the column name to Location, {i.e. =INDEX(Clients[Location],MATCH(Report!$B$8,Clients[Client Name],0))}
- For email, in cell B11, change the column name to Email.
- For project name, enter =INDEX(ProjectInfo[Project],MATCH(Report!$E$7,ProjectInfo[SNo],0))
- Copy the formula to cells B15, B16 and B17
- For project start date in B15, change the column name to [Start Date]
- For end date in B16, change the column name to [End Date]
- For hourly rate in B17, change the column name to [Hourly Rate]
- For total hours worked, sum the total hours displayed in the deliverables, e,g, =SUM(Deliverables[Hours])
- Amount Due is the product of Hours worked and Hourly rate: =B17*B18
- For % complete enter the formula: =COUNTIF(Deliverables[Status],”Completed”)/COUNTIF(ProjectTasks[SNo],Report!$E$7)
- Format the cell as a percentage.
- To retrieve deliverables, use the formula: =IFERROR(INDEX(ProjectTasks[Tasks],SMALL(IF(ProjectTasks[SNo]=Report!$E$7,ROW(ProjectTasks[SNo])-MIN(ROW(ProjectTasks[SNo]))+1),ROW(A1))),””)
- Press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER to confirm that it’s an array
- Because it’s a table, the formula will spill to the other rows
- To retrieve project status, use the formula: =IFERROR(INDEX(ProjectTasks[Status],MATCH(TEXT([@Deliverables],),ProjectTasks[Tasks],0)),””)
- Finally, use the formula for the hours: =IFERROR(INDEX(ProjectTasks[Hours Worked],MATCH([@Deliverables],ProjectTasks[Tasks],0)),””)
You have successfully creates an automated client reporting software. Select a project and see the results.
Pro Tip: You can add a progress chart to show the progress of each project at a glance or add a project timeline.
If you followed through the tutorial, your report sheet should look like this:
Conclusion
By mastering Excel’s INDEX and MATCH functions, you can streamline your client reporting process, making it more efficient and professional.
This not only enhances your productivity but also builds trust and authority with your clients.
Utilize these client reporting tools to create a comprehensive client reporting dashboard and template for automated client reporting. Have any issues creating your reporting system? Share it with us in the comment section or DOWNLOAD the template for your use.
