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Sales Dashboard for a Local Business

The capstone project for Data Analysis Foundations — a free Data & Tech course. Pass it and you earn a certificate anyone can verify.

Start the course free Download the project workbook

The project unlocks once you complete the lessons. The workbook is free to download now so you can see exactly what is expected.

What you will submit

A link to your Google Sheet/Excel file (uploaded to Google Drive) containing the raw data, analysis, and dashboard, along with your written summary of findings and recommendations.

What to do, step by step

  1. Choose a small business in your community (e.g., a local 'mama put' restaurant, a provisions store, a fashion boutique). Get permission to collect some sales data from them for a week or two. If not possible, create realistic dummy sales data for a similar business.
  2. Using Microsoft Excel (available on most phones via the app) or Google Sheets, organize this data. Include columns like 'Date', 'Product/Service', 'Quantity', 'Unit Price (₦)', 'Total Sale (₦)', and 'Payment Method' (e.g., Cash, POS, Transfer).
  3. Analyze your data to find interesting insights. For example: What are the best-selling products? Which days have the highest sales? What's the average transaction value? Are there differences in sales based on payment methods?
  4. Create a simple dashboard in Excel or Google Sheets. Use charts (bar, pie, line) and tables to visually represent your findings. Your dashboard should tell a clear story about the business's sales performance.
  5. Write a short summary (200-300 words) explaining your findings and offering 2-3 actionable recommendations to the business owner based on your data analysis. For example, 'Consider stocking more of Product X as it's your top seller.'

Files to work with

Project workbook (fill in, then submit)The whole brief, an evidence checklist, the grading rubric as a self-check and the link-sharing steps in one file. Opens in Word, Google Docs or WPS.Word · 6 KB Sample sales ledger (CSV) — use this only if you cannot get real dataThis project is far stronger with a real business's own numbers. If you genuinely cannot get them, clean and analyse this file instead, and say so in your submission.CSV · 17 KB

How it is graded

CriterionWeight
Data Collection & Organization (Is the data relevant, clean, and well-structured?)25%
Analysis & Insights (Are the insights meaningful and supported by the data?)30%
Dashboard Design & Visualization (Is the dashboard clear, easy to understand, and visually effective?)25%
Recommendations (Are the recommendations actionable and data-driven?)20%

You need 65% overall to pass. A failed submission comes back with feedback and can be revised and resubmitted.

Before you submit: make your link public

If your work lives in Google Drive or Google Docs, open Share → General access and change “Restricted” to “Anyone with the link” (Viewer). Then paste the link into a private browser window: if it opens without sign-in, you are ready. A private link cannot be graded — it is the single most common reason a good project fails.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to finish Data Analysis Foundations before submitting the project?

Yes. The submission screen opens once every lesson in Data Analysis Foundations is marked complete. The lessons are where the methods, the Nigerian context and the worked examples the project depends on are taught.

How is the project graded?

An examiner scores each rubric criterion from 0 to 100 and weights them as shown on this page; you need 65% overall to pass. Most submissions are graded within minutes and you get written feedback on what was strong and what to improve.

Can I resubmit if I fail?

Yes. A failed project comes back with feedback; revise the weak parts and resubmit. A passed project is final — the certificate is issued and cannot be re-rolled.

What do I actually submit?

A write-up of what you did (under 5,000 characters) plus a public link to your work — a Google Drive folder, Google Doc, spreadsheet, GitHub repository or video. The link must open without sign-in; a private link cannot be graded. The free project workbook on this page walks you through all 5 steps.

Is the certificate real?

Yes. Passing this project issues a certificate with a unique verification code. Anyone — an employer, a client, a school — can open the verification page and see that the certificate is genuine and which project earned it.

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Ready to earn this certificate?

Data Analysis Foundations is free and self-paced. Finish the lessons, complete this project, and the certificate is yours to share.

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