Integrating Traditional Cloud Development With Salesforce

In my role as a consultant for CleanSlate Technology Group, I am required to enter my time on a periodic basis. Our company currently utilizes the FinancialForce solution within Salesforce for professional services billing. For years, I have found that it is easier to enter my time on a daily basis. This allows me to provide detailed comments on what was accomplished with each time entry. At the start of the month, I work with the service delivery manager and my clients to establish a personal goal. This goal is normally set in total hours for a given month.

I like to make my goal and create a personal burndown chart, so I can quickly see how my billable hours compare to the hours expected. I quickly realized that Salesforce did not provide a default reporting solution that met my needs. Using Microsoft Excel, I was able to create a sheet which included a burndown chart:

How to Use Charts to Display Data Relationships

How to Use Charts to Display Data Relationships

Have you ever found yourself in life, business or academia, explaining relationships or correlations between data? Chances are, you resorted to a visual aid such as a chart made on your computer or drawn on the back of a napkin when trying to get others to grasp what you are trying to convey.

When doing so, it is important to understand that a chart is always subjective. When you try to visualize data, you are — sometimes unconsciously — deciding what information to highlight and obscure, as various chart types “force” the data into specific data-stories. The charts you use may also exclude certain audiences if they require specialized knowledge (e.g., some charts used in science or finance).