A Guide to Creating Charts for Clear Data Analysis in Your Purchasing Agency Workflow
For savvy online shoppers and sourcing agents using LoveGoBuy, data is power. Moving beyond raw numbers in a spreadsheet to clear, visual insights can dramatically improve decision-making. By transforming your QC (Quality Control) and shipping data into charts, you can monitor approval rates, track delivery efficiency, and manage financial risk with just a glance. This guide walks you through the process of creating a powerful performance dashboard.
Static spreadsheets tell a story, but charts reveal the plot. Visualization helps you:
Consistent data entry is crucial. Your LoveGoBuy order spreadsheet should have (at minimum) the following columns:
| Order ID | Supplier | QC Result (Pass/Fail) | QC Date | Ship Method | Dispatched Date | Delivered Date | Refund Issued? (Y/N) | Refund Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #LGB2025-001 | Supplier A | Pass | 2024-10-01 | Air Express | 2024-10-02 | 2024-10-08 | N | $0.00 |
| #LGB2025-002 | Supplier B | Fail | 2024-10-03 | Sea Freight | 2024-10-10 | 2024-11-05 | Y | $45.50 |
With this structure, you can calculate the key metrics needed for visualization.
Purpose:
Calculation:
Recommended Chart:Bar Chart or Pie Chart. Use a bar chart to compare multiple suppliers. Use a pie chart for a quick overall view (e.g., 92% Pass vs. 8% Fail). [Bar Chart Example: Y-axis: Approval Rate %, X-axis: Supplier A, B, C] Supplier A: 98% | Supplier B: 85% | Supplier C: 95% Insight Gained:
Purpose:
Calculation:
Recommended Chart:Line Chart or Box-and-Whisker Plot. A line chart shows trends over time (e.g., seasonal delays). A box plot reveals the median, range, and outliers for each shipping method. [Line Chart Example: Y-axis: Transit Days, X-axis: Month (Jul, Aug, Sep...)] Air Express: steady at 6-8 days. Sea Freight: fluctuates from 25-40 days. Insight Gained:
Purpose:
Calculation:
Recommended Chart:Donut Chart or Stacked Bar Chart. A donut chart shows the overall refund rate. A stacked bar chart can break down refund reasons (QC Fail, Lost in Transit, Wrong Item) per supplier. [Donut Chart Example: Overall Refund Rate: 4.5%] Insight Gained:
Tools like Google SheetsMicrosoft Excel
Pro Tip: Use Google Sheets'
COUNTIFS, AVERAGEIFS.SPARKLINE
