Excel Assignment

BUAD 2020 Information Technology Management

Assignment #2 –Data Analysis, Visualization and Reporting Due: Sunday, May 27th 11:59pm

For this assignment – you will demonstrate your ability to use Excel Pivot tables to analyze data

and produce charts/graphs to aid you in presenting your analysis and supporting your

recommendations.

Case Background:

Hoover Medical Supplies, Inc, is a large manufacturing company located in Columbus, Ohio. The

company is currently seeking to gain operational efficiencies in its supply chain by reducing the number

of transportation carriers that it is using from five to three and thereafter open discussions concerning

volume discounts with its remaining carriers. Brian Hoover, the CEO of Hoover Medical Supplies, has

hired you to analyze its data and make a clear recommendation about how to reduce transportation costs

while retaining a high level of service from its best carriers. Hoover has customers in Michigan, West

Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio.

Data Available:

The HooverData.xlsx file contains all the shipping invoices submitted by its current carriers and paid by

Hoover. Shipping is billed by the pound at a rate that considers fuel costs, driver costs and truck costs.

The file also includes data collected by tracking the delivery schedule of the shipments – reflected in the

column of Days Overdue. Late deliveries are not tolerated by Hoover’s customers and need to be

minimized within its carrier pool.

Project Focus:

Carrier selection should be based on the assumptions that all environmental factors are equal and that

historical cost trends will continue. Review the data from the past several years to determine your

recommendation for the top three carriers that Hoover should continue to do business with. Be sure that

the three carriers recommended will provide adequate coverage of all states currently serviced. (Don’t

assume carriers will expand their services to states not currently served.)

1) Analyze the last 24 months of Hoover’s carrier transactions found in the data file: HooverData.xlsx.

2) Apply what you learned about the use of Excel Pivot Tables and do a thorough analysis of the data to determine which carriers provide the best service at the best price to the states that

Hoover services. Consider whether you should look at totals or averages in your analysis. (We

discussed this in class!) Slice and Dice (pivot) the data a number of different ways to help you in

your analysis. Look at each factor – service, price and quality. Spend some time thinking about

the problem and how best to analyze the data.

3) Review your analysis and determine the top three carriers that you recommend to be retained. Prepare a memo to Mr. Brian Hoover in which you detail your recommendation for the top three

carriers with which Hoover should continue to do business. Organize your memo to be succinct

but informative. Be sure to support your recommendation with the facts and results of your

analysis because there are some biases amongst your co-workers that may distort their view of

the carriers. To better make your argument, your report must support your recommendation by

presenting the data using visualization techniques. Charts and graphs should be well designed

Assignment #2 –Data Analysis, Visualization and Reporting

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and labeled, and include legends, titles, and values where appropriate. Assume that Mr. Hoover

will not have access to your Excel document – thus your memo will need to display the

charts/graphs to support your analysis and conclusion. Don't just put the graphics at the end of

the document – but rather insert and discuss each visualized data point.

Use a formal and professional writing style and tone in your report. Use a Memo template

(found in Microsoft Word). Address the memo to Mr. Hoover – use your name in the “From”

section. Check your grammar and spelling. Use complete sentences and bulleted lists to

succinctly but thoroughly state the results of your analysis and your recommendation. Make

your recommendation easy to find – in fact, best versions will begin and end the memo with a

clearly stated recommendation.

Project Deliverables:

You must demonstrate your ability to create and use pivot tables to complete this assignment. Save each

of your Pivot Tables in your Excel workbook. Create Charts on the data elements that you will use to

justify your recommendation in the Word document. Upload your Excel file – (with all the Pivot

tables that you created to perform your analysis) to the Blackboard assignment link. You may not

need to use or reference each created pivot table in your final report – its ok to leave any extra pivot

tables in your Excel document.

I would like to remind you that this homework assignment must be completed and submitted

individually and that no late work is accepted.

Assignment Deliverables:

 Submit your Excel workbook to the Blackboard Assignment #2 Course Link

 Also submit your Word document (memo) to the Blackboard Assignment #2 Course Link

Assignment #2 –Data Analysis, Visualization and Reporting

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Submitted by: _________________________________ Section: ________

Grading Rubric for Assignment #2: Points

Earned Category Description/Requirements

______(10) Analysis of Data

Demonstrate the correct use of Pivot Tables and a thorough

analysis of the data (file must be posted to Blackboard to

receive credit). I define thorough as 3 or more points of

analysis.

______(5) Proper analysis

Proper analysis uses the right variables, and the correct

statistical measurements. Don't just include a graph or table

of every column of the Excel data.

______(8) Word Document

Submission of Word Document using a Memo template and

a formal, professional tone with attention to writing and style

submitted in printed form and also posted to Blackboard.

Strategic use of bullets – or short paragraphs to make the info

on the memo easy to find.

______(7) Visualization

Use of easily consumed and visualized data (tables and

charts) inserted into your Word Document, introduced and

discussed to illustrate and support your analysis and

recommendation

______(3) Clear & Concise

Recommendation

Clear and Concise recommendation of 3 carriers to keep.

Don't make me look for this info. Better versions will

introduce and conclude with the recommendation clearly

stated.

______(2) Correct

Recommendation

Correct Recommendation of 3 Best Carriers

______(5) Proper

Submission

Grading Rubric as cover page submitted in class with

hardcopy version of Memo to Mr. Brian Hoover.

Submission of electronic copy of Excel document to

Blackboard Assignment Course Link.

______(40)

Total Points Earned

Attention: No late work accepted.

Notes: