Excel: One Report, Endless Views

Key insights

• One Excel Report: Use dynamic array formulas to create "infinite views" from a single dataset so users can switch what they see without duplicating sheets.
  Key formulas used include CHOOSECOLS and TOCOL, which drive the view selection and layout.
• Setup: Build a structured data table with typed columns and a separate views table that lists each view’s column choices.
  Place a selector cell (with Data Validation) for users to pick the view number.
• Core formulas: Use TOCOL to gather the chosen columns, feed those to CHOOSECOLS to spill the headers and columns, and use INDEX/MATCH or direct references to populate the rows below.
  This keeps the display dynamic: changing the selector refreshes the whole view.
• Dynamic formatting: Excel preserves number formats (currency, dates) and alignment when columns spill, so each view looks polished without manual reformatting.
  Format via table styles and column types so views inherit correct alignment automatically.
• Advantages: Saves maintenance by avoiding multiple reports, scales to many custom views, and improves responsiveness by relying on lightweight formulas rather than heavy pivots or VBA.
  It also favors non-developers because it’s a no-code, formula-only solution.
• Requirements & best practices: Requires Excel with dynamic arrays (Microsoft 365 or Excel 2021+).
  Use structured tables, test with representative data sizes, keep view definitions clear, and use Data Validation for reliable selector inputs.

Keywords

Excel interactive reports, dynamic Excel dashboards, pivot table views, customizable Excel reports, Excel data visualization techniques, multiple views in Excel, Excel reporting best practices, Excel report automation