Working on visual presentation of our findings for a large retail client with multiple Xcel Energy accounts. Found over $85K in various billing errors but struggling with how to best visualize the data. What chart types do you find most effective for showing audit results?
Charts and graphs - what works best?
Brian's waterfall idea is solid. I also use before/after bar charts for each account showing monthly bills with and without errors. Simple but powerful visual impact. Clients can immediately see the difference.
For error categories, pie charts work well to show relative impact. But avoid 3D - keeps it professional. I also like trend lines showing how overcharges accumulated over the audit period.
Heat maps work great for multi-location clients. Color code each facility by savings amount - green for highest, red for lowest. Executives love the dashboard-style visual summary.
Janice, that heat map idea is genius for retail chains. What tool do you use to create those? Excel or something more specialized?
Bob, Excel conditional formatting can create basic heat maps. For more sophisticated ones I use Tableau but that's probably overkill for most audit presentations. The key is keeping it simple - too many colors and effects distract from the message.
Tom, agreed on avoiding 3D charts. For retail clients with demand charges, I create dual-axis charts showing kW usage vs demand billing over time. Helps explain why demand management is crucial going forward.
Gary, for multiple accounts I like waterfall charts showing how each error type contributes to total overcharges. Start with zero, add each category, end with total savings. Really drives home the cumulative impact.