An analytics manager, Lauren, is reviewing the performance data of fifteen branch stores. She wants to create a heat map with symbols as in the figure below. What tool should she use?
A) Select B4:B18; PivotTable
B) Select B4:B18; Conditional Formatting; Highlight Cells Rules
C) Select B4:B18; Conditional Formatting; Icon Sets
D) Select B1:B18; Conditional Formatting; Icon Sets
E) Select B4:B18; Conditional Formatting; Data Bars

Question

An analytics manager, Lauren, is reviewing the performance data of fifteen branch stores. She wants to create a heat map with symbols as in the figure below. What tool should she use? 
A) Select B4:B18; PivotTable 
B) Select B4:B18; Conditional Formatting; Highlight Cells Rules 
C) Select B4:B18; Conditional Formatting; Icon Sets 
D) Select B1:B18; Conditional Formatting; Icon Sets 
E) Select B4:B18; Conditional Formatting; Data Bars

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Lauren should use the Conditional Formatting tool and select Icon Sets. This will allow her to apply different symbols (such as the ones shown in the figure) to the values in her data range (B4:B18) based on their performance level. Selecting B4:B18 will ensure that the symbols correspond to the individual branch stores, rather than an aggregate summary. PivotTable is not ideal for visualizing this type of data, and Highlight Cells Rules and Data Bars do not offer the symbol options needed to create a heat map. Selecting B1:B18 would include the headers and potentially cause errors in the application of the icon sets.

An Analytics Manager, Lauren, Is Reviewing the Performance Data of Fifteen