This document provides instructions for collecting and presenting data using Excel and PowerPoint. It guides the reader through downloading GDP data from a government website, cleaning and projecting the data in Excel, and creating a line chart comparing actual GDP to a 4% projected growth rate. The chart is then copied into a PowerPoint presentation. Key steps include downloading GDP tables from the ONS website, adding a column in Excel to project GDP growth at 4% annually, and formatting the line chart in PowerPoint to clearly show actual GDP lagging the projected growth path with a message highlighting this gap.

1. Collecting and Presenting Data
A step-by-step exercise using Excel and Powerpoint
Anthony J. Evans
Professor of Economics, ESCP Europe
www.anthonyjevans.com
(cc) Anthony J. Evans 2018 | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

2. Getting started
1. Download "aje_template.potx”
– Creating a template in Powerpoint is a good way to
save time and ensure consistency
– Create the design you want, select “save as”, and
choose the template format
– When you open Powerpoint make sure you select “New
from Template” rather than “New Presentation”
– All templates are saved as .potx files in a designated
folder
• Word templates are .dotx
• Excel templates are .xltx
– Alternatively, you could open an existing presentation
that you’re happy with and use that as a basis
2

3. Task 1: replicate the following (but without the patterned fill)
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4. Downloading the data
1. We are going to use Nominal GDP data from 1997-2014 for
the UK. For the most recent data go to
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ and search for "YBHA”
– This is the series code for “Gross Domestic Product at
Market Prices”
2. However this will have been revised since I created the
original chart. Therefore you should use this stable link for
our data
3. Select green button that says “View all data used in
this statistical bulletin”
4. Annoyingly the ONS list the Annex’s first, but we want the
main table (on page 2) which is called:
– UK quarterly national accounts data tables
5. Select the green button that says “.xls(6.2mb)”
6. You should download the Excel spreadsheet
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5. Creating a spreadsheet
1. We need the sheet called A2 AGGREGATES
2. We want “Gross Domestic Product at Market Prices” (Series
code YBHA)
3. Copy and paste the dates into Column A of a new
spreadsheet
4. Copy and paste the seasonally adjusted, quarterly data into
into Column B
– Label this column Actual NGDP
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6. Adding a projection
1. Actual NGDP was at it’s highest in 2008 Q1. We need to add
a 4% growth rate from the peak of the boom
2. We use the following formula to convert an annual growth
rate into a quarterly one:
3. Insert the desired growth rate into Cell C3 (in our case 4%)
– If you Format the Cell you can either categorise it as a
number (0.04) or as a percentage (4). If you enter a
“%” sign Excel should recognise this
4. Insert the formula into Cell C2
– (1+C3)^(1/4)-1
5. This allows us to apply a 4% year-on-year growth rate to
our quarterly data
6
Q = (1+Y)1/4
−1
See: http://www.experiglot.com/2006/06/07/how-to-convert-from-an-annual-rate-to-an-effective-periodic-rate-javascript-calculator/

7. Completing the dataset
1. Column C will display our projected growth rate. Go to
2008 Q1 and copy the Actual NGDP figure into Column C
2. For 2008 Q2 we enter the following equation:
– =C48+(C48*$C$2)
3. In other words,
– 2008 Q2 = 2008 Q1 + 2008 Q1 * quarterly growth rate
– We use the $ sign to indicate that this is a stable
reference
4. We copy this formula to complete Column C
5. To tidy things up we can Format Cell for the number:
– Category: Number, 0 decimal places, Use 1000
Separate (,) and Fill background color: no fill
6. I’ve also ensured everything is the same Font (Arial) and
Font Size (12)
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8. Creating the graph
1. We can now insert a line chart comparing the Actual NGDP
and the 4% projection
2. I’ve moved the chart into a new sheet so that it’s easier to
work with
– Change Font to Arial
– Place the Legend at the Bottom
– Format the 4% series so that the Line is 1.5pt weight
and dashed
– Add “£ million” to the Y axis title
– I’ve also renamed the sheets and switched their order
3. Copy and paste the chart into Powerpoint
– Resize so that width = 20 (but make sure the height is
proportionally resized as well)
• Save the file as a PDF
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9. Actual NGDP is lagging behind a 4% growth path
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0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
1997Q1
1997Q3
1998Q1
1998Q3
1999Q1
1999Q3
2000Q1
2000Q3
2001Q1
2001Q3
2002Q1
2002Q3
2003Q1
2003Q3
2004Q1
2004Q3
2005Q1
2005Q3
2006Q1
2006Q3
2007Q1
2007Q3
2008Q1
2008Q3
2009Q1
2009Q3
2010Q1
2010Q3
2011Q1
2011Q3
2012Q1
2012Q3
2013Q1
2013Q3
2014Q1
2014Q3
£million
Actual NGDP 4%
NGDP is a
measure of
total spending
in the
economy
In 2008 it
dropped below
it’s previous
growth rate
Mind the gap!
Source: ONS, own calculations

10. Actual NGDP is lagging behind a 4% growth path
10Source: ONS, own calculations
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
1997Q1
1997Q3
1998Q1
1998Q3
1999Q1
1999Q3
2000Q1
2000Q3
2001Q1
2001Q3
2002Q1
2002Q3
2003Q1
2003Q3
2004Q1
2004Q3
2005Q1
2005Q3
2006Q1
2006Q3
2007Q1
2007Q3
2008Q1
2008Q3
2009Q1
2009Q3
2010Q1
2010Q3
2011Q1
2011Q3
2012Q1
2012Q3
2013Q1
2013Q3
2014Q1
2014Q3
£million
Actual NGDP 4%
1 key message per
slide
Highlight the
message
Provide a source
NGDP is a
measure of
total spending
in the
economy
In 2008 it
dropped below
it’s previous
growth rate
Provide an
interpretation of
the key points
Mind the gap!
Use a narrative
in the title

11. Task 2: replicate the following (but without the patterned fill)
11

12. Graphing three variables
• This example is taken from the excellent textbook:
• Cowen, T., and Tabarrok, A., Modern Principles: Macroeconomics,
(Worth, 2013) – see Appendix A-9
1. Download "aje_data_2.xlsx"
– A line chart shows us that child labour declines with increases
in real GDP
– But we also want to understand the total amount of child
labour in each country
2. Create a Bubble graph (under “Other”) with:
– Real GDP on the X axis
– % Children in Workforce on the Y axis
– Total Children in the Workforce as the “size”
3. Instead of a legend chose “Data Labels” and “Series Name”
4. Add a title, increase the font size to 16 and remove gridlines
5. Save as Picture (select PNG)
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