Need help with Excel

[Narkos]

Hello,

I'm interested in designing an Excel chart that shows patient in room, patient out of room, turn over, next patient in room, etc. I'd like it to be on a bar graph, with other bars below showing different scenarios (ie.different turn over times). I'd like the times to show up in different colors,)(ie. turn over would be yellow to differentiate). Basically, I want to have a visual representation of everything that happens in the OR and be able to show how much time everything takes. This is important because we want to be more efficient but we also need to show other stakeholders that certain things must be done and can't be done quicker. I've looked all over the place ie. Gantt charts etc. but haven't found a way to have an x-axis with time in a minimum of 15 minute intervals. Can someone help me out here?

Thanks!

[ManiacJoe]

1. I am not sure a chart is really what you are looking for.

My initial thought is that what you want would be fairly easy to show in the main grid.

[ChromeFoundry]

2. I think you are looking for SparkLines

http://www.online-tech-tips.com/ms-office-tips/excel-sparklines-tutorial/

[upi402]

3. Nice tip, great link, ty. n/t

[JBoy]

4. It sounds like a Gantt chart is what you want to create

and if you've got good Excel skills, a stacked bar chart using conditional formatting should give you what you want.

Maybe something like this (but instead of dates, perhaps make the axis "elapsed time" in minutes)?
Here's a link to some tutorials that might get you started: http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/3418.aspx