AIRSA Resources
Download tools, templates, datasets, and guides to accelerate AI work across Africa.
Research Data Visualisation Dashboard (Excel)
This Excel workbook turns a survey or research dataset into filterable charts, statistical tables and written insights. It needs no pivot tables or macros. It has these sheets: Dashboard: three filters, four variable dropdowns and six headline figures. It has six linked charts: frequency, means by group, a 100% composition chart, means by two factors, a histogram and a scatter plot with a fitted line. Auto-written key insights sit below the charts. Analysis Tables: a frequency table, descriptive statistics by group (with 95% confidence intervals and an ANOVA), a cross-tabulation with chi-square and Cramér’s V, a histogram table, and correlation and regression results. Codebook: each variable’s label, type and categories. Data: up to 1,000 records and 12 variables. It comes with sample farmer-training survey data so you can see it working. How to use: On the Data sheet, type your variable names in row 1 and paste your records from row 2 using Paste Values. On the Codebook sheet, set each variable’s type. For categorical variables, type the categories exactly as they appear in the data. A red count means some data values aren’t listed. On the Dashboard, choose Group by, Split by, Outcome Y and X from the dropdowns. Use the filters, such as District = Jaman North. Choose “All” to remove a filter. Read the headline figures and insights for the story, and take exact figures and p-values from Analysis Tables. Leave missing values blank rather than coding them as 99. To use a chart in a report, copy it and paste it as a picture into Word or PowerPoint.
Sample Size and Statistical Power Calculator (Excel)
This Excel workbook works out how many respondents or participants a study needs. It also shows how much statistical power, or precision, a sample you can afford will give you. It has these sheets: Survey - Proportion: Cochran’s formula, adjusted for population size, cluster sampling and non-response. It also shows the Yamane formula for comparison, a table of sample sizes by margin of error, and how to share the sample across strata such as districts. Survey - Mean: sample size for estimating an average, such as income or test scores. Two Means: comparing two groups, such as treatment and control, with a power curve chart. Two Proportions: comparing two percentages, with an optional continuity correction and a quick lookup table. Paired & One-Sample: before–after studies, or one mean against a target. ANOVA: comparing three or more groups. Regression & Correlation: a multiple regression model, or a single correlation. How to use: Pick the sheet that matches your main research question. The Instructions sheet has a guide. Enter your assumptions in the blue cells. Take expected values from a baseline, a pilot or published studies, and set α (usually 0.05) and power (usually 80%). Read the yellow FINAL SAMPLE SIZE or TOTAL TO RECRUIT cell. It already allows for non-response and dropouts. For cluster surveys, enter the cluster size and ICC; the workbook then adds the design effect for you. To test what a fixed budget allows, use “Power for a given sample size” or “Margin of error for a fixed sample”. Red warnings appear if an input is missing or the effect is too small to detect. The study-design sheets search up to 1,001 participants per group. In your methodology, report every assumption and where it came from.
ANOVA and Post-Hoc Analysis Workbook Template (Excel)
This Excel workbook checks whether the averages of several groups really differ, and which groups differ. It has these sheets: One-Way ANOVA: 2–6 groups. Gives the summary statistics, the ANOVA table, an equal-variance check (Levene’s test), Welch’s ANOVA for when variances differ, effect sizes, a chart and a written conclusion. Post-Hoc Tests: compares every pair of groups using Tukey, Games-Howell and Bonferroni, and says which method to use. Two-Way ANOVA: two factors and how they interact, with an interaction chart. From Summary Stats: runs an ANOVA when you only have each group’s size, mean and standard deviation. q Table: the critical-value table that Tukey and Games-Howell use. How to use: Type over the blue sample data with your own. On the One-Way sheet, group names go in row 7 and values in columns A–F. On the Two-Way sheet, enter one observation per row. Pick α (0.10, 0.05 or 0.01) in the yellow cell and name your outcome variable. Look at Levene’s test first. If its p-value is below α, report Welch’s F and use Games-Howell. Read the yellow key cells (F, p-value, η²) and the written conclusion. The Decision cell turns green when the result is significant. If the ANOVA is significant, open Post-Hoc Tests and report the pairs marked “Yes” with their confidence intervals. On the Two-Way sheet, type the level names in the blue grid cells exactly as they appear in your data. If the interaction is significant, interpret the cell means rather than the main effects alone. To reuse the workbook, delete only the blue data. Unused groups and levels stay blank.
Hypothesis Testing and T-Test Calculator (Excel)
An easy-to-use Excel tool for researchers and students to run common significance tests without statistical software. It covers: one-sample t-test independent samples t-test (Welch’s and Student’s, with an F-test for equal variances) paired samples t-test t-tests from summary statistics (means, standard deviations and sample sizes only) one- and two-sample proportion z-tests For each test it states the hypotheses, gives descriptive statistics, and calculates the test statistic, degrees of freedom, p-value, critical value, confidence interval, effect size (Cohen’s d with an interpretation) and a “Reject” or “Fail to reject” decision. It also checks assumptions (skewness, outliers, sample size) and writes a plain-language conclusion you can paste into a report or thesis. How to use: Choose the test: use the guide on the Instructions sheet to pick the right sheet. Enter your data: paste or type it into the blue columns, one value per cell. Set the options: choose the significance level (usually 0.05) and the alternative hypothesis (two-tailed unless you predicted a direction in advance). Read the results: if the p-value is below α, the result is statistically significant. Use the confidence interval and effect size to judge practical importance. Check assumptions: review the skewness, outlier and sample-size checks. Report: copy the plain-language conclusion into your report, and delete the example data before using your own.
Loan Repayment and Amortisation Calculator (Excel)
An Excel calculator for finance teams and small businesses to plan and understand a loan. You enter the loan amount, interest rate, term, payment frequency (monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or annual) and repayment method: equal instalments, or equal principal with reducing payments. You can also add interest-only grace periods, fees, regular extra payments and lump-sum prepayments. It produces: Full repayment schedule: up to 360 payments, showing the payment date, interest, principal, balance and running totals. Yearly summary: totals for each calendar year, for budgets and financial statements. Summary page: the instalment, total interest, total repaid, final payment date, fees, total and effective cost of borrowing, and the interest saved by early repayments, with charts. Compare Offers: puts up to four loan offers side by side and ranks them by true cost. How to use: Loan Inputs: enter the terms from your loan offer letter, including any grace period, fees and planned extra payments. Schedule: review each payment. It calculates automatically, so don’t type in it. Yearly Summary: use the yearly totals for budgeting and cash-flow planning. Summary: check the instalment, total cost and effective annual cost. Compare Offers: enter competing offers and choose the one with the lowest effective cost. Before use: replace the example figures, and confirm the results against your lender’s official schedule. Lenders may calculate interest daily or round
Investment Appraisal and NPV/IRR Calculator (Excel)
An Excel model for investors and finance teams to judge whether an investment is financially viable. From your assumptions, it builds a 10-year cash flow model: revenue, operating costs, EBITDA, depreciation and tax capital spending, working capital and salvage value a loan repayment schedule and DSCR free cash flow for the project as a whole and for the equity investors It calculates: NPV, IRR and modified IRR (MIRR) profitability index simple and discounted payback equity NPV and IRR a clear invest or don’t-invest decision A Sensitivity sheet tests price, volume, costs, capital spending and the discount rate at ±10% and ±20%, with a spider chart. A Compare Options sheet ranks up to five alternatives, and a one-page Summary is ready for investment committees. How to use: Inputs: enter the discount rate (WACC), tax rate, capital spending, working capital, volumes, prices, costs, loan terms and capacity ramp-up. Record the source of each key assumption. Cash Flow Model: check the annual projections. They calculate automatically, so no data entry is needed here. Results: invest if NPV is above 0 and IRR is above WACC. Check that DSCR meets your lender’s requirement. Sensitivity: find the drivers that move NPV most, and test assumptions that look risky. Compare Options: enter the cash flows of alternative investments and choose the one with the highest NPV. Summary: use the dashboard in reports and presentations. Before use: replace the example figures with your own data. Change only the blue cells.
Cost-Benefit Analysis Calculator (Excel)
An Excel tool for project analysts to test whether a project or option is economically worthwhile. You enter costs and benefits over up to 20 years: recurring items with start and end years and annual growth, plus one-off amounts entered year by year. The calculator then produces: net present value (NPV) and the present values of benefits and costs benefit-cost ratio (BCR) and internal rate of return (IRR) simple and discounted payback equivalent annual net benefit a decision rule (viable / marginal / not viable) It also tests nine scenarios (higher or lower costs and benefits, worst case, different discount rates, and one you define). It shows switching values (how much costs could rise, or benefits fall, before NPV reaches zero) and how NPV changes with the discount rate. A one-page Summary with charts is ready to copy into reports. How to use: Inputs: enter the project name, currency, Year 0, analysis period, discount rate and residual value. Note the source of each key assumption. Costs: list recurring costs in Section A and one-off costs, such as construction or equipment replacement, in Section B. Benefits: enter benefits the same way, with each benefit valued in money terms. Results: check the year-by-year discounted cash flow and the key results. Proceed if NPV is above 0 and BCR is above 1. Sensitivity: check how robust the result is, and edit the custom scenario if needed. Summary: use the one-page summary and charts in your report. Before use: replace the example figures with your own project data. Type only in the blue cells; black and green cells calculate automatically.
Purchase Order Tracking Register (Excel)
A ready-to-use Excel register for procurement officers to track every purchase order from requisition to payment. You record the PO, delivery (GRN), invoice and payment details. The register then works out each PO’s status: awaiting delivery, delivery overdue, partially delivered, awaiting invoice, payment overdue, or closed – paid. It also calculates: days from requisition to PO days each delivery is late payment due dates outstanding balances invoice variances against the PO a three-way match of PO, goods received (GRN) and invoice A Budget Lines sheet tracks commitments against approved budgets. A dashboard summarises PO value, alerts, and breakdowns by status, department, method and month, with charts. How to use: Setup: enter your organisation name, currency, financial year start and default payment terms. Then edit the departments, procurement methods and approvers. Budget Lines: enter each budget code with its approved amount. Raise a PO: add a row with a unique PO number, the requisition, department, budget code, supplier, value, approver and expected delivery date. Update as it progresses: record the GRN value and delivery date, then the invoice details, then the payment. Monitor: review the dashboard weekly and follow up any overdue deliveries, overdue payments, mismatched invoices and over-budget lines. Before use: delete the example rows but keep the grey formula columns.
Supplier and Vendor Database (Excel)
A ready-to-use Excel database for businesses and procurement teams to manage their suppliers in one place. Supplier Register: contact and registration details, category, approval status, and expiry dates for key documents (tax clearance, licence, insurance, certifications). Compliance is flagged automatically as Compliant, Expiring soon or Expired. Orders & Contracts: records each order and its value, and shows whether delivery was on time, late or is overdue. Performance Evaluations: scores each supplier on weighted criteria and gives a rating from Excellent to Poor. Dashboard: total spend by category, the top 10 suppliers by spend, document expiry alerts, the on-time delivery rate and performance ratings. How to use: Setup: enter your organisation name and currency. Edit the supplier categories and the performance weights (they must add up to 100%). Supplier Register: add each supplier with a unique ID (for example SUP-011), contact details, approval status and document expiry dates. Orders & Contracts: log each purchase order or contract, and enter the delivery date when the goods or services arrive. Evaluations: score suppliers from 1 to 5 after each contract or periodic review. Dashboard: check it regularly and follow up on expired documents, overdue deliveries and suppliers rated Poor. Before use: delete the example rows but keep the grey formula columns. Don’t store bank account numbers in the file.
Field Data Collection and Enumerator Register (Excel)
A ready-to-use Excel tool for researchers and survey teams to manage fieldwork. It includes: Enumerator register: details, training scores, whether each enumerator meets the pass mark, devices and agreements, plus performance figures calculated automatically. Sample allocation: interview targets for each district or cluster. Daily field log: one row per interview, with automatic checks that flag duplicate IDs, interviews that are too short, missing consent or GPS, records not uploaded, and failed supervisor checks. Issues log: field problems tracked until they are resolved. Dashboard: progress against target, response rate, interview outcomes, progress by area, enumerator performance, alerts, and a chart of daily completed versus planned interviews. How to use: Setup: enter the study details, fieldwork dates, minimum interview length, training pass mark and daily target, then edit the teams and supervisors. Sample Allocation: list each area with its team and interview target. Enumerator Register: register every enumerator with their training score and assigned area. Daily Field Log: record every visit each day. Rows highlighted in yellow have a data-quality flag for the supervisor to check. Issues Log: record field problems and update their status. Dashboard: review progress daily and act on the alerts. Before fieldwork starts: delete the example data but keep the grey formula columns. Store the file securely and record respondents by ID only, never by
Project Deliverables and Milestone Tracker (Excel)
A ready-to-use Excel tool for project teams to plan, track and report deliverables and milestones. For each deliverable you record the owner, dates, % complete, status and approval. The tracker then calculates days to due date and slippage, and flags each item Red, Amber or Green automatically. The Milestones sheet compares baseline, forecast and actual dates. A Dashboard summarises progress with key figures, status and RAG counts, progress by phase, upcoming milestones and charts, and a Timeline sheet shows a weekly Gantt chart. How to use: Setup: enter the project details and dates, and add your phases and owners to the drop-down lists. Deliverables: list each deliverable and fill in the blue columns. The grey columns calculate themselves. Milestones: enter the milestones with their baseline and forecast dates. Update weekly: keep % complete, status and dates current. The status date defaults to today. Report: use the Dashboard and Timeline in progress meetings and reports. Example rows: rows D-01 to D-07 and M-01 to M-05 show how the tracker works; overwrite or delete them.
Vendor Evaluation and Selection Presentation (PowerPoint)
A ready-to-use PowerPoint template for procurement teams to present tender evaluation results and recommend a contract award. It covers the procurement background, evaluation committee, criteria and weights, compliance screening, technical, financial and combined scores, vendor comparison, risks and due diligence, the recommendation, next steps and approval sign-off. Charts can be edited, and each slide has speaker notes. How to use: Replace all text in [square brackets] with your tender details, vendors and dates. Enter your evaluation results in the tables, and update the charts (right-click, then Edit Data). Make sure the recommendation matches the evaluation report. Add your logo and delete any slides you don’t need. Present the deck, then record the committee’s decision on the Approval slide.