How I Rebranded Microsoft's Azure Resource Inventory Dashboard (Without Corrupting Excel)
2025-11-21 · ~17 min read
PowerShell script that transforms ARI dashboards with your branding and full dark mode - zero file corruption, professional results in 30 seconds.
The Problem: Great Tool, Wrong Branding
Microsoft's Azure Resource Inventory (ARI) is legitimately one of the best Azure reporting tools out there. It generates comprehensive Excel dashboards with 40+ worksheets, detailed resource inventories, charts, and actionable insights.
But it screams Microsoft.
When you hand this to executives or clients, they see:
- "Azure Resource Inventory 3.6.11" header
- "https://github.com/microsoft/ARI" URL plastered in the branding box
- Generic Microsoft branding that says "free tool" not "professional service"
- No indication YOU built this analysis
For consultants, MSPs, or internal Azure teams trying to establish credibility, this is a problem. You did the work. Your analysis. Your recommendations. But the dashboard says "Microsoft" at the top.
I needed to rebrand ARI dashboards with my own logo and branding - without breaking Excel.
Before → After
Here's the transformation:
Before (Original ARI):
Microsoft branding with github.com/microsoft/ARI URL
After (Rebranded):
Your logo, your branding, your URL - professional and ready to ship
The Challenge: Excel Is Fragile
My first instinct was Python. Use openpyxl, manipulate the cells, add a logo, done.
That lasted about 15 minutes.
Python libraries like openpyxl work by:
1. Unzipping the .xlsx file (it's just a ZIP of XML files)
2. Editing the XML directly
3. Zipping it back up
This works fine for simple Excel files. But ARI dashboards have:
- 40+ interconnected worksheets
- Complex chart definitions with relationships
- Conditional formatting rules
- Embedded images and shapes
- Cell references spanning multiple sheets
Every Python attempt resulted in corrupted files. Excel would throw repair dialogs, charts would vanish, formatting would break. The XML manipulation was too invasive.
I needed a different approach.
The Solution: Let Excel Do Excel Things
Instead of fighting Excel's file format, I used PowerShell COM automation - which is just automating Excel itself using its own APIs.
Think of it like this:
- Python approach: Break into Excel's house, rearrange the furniture, leave
- PowerShell approach: Knock on the door, ask Excel to rearrange its own furniture
The script uses Excel's COM interface to:
1. Open the ARI file (Excel handles file parsing)
2. Find the branding shapes/text boxes
3. Make modifications using Excel's own methods
4. Save the file (Excel handles XML serialization)
Result: Zero corruption. Perfect Excel files every time.
What The Script Actually Does
1. Finds Your Latest ARI Report Automatically
# Auto-locate the most recent ARI file
$ariFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $AriDir -Filter "AzureResourceInventory*.xlsx" |
Sort-Object LastWriteTime -Descending
$InputFile = $ariFiles[0].FullName
No manual file paths. The script finds your most recent ARI report and processes it.
2. Rebrands The Header Box
The biggest visual change - your branding replaces Microsoft's:
Before:
┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ Azure Resource Inventory 3.6.11 │
│ https://github.com/microsoft/ARI│
│ Report Date: 11/19/2025 │
└─────────────────────────────────┘
After:
┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ [YOUR LOGO - azure-noob bird] │
│ azure-noob.com 3.6.11 │
│ https://www.azure-noob.com │
│ Report Date: 11/21/2025 │
└─────────────────────────────────┘
Your logo (the script auto-resizes it), your domain, your branding. Clean and professional.
3. Enhances The Dark Theme
ARI already has dark-themed charts, but the script takes it further:
- Pure black backgrounds (not dark gray)
- Vibrant accent colors (cyan, green, orange, yellow for different series)
- Professional color palette that pops on dark backgrounds
- Consistent styling across all chart types
The result looks like a premium data visualization tool, not a free script output.
4. Preserves Everything Else
This is critical - zero data corruption:
- ✅ All 40+ worksheets intact
- ✅ All charts render perfectly
- ✅ All formulas calculate correctly
- ✅ All data unchanged
- ✅ No Excel repair dialogs
The Complete Script
Here's the full PowerShell script with comments explaining each section:
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Azure Admin Dashboard - Dark Mode Rebrander
.DESCRIPTION
Rebrands Azure Resource Inventory (ARI) Excel reports with:
- Full dark theme (worksheet + charts)
- Your custom logo
- Your branding text
- Zero file corruption (uses Excel COM automation)
.NOTES
Requires Excel installed (COM automation)
Logo file should be PNG format, script auto-resizes
#>
[CmdletBinding()]
param(
[string]$AriDir = "C:\AzureResourceInventory",
[string]$LogoFileName = "logo.png"
)
Write-Host "Azure Admin Dashboard - Dark Mode Rebrander" -ForegroundColor Cyan
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$ScriptDir = Split-Path -Parent $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Path
$LogoFile = Join-Path $ScriptDir $LogoFileName
# Helper function to convert RGB to Excel OLE color
function New-OleColor {
param([int]$R, [int]$G, [int]$B)
[System.Drawing.ColorTranslator]::ToOle(
[System.Drawing.Color]::FromArgb($R, $G, $B)
)
}
# Dark theme color palette
$Theme = @{
Background = New-OleColor 15 15 15 # Near-black
Panel = New-OleColor 35 35 38 # Dark gray
Border = New-OleColor 200 200 200 # Light gray borders
TextPrimary = New-OleColor 255 255 255 # White text
TextSecondary = New-OleColor 200 200 200 # Light gray text
Accent1 = New-OleColor 0 176 240 # Cyan
Accent2 = New-OleColor 243 112 33 # Orange
Accent3 = New-OleColor 146 208 80 # Green
Accent4 = New-OleColor 255 192 0 # Yellow
}
# Validate prerequisites
if (-not (Test-Path $LogoFile)) {
Write-Host "ERROR: Logo not found: $LogoFile" -ForegroundColor Red
return
}
if (-not (Test-Path $AriDir)) {
Write-Host "ERROR: ARI directory not found: $AriDir" -ForegroundColor Red
return
}
# Find most recent ARI file
$ariFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $AriDir -Filter "AzureResourceInventory*.xlsx" |
Where-Object { -not $_.Name.Contains("Converted") } |
Sort-Object LastWriteTime -Descending
if ($ariFiles.Count -eq 0) {
Write-Host "ERROR: No ARI files found in $AriDir" -ForegroundColor Red
return
}
$InputFile = $ariFiles[0].FullName
Write-Host "Found ARI file: $($ariFiles[0].Name)" -ForegroundColor Green
# Create Excel COM object
Write-Host "Opening Excel..." -ForegroundColor Yellow
$excel = New-Object -ComObject Excel.Application
$excel.Visible = $false
$excel.DisplayAlerts = $false
try {
# Open the workbook
$wb = $excel.Workbooks.Open($InputFile)
$ws = $wb.Worksheets.Item("Overview")
Write-Host "Applying dark theme..." -ForegroundColor Yellow
# Apply dark theme to worksheet
$ws.Tab.Color = $Theme.Background
$overviewRange = $ws.UsedRange
$overviewRange.Interior.Color = $Theme.Background
$overviewRange.Font.Color = $Theme.TextPrimary
# Style the KPI table (if it exists)
$tableCount = 0
foreach ($tbl in $ws.ListObjects) {
$tableCount++
$tbl.HeaderRowRange.Interior.Color = $Theme.Panel
$tbl.HeaderRowRange.Font.Color = $Theme.TextPrimary
$tbl.HeaderRowRange.Font.Bold = $true
$tbl.DataBodyRange.Interior.Color = $Theme.Background
$tbl.DataBodyRange.Font.Color = $Theme.TextSecondary
}
Write-Host " Styled $tableCount tables" -ForegroundColor Gray
# Rebrand ARI header card
Write-Host "Rebranding header..." -ForegroundColor Yellow
$ariShape = $null
foreach ($shp in $ws.Shapes) {
if ($shp.Type -eq 1) { # Rectangle
$textContent = ""
try { $textContent = $shp.TextFrame2.TextRange.Text } catch {}
if ($textContent -match "Azure Resource Inventory") {
$ariShape = $shp
break
}
}
}
if ($ariShape) {
# Apply dark theme to the shape
$ariShape.Fill.ForeColor.RGB = $Theme.Panel
$ariShape.Line.ForeColor.RGB = $Theme.Border
$ariShape.TextFrame2.TextRange.Font.Fill.ForeColor.RGB = $Theme.TextPrimary
# Remove Microsoft GitHub URL and rebrand
$text = $ariShape.TextFrame2.TextRange.Text
$lines = $text -split "`n" | Where-Object {
$_ -notmatch "github\.com"
}
# Add your branding
$newText = $lines -join "`n"
$newText += "`nPowered by azure-noob.com"
$ariShape.TextFrame2.TextRange.Text = $newText
# Add your logo
Write-Host " Adding logo..." -ForegroundColor Gray
# Create temporary resized logo (80x80 pixels)
$tempLogo = [System.IO.Path]::GetTempFileName() + ".png"
$img = [System.Drawing.Image]::FromFile($LogoFile)
$resized = New-Object System.Drawing.Bitmap(80, 80)
$graphics = [System.Drawing.Graphics]::FromImage($resized)
$graphics.InterpolationMode = [System.Drawing.Drawing2D.InterpolationMode]::HighQualityBicubic
$graphics.DrawImage($img, 0, 0, 80, 80)
$resized.Save($tempLogo, [System.Drawing.Imaging.ImageFormat]::Png)
$graphics.Dispose()
$resized.Dispose()
$img.Dispose()
# Insert logo into Excel
$logoLeft = $ariShape.Left + 10
$logoTop = $ariShape.Top + 10
$logoPic = $ws.Shapes.AddPicture(
$tempLogo,
[Microsoft.Office.Core.MsoTriState]::msoFalse,
[Microsoft.Office.Core.MsoTriState]::msoCTrue,
$logoLeft,
$logoTop,
80,
80
)
Write-Host " Logo added successfully" -ForegroundColor Green
}
# Apply dark theme to all charts
Write-Host "Styling charts..." -ForegroundColor Yellow
$chartCount = 0
foreach ($chartObj in $ws.ChartObjects) {
$chartCount++
$cht = $chartObj.Chart
# Dark background
$cht.ChartArea.Format.Fill.ForeColor.RGB = $Theme.Panel
$cht.PlotArea.Format.Fill.ForeColor.RGB = $Theme.Background
# White text
$cht.ChartTitle.Format.TextFrame2.TextRange.Font.Fill.ForeColor.RGB = $Theme.TextPrimary
# Cycle through accent colors for series
$seriesIndex = 0
$accentColors = @($Theme.Accent1, $Theme.Accent2, $Theme.Accent3, $Theme.Accent4)
foreach ($series in $cht.SeriesCollection()) {
$color = $accentColors[$seriesIndex % $accentColors.Count]
$series.Format.Fill.ForeColor.RGB = $color
$seriesIndex++
}
}
Write-Host " Styled $chartCount charts" -ForegroundColor Gray
# Save with timestamp
$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd_HHmmss"
$OutputFile = Join-Path $ScriptDir "ARI_FullDark_$timestamp.xlsx"
Write-Host "Saving branded dashboard..." -ForegroundColor Yellow
$wb.SaveAs($OutputFile)
$wb.Close($false)
Write-Host ""
Write-Host "SUCCESS! Dashboard created:" -ForegroundColor Green
Write-Host " $OutputFile" -ForegroundColor Cyan
Write-Host ""
# Cleanup temp logo
if ($tempLogo -and (Test-Path $tempLogo)) {
Remove-Item $tempLogo -Force
}
}
catch {
Write-Host "ERROR: $_" -ForegroundColor Red
Write-Host $_.ScriptStackTrace -ForegroundColor Red
}
finally {
# Always quit Excel
if ($excel) {
$excel.Quit()
[System.Runtime.Interopservices.Marshal]::ReleaseComObject($excel) | Out-Null
}
[System.GC]::Collect()
[System.GC]::WaitForPendingFinalizers()
}
Usage
Prerequisites
- Windows with Excel installed (needs COM automation)
- PowerShell 5.1 or later
- Azure Resource Inventory report - Run ARI to generate a report first
- Your logo file (PNG format, any size - script auto-resizes)
Setup
- Clone the repo:
git clone https://github.com/dswann101164/azure-dashboard-rebrander.git
cd azure-dashboard-rebrander
-
Place your
logo.pngin the repo folder -
Update
$AriDirin the script if your ARI reports are somewhere other thanC:\AzureResourceInventory
Run It
.\Rebrand-AzureDashboard.ps1
That's it. The script:
- Finds your most recent ARI report automatically
- Applies your branding and enhanced dark theme
- Saves as ARI_FullDark_[timestamp].xlsx in the script folder
Processing time: ~30 seconds for a full 40-worksheet dashboard.
Example Output
================================================================
Azure Admin Dashboard - Dark Mode Rebrander
================================================================
Checking prerequisites...
Script directory: C:\Users\you\azure-dashboard-rebrander
Logo path: C:\Users\you\azure-dashboard-rebrander\logo.png
ARI directory: C:\AzureResourceInventory
✓ Logo found (1.42 MB)
✓ ARI directory found
Found ARI file: AzureResourceInventory_Report_2025-11-21_14_14.xlsx
Opening Excel...
Applying dark theme...
Styled 1 tables
Rebranding header...
Adding logo...
Logo added successfully
Styling charts...
Styled 8 charts
Saving branded dashboard...
SUCCESS! Dashboard created:
C:\Users\you\azure-dashboard-rebrander\ARI_FullDark_2025-11-21_102857.xlsx
Why This Matters
For Consultants & MSPs
You're providing Azure analysis and recommendations to clients. The dashboard should reflect YOUR brand, not Microsoft's free tool. This script lets you:
- Present professional-looking reports with your logo
- Establish credibility (you built this analysis)
- White-label Microsoft's excellent ARI tool
- Save hours of manual Excel reformatting
For Internal Azure Teams
When reporting to executives or leadership:
- Dark mode dashboards look more polished
- Your department's branding establishes ownership
- Professional presentation = taken more seriously
- Shows you're not just running free tools
For Anyone Tired of Excel Corruption
If you've ever tried to programmatically modify complex Excel files and ended up with corrupted workbooks, this demonstrates the right approach: Use Excel's own APIs instead of fighting the file format.
Real-World Impact
I run this script every time I generate a new ARI dashboard for my Azure environment (44 subscriptions, 31,000+ resources, 21 Active Directory domains).
Before This Script:
- Open Excel manually ⏱️ 30 seconds
- Find and delete Microsoft URLs by hand ⏱️ 2 minutes
- Insert logo, resize, position ⏱️ 3 minutes
- Adjust colors on 8+ charts individually ⏱️ 10 minutes
- Test to make sure nothing broke ⏱️ 5 minutes
Total: ~20 minutes of tedious manual work per dashboard
After This Script:
.\Rebrand-AzureDashboard.ps1
Total: 30 seconds. Done.
But it's not just about time savings. It's about establishing credibility and building portable intellectual property.
For Enterprise Azure Teams
When I present ARI dashboards to executives now, they see:
- Professional branding that matches our internal standards
- My team's logo establishing ownership and accountability
- Clean, dark-themed visualizations that look premium
- Zero indication this came from a free GitHub tool
This matters in enterprise environments where perception drives budget decisions. A professionally branded dashboard signals competence and attention to detail.
For Consultants & MSPs (My Next Chapter)
This script is portable IP - it belongs to me, not my employer. When I transition to consulting or launch a SaaS platform (likely post-merger in Q1 2026), this is part of my toolkit:
- White-label client deliverables without rebuilding dashboards from scratch
- Professional presentation that justifies consulting rates
- Differentiation from competitors who hand clients raw Microsoft tools
- Proven at enterprise scale (31K+ resources) as a credibility signal
The script took me ~4 hours to build and debug. It's saved me 20+ hours already. More importantly, it positions me as a solution builder, not just an Azure button-clicker.
The Bigger Lesson
Microsoft's Azure Resource Inventory is an excellent tool. But it's generic. It doesn't differentiate you.
Every Azure professional should be building tools and automation that:
1. Solve real problems they face daily
2. Add their own branding and intellectual property
3. Position them as solution builders, not button-clickers
This script took me a few hours to build and debug. It saves me 30 minutes every time I run an ARI report. More importantly, it makes my dashboards look professional and establishes my brand.
That's the difference between being an Azure admin and being an Azure consultant.
Get The Code
Full script available on my GitHub: azure-dashboard-rebrander
Repo includes:
- Rebrand-AzureDashboard.ps1 - Main PowerShell script
- logo.png - Example logo (replace with yours)
- examples/ - Sample before/after screenshots
- images/ - Additional documentation assets
- README.md - Setup and usage instructions
- LICENSE - MIT licensed
MIT licensed - do whatever you want with it. Fork it, rebrand it for your clients, build a SaaS product on top of it. That's exactly what I plan to do.
Why This Matters Beyond Azure
This project demonstrates a pattern that applies to any technical role:
- Identify tools that work but lack polish - ARI is excellent technically but generic visually
- Build automation that adds your value - The rebranding script is MY intellectual property
- Document the complete solution - This blog post is marketing for future consulting
- Make it portable - The script works anywhere, not just at my current employer
Microsoft built ARI to showcase Azure's capabilities. I built this script to showcase MY capabilities. That's the fundamental difference between being an IT operator and being a consultant or founder.
Every Azure professional should be asking: What tools do I use daily that I could enhance, automate, or rebrand as my own?
That's how you build a consulting practice or SaaS business while still employed. One script at a time.
Questions? Want to see other Azure automation tools? Check out azure-noob.com or hit me up on Twitter.
Running a Synovus-scale Azure environment (31K+ resources, 44 subscriptions) and need rebranding help for your dashboards? Let's talk.