Most companies (and people) don’t want to pore through pages and pages of spreadsheets when it’s so quick to turn those rows and columns into a visual chart or graph. But someone has to do it…and that person must be you.
Ready to turn your boring Excel spreadsheet into something a little more interesting?
In Excel, you’ve got everything you need at your fingertips. Excel users can leverage the power of visuals without any additional extensions. You can create a graph or chart right inside Excel rather than exporting it into some other tool.
What is the difference between Charts and Graphs?
According to reference.com…“The difference between graphs and charts is mainly in the way the data is compiled and the way it is represented. Graphs are usually focused on raw data and showing the trends and changes in that data over time. Charts are best used when data can be categorized or averaged to create more simplistic and easily consumed figures.“
So technically, charts and graphs mean separate things, but in the real world, you’ll hear the terms used interchangeably. People generally accept both so don’t worry too much about it!
In this post, you’ll learn exactly how to create a graph in Excel and improve your visuals and reporting…but first let’s talk about charts. Understanding exactly how charts play out in Excel will help with understanding graphs in Excel.
Charts in Excel
Charts are usually considered more aesthetically pleasing than graphs. Something like a pie chart is used to convey to readers the relative share of a particular segment of the data set with respect to other segments that are available. If instead of the changes in hours worked and annual leaves over 5 years, you want to present the percentage contributions of the different types of tasks that make up a 40 hour work week for employees in your organization then you can definitely insert a pie chart into your spreadsheet for the desired impact.
Graphs in Excel
Graphs represent variations in values of data points over a given duration of time. They are simpler than charts because you are dealing with different data parameters. Comparing and contrasting segments of the same set against one another is more difficult.
So if you are trying to see how the number of hours worked per week and the frequency of annual leaves for employees in your company has fluctuated over the past 5 years, you can create a simple line graph and track the spikes and dips to get a fair idea.
Types of Graphs Available in Excel
Excel offers three varieties of graphs:
- Line Graphs: Both 2 dimensional and three dimensional line graphs are available in all the versions of Microsoft Excel. Line graphs are great for showing trends over time. Simultaneously plot more than one data parameter – like employee compensation, average number of hours worked in a week and average number of annual leaves against the same X axis or time.
- Column Graphs: Column graphs also help viewers see how parameters change over time. But they can be called “graphs” when only a single data parameter is used. If multiple parameters are called into action, viewers can’t really get any insights about how each individual parameter has changed. As you can see in the Column graph below, average numbers of hours worked in a week and average number of annual leaves when plotted side by side do not provide the same clarity as the Line graph.
- Bar Graphs: Bar graphs are very similar to column graphs but here the constant parameter (say time) is assigned to the Y axis and the variables are plotted against the X axis.
1. Fill the Excel Sheet with Your Data & Assign the Right Data Types
The first step is to actually populate an Excel spreadsheet with the data that you need. If you have imported this data from a different software, then it’s probably been compiled in a .csv (comma separated values) formatted document.
If this is the case, use an online CSV to Excel converter like the one here to generate the Excel file or open it in Excel and save the file with an Excel extension.
After converting the file, you still may need to clean up the rows and the columns. It is better to work with a clean spreadsheet so that the Excel graph you’re creating is clean and easy to modify or change.
If that doesn’t work, you may also need to manually enter the data into the spreadsheet or copy and paste it over before creating the Excel graph.
Excel has two components to its spreadsheets:
- The rows that are horizontal and marked with numbers
- The columns that are vertical and marked with alphabets
After all the data values have been set and accounted for, make sure that you visit the Number section under the Home tab and assign the right data type to the various columns. If you do not do this, chances are your graphs will not show up right.
For example if column B is measuring time, ensure that you choose the option Time from the drop down menu and assign it to B.
Choose the Type of Excel Graph You Want to Create
This will depend on the type of data you have and the number of different parameters you will be tracking simultaneously.
If you are looking to take note of trends over time then Line graphs are your best bet. This is what we will be using for the purpose of the tutorial.
Let us assume that we are tracking Average Number of Hours Worked/Week/Employee and Average Number of Leaves/Employee/Year against a five year time span.
Highlight The Data Sets That You Want To Use
For a graph to be created, you need to select the different data parameters.
To do this, bring your cursor over the cell marked A. You will see it transform into a tiny arrow pointing downwards. When this happens, click on the cell A and the entire column will be selected.
Repeat the process with columns B and C, pressing the Ctrl (Control) button on Windows or using the Command key with Mac users.
Your final selection should look something like this:
Create the Basic Excel Graph
With the columns selected, visit the Insert tab and choose the option 2D Line Graph.
You will immediately see a graph appear below your data values.
Sometimes if you do not assign the right data type to your columns in the first step, the graph may not show in a way that you want it to. For example, Excel may plot the parameter Average Number of Leaves/Employee/Year along the X axis instead of the Year. In this case, you can use the option Switch Row/Column under the Design tab of Chart Tools to play around with various combinations of X axis and Y axis parameters till you hit on the perfect rendition.
Improve Your Excel Graph with the Chart Tools
To change colors or to change the design of your graph, go to Chart Tools in the Excel header.
You can select from the design, layout and format. Each will change up the look and feel of your Excel graph.
Design: Design allows you to move your graph and re-position it. It gives you the freedom to change the chart type. You can even experiment with different chart layouts. This may conform more to your brand guidelines, your personal style, or your manager’s preference.
Layout: This allows you to change the title of the axis, the title of your chart and the position of the legend. You might go with vertical text along the Y axis and horizontal text along the X axis. You can even adjust the grid lines. You have every formatting tool conceivable at your fingertips to improve the look and feel of your graph.
Format: The Format tab allows you to add a border in your chosen width and color around the graph to properly separate it from the data points that are filled in the rows and columns.
And there you have it. An accurate visual representation of the data that you have imported or entered manually to help your team members and stakeholders better engage with the information and utilize it to create strategies or be more aware of all the constraints while taking decisions!
Challenges with Making a Graph In Excel
When manipulating simple data sets, you can create a graph fairly easily.
But when you start adding in several types of data with multiple parameters, then there will be glitches. Here are some of the challenges that you’re going to have:
- Data sorting can be problematic when creating graphs. Online tutorials might recommend data sorting to make your “charts” look more aesthetically appealing. But beware of when the X axis is a time-based parameter! Sorting data values by magnitude may mess up the flow of the graph because the dates are sorted randomly. You may not be able to spot the trends very well.
You may forget to remove duplicates. This is especially true if you have imported the data from a third-party application. Generally, this type of information is not filtered of redundancies. And you might end up corrupting the integrity of your information if duplicates sneak into your pictorial representation of trends. When working with copious volumes of data, it is best to use the Remove Duplicates option on your rows.
Creating graphs in Excel doesn’t have to be overly complex, but, much like with creating Gantt charts in Excel, there can be some easier tools to help you do it. If you’re trying to create graphs for workloads, budget allocations or monitoring projects, check out project management software instead.
Many of those functions are automated and without manual data entry. And you won’t be left wondering about who has the latest data sets. Most project management solutions, like Workzone, have file sharing and some visualization capabilities built-in.
Charts help you visualize your data in a way that creates maximum impact on your audience. Learn to create a chart and add a trendline. You can start your document from a recommended chart or choose one from our collection of pre-built chart templates.
Create a chart
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Select data for the chart.
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Select Insert > Recommended Charts.
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Select a chart on the Recommended Charts tab, to preview the chart.
Note: You can select the data you want in the chart and press ALT + F1 to create a chart immediately, but it might not be the best chart for the data. If you don’t see a chart you like, select the All Charts tab to see all chart types.
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Select a chart.
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Select OK.
Add a trendline
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Select a chart.
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Select Design > Add Chart Element.
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Select Trendline and then select the type of trendline you want, such as Linear, Exponential, Linear Forecast, or Moving Average.
Note: Some of the content in this topic may not be applicable to some languages.
Charts display data in a graphical format that can help you and your audience visualize relationships between data. When you create a chart, you can select from many chart types (for example, a stacked column chart or a 3-D exploded pie chart). After you create a chart, you can customize it by applying chart quick layouts or styles.
Charts contain several elements, such as a title, axis labels, a legend, and gridlines. You can hide or display these elements, and you can also change their location and formatting.
Chart title
Plot area
Legend
Axis titles
Axis labels
Tick marks
Gridlines
You can create a chart in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. However, the chart data is entered and saved in an Excel worksheet. If you insert a chart in Word or PowerPoint, a new sheet is opened in Excel. When you save a Word document or PowerPoint presentation that contains a chart, the chart’s underlying Excel data is automatically saved within the Word document or PowerPoint presentation.
Note: The Excel Workbook Gallery replaces the former Chart Wizard. By default, the Excel Workbook Gallery opens when you open Excel. From the gallery, you can browse templates and create a new workbook based on one of them. If you don’t see the Excel Workbook Gallery, on the File menu, click New from Template.
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On the View menu, click Print Layout.
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Click the Insert tab, and then click the arrow next to Chart.
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Click a chart type, and then double-click the chart you want to add.
When you insert a chart into Word or PowerPoint, an Excel worksheet opens that contains a table of sample data.
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In Excel, replace the sample data with the data that you want to plot in the chart. If you already have your data in another table, you can copy the data from that table and then paste it over the sample data. See the following table for guidelines for how to arrange the data to fit your chart type.
For this chart type
Arrange the data
Area, bar, column, doughnut, line, radar, or surface chart
In columns or rows, as in the following examples:
Series 1
Series 2
Category A
10
12
Category B
11
14
Category C
9
15
or
Category A
Category B
Series 1
10
11
Series 2
12
14
Bubble chart
In columns, putting x values in the first column and corresponding y values and bubble size values in adjacent columns, as in the following examples:
X-Values
Y-Value 1
Size 1
0.7
2.7
4
1.8
3.2
5
2.6
0.08
6
Pie chart
In one column or row of data and one column or row of data labels, as in the following examples:
Sales
1st Qtr
25
2nd Qtr
30
3rd Qtr
45
or
1st Qtr
2nd Qtr
3rd Qtr
Sales
25
30
45
Stock chart
In columns or rows in the following order, using names or dates as labels, as in the following examples:
Open
High
Low
Close
1/5/02
44
55
11
25
1/6/02
25
57
12
38
or
1/5/02
1/6/02
Open
44
25
High
55
57
Low
11
12
Close
25
38
X Y (scatter) chart
In columns, putting x values in the first column and corresponding y values in adjacent columns, as in the following examples:
X-Values
Y-Value 1
0.7
2.7
1.8
3.2
2.6
0.08
or
X-Values
0.7
1.8
2.6
Y-Value 1
2.7
3.2
0.08
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To change the number of rows and columns included in the chart, rest the pointer on the lower-right corner of the selected data, and then drag to select additional data. In the following example, the table is expanded to include additional categories and data series.
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To see the results of your changes, switch back to Word or PowerPoint.
Note: When you close the Word document or the PowerPoint presentation that contains the chart, the chart’s Excel data table closes automatically.
After you create a chart, you might want to change the way that table rows and columns are plotted in the chart. For example, your first version of a chart might plot the rows of data from the table on the chart’s vertical (value) axis, and the columns of data on the horizontal (category) axis. In the following example, the chart emphasizes sales by instrument.
However, if you want the chart to emphasize the sales by month, you can reverse the way the chart is plotted.
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On the View menu, click Print Layout.
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Click the chart.
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Click the Chart Design tab, and then click Switch Row/Column.
If Switch Row/Column is not available
Switch Row/Column is available only when the chart’s Excel data table is open and only for certain chart types. You can also edit the data by clicking the chart, and then editing the worksheet in Excel.
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On the View menu, click Print Layout.
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Click the chart.
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Click the Chart Design tab, and then click Quick Layout.
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Click the layout you want.
To immediately undo a quick layout that you applied, press
+ Z .
+ Z .Chart styles are a set of complementary colors and effects that you can apply to your chart. When you select a chart style, your changes affect the whole chart.
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On the View menu, click Print Layout.
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Click the chart.
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Click the Chart Design tab, and then click the style you want.
To see more styles, point to a style, and then click
.To immediately undo a style that you applied, press
+ Z .
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On the View menu, click Print Layout.
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Click the chart, and then click the Chart Design tab.
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Click Add Chart Element.
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Click Chart Title to choose title format options, and then return to the chart to type a title in the Chart Title box.
See also
Update the data in an existing chart
Chart types
Create a chart
You can create a chart for your data in Excel for the web. Depending on the data you have, you can create a column, line, pie, bar, area, scatter, or radar chart.
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Click anywhere in the data for which you want to create a chart.
To plot specific data into a chart, you can also select the data.
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Select Insert > Charts > and the chart type you want.
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On the menu that opens, select the option you want. Hover over a chart to learn more about it.
Tip: Your choice isn’t applied until you pick an option from a Charts command menu. Consider reviewing several chart types: as you point to menu items, summaries appear next to them to help you decide.
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To edit the chart (titles, legends, data labels), select the Chart tab and then select Format.
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In the Chart pane, adjust the setting as needed. You can customize settings for the chart’s title, legend, axis titles, series titles, and more.
Available chart types
It’s a good idea to review your data and decide what type of chart would work best. The available types are listed below.
Data that’s arranged in columns or rows on a worksheet can be plotted in a column chart. A column chart typically displays categories along the horizontal axis and values along the vertical axis, like shown in this chart:
Types of column charts
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Clustered column A clustered column chart shows values in 2-D columns. Use this chart when you have categories that represent:
-
Ranges of values (for example, item counts).
-
Specific scale arrangements (for example, a Likert scale with entries, like strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, strongly disagree).
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Names that are not in any specific order (for example, item names, geographic names, or the names of people).
-
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Stacked column A stacked column chart shows values in 2-D stacked columns. Use this chart when you have multiple data series and you want to emphasize the total.
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100% stacked column A 100% stacked column chart shows values in 2-D columns that are stacked to represent 100%. Use this chart when you have two or more data series and you want to emphasize the contributions to the whole, especially if the total is the same for each category.
Data that is arranged in columns or rows on a worksheet can be plotted in a line chart. In a line chart, category data is distributed evenly along the horizontal axis, and all value data is distributed evenly along the vertical axis. Line charts can show continuous data over time on an evenly scaled axis, and are therefore ideal for showing trends in data at equal intervals, like months, quarters, or fiscal years.
Types of line charts
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Line and line with markers Shown with or without markers to indicate individual data values, line charts can show trends over time or evenly spaced categories, especially when you have many data points and the order in which they are presented is important. If there are many categories or the values are approximate, use a line chart without markers.
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Stacked line and stacked line with markers Shown with or without markers to indicate individual data values, stacked line charts can show the trend of the contribution of each value over time or evenly spaced categories.
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100% stacked line and 100% stacked line with markers Shown with or without markers to indicate individual data values, 100% stacked line charts can show the trend of the percentage each value contributes over time or evenly spaced categories. If there are many categories or the values are approximate, use a 100% stacked line chart without markers.
Notes:
-
Line charts work best when you have multiple data series in your chart—if you only have one data series, consider using a scatter chart instead.
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Stacked line charts add the data, which might not be the result you want. It might not be easy to see that the lines are stacked, so consider using a different line chart type or a stacked area chart instead.
-
Data that is arranged in one column or row on a worksheet can be plotted in a pie chart. Pie charts show the size of items in one data series, proportional to the sum of the items. The data points in a pie chart are shown as a percentage of the whole pie.
Consider using a pie chart when:
-
You have only one data series.
-
None of the values in your data are negative.
-
Almost none of the values in your data are zero values.
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You have no more than seven categories, all of which represent parts of the whole pie.
Data that is arranged in columns or rows only on a worksheet can be plotted in a doughnut chart. Like a pie chart, a doughnut chart shows the relationship of parts to a whole, but it can contain more than one data series.
Tip: Doughnut charts are not easy to read. You may want to use a stacked column or stacked bar chart instead.
Data that is arranged in columns or rows on a worksheet can be plotted in a bar chart. Bar charts illustrate comparisons among individual items. In a bar chart, the categories are typically organized along the vertical axis, and the values along the horizontal axis.
Consider using a bar chart when:
-
The axis labels are long.
-
The values that are shown are durations.
Types of bar charts
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Clustered A clustered bar chart shows bars in 2-D format.
-
Stacked bar Stacked bar charts show the relationship of individual items to the whole in 2-D bars
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100% stacked A 100% stacked bar shows 2-D bars that compare the percentage that each value contributes to a total across categories.
Data that is arranged in columns or rows on a worksheet can be plotted in an area chart. Area charts can be used to plot change over time and draw attention to the total value across a trend. By showing the sum of the plotted values, an area chart also shows the relationship of parts to a whole.
Types of area charts
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Area Shown in 2-D format, area charts show the trend of values over time or other category data. As a rule, consider using a line chart instead of a non-stacked area chart, because data from one series can be hidden behind data from another series.
-
Stacked area Stacked area charts show the trend of the contribution of each value over time or other category data in 2-D format.
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100% stacked 100% stacked area charts show the trend of the percentage that each value contributes over time or other category data.
Data that is arranged in columns and rows on a worksheet can be plotted in an scatter chart. Place the x values in one row or column, and then enter the corresponding y values in the adjacent rows or columns.
A scatter chart has two value axes: a horizontal (x) and a vertical (y) value axis. It combines x and y values into single data points and shows them in irregular intervals, or clusters. Scatter charts are typically used for showing and comparing numeric values, like scientific, statistical, and engineering data.
Consider using a scatter chart when:
-
You want to change the scale of the horizontal axis.
-
You want to make that axis a logarithmic scale.
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Values for horizontal axis are not evenly spaced.
-
There are many data points on the horizontal axis.
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You want to adjust the independent axis scales of a scatter chart to reveal more information about data that includes pairs or grouped sets of values.
-
You want to show similarities between large sets of data instead of differences between data points.
-
You want to compare many data points without regard to time — the more data that you include in a scatter chart, the better the comparisons you can make.
Types of scatter charts
-
Scatter This chart shows data points without connecting lines to compare pairs of values.
-
Scatter with smooth lines and markers and scatter with smooth lines This chart shows a smooth curve that connects the data points. Smooth lines can be shown with or without markers. Use a smooth line without markers if there are many data points.
-
Scatter with straight lines and markers and scatter with straight lines This chart shows straight connecting lines between data points. Straight lines can be shown with or without markers.
Data that is arranged in columns or rows on a worksheet can be plotted in a radar chart. Radar charts compare the aggregate values of several data series.
Type of radar charts
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Radar and radar with markers With or without markers for individual data points, radar charts show changes in values relative to a center point.
-
Filled radar In a filled radar chart, the area covered by a data series is filled with a color.
Add or edit a chart title
You can add or edit a chart title, customize its look, and include it on the chart.
-
Click anywhere in the chart to show the Chart tab on the ribbon.
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Click Format to open the chart formatting options.
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In the Chart pane, expand the Chart Title section.
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Add or edit the Chart Title to meet your needs.
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Use the switch to hide the title if you don’t want your chart to show a title.
Add axis titles to improve chart readability
Adding titles to the horizontal and vertical axes in charts that have axes can make them easier to read. You can’t add axis titles to charts that don’t have axes, such as pie and doughnut charts.
Much like chart titles, axis titles help the people who view the chart understand what the data is about.
-
Click anywhere in the chart to show the Chart tab on the ribbon.
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Click Format to open the chart formatting options.
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In the Chart pane, expand the Horizontal Axis or Vertical Axis section.
-
Add or edit the Horizontal Axis or Vertical Axis options to meet your needs.
-
Expand the Axis Title.
-
Change the Axis Title and modify the formatting.
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Use the switch to show or hide the title.
Change the axis labels
Axis labels are shown below the horizontal axis and next to the vertical axis. Your chart uses text in the source data for these axis labels.
To change the text of the category labels on the horizontal or vertical axis:
-
Click the cell which has the label text you want to change.
-
Type the text you want and press Enter.
The axis labels in the chart are automatically updated with the new text.
Tip: Axis labels are different from axis titles you can add to describe what is shown on the axes. Axis titles aren’t automatically shown in a chart.
Remove the axis labels
To remove labels on the horizontal or vertical axis:
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Click anywhere in the chart to show the Chart tab on the ribbon.
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Click Format to open the chart formatting options.
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In the Chart pane, expand the Horizontal Axis or Vertical Axis section.
-
From the dropdown box for Label Position, select None to prevent the labels from showing on the chart.
Need more help?
You can always ask an expert in the Excel Tech Community or get support in the Answers community.
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08-18-2009, 03:41 PM
#1
Registered User
Excel Graphs: How do I graph words and other string data?
I have a list of words, one in each cell, such as Jimmy, Joe, Sam, Joe, Jimmy, Jimmy. I want to make a bar graph showing the frequency of each name. How can I do this? Can I only make graphs with number data?
The data from my example should yield Jimmy: 3, Joe: 2, Sam: 1, and create a graph illustrating such.
Also, is there a way to toggle case sensitivity?
Please don’t ask me to count them by hand or to use a find/replace to count them. I have over 26,000 data and many unique entries.
Thanks!
MultiNeed a website or other media? Visit Amalgam Web and Media (http://www.amalgamweb.com) today for a free quote on any custom project.
-
08-18-2009, 04:01 PM
#2
Re: Excel Graphs: How do I graph words and other string data?
I would use Excels Advanced Filter to copy unique names to another location, let’s say starting in G1 and then next to each name use COUNTIF
Then graph Columns G and H. Does that work for you?
ChemistB
My 2?substitute commas with semi-colons if your region settings requires
Don’t forget to mark threads as «Solved» (Edit First post>Advanced>Change Prefix)
If I helped, Don’t forget to add to my reputation (click on the little star at bottom of this post)Forum Rules: How to use code tags, mark a thread solved, and keep yourself out of trouble
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08-18-2009, 04:49 PM
#3
Registered User
Re: Excel Graphs: How do I graph words and other string data?
Thanks. That does help, but I’m very new to this and I’m not sure how to use that feature.
How do you get a text list from the Advanced Filter?
Last edited by multimediocrity; 08-18-2009 at 05:21 PM.
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08-19-2009, 10:18 AM
#4
Re: Excel Graphs: How do I graph words and other string data?
In Excel 2007, from the Data Tab choose Advanced Filter. With Advanced Filter, you need to include the header (must have) in your range.Click on «Copy to another Location», set your range (e.g. A1:A2500), Check «Unique Records Only» Leave «Criteria Range» blank and in «Copy to» put the first cell of where you want your unique list (e.g. G1). Does that help?
Over the past years, one of the things we’ve learned is that Microsoft Excel is like a Hallmark movie.
Some of us can’t get enough of them and others just can’t stand it. 💔😬
Regardless of your preference, if you’re a manager or business owner, you’ll probably have to rely on Excel for business insights.
Tools like Microsoft Excel graphs are helpful for data analysis and tracking.
And wayyy better than endless spreadsheets that can easily trigger a migraine.
Then why not turn your boring Excel spreadsheet into something interesting?
In this article, we’ll learn what an Excel graph is, how to make a graph in Excel, and its drawbacks. We’ll also suggest an alternative to create effortless graphs.
Let’s graph away!
What are Graphs & Charts in Microsoft Excel?
Graphs in Excel are graphical representations of variations in values of data points over a given period.
In other words, it’s a diagram that represents changes in comparison to one or more variables.
Too technical? 👀
Take a look at the image for clarity:
Wondering if graphs and charts in Excel are the same?
Graphs are mostly numerical representations of data as it shows how one variable is affecting or changing another.
On the other hand, charts are visual representations where variables may or may not be associated. They’re also considered more aesthetically pleasing than graphs. For example, a pie chart. 🥧
However, if you’re wondering how to make a chart in Excel, it isn’t very different from making a graph.
But for now, let’s focus on the main plot: graphs!✨
Steps To Make a Graph in Excel
The first (and obvious step) is to open a new Excel file or a blank Excel worksheet.
Done?
Then let’s learn how to create a graph in Excel.
⭐️ Step 1: fill the Excel sheet with data
Start by populating your Excel spreadsheet with the data you need.
You may import this data from different software, insert it manually, or copy and paste it.
For our example, let’s say you’re an owner of a movie theater in a small town, and you often screen older movies. You probably want to track the sales of your tickets to see which movie is a hit so you can screen it frequently.
Let’s do that by comparing the ticket sales in January and February.
Here’s what your data might look like:
Column A contains the movie names.
Column B contains tickets sold in January.
And column C contains tickets sold in February.
You can bold headings and center align your text for better readability.
Done? Okay, get ready to pick a graph.
⭐️ Step 2: determine the Excel graph type you want
The type of graph you pick will depend on the data you have and the number of different parameters you want to track.
You’ll find the different graph types under the Excel Insert tab, in the Excel Ribbon, arranged close to one another like this:
Note: The Excel Ribbon is where you can find the Home, Insert, and Draw tabs.
Here are some of the different Excel graph or chart type options you can choose from:
- Line graph
- Column graph or bar graph
- Pie graph or chart
- Combo chart
- Area chart
- Scatter plot chart
➡️ Fun fact: Excel can help you decide the graph or chart type with the Recommended Charts (formerly known as Chart Wizard) option.
If you want to take notes of trends (increase or decrease) over time, then a line graph is perfect.
But for a long time frame and more data, a bar graph is the best option.
We’ll use these two graphs for the purpose of this Excel tutorial.
How To Create a Line Graph in Excel – 3 Steps
A line graph in Excel typically has two axes (horizontal and vertical) to function.
You need to enter the data in two columns.
Lucky for us, we’ve already done this when creating the ticket sales data table.
⭐️ Step 1: select data to turn into a line graph
Click and drag from the top-left cell (A1) in your ticket sales data to the bottom-right cell (C7) to select. Don’t forget to include column headers.
This will highlight all the data you want to display in your line graph.
⭐️ Step 2: insert line graph
Now that you’ve selected your data, it’s time to add the line graph.
Look for the line graph icon under the Insert tab.
With the data selected, go to Insert > Line. Click on the icon, and a dropdown menu will appear to select the type of line chart you want.
For this example, we’ll choose the fourth 2-D line graph (Line with Markers).
Excel will add your line graph representing your selected data series.
You’ll then notice the names of the movies appear on the horizontal axis and the number of tickets sold on the vertical axis.
⭐️ Step 3: customize your line graph
After adding the line graph, you’ll notice a new tab called Chart Design on your Excel Ribbon.
Select the Design tab to make the line graph your own by choosing the chart style you prefer.
You can also change the graph’s title.
Select the Chart Title > double click to name > type in the name you wish to call it. To save it, simply click anywhere outside the graph’s title box or chart area.
We’ll name our graph “Movie Ticket Sales.”
Anything else you need to tweak?
If you spot anything, now is the time to make those edits!
For example, here you can see The Godfather and Modern Times are smooshed together.
Let’s give them some space.
How?
Just drag any corner of the graph until it’s how you desire.
These are just some examples. You can customize every chart element if you like including the Axis Labels (the color of the lines that represent each data point, etc.)
Just double click on any chart element to open a sidebar for formatting like this:
That’s it! You’ve successfully created a line graph in Excel!
Now, let’s learn how to make a bar graph. 📊
3 Steps To Create a Bar Graph in Excel
Any Excel graph or Excel chart begins with a populated sheet.
We’ve already done this, so copy and paste the movie ticket sales data to a new sheet tab in the same Excel workbook.
⭐️ Step 1: select data to turn into a bar graph
Like step 1 for the line graph, you need to select the data you wish to turn into a bar graph.
Drag from cell A1 to C7 to highlight the data.
⭐️ Step 2: insert bar graph
Highlight your data, go to the Insert tab, and click on the Column chart or graph icon. A dropdown menu should appear.
Select Clustered Bar under the 2-D bar options.
Note: you can choose a different type of bar chart option like a 3D clustered column or 2D stacked bar, etc.
As soon as you click on the bar graph option, it’ll be added to your Excel sheet.
⭐️ Step 3: customize your Excel bar graph
Now, you can go to the Chart Design tab in the Excel Ribbon to personalize it.
Click on the Design tab to apply a bar style you prefer from the many options.
You know the next step! Change the bar graph’s title.
Select the Excel Chart Title > double click on the title box > type in “Movie Ticket Sales.”
Then click anywhere on the excel sheet to save it.
Note: you can also add other graph elements such as Axis Title, Data Label, Data Table, etc., with the Add Chart Element option. You’ll find it under the Chart Design tab.
And that’s a wrap. 🎬
You’ve successfully created a bar graph in Excel!
Well, that was fun.
But the question is, do you have the time for graphs in your busy work schedule?
And that’s just the teaser when it comes to Excel graph drawbacks.
Read on to watch the full movie. 👀
Bonus: Check out these Excel Alternatives!
Create Effortless Graphs With ClickUp
If ClickUp were a Hallmark movie, graphs and this project management tool would be the perfect match.
A forever kind-of-love. ❤️
Whether you want to create graphs to monitor time, projects, people, ticket sales… you name it because we can do it all within a few clicks.
All without the drawbacks of using Excel!
Excel can be:
- Time-consuming and manual
- Complex and pricey
- Error-prone
The best part?
Most of those functions are automated without manual data entry. Phew.
1. Line Chart Widgets
The Line Chart Widget is a Custom Widget on our Dashboard. Use this ClickUp production to visualize literally anything in the form of a line graph.
It can be tracking profits, total daily sales, or how many movies you’ve watched in a month.
Like we said, a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g!
Visualize any set of values as a line graph with the Line Chart Widget on ClickUp’s Dashboard!
And that’s not it. You can visualize your data in many different ways too.
Just use any of these Custom Widgets:
- Calculations
- Bar charts
- Battery chart
- Pie chart
- And more
Present your data visually as a pie chart with Custome Widgets in ClickUp!
2. Gantt Chart view
Just like it’s difficult to love just one movie genre, we totally get that graphs alone don’t work.
And that’s why we have charts too!
Specifically, ClickUp’s Gantt chart, an interactive chart with live updates and progress tracking that can help you:
- Plan projects
- Assign tasks and assignees
- Schedule a timeline
- Manage dependencies
- And more
Drawing a relationship from one task to a future task in ClickUp’s Gantt Chart view!
3. Table view
If you’re a fan of the Excel grids, ClickUp has your back.
Starring… ClickUp Table view!
This view lets you visualize your tasks in the spreadsheet style.
It’s super fast and allows easy navigation between fields, bulk edits, and data export.
➡️ Fun fact: you can quickly copy and paste your table’s data into other programs, like MS Excel. Just click and drag to highlight the cells you want to copy.
Highlight data from your table in ClickUp to copy and paste into other programs!
And that was just the trailer for you. 📽️
Here are some more powerful ClickUp features in store for:
- Send and receive emails right from your project management tool with Email in ClickUp
- Work even when the wifi acts up with Offline Mode
- Work how you like with multiple ClickUp Views, including Calendar, Mind Maps, Chat, etc.
- Reduce your workload with ClickUp Automations
- Track time spent on tasks with ClickUp’s Native Time Tracker
- Share Table view or Dashboards with clients and external users using Public Sharing and Permissions
- View all graphs and charts on the go with ClickUp mobile apps
Now Showing: ClickUp 🎥🍿
You can surely make tons of graphs in Excel.
No doubt there.
But does that make it a smart choice?
I mean, if you have to Google how to make a graph in Excel, maybe that’s your red flag. 🚩
Tools are supposed to make your life easier.
Take ClickUp, for instance.
Our project management tool can be your graph maker, chart creator, spreadsheet builder, time tracker, workload manager…
It’s a hallmark for a quality tool that can be your all-in-one solution.
Get your ClickUp ticket for free today and enjoy watching your graphs come to life in minutes!
Related readings:
- How to create Gantt charts in Excel
- How to create a Kanban board in Excel
- How to create a burndown chart in Excel
- How to create a flowchart in Excel
- How to show dependencies in Excel
- How to create a KPI dashboard in Excel
- How to create a dashboard in Excel
- How to create a database in Excel
- How to make a work breakdown structure in Excel
Building charts and graphs are one of the best ways to visualize data in a clear and comprehensible way.
However, it’s no surprise that some people get a little intimidated by the prospect of poking around in Microsoft Excel.
I thought I’d share a helpful video tutorial as well as some step-by-step instructions for anyone out there who cringes at the thought of organizing a spreadsheet full of data into a chart that actually, you know, means something. But before diving in, we should go over the different types of charts you can create in the software.
Types of Charts in Excel
You can make more than just bar or line charts in Microsoft Excel, and when you understand the uses for each, you can draw more insightful information for your or your team’s projects.
|
Type of Chart |
Use |
|
Area |
Area charts demonstrate the magnitude of a trend between two or more values over a given period. |
|
Bar |
Bar charts compare the frequency of values across different levels or variables. |
|
Column |
Column charts display data changes or a period of time. |
|
Line |
Similar to bar charts, they illustrate trends over time. |
|
Pie |
Pie charts show values as percentages of a whole. |
|
Radar |
Radar charts compare the aggregate of multiple data series. |
|
Scatter |
Scatter charts show the positive or negative relationship between two variables. |
|
Stock |
Stock charts are used to report the fluctuation of stock prices over given periods. |
|
Surface |
Surface charts plot sets of values in the form of a three-dimensional surface. |
The steps you need to build a chart or graph in Excel are simple, and here’s a quick walkthrough on how to make them.
Keep in mind there are many different versions of Excel, so what you see in the video above might not always match up exactly with what you’ll see in your version. In the video, I used Excel 2021 version 16.49 for Mac OS X.
To get the most updated instructions, I encourage you to follow the written instructions below (or download them as PDFs). Most of the buttons and functions you’ll see and read are very similar across all versions of Excel.
Download Demo Data | Download Instructions (Mac) | Download Instructions (PC)
- Enter your data into Excel.
- Choose one of nine graph and chart options to make.
- Highlight your data and click ‘Insert’ your desired graph.
- Switch the data on each axis, if necessary.
- Adjust your data’s layout and colors.
- Change the size of your chart’s legend and axis labels.
- Change the Y-axis measurement options, if desired.
- Reorder your data, if desired.
- Title your graph.
- Export your graph or chart.
Featured Resource: Free Excel Graph Templates
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Why start from scratch? Use these free Excel Graph Generators. just input your data and adjust as needed for a beautiful data visualization.
1. Enter your data into Excel.
First, you need to input your data into Excel. You might have exported the data from elsewhere, like a piece of marketing software or a survey tool. Or maybe you’re inputting it manually.
In the example below, in Column A, I have a list of responses to the question, “Did inbound marketing demonstrate ROI?”, and in Columns B, C, and D, I have the responses to the question, “Does your company have a formal sales-marketing agreement?” For example, Column C, Row 2 illustrates that 49% of people with a service level agreement (SLA) also say that inbound marketing demonstrated ROI.
2. Choose from the graph and chart options.
In Excel, your options for charts and graphs include column (or bar) graphs, line graphs, pie graphs, scatter plots, and more. See how Excel identifies each one in the top navigation bar, as depicted below:
To find the chart and graph options, select Insert.
(For help figuring out which type of chart/graph is best for visualizing your data, check out our free ebook, How to Use Data Visualization to Win Over Your Audience.)
3. Highlight your data and insert your desired graph into the spreadsheet.
In this example, a bar graph presents the data visually. To make a bar graph, highlight the data and include the titles of the X and Y-axis. Then, go to the Insert tab and click the column icon in the charts section. Choose the graph you wish from the dropdown window that appears.
I picked the first two dimensional column option because I prefer the flat bar graphic over the three dimensional look. See the resulting bar graph below.
4. Switch the data on each axis, if necessary.
If you want to switch what appears on the X and Y axis, right-click on the bar graph, click Select Data, and click Switch Row/Column. This will rearrange which axes carry which pieces of data in the list shown below. When finished, click OK at the bottom.
The resulting graph would look like this:
5. Adjust your data’s layout and colors.
To change the labeling layout and legend, click on the bar graph, then click the Chart Design tab. Here, you can choose which layout you prefer for the chart title, axis titles, and legend. In my example below, I clicked on the option that displayed softer bar colors and legends below the chart.
To further format the legend, click on it to reveal the Format Legend Entry sidebar, as shown below. Here, you can change the fill color of the legend, which will change the color of the columns themselves. To format other parts of your chart, click on them individually to reveal a corresponding Format window.
6. Change the size of your chart’s legend and axis labels.
When you first make a graph in Excel, the size of your axis and legend labels might be small, depending on the graph or chart you choose (bar, pie, line, etc.) Once you’ve created your chart, you’ll want to beef up those labels so they’re legible.
To increase the size of your graph’s labels, click on them individually and, instead of revealing a new Format window, click back into the Home tab in the top navigation bar of Excel. Then, use the font type and size dropdown fields to expand or shrink your chart’s legend and axis labels to your liking.
7. Change the Y-axis measurement options if desired.
To change the type of measurement shown on the Y axis, click on the Y-axis percentages in your chart to reveal the Format Axis window. Here, you can decide if you want to display units located on the Axis Options tab, or if you want to change whether the Y-axis shows percentages to two decimal places or no decimal places.
Because my graph automatically sets the Y axis’s maximum percentage to 60%, you might want to change it manually to 100% to represent my data on a universal scale. To do so, you can select the Maximum option — two fields down under Bounds in the Format Axis window — and change the value from 0.6 to one.
The resulting graph will look like the one below (In this example, the font size of the Y-axis has been increased via the Home tab so that you can see the difference):
8. Reorder your data, if desired.
To sort the data so the respondents’ answers appear in reverse order, right-click on your graph and click Select Data to reveal the same options window you called up in Step 3 above. This time, arrow up and down to reverse the order of your data on the chart.
If you have more than two lines of data to adjust, you can also rearrange them in ascending or descending order. To do this, highlight all of your data in the cells above your chart, click Data and select Sort, as shown below. Depending on your preference, you can choose to sort based on smallest to largest, or vice versa.
The resulting graph would look like this:
9. Title your graph.
Now comes the fun and easy part: naming your graph. By now, you might have already figured out how to do this. Here’s a simple clarifier.
Right after making your chart, the title that appears will likely be «Chart Title,» or something similar depending on the version of Excel you’re using. To change this label, click on «Chart Title» to reveal a typing cursor. You can then freely customize your chart’s title.
When you have a title you like, click Home on the top navigation bar, and use the font formatting options to give your title the emphasis it deserves. See these options and my final graph below:
10. Export your graph or chart.
Once your chart or graph is exactly the way you want it, you can save it as an image without screenshotting it in the spreadsheet. This method will give you a clean image of your chart that can be inserted into a PowerPoint presentation, Canva document, or any other visual template.
To save your Excel graph as a photo, right-click on the graph and select Save as Picture.
In the dialogue box, name the photo of your graph, choose where to save it on your computer, and choose the file type you’d like to save it as. In this example, it’s saved as a JPEG to a desktop folder. Finally, click Save.
You’ll have a clear photo of your graph or chart that you can add to any visual design.
Visualize Data Like A Pro
That was pretty easy, right? With this step-by-step tutorial, you’ll be able to quickly create charts and graphs that visualize the most complicated data. Try using this same tutorial with different graph types like a pie chart or line graph to see what format tells the story of your data best.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in June 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
