Charts types of charts in excel

Charts are used to represent the data into graphical elements, which makes it very to easy to interpret the data; it becomes very useful if our data is very large. Excel provides various charts to represent the excel data and makes it very easy to understand and analyze the data compare to the excel cells data analysis. There are various charts available in excel. Namely, they are,

• Line Chart
• Bar Chart
• Column Chart
• Area Chart
• Pie Chart
• Surface Chart

In this example, we will be using random car sales data, including model name and the number of cars sold, as the dataset and represent it in the various graphs.

Create dataset

In this step, we will be inserting random financial sales data into our excel sheet. Below is the screenshot of the random data we will use for our various graphs.

Line Chart

Line charts are most helpful in representing the trends. This can be very useful to analyze the ups and downs in a range of data over a particular time span. The data points in the chart are connected with the lines.

Note: To insert the graph, we need to select our dataset(or data table) and go to insert and then in the chart section and insert whatever graph we want.

Bar Chart

Bar charts are used to represent the categorical data using the rectangular horizontal bars with their height and length proportional to the data values it is used to represent.

Column Chart

Column charts are used to represent the data in a vertical chart using the vertical bars. These graphs are mostly used for comparing the data points in the data. Column chart

Area Chart

Area charts are used to display graphically quantitative data. It is similar to the line chart and based on it. The area between the lines is filled with color, and they are easy to analyze as they are similar to the line chart showing ups and downs in the data.

Pie Chart

Pie charts are circular statistical graphs that are divided into slices of pie in the proportion to data values to represent the data. They are commonly used to analyze the percentage allocation of data points incomplete dataset.

Surface Chart

Surface charts are 3-dimensional charts that are used to represent the data in a 3-dimensional landscape. They are mainly used to represent the large dataset. They display a variety of data at the same time.

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Excel provides you different types of charts that suit your purpose. Based on the type of data, you can create a chart. You can also change the chart type later.

Excel offers the following major chart types −

• Column Chart
• Line Chart
• Pie Chart
• Doughnut Chart
• Bar Chart
• Area Chart
• XY (Scatter) Chart
• Bubble Chart
• Stock Chart
• Surface Chart
• Radar Chart
• Combo Chart

Each of these chart types have sub-types. In this chapter, you will have an overview of the different chart types and get to know the sub-types for each chart type.

Column Chart

A Column Chart typically displays the categories along the horizontal (category) axis and values along the vertical (value) axis. To create a column chart, arrange the data in columns or rows on the worksheet.

A column chart has the following sub-types −

• Clustered Column.
• Stacked Column.
• 100% Stacked Column.
• 3-D Clustered Column.
• 3-D Stacked Column.
• 3-D 100% Stacked Column.
• 3-D Column.

Line Chart

Line charts can show continuous data over time on an evenly scaled Axis. Therefore, they are ideal for showing trends in data at equal intervals, such as months, quarters or years.

In a Line chart −

• Category data is distributed evenly along the horizontal axis.
• Value data is distributed evenly along the vertical axis.

To create a Line chart, arrange the data in columns or rows on the worksheet.

A Line chart has the following sub-types −

• Line
• Stacked Line
• 100% Stacked Line
• Line with Markers
• Stacked Line with Markers
• 100% Stacked Line with Markers
• 3-D Line

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. To create a Pie Chart, arrange the data in one column or row on the worksheet.

A Pie Chart has the following sub-types −

• Pie
• 3-D Pie
• Pie of Pie
• Bar of Pie

Doughnut Chart

A Doughnut chart shows the relationship of parts to a whole. It is similar to a Pie Chart with the only difference that a Doughnut Chart can contain more than one data series, whereas, a Pie Chart can contain only one data series.

A Doughnut Chart contains rings and each ring representing one data series. To create a Doughnut Chart, arrange the data in columns or rows on a worksheet.

Bar Chart

Bar Charts illustrate comparisons among individual items. In a Bar Chart, the categories are organized along the vertical axis and the values are organized along the horizontal axis. To create a Bar Chart, arrange the data in columns or rows on the Worksheet.

A Bar Chart has the following sub-types −

• Clustered Bar
• Stacked Bar
• 100% Stacked Bar
• 3-D Clustered Bar
• 3-D Stacked Bar
• 3-D 100% Stacked Bar

Area Chart

Area Charts can be used to plot the 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. To create an Area Chart, arrange the data in columns or rows on the worksheet.

An Area Chart has the following sub-types −

• Area
• Stacked Area
• 100% Stacked Area
• 3-D Area
• 3-D Stacked Area
• 3-D 100% Stacked Area

XY (Scatter) Chart

XY (Scatter) charts are typically used for showing and comparing numeric values, like scientific, statistical, and engineering data.

A Scatter chart has two Value Axes −

• Horizontal (x) Value Axis
• Vertical (y) Value Axis

It combines x and y values into single data points and displays them in irregular intervals, or clusters. To create a Scatter chart, arrange the data in columns and rows on the worksheet.

Place the x values in one row or column, and then enter the corresponding y values in the adjacent rows or columns.

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.

• Values for horizontal axis are not evenly spaced.

• There are many data points on the horizontal axis.

• 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 regardless of the time.

  • The more data that you include in a scatter chart, the better the comparisons you can make.

A Scatter chart has the following sub-types −

• Scatter

• Scatter with Smooth Lines and Markers

• Scatter with Smooth Lines

• Scatter with Straight Lines and Markers

• Scatter with Straight Lines

Bubble Chart

A Bubble chart is like a Scatter chart with an additional third column to specify the size of the bubbles it shows to represent the data points in the data series.

A Bubble chart has the following sub-types −

• Bubble
• Bubble with 3-D effect

Stock Chart

As the name implies, Stock charts can show fluctuations in stock prices. However, a Stock chart can also be used to show fluctuations in other data, such as daily rainfall or annual temperatures.

To create a Stock chart, arrange the data in columns or rows in a specific order on the worksheet. For example, to create a simple high-low-close Stock chart, arrange your data with High, Low, and Close entered as Column headings, in that order.

A Stock chart has the following sub-types −

• High-Low-Close
• Open-High-Low-Close
• Volume-High-Low-Close
• Volume-Open-High-Low-Close

Surface Chart

A Surface chart is useful when you want to find the optimum combinations between two sets of data. As in a topographic map, colors and patterns indicate areas that are in the same range of values.

To create a Surface chart −

• Ensure that both the categories and the data series are numeric values.
• Arrange the data in columns or rows on the worksheet.

A Surface chart has the following sub-types −

• 3-D Surface
• Wireframe 3-D Surface
• Contour
• Wireframe Contour

Radar Chart

Radar charts compare the aggregate values of several data series. To create a Radar chart, arrange the data in columns or rows on the worksheet.

A Radar chart has the following sub-types −

• Radar
• Radar with Markers
• Filled Radar

Combo Chart

Combo charts combine two or more chart types to make the data easy to understand, especially when the data is widely varied. It is shown with a secondary axis and is even easier to read. To create a Combo chart, arrange the data in columns and rows on the worksheet.

A Combo chart has the following sub-types −

• Clustered Column – Line
• Clustered Column – Line on Secondary Axis
• Stacked Area – Clustered Column
• Custom Combination

List of All Excel Charts & How to Use Them (2023 Tutorial)

List of All Excel Charts & How to Use Them (2023 Tutorial)

One of the big reasons that make Microsoft Excel a great spreadsheet software is the charts that it has to offer 📊

Yes, people, you heard that right! Charts.

Microsoft Excel has a huge variety of charts to offer. You cannot only use Excel to store data but also to represent your data – in many shapes and forms.

What are the charts offered by Excel? And how and when can you use them? I will walk you through that in the guide below. Stay tuned.

To practice making a chart along with the guide download our free sample workbook here 📩

How to create a chart in Excel

Excel has simplified creating charts like something. To create a chart in Excel, you must have your data organized in rows or columns, and that’s it.

For example, here we have a dataset that tells the preferences for different brands among people 🛒

To turn this dataset into a chart:

1. Select the data (don’t mind including the headers.)

1. Go to the Insert tab > Recommended charts.

1. Go to All Charts.
2. Select any desired chart (from the list on the left side). We are making a pie chart out of it 🥧

Hover your cursor on any chart to see a preview of how your data would look when presented in that chart type.

Kasper Langmann, Microsoft Office Specialist

1. Click Okay and there comes your chart.

Alt-text:

It is only that easy to create a chart in Excel. Try creating different charts similarly in Excel.

But! Must know that different chart types suit different data types. The right chart for your data will depend upon your needs and your dataset 🤔

Change chart layout and design

When you create a chart in Excel, you’ll see it coming in the default chart style.

But you don’t have to go with those colors, styles, and layouts. You can instantly change them using the (so many) editing options offered by Excel 🎨

However, changing the colors, elements (and so much more) individually across the entire chart might cost you hours.

To your good, Excel has many layouts and styles for you to instantly change how your chart looks. And honestly speaking, it is only about a click🖱

Changing the Chart Layout

As the name suggests, chart layout changes the overall layout of your chart. It will reposition the elements, change how they look, add some, or even delete some of them under different layouts 😍

To change the layout of your chart:

1. Select your chart (taking the same one from our example above).

Once you have selected the chart, you’d see two new tabs appearing on the Ribbon. The Chart Design tab and the Format tab.

1. Go to the Chart Design tab > Quick Layouts button.

1. Hover your cursor over the Quick Layouts button. And you’d see a menu of layouts 👁

1. Hover the cursor over any layout to preview how it looks.
2. Choose the layout you like by clicking on it.

Like we have chosen layout 7 here 7️⃣

Changing the Chart Design

Now that we have seen how to change the layout of any chart in Excel, let me tell you – changing chart designs in Excel is equally easy 🎭

You can try applying a wide variety of designs to your charts in Excel by following the steps below:

1. Select the Chart.
2. Go to the Chart Design Tab > Chart Styles Group.

You see that large drawer of designs. Those are not all.

1. Click on the drop-down menu icon to the right of these styles to see more of them 🙈

1. Hover your cursor over different chart styles to have a quick preview of each of them.
2. Click on the one you like to have applied to your chart.

Like we tried Style 8 here 💡

List of all Excel chart types

We are off on a rollercoaster ride that won’t be ending anytime soon. Coming next is a long (very long) list of charts offered by Excel 💁‍♀️

So fasten your seat belts and here we go.

Bar Chart

A bar chart represents data in the form of bars (can be horizontal or vertical) 📊

To make a bar chart out of your dataset, it must be organized in the form of rows or columns.

Here is what a bar chart looks like.

All of these charts can be made in both, 2-D and 3-D styles 🕶

Kasper Langmann, Microsoft Office Specialist

Column Chart

If you have your data plotted in columns (or even rows), you can plot a column chart out of it.

Like a bar chart representing each category of data in the form of horizontal bars, a column chart does the same in the form of vertical bars. Here is what it looks like 🧐

A column chart can take different shapes like stacked column charts where columns are stacked over one another.

Or a 100% stacked column chart where data is plotted in percentages. For all these charts, you can choose a simple 2D or 3D chart type 😍

Learn more about making Column Charts in Excel here.

XY Scatter Charts

If you have two-dimensional data in Excel, there’s a high chance a scatter plot will visualize it the best. Simply arrange your data into rows or columns with the data for any one axis in one row (or column) and the data for the other axis in the corresponding row (or column).

Excel will mark dots on each intersecting point of the X and Y axis values and return a scatter plot that looks like below 🕊

With large datasets, scatter plots make comparisons a lot easier. To learn how to make a scatter plot in Excel, hop on here.

Line Chart

If your data talks about time – a line chart is the best to visualize it like a trend over time.

In a line chart, categories are distributed across the y-axis. And time is spread across the y-axis. A line chart will show the distribution of data over time in the form of a continuous line.

This way line charts are ideal for showing trends over time 🏹

Here is what a line chart looks like:

You can make a line chart with markers where each data point is highlighted with markers (prominent dots).

Pro Tip!

A line chart works best with multiple datasets. If you have only a single dataset (trend) to show, a scatter plot may also work 👩‍🏭

However, for multiple datasets, a line chart is better. This is because it helps make a comparison between different trends displayed together.

Line charts are of the following types:

1. Stacked Line charts
2. 3-D Line charts
3. 100% Stacked Line charts

Doughnut/Pie Chart

A doughnut chart is called such because it looks like a doughnut. No jokes – it does. 🍩

Check it out here.

And a Pie chart looks just like a round pie with slices 🍕

Both these charts represent data in the form of slices. And so, they are used to show the proportion of different categories in the whole dataset.

Bigger the category, the bigger the slice, and vice versa.

This helps data visualization as you can take a look into the chart to readily tell which item makes the biggest (or the smallest) part of the dataset 🔎

How to make a pie chart/doughnut chart in Excel? Learn here.

A pie chart only suits a dataset with 7 categories (at most). If your data has too many categories to present, the doughnut/pie chart may become a mess with too many slices to it.

Such a tightly packed pie chart makes it hard to visualize the data ❌

Kasper Langmann, Microsoft Office Specialist

Bubble Chart

A bubble is a chart with bubbles – yes, here’s what it looks like.

A bubble chart is an enhanced version of a scatter plot. Just like a scatter plot, all data points are presented as scatter points on the graph.

However, here’s the difference: a bubble chart has bubbles that are of variable sizes. The size of each bubble is proportionate to the size of the value it represents. So if your data has three columns (three sets to compare), a bubble chart is your best choice💭

You can make various types of bubble charts in Excel like simple and 3D bubble charts.

Adding chart elements (like data labels) to the bubbles can enhance the readability of your Bubble Chart.

Kasper Langmann, Microsoft Office Specialist

Stock Charts

Just like the name suggests, a stock chart shows fluctuations in data. The idea of a stock chart originates from the idea of a chart showing fluctuations in stock prices 🏪

However, by no means is a stock chart only limited to showing stock prices. You can use it to show any fluctuating data – could be annual performance scores, GDP, temperatures, or anything.

Here is what a stock chart looks like:

To make the perfect stock chart, arrange your data in the right order. There are different types of stock charts, like the ones listed below:

1. High-Low-Close
2. Open-High-Low-Close
3. Volume-High-Low-Close
4. Volume-Open-High-Low-Close

Histogram Charts

A Histogram makes a unique chart when it comes to data presentation. It displays data frequencies. Each column of the chart shows a bin (bin is a range, like 5 to 50) 🌂

You can change the size of the bins as desired. The length of each column shows the proportion of data relating to that bin (or range).

A Pareto chart is also a histogram, but with a line that shows the cumulative total percentage. See here:

Learn more about histogram charts in Excel here.

Sun Burst Chart

The sunburst chart is a hierarchal chart based on the idea of the sun with a broad radius of its rays 🌞

To make a sunburst chart, replace these rays with different hierarchies of the data that you want to be plotted.

If your data has different hierarchies, for example, if you want to show the sale of cars > ABC Brand & XYZ Brand > Sedan, hatchback, and SUV.

A sunburst chart will make one ring outside the chart for each of these hierarchies. The first hierarchy will make the innermost ring, and every next hierarchy will come next as another outer ring 💍

Treemap Chart

If you call this chart more of a set of hieratically arranged boxes – you are right.

A Treemap chart looks no different than that 💁‍♀️

It offers a helicopter view of a dataset with multiple categories. Each category has a different color that makes it easy to comprehend data.

Box & Whisker Charts

A box and a whisker chart in Excel looks like the one below:

It distributes data into different quartiles and shows together their mean and outliers. You’d see lines extending out of each box. What are those?

These lines are used to show the potential variability in data across their upper and lower quartiles 🚁

Learn more about Box & Whisker Plots in our blog here.

Area Chart

An area chart plots data by showing the area covered by it on the chart. See here.

Area charts are the best when it comes to comparing different streams of data together. Or when you want to show changes in data over a given period.

You can also plot the sum of your data on an Area chart to show much each category of the data contributes towards the whole 💪

Area charts can take different forms like the ones listed here:

1. Stacked Area Chart
2. 100% Stacked Area Chart
3. 3-D Area Chart

Funnel Charts

Funnel charts are one of my top favorite charts in Excel. They are simple, easy to make, and represent the data in a fine, readable way 📖

You can use it to show values across multiple stages. For example, if you want to map the movement of a company’s revenue to its net profit, a funnel chart can help you with that.

It will show how much the revenue shrinks down after each expense. As the revenue keeps thinning down, the chart takes the shape of an inverted triangle (a funnel) 🔻

Here is what a funnel chart looks like:

Map Chart

When it comes to visuals, nothing beats the map chart. Needless to mention, a map chart looks like a map 🌐

It represents different categories of data and their sizes in the form of geographical regions on a map. It is best to use a map chart when you are showing geographical data that involves different regions, states, etc.

Each category in a map chart is shown using a different color that is defined through legends.

Frequently asked questions

More than 50. To mention a few, the bar chart, line chart, pie chart, column chart, and many more.

This number includes several varieties of each chart type. Like the clustered column chart, stacked column chart, etc. under the Column Chart type.

Kasper Langmann2023-02-02T18:44:11+00:00

After you input your data and select the cell range, you’re ready to choose the chart type. In this example, we’ll create a clustered column chart from the data we used in the previous section.

Step 1: Select Chart Type

Once your data is highlighted in the Workbook, click the Insert tab on the top banner. About halfway across the toolbar is a section with several chart options. Excel provides Recommended Charts based on popularity, but you can click any of the dropdown menus to select a different template.

Step 2: Create Your Chart

1. From the Insert tab, click the column chart icon and select Clustered Column.

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1. Excel will automatically create a clustered chart column from your selected data. The chart will appear in the center of your workbook.
2. To name your chart, double click the Chart Title text in the chart and type a title. We’ll call this chart “Product Profit 2013 — 2017.”

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We’ll use this chart for the rest of the walkthrough. You can download this same chart to follow along.

Download Sample Column Chart Template

There are two tabs on the toolbar that you will use to make adjustments to your chart: Chart Design and Format. Excel automatically applies design, layout, and format presets to charts and graphs, but you can add customization by exploring the tabs. Next, we’ll walk you through all the available adjustments in Chart Design.

Step 3: Add Chart Elements

Adding chart elements to your chart or graph will enhance it by clarifying data or providing additional context. You can select a chart element by clicking on the Add Chart Element dropdown menu in the top left-hand corner (beneath the Home tab).

To Display or Hide Axes:

1. Select Axes. Excel will automatically pull the column and row headers from your selected cell range to display both horizontal and vertical axes on your chart (Under Axes, there is a check mark next to Primary Horizontal and Primary Vertical.)

   

2. Uncheck these options to remove the display axis on your chart. In this example, clicking Primary Horizontal will remove the year labels on the horizontal axis of your chart.

   

3. Click More Axis Options… from the Axes dropdown menu to open a window with additional formatting and text options such as adding tick marks, labels, or numbers, or to change text color and size.

   

    

To Add Axis Titles:

1. Click Add Chart Element and click Axis Titles from the dropdown menu. Excel will not automatically add axis titles to your chart; therefore, both Primary Horizontal and Primary Vertical will be unchecked.

   

2. To create axis titles, click Primary Horizontal or Primary Vertical and a text box will appear on the chart. We clicked both in this example. Type your axis titles. In this example, the we added the titles “Year” (horizontal) and “Profit” (vertical).

   

To Remove or Move Chart Title:

• Click Add Chart Element and click Chart Title. You will see four options: None, Above Chart, Centered Overlay, and More Title Options.

  

• Click None to remove chart title.
• Click Above Chart to place the title above the chart. If you create a chart title, Excel will automatically place it above the chart.
• Click Centered Overlay to place the title within the gridlines of the chart. Be careful with this option: you don’t want the title to cover any of your data or clutter your graph (as in the example below).

To Add Data Labels:

1. Click Add Chart Element and click Data Labels. There are six options for data labels: None (default), Center, Inside End, Inside Base, Outside End, and More Data Label Title Options.

   

2. The four placement options will add specific labels to each data point measured in your chart. Click the option you want. This customization can be helpful if you have a small amount of precise data, or if you have a lot of extra space in your chart. For a clustered column chart, however, adding data labels will likely look too cluttered. For example, here is what selecting Center data labels looks like:

   

To Add a Data Table: 

1. Click Add Chart Element and click Data Table. There are three pre-formatted options along with an extended menu that can be found by clicking More Data Table Options:

   

Note: If you choose to include a data table, you’ll probably want to make your chart larger to accommodate the table. Simply click the corner of your chart and use drag-and-drop to resize your chart.

To Add Error Bars:

1. Click Add Chart Element and click Error Bars. In addition to More Error Bars Options, there are four options: None (default), Standard Error, 5% (Percentage), and Standard Deviation. Adding error bars provide a visual representation of the potential error in the shown data, based on different standard equations for isolating error.

   

2. For example, when we click Standard Error from the options we get a chart that looks like the image below.

   

 To Add Gridlines:

1. Click Add Chart Element and click Gridlines. In addition to More Grid Line Options, there are four options: Primary Major Horizontal, Primary Major Vertical, Primary Minor Horizontal, and Primary Minor Vertical. For a column chart, Excel will add Primary Major Horizontal gridlines by default.

   

2. You can select as many different gridlines as you want by clicking the options. For example, here is what our chart looks like when we click all four gridline options.

To Add a Legend:  

1. Click Add Chart Element and click Legend. In addition to More Legend Options, there are five options for legend placement: None, Right, Top, Left, and Bottom.

   

2. Legend placement will depend on the style and format of your chart. Check the option that looks best on your chart. Here is our chart when we click the Right legend placement.

   

To Add Lines: Lines are not available for clustered column charts. However, in other chart types where you only compare two variables, you can add lines (e.g. target, average, reference, etc.) to your chart by checking the appropriate option.

To Add a Trendline:

1. Click Add Chart Element and click Trendline. In addition to More Trendline Options, there are five options: None (default), Linear, Exponential, Linear Forecast, and Moving Average. Check the appropriate option for your data set. In this example, we will click Linear.

   

2. Because we are comparing five different products over time, Excel creates a trendline for each individual product. To create a linear trendline for Product A, click Product A and click the blue OK button.

   

3. The chart will now display a dotted trendline to represent the linear progression of Product A. Note that Excel has also added Linear (Product A) to the legend.

   

4. To display the trendline equation on your chart, double click the trendline. A Format Trendline window will open on the right side of your screen. Click the box next to Display equation on chart at the bottom of the window. The equation now appears on your chart.

   

Note: You can create separate trendlines for as many variables in your chart as you like. For example, here is our chart with trendlines for Product A and Product C. 

To Add Up/Down Bars: Up/Down Bars are not available for a column chart, but you can use them in a line chart to show increases and decreases among data points.

Step 4: Adjust Quick Layout

1. The second dropdown menu on the toolbar is Quick Layout, which allows you to quickly change the layout of elements in your chart (titles, legend, clusters etc.).

   

2. There are 11 quick layout options. Hover your cursor over the different options for an explanation and click the one you want to apply.

   

Step 5: Change Colors

The next dropdown menu in the toolbar is Change Colors. Click the icon and choose the color palette that fits your needs (these needs could be aesthetic, or to match your brand’s colors and style).

Step 6: Change Style

For cluster column charts, there are 14 chart styles available. Excel will default to Style 1, but you can select any of the other styles to change the chart appearance. Use the arrow on the right of the image bar to view other options.

Step 7: Switch Row/Column

1. Click the Switch Row/Column on the toolbar to flip the axes. Note: It is not always intuitive to flip axes for every chart, for example, if you have more than two variables.

   

In this example, switching the row and column swaps the product and year (profit remains on the y-axis). The chart is now clustered by product (not year), and the color-coded legend refers to the year (not product). To avoid confusion here, click on the legend and change the titles from Series to Years.

Step 8: Select Data

1. Click the Select Data icon on the toolbar to change the range of your data.
2. A window will open. Type the cell range you want and click the OK button. The chart will automatically update to reflect this new data range.

   

Step 9: Change Chart Type

1. Click the Change Chart Type dropdown menu.

   

2. Here you can change your chart type to any of the nine chart categories that Excel offers. Of course, make sure that your data is appropriate for the chart type you choose.

   

3. You can also save your chart as a template by clicking Save as Template…

4. A dialogue box will open where you can name your template. Excel will automatically create a folder for your templates for easy organization. Click the blue Save button.

   

Step 10: Move Chart

1. Click the Move Chart icon on the far right of the toolbar.
2. A dialogue box appears where you can choose where to place your chart. You can either create a new sheet with this chart (New sheet) or place this chart as an object in another sheet (Object in). Click the blue OK button.

   

Step 11: Change Formatting

1. The Format tab allows you to change formatting of all elements and text in the chart, including colors, size, shape, fill, and alignment, and the ability to insert shapes. Click the Format tab and use the shortcuts available to create a chart that reflects your organization’s brand (colors, images, etc.).

   

2. Click the dropdown menu on the top left side of the toolbar and click the chart element you are editing.

   

Step 12: Delete a Chart 

To delete a chart, simply click on it and click the Delete key on your keyboard.

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In Microsoft Excel, a chart is often called a graph. It is a visual representation of data from a worksheet that can bring more understanding to the data than just looking at the numbers.

A chart is a powerful tool that allows you to visually display data in a variety of different chart formats such as Bar, Column, Pie, Line, Area, Doughnut, Scatter, Surface, or Radar charts. With Excel, it is easy to create a chart.

Here are some of the types of charts that you can create in Excel.

You’ve got a presentation due in a few days and you really want to impress the boss. You want to show your data in a way that’s easy to understand, but also visual and impressive. The best way to do that is to choose the right Excel charts and graphs.

You can draw upon many different tools for creating charts and graphs, but Microsoft Excel remains one of the most powerful and functional of them all. It allows you to visualize data in whatever format and style you want, as you’ll see below.

In this article, you’ll learn about the many types of charts available to you in Microsoft Excel using examples from publicly available data provided by data.gov. The data set is drawn from the 2010 US Census; we’ll use this data to show you how impressive it is when you pick the right Excel chart types for your data.

Creating the Right Excel Chart Types

The US Government provides volumes of data to the public annually, completely free to peruse. One of the most valuable bodies of information to learn more about cultural and social facts is the Census.

For the first few examples below, I’ve referred to problems that renters have had with their dwellings, split up by the four regions of the United States.

This is a nice, small subset of data, perfect for learning about Excel charts and graphs.

In order to decide which chart to use, you’ll need to take a close look at what the data represents and how you want to visualize that data.

1. Excel Column Charts

One of the most common charts used in presentations, column charts are used to compare values to one another. Usually, these are values that have been categorized in some way. The most common subset of column charts is one set of data broken up into categories.

In this case, I’ve chosen to break it down by the number of problems renters have in the Northeast United States. Once you’ve selected your data, just click Insert, and you’ll see a choice of chart types in the menu. In this case, you can go with a 2-D or 3-D column.

Personally, I prefer the look of 3-D charts. Here’s what the data above looks like using 3-D bar charts.

Unfortunately, bar graphs are created by default without any vertical or horizontal labels. You’ll need to add those in so people know what each axis represents.

Doing that is easy enough. Just click the «+» button to the upper right corner of the chart, make sure Axis Titles is selected, and then only select Primary Vertical.

Now, you’ll see a vertical label that you can edit.

As you can see, using a column chart to visualize categorized data makes the inequity being illustrated clear as day to see. Obviously, people in the Northeast have major plumbing and heating problems. How bad is the problem compared to the rest of the country?

To investigate this difference, let’s add more categorized data using bar charts instead. Bar charts are the same as column charts, but the categories appear horizontally rather than vertically.

This time, highlight all the data.

Now, click Insert in the menu above, just like you did before. This time, click on the dropdown for bar charts, just to the right of the column charts dropdown.

There you have it. You now have a bar chart comparison of reported problems by renters, broken down by geographic region.

I had to edit the title as shown. You do this simply by clicking on the title itself and typing a new title, at least in Microsoft 365. In other versions, you may need to click Advanced Edit.

As you can see, column charts and bar charts are a really cool way to either compare categorized data for one data set, or to compare categorized data across multiple data sets. For example, the regional chart above shows quite clearly that plumbing issues are much worse in the South and the Northeast, while the South struggles a lot more than anyone else with property upkeep.

2. Excel Pie Charts

As the name implies, pie charts are shaped like a pie. They’re best used when you need to show how much of one dominant, overarching category is taken up by smaller sub-categories.

For example, a university may use a pie chart to show a breakdown of the racial demographics of its student population. Using our data above, you might use a pie chart to break Northeast renter problems down by repair issues.

Pie graphs are some of the best Excel chart types to use when you’re starting out with categorized data. With that being said, however, pie charts are best used for one single data set that’s broken down into categories. If you want to compare multiple data sets, it’s best to stick with bar or column charts.

3. Excel Line Charts

Moving on to line charts requires a new set of data. This is because line charts and other similar chart types tend to be time-dependent. You’re usually charting a data point as it changes over a given period of time, although not always.

For a line chart, you only need an X and a Y value. In the example below, X will be time and Y will be population. You could just as easily chart other time-dependent variables, such as the productivity of your company (Y) as the number of bonuses paid goes up (X).

The census data set that we’ll use in this example represents the change in population of the United States from 2010 through 2015.

Highlighting the year and the total population columns and then clicking Insert from the menu above allows you to choose a line chart graph. Selecting this option results in a line chart in your spreadsheet. Right-click on the chart and choose Select Data Source. Make sure that the Year is unselected.

Now that it’s not trying to use the Year column as Y, it’ll use it as X and correctly label your horizontal axis.

At just a glance, you can see that the population of the US has been steadily increasing at a rate of about 0.76% per year. Very interesting, and line charts are some of the best Excel graphs and charts to use when conveying a progression like this.

4. Excel Area Charts

Area charts are identical to line charts, but the area under the line is filled in. While the focus of the line chart is still changing in value over time, the purpose of an area chart is to highlight the magnitude of these changing values over time.

The difference is subtle, but when you need to express things like how many trees have been clear cut from 1990 to 1995 versus 2000 to 2005, the area chart really is one of the best Excel chart types to use.

With the population data above, you can compare things like male versus female population growth from 2010 through 2015.

You could also represent the same data using a stacked area chart (also available in the charts section under the Insert menu).

This chart can be thought of as a line graph and a pie chart combined into one. You can see the percentage breakdown of the categorized data as that data changes over time.

5. Excel Scatter (XY) Charts

A favorite in the scientific community, scatter charts are plotted data points, usually highlighting a clustered anomaly amongst similarly-measured data points or a far-reaching outlier. They’re used to show correlations or patterns in the data that aren’t obvious when you’re just looking at each individual datum.

For example, plotting cancer recovery success rates against time spent in the hospital may show a correlation between how long someone is treated for cancer and how successful the treatment is likely to be.

To show the power of this chart type, I’ve plotted the number of asthma hospitalizations in Chicago from 2000 through 2011, organized by zip code.

This XY scatter chart reveals that zip code 60628 had more asthma hospitalizations per year than just about every other region, and zip codes 60655 and over make up the best areas to live if you want the least possible odds of having an asthma hospitalization.

6. Excel Bubble Charts

Bubble charts are also extremely useful for data sets like this. This is a fun visualization to create when you have three dimensions of data that you need to plot.

This is a typical XY plotted data point of two values (the point being a «bubble»), with a combined additional value that determines the size of that bubble. For example, with this kind of chart, you could plot how many teens go to the movies, but the size of each data point (bubble) may represent how many females make up that data set.

It’s a really interesting way to represent two sets of data with one chart. In the example above, if you included the name of the movies as the X-axis labels, you could identify which, of all of the movies listed, attracted a larger teen female audience.

7. Excel Surface Charts

These three-dimensional Excel chart types let you plot two sets of data points across several dimensions. It can be complex to use, but, with the right data points (IE, two sets of data with a clear relationship), the visualization can be quite impressive.

The 3-D version of the chart looks like a topographic map, plotting altitude and distance from any given point. Similarly, you can use this map to do things like chart the severity of a disease outbreak against age and the time that the person remains sick.

By plotting in this way, interesting patterns might become self-evident, things that you’d never notice otherwise. Knowledge is power.

8. Excel Doughnut Charts

Doughnut charts are another complex visualization that lets you graph one data series in a sort of pie chart format. You can add additional data sets in «layers», resulting in a multicolored «doughnut». These Excel chart types are best used when the two data sets are subcategories of a larger category of data.

A good example of this are the data sets used earlier in this article, plotting male and female population per year.

As you can see, every series (the years 2010 through 2015) contains nearly identical-sized segments, showing just how slowly both populations change from year to year. The value of this graph really comes from having the right data and the right goal that you want to achieve visually with that data.

Choosing the Right Excel Charts and Graphs

There may be a wide selection of graphs to use, but what you should actually choose really boils down to the type of data sets you’re working with and just what exactly it is that you’re trying to show or prove with that data. Some Excel charts and graphs will make your argument much clearer than others.

Knowing what the chart needs to accomplish is half of the battle. The other half is figuring out exactly how to arrange your data and format the chart.

The truth is that graphs make a huge impact on any presentation. Now that you know how to use everything that’s available to you in Microsoft Excel, choosing the right Excel graphs and charts for your needs will be easy. You’ll be able to create a presentation with them that’ll really knock their socks off.

Last Updated: January 3, 2023

This article will show you the best types of charts in Excel for data analysis, presentation, and reporting within 15 minutes.

You will learn about the various types of charts in Excel, from column charts, bar charts, line charts, and pie charts to stacked area charts.

How to select the best excel chart?

The type of Excel chart you select for your analysis and reporting depends upon the type of data you want to analyze and report and what you want to do with the data:

1. Visualize data (make sense of data esp. big data)
2. Classify and categorize data
3. Find a relationship among data
4. Understand the composition of data
5. Understand the distribution of data
6. Understand the overlapping of data
7. Determine patterns and trends
8. Detect outliers and other anomalies in data
9. Predict future trends
10. Tell meaningful and engaging stories to decision-makers

What are the most popular Excel charts and graphs types?

Following are the most popular Excel charts and graphs:

1. Clustered column chart
2. Combination chart
3. Stacked column chart
4. 100% stacked column chart
5. Bar chart
6. Line chart
7. Number chart
8. Gauge chart (Speedometer chart)
9. Pie chart
10. Stacked area chart
11. Venn diagram
12. Scatter chart
13. Histogram
14. Actual vs target chart
15. Bullet chart
16. Funnel chart

When to use a line chart?

#1 Use line charts when you want to show/focus on data trends (uptrend, downtrend, short term trend, sideways trend, long term), especially long term trends (i.e. changes over several months or years) between the values of the data series:

#2 Use line charts when you have too many data points to plot, and the use of a column or bar chart clutters the chart.

#3 Use a line chart instead of a clustered column chart if the order of categories is important:

#4 In a line graph, the x-axis would represent the categories, and the y-axis would represent the measurement values that would be represented periodically.

#5 A line graph should be used when you want to emphasize the changes for values for one variable that are represented on the vertical axis to the other variable represented on the horizontal axis. 

#6 Line graphs are better than bar graphs when there are smaller changes.

#7 To read a line graph, first examine the two axes and understand the value points represented on the graph. The second thing is to figure out if there was a rise or fall in the data.

When to use a clustered column chart?

#1 Use a clustered column chart when you want to compare two to four data series. In other words, avoid using column charts if you have just one data series to plot:

Alternatively, avoid creating a column chart with more than four data series. 

For example, the following chart contains just five data series, and it has already started looking cluttered:

The chart below contains 11 data series and is very difficult to read and understand:

If you want to create a column chart that contains a lot of data series, then you can try switching ‘row’ and ‘column’ of the chart and see whether it makes any difference:

For example, after switching the row and column of the chart (with 11 data series), it looks like the one below:

Though it still looks cluttered, this chart is much easier to read and understand.

#2 Although the clustered column chart looks like a simple column chart, it is slightly different. A simple column chart is used to represent only a single variable over the other variable, whereas clustered column charts represent multiple data variables.

#3 Use a clustered column chart when the data series you want to compare have the same unit of measurement. So avoid using column charts that compare data series with different units of measurement.

For example, in the chart below, ‘Sales’ and ‘ROI’ have different units of measurement. 

The data series ‘Sales’ is of type number. Whereas the data series ‘ROI’ is of type percentage:

#4 Use a clustered column chart when the data series you want to compare are of comparable sizes. So if the values of one data series dwarf the values of the other data series, then do not use the column chart.

For example, in the chart below, the values of the data series ‘Website Traffic’ completely dwarf the values of the data series named ‘Transactions’:

#5 Use a clustered column chart when you want to show the maximum and minimum values of each data series you want to compare.

#6 Use a clustered column chart when you want to focus on short term trends (i.e. changes over days or weeks) and/or the order of categories is not important.

Breaking a clustered column chart

The chart below contains 11 data series and is very difficult to read and understand:

One method of making this chart easier to read and understand is breaking it into several smaller clustered column charts.

For example, you can create one column chart that compares the sales performance of various countries in January. 

Create another column chart which just compares the sales performance of various countries in Feb and so on:

The rule of thumb is to avoid presenting too much data in one chart, regardless of the chart type.

When to use a combination chart?

A combination chart is simply a combination of two or more charts. 

For example, the combination of a column chart with a line chart. 

I use combination charts a lot, and I think you must know how to create them as they are very useful.

#1 Use a combination chart when you want to compare two or more data series that have different units of measurement:  

#2 Use a combination chart when you want to compare two or more data series that are not of comparable sizes:

#3 Use a combination chart when you want to display different types of data in different ways that can be represented in the same chart. For example, line, bar and column charts can be used on the same chart.

When to use a stacked column chart?

Use a stacked column chart when you want to compare data series along with their composition, and the overall size of each data series is important:

When to use a 100% stacked column chart?

Use a 100% stacked column chart when you want to compare data series along with their composition but the overall size of each data series is not important:

This chart is used to show the percentage of multiple data series in stacked columns.

When to use a stacked area chart?

Use a stacked area chart when you want to show the trend of composition and emphasize the magnitude of change over time.

For example, the following stacked area chart shows the breakdown of website traffic:

When to use a bar chart?

#1 Use a bar chart whenever the axis labels are too long to fit in a column chart:

What are the different types of bar charts?

Horizontal bar charts – Represent the data horizontally. The data categories are shown on the vertical axis, and data values are shown on the horizontal axis.

Vertical bar charts – Also called a column chart. It represents the numerical values represented in the vertical bars. These are used mainly to display age ranges and salary ranges.

Grouped bar charts – Grouped bar charts represent the different time period numbers that belong to a single category.

Stacked bar charts – It is a bar chart that represents the comparisons between categories of data but with the ability to compare and break down the data.

When to use a pie chart?

#1 Use a pie chart to show a 100% composition of data. In other words, the various pie slices you use must add up to 100%. This means do not create a pie chart where the various pie slices do not represent parts of the whole pie.

For example, the following pie chart is not a good representation of data composition as the two pie slices add up to 82% and not 100%:

#2 Use a pie chart to show the composition of data only when you have got one data series and less than five categories to plot.

For example, the following pie chart shows the breakdown of website traffic sources in the last month:

Here I have got only four categories (search traffic, referral traffic, direct traffic, and campaigns) to plot. So a pie chart is ideal for showing the breakdown.

However, if there were more than four categories to plot, like eight or ten categories, the pie chart would have become cluttered and hard to read. 

For example, the following pie chart looks cluttered because it has got too many categories:

#3 Pie charts generally express the part to the whole relationship in your data. When your data is represented in ‘percentage’ or ‘part of’, then a pie chart best meets your needs.

#4 Use a pie chart to show data composition only when the pie slices are of comparable sizes. In other words, do not use a pie chart if the size of one pie slice completely dwarfs the size of the other pie slice(s):

#5 Order your pie slices so that as you look clockwise from top to bottom, the biggest pie slice comes first, followed by the second biggest pie slice and so on. This makes the pie chart easy to read:

These pie charts are made from the following data:

To create a pie chart where the biggest pie slice comes first, followed by the second biggest pie slice and so on.

I have sorted the data in decreasing order (from largest to smallest).

Best practices for using pie charts

Limit the number of pie slices

Always make sure to use a minimal number of slices when creating a pie chart. It is really difficult to read a large number of slices.

If you have more than five categories, it is recommended to use a different chart type.

Make sure all data adds up to 100%

Verify that the pie slices are valued at 100% when added up.

Include annotations: Include percentages and labels for your pie chart to make it easy to read.

Pie charts work best for 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. 

Don’t compare multiple pie charts.

Do not use multiple pie charts for comparison as the slice sizes are really difficult to compare side by side.

When to use a number chart?

If you want to visualize just one type of data and it contains a numeric value that does not fall in any range/interval, then use the number chart:

When to use a gauge chart (also known as a speedometer chart)?

If you want to visualize just one type of data and it contains a numeric value that falls in a range/interval, then use the gauge chart (also known as the speedometer chart):

A gauge chart should be used when you want to validate if your data falls in the acceptable range or not. 

A gauge chart would generally have the maximum value as default and thresholds as low, medium and high, which indicates if the data is falling within the acceptable range.

Thresholds would be displayed in red, green and yellow for specified values.

When to use a scatter chart?

#1 Consider using a scatter chart when you want to analyze and report the relationship/correlation between two variables:

This chart shows that the relationship between the two variables (‘x’ and ‘y’) is linear. As the value of the variable ‘x’ increases, there is a corresponding increase in the value of the variable ‘y’.

#2 Create a scatter chart only when ten or more data points are on the horizontal axis. The more data points, the better it is for a scatter chart. Conversely, just a few data points (like five or six) are not good enough for creating a scatter chart.

#3 Use a scatter chart when you want to show ‘why’. For example: why revenue is correlated with average order value or why conversion rate is correlated with the number of transactions.

When to use a histogram?

Use a histogram to show frequency distribution for quantitative data.

A histogram represents the visual representation of numerical data that falls within a specified range of values called ‘bins’. It looks exactly like a vertical graph. 

Note: You would need to install the ‘Analysis ToolPak’ to create a histogram in Excel.

When to use an ‘actual vs target’ chart?

The chart below shows whether target sales were achieved in each quarter:

This chart is based on the following data table:

The ‘Actual vs target’ chart is a combination chart that requires some formatting.

You can’t insert this chart straightaway into your Excel spreadsheet. 

Use this chart when you have got multiple goals, and you want to show progress towards each goal.

When to use a bullet chart?

The chart below shows the performance of sales in Quarter 4:

This chart is based on the following data table:

If the actual sales are between $0 to $240,000, sales performance is considered ‘Poor’.

If the actual sales are between $240,000 to $300,000 ($240,000 + $60,000) then it is considered ‘Fair’.

If the actual sales are between $300,000 to $360,000 ($240,000 + $60,000 + $60,000) then it is considered ‘Good’.

If the actual sales are between $360,000 to $400,000 ($240,000 + $60,000 + $60,000 + $40,000) then it is considered ‘Excellent’.

A bullet chart is a combination chart (though it looks like a single bar chart) that is used to show progress towards a single goal using a range of predefined qualitative and quantitative parameters. 

You can’t insert this chart straightaway into your Excel spreadsheet, and it is also quite tricky to create.

If you have multiple goals and want to show progress towards each goal, then use the ‘Actual vs target’ chart. 

But if you have only one goal and want to show progress towards this goal (using both qualitative and quantitative data), then use the bullet chart.

A bullet chart can be a vertical bar chart or a horizontal bar chart.

The choice of vertical or horizontal alignment depends on the space available to use for data visualization.

When to use a funnel chart?

Funnel charts visually represent the progressive reduction of data from one phase to another phase.

The first stage is usually referred to as the intake stage.

The chart below shows different stages of the purchase funnel and how users moved from one stage to the next:

This chart is based on the following data table:

As the name suggests, the funnel chart is used for funnel visualization. It is perfect for showing lead funnels and sales funnels. 

A funnel chart provides visual pictures of the stages in the process. 

For example, let us take an example of an ecommerce business. Funnel charts can be used to understand how many users have added the products to the cart, provided shipping details and completed the purchase. 

It also provides us with information about users who have abandoned the cart. 

This chart is available in MS Excel (2016 and above). You just need to select your data table and insert the ‘Funnel’ chart.

Funnel charts are mostly used for the sales process and to identify potential problems.

A funnel consists of a higher value, called the head, and the lower part, which is referred to as the neck.

When to use a Venn diagram?

Use a Venn diagram to show the overlapping of data. 

The multi-channel conversion visualizer chart used in Google Analytics to visualize multi-channel attribution is a Venn diagram:

In web analytics, we can use a Venn diagram to determine whether or not a website has got attribution problems.

If there is little to no overlap between two or more marketing channels, the website doesn’t have attribution issues.

If there is a good amount of overlap, the website has attribution issues. You should seriously consider taking multi-channel attribution into account while analyzing and interpreting the performance of marketing campaigns.

To learn more about attribution modelling read this article: Beginners Guide to Google Analytics Attribution Modelling

Another great use of Venn diagrams is in visualizing the backlinks overlaps between websites:

The tool I have used to create this Venn diagram is Venny.

Note: You can create a Venn diagram in Excel. Check out this tutorial on the Microsoft Office website: Create a Venn diagram.

What are the different types of Venn diagrams?

Two set diagrams – Two circles with overlapping properties. This is the most common and simplest form of the Venn diagram used to compare two metrics or variables.

Three set diagrams – This lets you visualize the relationship between three subjects rather than two variables. 

Four set diagram– This comprises four circles with overlapping properties. It is a bit more complex than the normal Venn diagram, and each circle represents the different aspect of the data and their comparison to other variables.

Which charts to avoid for reporting purposes?

Throughout this article, I have talked about the charts that should be used. 

However, there are some charts that should be avoided for reporting purposes unless your target audience is as data-savvy as you.

Following are those charts:

#1 Charts to avoid > Treemap

#2 Charts to avoid > Waterfall chart

#3 Charts to avoid > Radar chart

#4 Charts to avoid > Bubble chart

The reason you should avoid reporting data via these charts to your clients is simple.

Most people have no idea what you are trying to communicate via these charts. 

Use these charts only when your target audience is as data-savvy as you.

How to change the chart type in Excel?

MS Excel allows you to change the chart type.

For example, you can convert a clustered column chart into a stacked column chart. Or you can convert a column chart into a bar chart.

For example, let’s convert the following column chart into a bar chart:

Follow the steps below to change the chart type in excel:

Step-1: Open MS Excel and navigate to the spreadsheet which contains the chart you want to edit

Step-2: Select the chart, and then from the ”Design’ tab, click on the ‘Change Chart Type’ button:

You will now see the ‘Change Chart Type’ dialog box like the one below:

Step-3: Click on ‘Bar’ (from the left-hand navigation) and then click on the ‘OK’ button:

Excel will now change your column chart into a bar chart:

What is data visualization in Excel?

Data visualization is the presentation of data (both qualitative and quantitative data) in graphical format.

In Excel, charts and graphs are used to make a visual representation of data.

What are the benefits of data visualization

Through data visualization you can easily:

1. Visualize data (make sense of data, especially big data)
2. Classify and categorize data
3. Find a relationship among data
4. Understand the composition of data
5. Understand the distribution of data
6. Understand the overlapping of data
7. Determine patterns and trends
8. Detect outliers and other anomalies in data
9. Predict future trends
10. Tell meaningful and engaging stories to decision-makers

Data presentation is a very important skill for an optimizer (marketer, analyst). In fact, it is so valuable that LinkedIn lists it as one of the top skills that can get you hired.

Excel charts are commonly used for data visualization and presentation. But selecting the right Excel chart is always a challenge.

If you use an incorrect Excel chart for your analysis, you may misinterpret data and make the wrong business and marketing decisions.

If you use an incorrect Excel chart for your presentation, stakeholders may misinterpret your charts and take wrong decisions.

Therefore selecting the right Excel chart is critically important.

What are the most common data types that can be visualized?

Following are the most common data types that can be visualized:

#1 Quantitative data (also known as interval/ratio data) is the data that can be measured.
For example, ten customers, sales, ROI, weight, etc.

#2 Qualitative data can be classified/categorized but cannot be measured.
For example, colors, satisfaction, rankings, etc.

#3 Discrete data – quantitative data with a finite number of values/observations.
For example, five customers, 17 points, 12 steps, etc.

#4 Continuous data – quantitative data with value / observation within a range/interval.
For example sales in the last year.

#5 Nominal data – qualitative data that cannot be put into a meaningful order (i.e. ranked).
For example {Blue, Yellow, Green, Red, Black}

#6 Ordinal data – qualitative data that can be put into a meaningful order (i.e. ranked).
For example, {very satisfied, satisfied, unsatisfied, very unsatisfied} or {strong dislike, dislike, neutral, like, strong like}.

The anatomy of an Excel chart

To read an Excel chart, you must understand the various components of the chart.

Consider the following data table in Excel:

This data table has got five variables: ‘Month’, ‘Sales’, ‘Cost’, ‘Profit’, and ‘ROI’:

This data table is made up of categories and data series:

Categories – Here, the first category is ‘Jan’, the second category is ‘Feb’, the third category is ‘Mar’, etc.

Data series – A data series is a set of related data points.

Data points – A data point represents an individual unit of data. 10, 20, 30, 40, etc., are examples of data points. In the context of charts, a data point represents a mark on a chart:

Consider the following Excel chart, which is made from the data table mentioned earlier:

This chart is made up of the following chart elements:

1. Primary Horizontal Axis:
2. Primary Vertical Axis
3. Secondary Vertical Axis
4. Primary Horizontal Axis Title
5. Primary Vertical Axis Title
6. Secondary Vertical Axis Title
7. Chart Title
8. Data Labels
9. Gridlines
10. Legend
11. Trendline

In Excel, categories are plotted on the horizontal axis and data series are plotted on the vertical axis:

From the chart above, we can conclude the following:

• Months are plotted on the primary horizontal axis.
• Sales, cost, and profit are plotted on the primary vertical axis.
• ROI is plotted on the secondary vertical axis.

Following are examples of other Excel chart elements:

1. Data Table with legend keys
2. Data Table with no legend keys
3. Error bars (Standard Error)
4. Error bars (Percentage)
5. Error bars (Standard Deviation)
6. Primary Major Horizontal Gridlines
7. Primary Major Vertical Gridlines
8. Primary Minor Horizontal Gridlines
9. Primary Minor Vertical Gridlines
10. Linear Trendline
11. Exponential Trendline
12. Linear Forecast Trendline
13. Moving Average Trendline

#1 Data table with legend keys

#2 Data table with no legend keys

#3 Error bars (standard error)

If you want to see the margin of error as a standard error amount, then use the standard error bar.

About Error Bar

An error bar is a line through a point on a graph, parallel to one of the axes, which can help you see margins of error at a glance.

#4 Error bars (percentage)

If you want to see the margin of error as a percentage, use the percentage error bar.

#5 Error bars (standard deviation)

If you want to see the margin of error as a standard deviation, then use the standard deviation error bar.

#6 Primary major horizontal gridlines

About Chart Gridlines

Chart gridlines are the faint lines that appear on the plot area of a chart. They are used to make the data in a chart that displays axes easier to read. They can appear both horizontal and vertical.

#7 Primary major vertical gridlines

#8 Primary minor horizontal gridlines

#9 Primary minor vertical gridlines

#10 Linear trendline

Use the Linear trendline if your data set is linear (resembles a straight line) and the data values are increasing or decreasing at a steady rate.

About Trendlines

The trendlines are used to graphically display trends in data. A trend is a movement in a particular direction.

A trend can be short (or seasonal), intermediate, or long term. Longer the trend more significant it is. For example, a 3 months trend is not as significant as 3 years trend.

#11 Exponential trendline

Use the exponential trendline if data values increase or decrease at increasingly higher rates.

#12 Linear forecast trendline

Use the Linear forecast trendline if your data set is linear (resembles a straight line), the data values are increasing or decreasing at a steady rate, and you want to forecast the data.

#13 Moving average trendline

Use the moving average trendline if there is a lot of fluctuation in your data.

How to add a chart to an Excel spreadsheet?

To add a chart to an Excel spreadsheet, follow the steps below:

Step-1: Open MS Excel and navigate to the spreadsheet, which contains the data table you want to use for creating a chart.

Step-2: Select data for the chart:

Step-3: Click on the ‘Insert’ tab:

Step-4: Click on the ‘Recommended Charts’ button:

Step-5: Select the chart you want to use from the ‘Insert chart’ dialog box and then click on the ‘ok’ button:

You should now be able to see the chosen chart inserted in your spreadsheet:

How to add, change, or remove a chart element in Excel?

To add, change or remove a chart element in Excel (2013 or above), follow the steps below:

Step-1: Open MS Excel and navigate to the spreadsheet which contains the chart you want to edit.

Step-2: Select the chart, and then from the ”Design’ tab, click on the ‘Add Chart Element‘ drop-down menu:

Step-3: Select the chart element you want to add, change or remove from one of the drop-down menus.

For example, if you want to add a data table to your chart, then click on ‘Data Table‘ > ‘With legend Keys‘:

You can now see your chart along with the data table:

How to add a trendline to a chart in excel?

Follow the steps below:

Step-1: Open MS Excel and navigate to the spreadsheet which contains the chart you want to edit.

Step-2: Select the chart, and then from the ”Design’ tab, click on the ‘Add Chart Element‘ drop-down menu.

Step-3: Click on the ‘Trendline’ drop-down menu and select the type of trendline you want to add to your chart.

How to change the color or style of a chart?

Step-1: Open MS Excel and navigate to the spreadsheet which contains the chart you want to edit.

Step-2: Select the chart, and then from the ”Design’ tab, click on the ‘Change Colors‘ drop-down menu to change the colours used in your chart:

If you want to change the style/design of the chart, then click on one of the styles under the ‘Design’ tab:

How to build data visualizations in Excel?

You can build a data visualization in excel through the following charts and graphs:

1. Clustered column chart
2. Combination chart
3. Stacked column chart
4. 100% stacked column chart
5. Bar chart
6. Line chart
7. Number chart
8. Gauge chart (Speedometer chart)
9. Pie chart
10. Stacked area chart
11. Venn diagram
12. Scatter chart
13. Histogram
14. Actual vs target chart
15. Bullet chart
16. Funnel chart

Other articles on Excel charts

• Which Chart Type Works Best for Summarizing Time-Based Data in Excel
• Five Advanced Excel Charts and Graphs
• Data Visualization in Excel Tutorial
• What type of chart to use to compare data in Excel

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• Ten tips to analyse data trends in Google Analytics
• 21 Secrets to Becoming a Champion in Data Reporting
• How to become a champion in data reporting via Storytelling
• Google Analytics Dashboard Tutorial

Frequently asked questions about types of charts in Excel