Excel and bar charts

What Is Excel Bar Chart?

Bar charts in Excel are one of the options found in the Charts group used to display the values in the bar-chart format. They represent the values in horizontal bars. Categories are displayed on the Y-axis in these charts, and values are shown on the X-axis.

To create or make a bar chart, a user needs at least two variables, i.e., independent and dependent variables.

For example, consider the below table showing the marks obtained by students. Now, let us learn how to create bar chart in excel for the given data.

The steps used to create bar chart in excel are:

• Step 1: First, select the values in the table.

• Step 2: Next, go to Insert and click on Insert column or bar chart from the Charts group.

• Step 3: Choose the desired bar chart type.

As soon as we click on the chart type, Excel will display the values in the bar-chart type as shown in the image below.

Likewise, we can create bar chart in excel.

Explanation And Usage

Before using bar chart in excel, let us learn the three types of bar charts in Excel.

1. Stacked Bar Chart: It is also referred the segmented chart. It represents all the dependent variables by stacking them together and on top of other variables.
2. Clustered Bar Chart: This chart groups all the dependent variables to display in a graph format. A clustered chart with two dependent variables is the double graph.
3. 3D Bar Chart: This chart represents all the dependent variables in 3D representation.

How To Create A Bar Chart In Excel?

Creating bar chart in excel is easy. Let us see the steps used to create bar chart in excel;

• Step 1: Select the table.

• Step 2: Go to the Insert tab.

• Step 3: Click the drop-down button of the Insert Column or Bar Chart option from the Charts group.

• Step 4: Select the type of chart from the drop-down list.

Likewise, we can create bar chart in excel.

Examples

You can download this Bar Chart Excel Template here – Bar Chart Excel Template

Example #1 – Stacked Bar Chart

Example #2 – Clustered Bar Chart

This example illustrates how to create a clustered bar chart in simple steps.

• Step 1: As shown in the figure, we must enter the data into the Excel sheets in the Excel table format, as shown in the figure.

• Step 2: We must select the entire table by clicking and dragging or placing the cursor anywhere and pressing CTRL+A to choose the whole table.

• Step 3: We will go to the Insert tab and move the cursor to the insert bar chart option. Then, under the 2D Bar Chart, select the clustered bar chart shown in the figure below.

• Step 4: Next, we will add a suitable title to the chart, as shown in the figure.

• Step 5: Now, we will right-click on the data series and choose the add data labels to add the data label option, as shown in the screenshot.

The data is added to the plotted chart, as shown in the figure.

• Step 6: We will now apply to format to change the charts’ design using the chart’s Design and Format tabs, as shown in the figure.

As a result, we can get the following chart.

We can also change the chart’s layout using the Quick Layout feature.

Therefore, we will get the following clustered bar chart.

Example #3 – 3D Bar Chart

This example illustrates creating a 3D bar chart in Excel in simple steps.

• Step 1: First, we must enter the data into the Excel sheets in the table format, as shown in the figure.

• Step 2: We will now select the whole table by clicking and dragging or placing the cursor anywhere and pressing CTRL+A to choose the table completely.

• Step 3: Next, we will go to the Insert tab and move the cursor to the insert bar chart option. Under the 3D Bar Chart, select the 100%  stacked bar chart, as shown in the figure below.

• Step 4: Now will add a suitable title to the chart, as shown in the figure.

• Step 5: We will now right-click on the data series and choose Add Data Labels to add the data label option, as shown in the screenshot.

The data is added to the plotted chart, as shown in the figure.

Using the format chart area, we will apply the required formatting and design. As a result, we will get the following 3D bar chart.

Uses Of Bar Chart

Let us understand the uses of bar chart in Excel;

• Easier planning and making decisions based on the data analyzed.
• Determination of business decline or growth in a short time from the past data.
• Visual representation of the data and improved abilities in the communication of complex data.
• Comparing the different categories of data to enhance the proper understanding.
• Finally, summarize the data in the graphical format produced in the tables.

Important Things To Note

• We can turn any Excel data into a stacked bar graph that can display comparisons between categories of data, ranking, part-to-whole, deviation, or distribution.
• Bar Charts in excel compare parts of a whole with the ability to break down.
• We can also use the clustered bar chart to represent more than one data series in clustered horizontal columns when the data is complex and difficult to understand.
• In addition, we can also use a 3D bar chart to provide the chart’s title and define labels and values to make the chart more understandable.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Recommended Articles

This article is a guide to Bar Chart in Excel. We discuss how to create different types of bar chart in Excel (stacked, clustered, and 3D), along with examples. You can have a look at other articles on Excel functions: –

• Stock Chart in Excel
• Create Control Charts in Excel
• Create Excel Combo Chart
• Make Dot Plots in Excel

Bar Chart in Excel (Table of Contents)

• Introduction to Bar Chart in Excel
• How to Create a Bar CHART in Excel?

Introduction to Bar Chart in Excel

Bar Chart in Excel is one of the easiest types of the chart to prepare by just selecting the parameters and values available against them. We must have at least one value for each parameter. Bar Chart is shown horizontally, keeping their base of the bars at Y-Axis. Bar Chart can be accessed from the insert menu tab from the Charts section, which has different types of Bar Charts such as Clustered Bar, Stacked Bar and 100% Stacked Bars available in 2D and 3D types.

In this article, I will take you through the process of creating Bar Charts.

How to Create Bar Chart in Excel?

Bar Chart in Excel is very simple and easy to create. Let us understand the working of the Bar Chart in Excel by Some Examples.

You can download this Bar Chart Excel Template here – Bar Chart Excel Template

Example #1

Take a simple piece of data to present the bar graph. I have sales data for 4 different regions East, West, South, and North.

Step 1: Select the data.

Step 2: Go to insert and click on Bar chart and select the first chart.

Step 3: once you click on the chart, it will insert the chart as shown in the below image.

Step 4: Remove gridlines. Select the chart go to layout > gridlines > primary vertical gridlines > none.

Step 5: select the bar, right-click on the bar, and select format data series.

Step 6: Go to fill and select Vary Colours by Point.

Step 7: Moreover, we can make the bar colors look attractive by right click on each bar separately.

Right, click on the first bar > go to Fill > Gradient Fill and apply the below format.

Step 8: To give the Chart Heading, go to layout>Chart Title > Select Above chart.

Chart Heading will be displayed as here it is Sales by Region.

Step 9: To add Labels to the bar Right click on bar > Add Data Labels; click on it.

Data Label is added to each bar.

Similarly, you can choose different colors for each bar separately. I have chosen different colors, and my chart is looking like this.

Example #2

There are multiple bar graphs available. In this example, I am going to use the CONE type of bar chart.

I have sales data from Jan to Dec. To present the data to the management to review the sales trend, I am applying a bar chart to visualize and present better.

Step 1: Select the data > Go to Insert > Bar Chart > Cone Chart

Step 2: Click on the CONE chart, and it will insert the basic chart for you.

Step 3: Now, we need to modify the chart by changing its default settings.

Remove gridlines of the above Chart.

Change the chart title to Sales by month.

Remove Legends from the chart and enlarge to make visible all months vertically.

Step 4: Select each cone separately and filled with beautiful colors. After all the modifications, my chart looks likes this.

For the same data, I have applied different bar chat types.

Cylinder Chart:

Pyramid Chart:

 

Example #3

In this example, I am going to use a stacked bar chart. This chart tells the story of two series of data in a single bar.

Step1: Set up the data first. I have the commission data for a sales team, which has been separated into two sections. One is for the first half-year, and another one is for the second half of the year.

Step 2: Select the data > Go to Insert > Bar > Stacked bar in 3D.

 

Step 3: Once you click on that chat type, it will instantly create a chart for you.

Step 4: Modify each bar color by following the previous example steps.

Step 5: Change the number format to adjust the spacing. Select the X-Axis and right-click > Format Axis.

Step 6: Go to Number > Custom > Apply this code [>999.5]#,##0,”k”;#,##0.

This will format the lakhs into thousands. For example, format the 1, 00,000 as 100K.

Step 7: Finally, my chart looks like this.

Advantages of Bar Chart in Excel:

• Easy comparison with better understanding.
• Quickly find the growth or decline.
• Summarize of the table data into visuals.
• Make quick planning and take decisions.

Disadvantages of Bar Chart in Excel:

• Not suitable for a large amount of data.
• Do not tell many assumptions associated with the data.

Things to Remember

• Data arrangement is very important here. IF the data is not in a suitable format, then we cannot apply a bar chart.
• Choose a bar chart for a small amount of data.
• Any non-numerical value is ignored by the bar chart.
• Column and bar charts are similar in terms of presenting the visuals, but the vertical and horizontal axis is interchanged.

Recommended Articles

This has been a guide to a BAR chart in Excel. Here we discuss its uses and how to create Bar Chart in Excel with excel examples and downloadable excel templates. You may also look at these useful functions in excel –

1. Grouped Bar Chart
2. Excel Stacked Bar Chart
3. Excel Clustered Bar Chart
4. Free Excel Template

A bar chart (or a bar graph) is one of the easiest ways to present your data in Excel, where horizontal bars are used to compare data values. Here’s how to make and format bar charts in Microsoft Excel.

Inserting Bar Charts in Microsoft Excel

While you can potentially turn any set of Excel data into a bar chart, It makes more sense to do this with data when straight comparisons are possible, such as comparing the sales data for a number of products. You can also create combo charts in Excel, where bar charts can be combined with other chart types to show two types of data together.

RELATED: How to Create a Combo Chart in Excel

We’ll be using fictional sales data as our example data set to help you visualize how this data could be converted into a bar chart in Excel. For more complex comparisons, alternative chart types like histograms might be better options.

To insert a bar chart in Microsoft Excel, open your Excel workbook and select your data. You can do this manually using your mouse, or you can select a cell in your range and press Ctrl+A to select the data automatically.

Once your data is selected, click Insert > Insert Column or Bar Chart.

Various column charts are available, but to insert a standard bar chart, click the “Clustered Chart” option. This chart is the first icon listed under the “2-D Column” section.

Excel will automatically take the data from your data set to create the chart on the same worksheet, using your column labels to set axis and chart titles. You can move or resize the chart to another position on the same worksheet, or cut or copy the chart to another worksheet or workbook file.

For our example, the sales data has been converted into a bar chart showing a comparison of the number of sales for each electronic product.

For this set of data, mice were bought the least with 9 sales, while headphones were bought the most with 55 sales. This comparison is visually obvious from the chart as presented.

Formatting Bar Charts in Microsoft Excel

By default, a bar chart in Excel is created using a set style, with a title for the chart extrapolated from one of the column labels (if available).

You can make many formatting changes to your chart, should you wish to. You can change the color and style of your chart, change the chart title, as well as add or edit axis labels on both sides.

It’s also possible to add trendlines to your Excel chart, allowing you to see greater patterns (trends) in your data. This would be especially important for sales data, where a trendline could visualize decreasing or increasing number of sales over time.

RELATED: How to Work with Trendlines in Microsoft Excel Charts

Changing Chart Title Text

To change the title text for a bar chart, double-click the title text box above the chart itself. You’ll then be able to edit or format the text as required.

If you want to remove the chart title completely, select your chart and click the “Chart Elements” icon on the right, shown visually as a green, “+” symbol.

From here, click the checkbox next to the “Chart Title” option to deselect it.

Your chart title will be removed once the checkbox has been removed.

Adding and Editing Axis Labels

To add axis labels to your bar chart, select your chart and click the green “Chart Elements” icon (the “+” icon).

From the “Chart Elements” menu, enable the “Axis Titles” checkbox.

Axis labels should appear for both the x axis (at the bottom) and the y axis (on the left). These will appear as text boxes.

To edit the labels, double-click the text boxes next to each axis. Edit the text in each text box accordingly, then select outside of the text box once you’ve finished making changes.

If you want to remove the labels, follow the same steps to remove the checkbox from the “Chart Elements” menu by pressing the green, “+” icon. Removing the checkbox next to the “Axis Titles” option will immediately remove the labels from view.

Changing Chart Style and Colors

Microsoft Excel offers a number of chart themes (named styles) that you can apply to your bar chart. To apply these, select your chart and then click the “Chart Styles” icon on the right that looks like a paint brush.

A list of style options will become visible in a drop-down menu under the “Style” section.

Select one of these styles to change the visual appearance of your chart, including changing the bar layout and background.

You can access the same chart styles by clicking the “Design” tab, under the “Chart Tools” section on the ribbon bar.

The same chart styles will be visible under the “Chart Styles” section—clicking any of the options shown will change your chart style in the same way as the method above.

You can also make changes to the colors used in your chart in the “Color” section of the Chart Styles menu.

Color options are grouped, so select one of the color palette groupings to apply those colors to your chart.

You can test each color style by hovering over them with your mouse first. Your chart will change to show how the chart will look with those colors applied.

Further Bar Chart Formatting Options

You can make further formatting changes to your bar chart by right-clicking the chart and selecting the “Format Chart Area” option.

This will bring up the “Format Chart Area” menu on the right. From here, you can change the fill, border, and other chart formatting options for your chart under the “Chart Options” section.

You can also change how text is displayed on your chart under the “Text Options” section, allowing you to add colors, effects, and patterns to your title and axis labels, as well as change how your text is aligned on the chart.

If you want to make further text formatting changes, you can do this using the standard text formatting options under the “Home” tab while you’re editing a label.

You can also use the pop-up formatting menu that appears above the chart title or axis label text boxes as you edit them.