If you want to create stunning and visually rich charts in Google Sheets, it’s crucial to understand how to format your data. In this tutorial, we will guide you step-by-step on how to make various types of charts in Google Sheets and provide tips on formatting your data to achieve the best results.
What Would You Like to Show?
Before diving into creating charts, it’s essential to determine what you want to showcase. Take a moment to analyze your data and ask yourself what you would like to visualize – is it a trend over time, a comparison, or a distribution?
If you’re unsure, we recommend following our tutorial on choosing a suitable chart for your spreadsheet data. Once you have a clear idea, you can proceed to the specific charts below.
Line Chart
A line chart is perfect for visualizing trends in data over time. To format your data for a line chart in Google Sheets, follow these steps:
The X-axis represents the category axis, such as time intervals or labels. Select the entire data range and insert a line chart by navigating to Insert > Chart > Line chart. Make sure to select “Use column A as labels” and “Treat labels as text” if applicable.
Area Chart
Similar to the line chart, the area chart highlights the area between the axis and line with colors. Use the area chart when comparing two or more quantities. The data formatting for the area chart is the same as the line chart.
To create an area chart, select the entire data range and insert it from Insert > Chart > Area chart. Follow the same steps as the line chart.
Bar Chart
A bar chart is effective for presenting categorical data with horizontal rectangular bars. The length of the bars represents the values they represent. To format your data for a bar chart, follow these steps:
The X-axis represents the category axis. Enter text labels in column A. To create a bar chart, select the entire data range and insert it from Insert > Chart > Bar chart.
Column Chart
Similar to the bar chart, the column chart presents categorical data with vertical rectangular bars. The orientation of the bars is the only difference. To format your data for a column chart, follow these steps:
Format the data in the same way as the bar chart. To create a column chart, select the entire data range and insert it from Insert > Chart > Column chart.
Pie Chart
A pie chart is perfect for visualizing numerical proportions in slices of a circle. It’s one of the easiest charts to create. Format your data as shown below:
To create a pie chart, select the entire data range and insert it from Insert > Chart > Pie.
Scatter Chart
A scatter chart is useful for identifying the relationship between two quantitative variables. The data is displayed as a collection of points. Formatting the data for a scatter chart is straightforward:
To create a scatter chart, select the data range and insert it from Insert > Chart > Scatter chart. Customize the chart using the options available in the Chart editor.
Bubble Chart
A bubble chart shows the relationship between variables. It is three-dimensional, with X, Y, and Z axes representing different variables. The fourth set of data determines the color of the bubbles. Formatting the data for a bubble chart is critical:
To create a bubble chart, select the data range and insert it from Insert > Chart > Bubble chart. Apply customizations using the Chart editor.
Geo Chart
A geo chart displays a map with colors representing values for each location. Format your data as follows:
To create a geo chart, select the data range and insert it from Insert > Chart > Geo chart.
Waterfall Chart
A waterfall chart visualizes how an initial value is affected by a series of intermediate positive or negative values. It’s also known as a cascade or bridge chart. Format your data as shown below:
To create a waterfall chart, select the data range and insert it from Insert > Chart > Waterfall chart. Customize the series names as per the nature of your data.
Histogram
A histogram chart is perfect for visualizing the distribution of numerical data within specific ranges. Format your data as shown below:
To create a histogram chart, select the data range and insert it from Insert > Chart > Histogram chart. Adjust the bin/bucket size as needed.
Radar Chart
A radar chart, also known as a spider chart, displays one or more variables in a two-dimensional graph with spokes for each variable. It’s useful for business performance and quality analysis. Format your data as shown below:
To create a radar chart, select the data range and insert it from Insert > Chart > Radar chart.
Gauge Chart
A gauge chart, resembling a speedometer, shows information quickly and intuitively. It’s commonly used in dashboard reports to display overall performance. Format your data as shown below:
To create a gauge chart, select the data range and insert it from Insert > Chart > Gauge chart. Customize the chart to visually read the performance score.
Candlestick Chart
A candlestick chart is primarily used to plot the price movements of stocks or currencies. Google Sheets is an excellent tool for creating candlestick charts, as it allows you to import historical stock and currency rates. Format your data as shown below:
To create a candlestick chart, use the provided formula in a blank worksheet. Replace the stock ticker symbol, start date, and end date as needed. Insert the chart from Insert > Chart > Candlestick chart.
Organizational Chart
An organizational chart displays the hierarchy of employees in an organization. It helps viewers easily locate the relevant person and navigate the structure. Format your data as shown below:
To create an organizational chart, enter the employee names in column A and their reporting officers’ names in column B. Insert the chart from Insert > Chart > Organizational chart.
Treemap Chart
A treemap chart displays hierarchical data in nested rectangles. It’s useful for comparing proportions within a hierarchy. Format your data as shown below:
To create a treemap chart, select the data range and insert it from Insert > Chart > Treemap chart.
Annotated Timeline Chart
An annotated timeline chart is an interactive time series line chart. Although there is an option to add annotations, it may not be functioning correctly at the moment. Format your data as shown below:
To create an annotated timeline chart, select the data range and insert it from Insert > Chart > Timeline chart.
Table Chart
A table chart is ideal for creating interactive dashboards in Google Sheets. It allows you to sort and navigate through your data within the chart itself. Format your data as shown below:
To create a table chart, select your table and insert it from Insert > Chart > Table chart.
Now that you’ve learned how to make various types of charts in Google Sheets and format your data effectively, you can create visually stunning charts that convey your data’s message clearly. Feel free to download our Google Sheets Chart Template with all the charts featured in this tutorial for your convenience. Happy charting!
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