A chart answers one question quickly. The mistake most beginners make is choosing a chart because it looks fancy, not because it fits the question. Start with the question and the right chart follows.
How to insert a chart
Select your data including the headers, go to Insert, Recommended Charts, and pick one. Or press Alt + F1 to drop a default column chart on the sheet instantly.
Comparing categories: column or bar chart
Use a column chart to compare values across a few categories, such as sales by region. Use a bar chart (horizontal) when category names are long.
Trend over time: line chart
Use a line chart when the horizontal axis is time, such as monthly revenue. The line makes the direction obvious.
Share of a total: pie or doughnut
Use it only when you have a few parts (five or fewer) that add up to 100%. For more parts, a sorted bar chart is easier to read.
Relationship between two numbers: scatter chart
Use it to see if two measures move together, such as ad spend and sales.
Make it clean
- Write a title that says the message, such as "North region grew fastest in Q3".
- Delete the gridlines and extra legend if there is only one series.
- Sort bars from largest to smallest unless the order has meaning.
- Start the axis at zero for bar and column charts.
Charts that update automatically
Build the chart from an Excel Table or a pivot table. When new rows are added, the chart includes them.