How to Create a Combo Chart in Excel: Step-By-Step

In the realm of data visualization, presenting information clearly and concisely is crucial. One powerful tool for achieving this in Excel is the Combo Chart.

A Combo Chart allows you to combine two or more different types of charts into a single visual, making it easier to compare and analyze related data sets.

This versatility makes Combo Charts invaluable for uncovering insights that might be missed when data is presented separately. In this guide, we’ll explore the ins and outs of Combo Charts, including how to create, customize, and effectively use them in Excel.

Imagine how lean your visualization dashboard would be if you could use a single chart to perform the job of two.

Well, we’re not talking about some utopian world. The world we’re talking about exists as you read this. There’s a visualization design that can help you display insights into two different metrics in your data. Yes, you read that right. Essentially, it can perform the work of two charts.

The chart we’re talking about is called a Combo Chart in Excel.

The Combo chart in Excel can help you save a lot of space and time when visualizing two different data series.

You can supercharge your tool by installing a third-party add-in to access Combo chart in Excel templates.

Table of Contents:

1. What is a Combo Chart?
2. Understanding Combo Chart in Excel?
3. Structure of a Combination Chart in Excel
4. When Should You Use the Combo Chart in Excel?
5. Creation of Combo Charts in Excel?
6. FAQs
7. Wrap Up

Before diving right into the how-to guide, let’s define the chart we’ll discuss throughout the blog post.

So here we go.

What is a Combo Chart?

Definition: A combo chart is a versatile visualization tool combining multiple chart types—such as bar charts and line charts—into one chart. This capability allows for the simultaneous display of different data series with varying scales and types.

For example, you can use a combo chart to show sales volume as bars and profit margin as a line within the same graph. This dual representation helps in identifying trends over time, correlations, and anomalies more easily than using separate charts.

Combo charts are particularly useful when you have data sets that are related but have different magnitudes or units. They help in comparing these data sets on a single axis, thereby providing a more comprehensive view.

Understanding Combo Chart in Excel?

A Combo Chart in Excel combines 2 charts e.g. Column and Line Graphs.

You can make a Combo Chart with data that share a common string, such as a financial year. This chart can help you answer questions about your data, such as:

What are the trends for the same categories in data?

The Combo visualization design provides you with a flexible way of displaying data. Besides, it forms the basis of data visualization designs, such as the Pareto chart or 80/20 visualization.

There’s a wider variety of Combination Charts in Excel you can use for your data stories, namely:

• Double Axis Line and Bar Chart
• Area Line Chart
• Dual Axis Grouped Bar Chart
• Vertical Axis Line Chart

In this blog post, we’ll primarily talk about the double-axis line and Bar Chart (a Combo chart in Excel variant).

Use Combo charts in Excel if your objective is to validate the relationship between two variables with different magnitudes and scales but related in context.

For example, you can use a Combination Chart in Excel to display insights into different sales metrics that share a common denominator, i.e., the financial year.

You can also use this chart to display insights into hidden patterns, trends, and outliers in your raw data.

Structure of a Combination Chart in Excel

Check out the key components of the Combo chart in Excel (below).

• Variables on the primary (left) side of a Combo Chart define the scale for that y-axis.
• Similarly, data points on the secondary (right) side of the chart define the scale for the y-axis.
• You can use lines and bars in a single chart to display insights into the relationship between varying variables.
• This chart can only display one hierarchy at a time.

For example, if the first cell selected is a quarterly value, other periods, such as monthly and annual values, will be excluded — only quarterly values will be displayed.

• If using a Line and Bar Combo visualization, then the lines should be in the foreground. And the bars should be in the background.

When Should You Use the Combo Chart in Excel?

Use the Combination Chart in Excel if your goal is to have a lean visualization dashboard that displays tons of insights.

Combo Charts, such as the Double Axis Line and Bar Graphs, can help you display insights into the relationship between two different data points.

For instance, these visualization diagrams can help you show insights into the relationship between forecasted and actual sales across a specified period.

Besides, you can use Combo Charts to extract comparison insights into key categories using highly contrasting color schemes.

The Combo chart is a must-have tool for the sales department because it can convey insights into target versus actual sales revenue in a given financial year.

Furthermore, sales managers can leverage this chart to uncover the best and worst-performing staff.

How?

This visualization chart can display insights into the revenue, and the number of deals compactly closed by sales associates.

Check out other successful applications of Combination Charts in Excel below:

• Finance

You can use the Combo Charts to measure metrics, such as the billable hours vs. revenue collected.

• Manufacture

If you belong to the manufacturing industry, use these charts to compare units sold versus sales revenue across a given period.

Creation of Combo Chart in Excel?

To access an insightful and visually appealing Combination Chart in Excel, along with cool Excel charts and graphs, you need to install third-party apps (add-ins). There are thousands of add-ins available in Excel’s app store to enhance your data visualization experience.

To save you time, we’ve tested hundreds of add-ins to find the best one for your day-to-day visualization needs.

ChartExpo ticks all the boxes for the following:

• Ease of use
• Ease of access
• The number and quality of charts available
• Affordability

If your goal is to extract insights into two different variables in your data, your go-to chart maker should be ChartExpo.

In the coming section, you’ll learn how to install ChartExpo add-in to access advanced Combo charts in Excel.

To get started with ChartExpo for Excel add-in, follow the simple and easy steps below.

• Open the worksheet and click the Insert menu button.
• Click the My Apps button and then click the See All, as shown.

• Search for a ChartExpo add-in in the My Apps Store.

• Click the Insert button, as shown above.
• Click the Sign In with Microsoft button link, as shown above.
• Log in with your Microsoft account or create a new account.
• Enter your account and provide ChartExpo with permission to operate in your Excel spreadsheet.
• Once you are logged in you will see the ChartExpo interface in your sheet.

• Click the Search box and type of charts and graphs you want to visualize your data e.g. Double Axis Line and Bar Chart provided by ChartExpo fulfill the requirement of Combo Chart in Excel.

Even if you type double in the search box, charts related to the word will be short-listed.

• Alternatively, click the Category button on your top right side to view all the six major categories in ChartExpo, this chart is available in the Pay-per-Click (PPC) Charts category.

In the coming section, you’ll get to see the double-axis line and Bar Chart (a Combo chart in Excel type) in action.

Let’s jump right in.

Combo Chart Example using ChartExpo

Let’s visualize the tabular data below using the Dual-axis Chart and Bar Chart (one of the combination charts in Excel).

Are you ready?

Months	Sales	Profit Margin
Jan	965	16
Feb	385	31
Mar	1118	15
Apr	639	12
May	359	22
Jun	1622	14
Jul	1750	24
Aug	1001	12
Sep	1841	29
Oct	1632	12
Nov	1547	39
Dec	531	19

To get started with the Combo Chart maker (ChartExpo), follow the simple steps below:

• Export the data above into your Excel sheet and select your desired visualization i.e. Double Axis Line and Bar Chart.

• Once the Double Axis Line and Bar Chart are shown, click the Create Chart from the Selection button, as shown below.

• You will have a default look at your chart based on this data as below:

This visualization is based on percentage values of the two columns in the sheet Sales and Profit margin. We can change the setting of the chart to see the visualization of actual data not on percentage.

You can click on Settings on top of the interface then in the property section open Chart Drawing and select “Value Based” and then click on Apply.

You will have the following look at your visualization based on values.

You can click on Edit Chart as shown above.  After that you can click on the pencil icon on the left Axis and then find the property Label Text and then add the Prefix “$” sign, after clicking on Apply All it will apply the dollar sign to the axis.

Same you can do with the right axis to add % as postfix, moreover you can add axis labels and change other properties to see your chart by exploring more properties final look you can give your data as below:

Insights

• Blue bars and trend lines show sales whereas the profit margin is shown with brown color.
• The P1 point at the end of the x-axis showing is the predictive point on the chart ending with the trend of sales and profit margin.
• Sales and profit margin trends going upward.
• Only 4 months (Feb, May, Nov, and Dec) have reached to highest points.
• The profit margin remains lowest in May. Whereas June, July, September, and November remained good months in getting good profit margins.

Advantages of Combination Chart in Excel

Recap: A Combo Chart is a hybrid of two or more chart types, such as the Double Axis Line and Bar Chart.

• You can easily display your insights into two different metrics without using an extra chart.
• Combo Charts allow you to plot values with varying scales and magnitudes.

FAQs

Can I use more than two chart types in a Combo Chart?

Yes, you can use multiple chart types in a Combo Chart, but it’s essential to keep the chart readable and ensure the combination makes sense for the data being presented.

How do I update data in a Combo Chart?

Update the data range in your worksheet, and the Combo Chart will automatically reflect the changes. If necessary, you can adjust the data range by selecting the chart and editing the source data.

Can I use Combo Charts in Excel for Mac?

Yes, Combo Charts are available in Excel for Mac, and you can create and customize them similarly to Excel for Windows.

Wrap Up

Displaying insights into the trend and relationship of two different metrics in your data should never be nerve-wracking or time-consuming.

Use Combo chart in Excel for a change.

This (above) visualization design can help you save a ton of space in your dashboard.

We recommend you to think beyond your Excel, to access Combo Charts that are simple to interpret.

Why?

Combination Charts in Excel are very basic and require a lot of effort and time to edit. But, we’re not recommending you to do away with Excel.

Install third-party apps, such as ChartExpo into your Excel to access advanced Combo Charts.

ChartExpo is an add-in you can easily download and install in your Excel app. Besides, this tool comes loaded with insightful and easy-to-interpret Combination Charts, plus over 50 more advanced charts.

With this intuitive tool, you don’t need programming or coding skills to visualize your data.

Sign up for a 7-day free trial today to access an easy-to-interpret and visually appealing Combination Chart in Excel.