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Are you tired of staring at boring spreadsheets all day? Do you dream of colorful charts and eye-catching visuals?
You’ve come to the right place.
Today, I will show you how to create a chart in Google Sheets.
Don’t worry if you’re not the tech-savvy type. The days of struggling with complex formulas and clunky software have come to an end. Creating a chart in Google Sheets is as easy as stealing candy from a baby.
Well, maybe not that easy, but close enough. With only a few snaps and some fundamental knowledge, you’ll be charting like a pro in no time.
Google Sheets offers many chart types, from simple line graphs to intricate pie charts. You can customize colors and labels and add titles to make your chart unique.
Grab your favorite beverage, sit back, and let’s dive into the world of chart-making in Google Sheets.
In this blog, you’ll learn the following:
Definition: A chart in Google Sheets is a visual representation of data that enhances the understanding of information. It simplifies complex data sets, making them more accessible and actionable. These charts help to present data in a compelling and digestible format, facilitating better decision-making and communication.
Charts for Google Sheets come in various types, such as bar graphs, pie charts, and line graphs. Whether it’s sales, projects, or surveys, Google Sheets charts are versatile enough to make data easy to understand. This adaptability allows you to pick the most appropriate chart based on the nature of your data and insights.
Here are some of the reasons why creating charts in Google Sheets is crucial;
Charts visually represent data, transforming numerical figures into graphical elements like bars or pie slices. This visual approach makes data more engaging and easier to interpret.
One of the primary functions of charts is to enable effortless comparison between different data sets. This comparative analysis is crucial for identifying data trends, variations, and relationships, providing valuable insights.
Charts are powerful tools for effective communication in a world inundated with information. They condense complex data into digestible visuals, allowing you to convey information succinctly and compellingly.
Charts play a crucial role in supporting decision-making processes. Visual representation of key metrics and trends helps to quickly grasp insights, assess situations, and make informed choices. Thus, it contributes to more effective and strategic decision-making.
Visual elements enhance audience engagement and aid in better understanding. Whether presenting to colleagues, stakeholders, or clients, charts make data accessible. This ensures the audience sees and comprehends the information, fostering a deeper understanding of the insights.
Google Sheets has many built-in charts you can use for your data stories.
Some of the charts in the Google Sheets include:
In the coming section, we’ll address the following question: what is the purpose of using charts? Also, you will learn later how you can bring more charts in Google Sheets by using Add-on.
Follow the Charts you can find by installing the third-party add-in ChartExpo.
A Line Chart is a dynamic way to showcase trends over time. This chart connects data points with straight lines, providing a clear visualization of how values change. For example, it’s ideal for tracking monthly sales performance, making it easy to identify growth or decline patterns.
A Bar Chart is the go-to choice when comparing individual data points or categories. The varying lengths of bars make it easy to visualize the differences between values. This makes it perfect for scenarios like comparing sales figures for different products.
For examining relationships between two variables, a Scatter Plot shines. It represents individual data points on a two-dimensional graph, making it excellent for analyzing correlations. For instance, you can use it to understand how advertising spending impacts sales.
To highlight parts of a whole and their percentage contributions, a Pie Chart is invaluable. It divides a circle into sectors, each representing a specific portion. An excellent use case is illustrating the distribution of sales by product category.
A Flow Chart is ideal when visualizing processes, workflows, or system architectures. It uses various shapes and arrows to represent steps in a logical sequence. Thus, it is an excellent tool for mapping project development cycles or decision-making processes.
The Radar Chart displays data on a two-dimensional graph in a circular pattern. It’s particularly useful for showing multivariate data points and their relationships. For instance, you can use it to assess a product’s performance using diverse criteria.
A Sunburst is almost identical to a Pie Chart. But, the center of the diagram is cut out and outward growth shows some hierarchy. Use this chart to visualize the proportions of categories that make up the whole in your data.
Benefits of a Sunburst (one of the Google Sheets Charts)
Grouped Bar charts represent categorical data using rectangular bars. You can use the visualization design to compare individual data points relative to aggregate values.
A typical Bar Chart compares individual data points. Conversely, in a Grouped Bar Chart, each bar is aligned to another one with a contrasting color for comparison. More so, each subsection in the bars has the same color to make formatting makes it easier.
The chart lets you see even minor changes in key variables in your data points.
Benefits of a Grouped Bar Graph (one of the best Google Sheets Charts)
Use this chart if your goal is to display the relative composition of key data points. You can also use the Stacked Bar chart in Google Sheets to display comparison insights into key data points.
The Stacked Bar Chart is arguably among the best visualization designs you can use to screen your data for outliers.
The chart can save you time because it’s incredibly easy to read and interpret, even for non-technical audiences.
The Stacked Area Chart is a visualization design that uses a combination of color and lines to display trends and patterns insights over time.
The chart shares similarities with the Line Graph. In both visualization designs, key data points are connected via lines. However, the chart uses color, unlike the Line Graphs. The visualization design is best suited for displaying key data points’ patterns and trends.
The Stacked Area Chart is ideal if your goal is to display patterns and trends. Check out the practical application of the visualization design below.
The Area Chart in Google Sheets is ideal for displaying insights into the yearly sales data of a business.
One of the best charts for tracking performance in a specified time is the Stacked Area Chart.
Why?
The chart is ideal for tracking trends and patterns in a specified period.
These Charts are effective, especially when comparing two or more metrics in your data.
The Box and Whisker Graph (one of the Google Sheets Charts) simplifies bulky and complex data sets into quartiles and averages. Also, you can use the chart to pinpoint outliers in your data.
The Box Plot segments key variables in quarters or (quartiles).
For instance, you can draw boxes to connect the first quartile to the third quartile. In this case, the boxes will represent the average values of key data points.
Whiskers are lines that identify values outside of the average data points. Your data’s highest and lowest variables can be outliers, depending on their magnitude and frequency of occurrence.
Box and Whisker Plots use robust summary statistics that are quickly computable (originally by hand) and have no tuning parameters. The chart is best suited for comparing distributions across key categories in your data.
Check out the benefits of Box and Whisker Graphs (one of the Google Sheets Charts).
Google Sheets is one of the most-used visualization tools among businesses and professionals worldwide.
However, this cloud-hosted spreadsheet tool comes with very basic charts, which require extra work in editing.
We’re not recommending you do away with the spreadsheet app.
You can turn Google Sheets into a data visualization tool loaded with ready-made and visually stunning charts by installing third-party apps, such as ChartExpo.
Why ChartExpo?
ChartExpo is an add-on you can easily install in your Google Sheets.
With different and modren visualizations, ChartExpo turns your complex, raw data into compelling, easy-to-digest, visual renderings that tell the story of your data.
The easy-to-use data visualization tool produces simple and clear visualization designs with just a few clicks. Yes, ChartExpo generates Google Sheets charts that are amazingly easy to interpret, even for non-technical audiences.
In this section, we’ll use a Sunburst to display insights into the table below.
| Pet Shelter | Pet Category | Pet Type | No. of Adoption |
| Pet Shelter | Fish | Catfish | 50 |
| Pet Shelter | Fish | Molly | 33 |
| Pet Shelter | Fish | Betta | 25 |
| Pet Shelter | Mammal | Dogs | 90 |
| Pet Shelter | Mammal | Cats | 60 |
| Pet Shelter | Mammal | Mice | 30 |
| Pet Shelter | Birds | Lovebirds | 33 |
Install the ChartExpo add-on for Google Sheets and then follow the simple and easy steps below.
Data visualization graphs are powerful because they simplify data by making it understandable & readable at the same time. Besides, they make data stories compelling and irresistible to target audiences.
Google Sheets Charts can improve productivity and efficiency in the workplace. In other words, you can leverage data to predict risks, such as declining productivity.
You can easily track productivity metrics in real-time.
In today’s world, customers have a broader range of choices.
If your business is aligned with the customer’s desires and expectations, you can easily find yourself in a downward spiral. Customers change their minds as they are continuously exposed to new information in their purchasing journey.
With the vast amount of data, it’s practically impossible for you to make sense of all the changes in the market.
The different types of charts for representing data (which we’ll talk about in a few) provide you with answers about the changing behavior of the market. You can easily point out significant shifts in tastes and preferences by using charts.
Timely awareness of customer behavior changes can be the decisive factor in the current competitive landscape.
Gone are the days when you could easily sell a standard set of products and services to customers.
Today’s market craves products and services that can meet their individual needs.
One of the benefits of business charts is that they can help you keep track of your target market’s tastes, preferences, and needs. You can leverage data from various attributions, such as social media and websites, to create a reliable persona for the market.
Many businesses are still betting on gut feelings rather than facts and data.
One of the key reasons for this could be a lack of access to quality data to back up decision-making processes.
Business charts can help you distill signals from noise in your raw data. This can save massive amounts of time. Imagine the competitive advantage you would enjoy by relying on data to make strategic decisions.
Thanks to creative data visualization examples, such as Pareto Charts, you can interpret vast quantities of data clearly and cohesively to draw conclusions and see perspectives.
You can easily create and rapidly consume key metrics associated with your business or workplace.
If any of the aforementioned metrics have anomalies, such as a dramatic decline in sales, you can easily dig into the data.
Keep reading because we’ll address the following in the coming section: types of charts and graphs in Google Sheets.
How to create a chart in Google Sheets is not just about plugging in numbers and hitting the magic button. Oh no, it’s an art form. It requires finesse, creativity, and a touch of wit. These tips and tricks will help you create charts in Google Sheets that pack a punch.
Yes, Google Sheets Charts are free to use there is an add-on ChartExpo which is also free for trial purposes. All you need is a free email account address. You will find wonderful visualizations by using this library in Google Sheets.
Data visualization graphs are powerful because they simplify data by making it understandable and readable. Besides, they make data stories compelling and irresistible to target audiences.
Charts can improve productivity and efficiency in the workplace. In other words, you can leverage data to predict risks.
Yes, Google Sheets allows you to embed charts directly within the spreadsheet. You can create a chart, then select the “Insert” menu and choose “Chart.” Once the chart is created, it can be embedded back into the sheet for convenient viewing.
To visualize data in Google Sheets, use ChartExpo. ChartExpo offers diverse visualization options beyond the native charts in Google Sheets. This allows you to create engaging and informative charts effortlessly, enhancing data presentation and analysis.
You can create bar charts, pie charts, and line charts in Google Sheets. However, to unlock a broader range of visualizations and enhance capabilities, use ChartExpo. ChartExpo provides more options and flexibility for effective data presentation.
Google Sheets is one of the free tools available for businesses and workplaces to gather, clean, and visualize data. For you to access the application, you need an email account.
The data visualization tool comes with a sizable number of basic charts and needs more work in editing. Besides, it lacks a substantial number of graphs you can use to craft compelling data narratives.
For instance, you’ll never find a few charts.
So, what’s the solution?
Download and install third-party apps, such as ChartExpo, to access ready-to-go Google Sheets charts.
ChartExpo is an easy-to-use application you can easily download and install in your Google Sheets app. Besides, this tool comes loaded with insightful and ready-made Google Sheets charts. You don’t need programming or coding skills to visualize your data using ChartExpo.
Sign up for a 7-day free trial today to access easy-to-interpret and visually appealing Google Sheets charts.
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