If you're using a bar graph to display your data, this tip can make a big difference. Then choose the chart most appropriate for your data.Ģ) Sort bar graph data so it's intuitive. To turn your data into one of these charts in Excel, highlight the data you want to morph into a chart, then choose "Charts" in the top navigation (or select "Insert" > "Charts" if you have a different version). You can track multiple values over that time, but the key to a line chart is the time component. Line charts, which look kind of like a horizontal version of bar charts, help you display a changing trend over time. Want to see the difference? Here's an example of the same data set displayed as a pie graph and a bar graph: Pie graphs are best used when one of the categories is way larger than the other. which means it's often best to just use a bar graph. Bar graphs are easier to read and highlight incremental differences between categories, so they're a good go-to. Pie graphs usually compare parts of a whole, while bar graphs can compare pretty much anything.
Bar, pie, and line charts all tell different stories about your data - you need to choose the best one to tell the story you want.īar graphs and pie graphs help you compare categories. Excel Design Tricks for Sprucing Up Ugly Charts and Graphs in Microsoft Excel 1) Pick the right graph.īefore you start tweaking design elements, you need to know that your data is displayed in the optimal format. If you're using another version or operating system, implementing the following tips may look different. Below are some quick tips for how to use Excel to make your graphs convincing, easy-to-read, and beautiful. And by customization, we're not talking about big sweeping changes. To ensure you're making your data as convincing as possible, you should always customize your graphs in Excel.
Regardless of what you use data for, you need it to be convincing - and if you display data poorly, the meaning of your data is more likely to get lost. You're using data to spur action. Maybe you pull data to convince your boss to adopt inbound marketing, give you an extra sliver of budget, or adjust your team's strategy - among other things.
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