Types of Bar Graph
There are three types of bar graphs in Microsoft Excel: Clustered Bar, Stacked Bar, and 100% Stacked Bar.
Clustered Bar: This is the basic bar graph and represents each number with a horizontal bar. Stacked Bar: A Stacked Bar graph extends the Clustered Bar to demonstrate more than one set of numbers in a bar, stacking the data on each other along a horizontal line. 100% Stacked Bar: It is the same as a Stacked Bar, except that the stacks in the bar sum to 100%. Hence, instead of numbers themselves, their percentage is shown.
How to Create a Bar Graph
To create a bar graph in Excel, you need to add data to your spreadsheet first. Let’s get started with a simple example: Suppose that you want to compare the grades of two students on different topics. The grades are as below:
Enter these sample data in your excel spreadsheet. Once you’re done, we can get to creating a bar graph.
Select the cells containing the data you want to show in your graph. (Cells A1 to C5 in this example. ) From the ribbon, navigate to the Insert tab. In the Charts section, click on Insert Column or Bar Chart. This will open a menu of the available column and bar charts. Select the bar chart you want. This will instantly create a bar graph. Note that the 3-D and 2-D Bars are practically the same and only differ in the visuals. In your bar graph, click on Chart Title and enter a title for your graph. To make adjustments to the size of each area in the chart, click the area and then resize it using the handles.
Get Visual With Your Data
The bar graph is a great way to compare and contrast data in Excel. Visualizing your data and numbers is a great way to get a better understanding of what you’re dealing with. Self-updating charts are even better.
