Basically, when you are trying to understand the data files in Excel, it could be tricky to do so because of the size and complexity of the dataset. Therefore, charts are now the central part of presenting data graphically to interpret the file easily. Charts are in short the visual representation of data.
Excel itself has many features to use in order to make charts for data representation. Data representation in charts becomes more understandable for the users. It helps you to analyze the data in a better way. Graphical representation of data helps make complex data analysis understandable. In Excel, a chart helps in communicating data graphically.
With charts, users can interpret the main idea behind the numbers. Here you will get to know different types of charts in Excel.
Types of Charts in Excel
With Excel, you can use different types of charts for multiple purposes. Depending on your data type, you have to make a chart and later on, you can even make changes to it. Below are the most used types of charts:
- Column Chart
- Pie Chart
- Line Chart
- XY Chart
- Bar Chart
- Doughnut Chart
- Bubble Chart
- Area Chart
- Surface Chart
- Stock Chart
- Combo Chart
- Radar Chart
All these chart types have even sub-types.
Column Charts
A column chart is usually a vertical chart that helps represent the data in vertical bars. You can even use this chart type for different types of data. Mainly this chart type is used for data comparison.
Suppose a company needs to figure out the sale of each month. For this dataset, Column charts are ideal to present information because you can compare as well as analyze data for each month easily with other months.
Line Chart
When you need to display the trends, Line charts are suitable for this situation. Using this type of chart, you can analyze all the difficulties in the data as time passes. The column chart lets you connect all the data points with lines.
For instance, a company needs to calculate the sale of a product for the last five years. Moreover, it also lets you analyze all the ups and downs of the yearly sale of the product.
Bar Chart
Using Bar charts lets you explain comparisons between individual items. When you are working on a Bar chart, you will notice the vertical axis contains data on categories and the horizontal axis contains data on the values. You need to arrange the data in columns and rows on the sheet before making a Bar chart.
For instance, when a company needs to calculate the data using vertical bars to show the data graphically, a bar chart is helpful. Not only comparison but you can even analyze them perfectly.
Doughnut Chart
Using a Doughnut chart helps you present the relationship of parts to a whole. You may find similarities between the Pie chart and the Doughnut chart. The main difference is that the Pie chart covers only one series of data, whereas a Doughnut chart covers more than one series of data.
A Doughnut chart has more than one string to present data series-wise. You have to arrange data in columns or rows before making a Doughnut chart on a sheet.
Pie Chart
Using Pie Chart, you can display the size of items in one data series, which is proportional to the sum of the items. In the Pie chart, you will notice data points that appear as percentages of the whole pie.
You need to arrange the data in one column or row on the sheet to make a pie chart.
Area Chart
You may find similarities between a Line chart and an Area chart. In Area charts, you will notice the gaps are filled with color as compared to line charts. You can easily analyze the growth in the business while using the Area charts because they clearly present the difficulties with a line.
Bubble Chart
A Bubble chart is more like a Scatter chart that uses an extra third column. It identifies the size of the bubbles that shows the data points presentation in the data series.
Surface Chart
The best possible combos can be defined using the Surface chart between two datasets. Colors and patterns show areas used in the same range of values.
Combo Chart
Sometimes, you have to use a combination of two or more chart types because of the data type you have. To clearly make the data representation understandable, the combo Chart helps a lot.
With a secondary axis, this chart type gives more clearance to understand the data. For this, arrange the data in columns or rows on the worksheet to make a Combo chart.
Radar Chart
You can compare the collective values of many data series with a Radar chart. For this, you need to arrange data into columns or rows on the sheet.
In a nutshell, all the types of charts in Excel are vital to make data calculation presentable. Therefore, you have to learn how to make each chart display the data smoothly. The purpose of charts is to interpret data in a better way not to mess with the data.
