What type of chart to use to compare data in Excel
Table of Contents
One of the most frequently asked questions in the data visualization world is “What type of chart to use to compare data in Excel”.
Following are the best chart types for comparing data in Excel:
- Column Chart
- Bar Chart
- Line Chart
- Combination Chart
When to use a column chart for comparing data
If you want to compare 2 to 4 data series then use a clustered column chart:
Alternatively, avoid creating a column chart that has got more than four data series. For example, the following chart contains six data series and it has started looking cluttered:
If you want to create a column chart which contains more than 4 data series then try switching row and column of the chart and then check whether it makes any difference.
To do that, follow the steps below:
Step-1: Right-click on the column chart whose row and column you want to change.
Step-2: Click on ‘Select Data’ from the drop-down menu:
Step-3: Click on the ‘Switch/Row Column’ button:
Step-4: Click on the ‘OK’ button. The column chart will now look like the one below:
Now, this chart is much easier to read and understand.
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Do not use a column chart when the data series you want to compare have different units of measurement.
For example in the chart below ‘Orders’ and ‘Conversion Rate’ have different units of measurement. The data series ‘Orders’ is of type number. Whereas the data series ‘Conversion Rate’ is of type percentage:
The best thing to do when the data series you want to compare have different units of measurement is to use the combination chart:
If the values of one data series dwarf the values of the other data series then do not use the column chart to compare two data series.
For example in the chart below the values of the data series ‘Website Sessions’ completely dwarf the values of the data series named ‘Orders’:
The best thing to do in such a situation is to use the combination chart:
If you want to compare data series along with their composition then use a stacked column chart:
If you want to compare data series along with their composition but the overall size of each data series is not important then use a 100% stacked column chart:
When to use a bar chart for comparing data
Use a bar chart when the axis labels are too long to fit nicely in a column chart:
When to use a line chart for comparing data
Use a line chart when you want to compare data trends especially long term trends between the values of the data series:
When to use a combination chart for comparing data
A combination chart is a combination of two or more charts. For example the combination of a column chart and a line chart.
Use a combination chart when:
#1 You want to compare two or more data series that have different units of measurement:
#2 You want to compare two or more data series that are not of comparable sizes:
Other Articles on Excel Charts
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Master the Essentials of Email Marketing Analytics
This book focuses solely on the ‘analytics’ that power your email marketing optimization program and will help you dramatically reduce your cost per acquisition and increase marketing ROI by tracking the performance of the various KPIs and metrics used for email marketing.
Attribution Modelling in Google Analytics and Beyond
Attribution modelling is the process of determining the most effective marketing channels for investment. This book has been written to help you implement attribution modelling. It will teach you how to leverage the knowledge of attribution modelling in order to allocate marketing budget and understand buying behaviour.
Attribution Modelling in Google Ads and Facebook
This book has been written to help you implement attribution modelling in Google Ads (Google AdWords) and Facebook. It will teach you, how to leverage the knowledge of attribution modelling in order to understand the customer purchasing journey and determine the most effective marketing channels for investment.
About the Author
Himanshu Sharma
One of the most frequently asked questions in the data visualization world is “What type of chart to use to compare data in Excel”.
Following are the best chart types for comparing data in Excel:
- Column Chart
- Bar Chart
- Line Chart
- Combination Chart
When to use a column chart for comparing data
If you want to compare 2 to 4 data series then use a clustered column chart:
Alternatively, avoid creating a column chart that has got more than four data series. For example, the following chart contains six data series and it has started looking cluttered:
If you want to create a column chart which contains more than 4 data series then try switching row and column of the chart and then check whether it makes any difference.
To do that, follow the steps below:
Step-1: Right-click on the column chart whose row and column you want to change.
Step-2: Click on ‘Select Data’ from the drop-down menu:
Step-3: Click on the ‘Switch/Row Column’ button:
Step-4: Click on the ‘OK’ button. The column chart will now look like the one below:
Now, this chart is much easier to read and understand.
Get the E-Book (40 Pages)
Do not use a column chart when the data series you want to compare have different units of measurement.
For example in the chart below ‘Orders’ and ‘Conversion Rate’ have different units of measurement. The data series ‘Orders’ is of type number. Whereas the data series ‘Conversion Rate’ is of type percentage:
The best thing to do when the data series you want to compare have different units of measurement is to use the combination chart:
If the values of one data series dwarf the values of the other data series then do not use the column chart to compare two data series.
For example in the chart below the values of the data series ‘Website Sessions’ completely dwarf the values of the data series named ‘Orders’:
The best thing to do in such a situation is to use the combination chart:
If you want to compare data series along with their composition then use a stacked column chart:
If you want to compare data series along with their composition but the overall size of each data series is not important then use a 100% stacked column chart:
When to use a bar chart for comparing data
Use a bar chart when the axis labels are too long to fit nicely in a column chart:
When to use a line chart for comparing data
Use a line chart when you want to compare data trends especially long term trends between the values of the data series:
When to use a combination chart for comparing data
A combination chart is a combination of two or more charts. For example the combination of a column chart and a line chart.
Use a combination chart when:
#1 You want to compare two or more data series that have different units of measurement:
#2 You want to compare two or more data series that are not of comparable sizes:
Other Articles on Excel Charts
Register for the FREE TRAINING...
"How to use Digital Analytics to generate floods of new Sales and Customers without spending years figuring everything out on your own."
Here’s what we’re going to cover in this training…
#1 Why digital analytics is the key to online business success.
#2 The number 1 reason why most marketers are not able to scale their advertising and maximize sales.
#3 Why Google and Facebook ads don’t work for most businesses & how to make them work.
#4 Why you won’t get any competitive advantage in the marketplace just by knowing Google Analytics.
#5 The number 1 reason why conversion optimization is not working for your business.
#6 How to advertise on any marketing platform for FREE with an unlimited budget.
#7 How to learn and master digital analytics and conversion optimization in record time.
My best selling books on Digital Analytics and Conversion Optimization
Maths and Stats for Web Analytics and Conversion Optimization
This expert guide will teach you how to leverage the knowledge of maths and statistics in order to accurately interpret data and take actions, which can quickly improve the bottom-line of your online business.
Master the Essentials of Email Marketing Analytics
This book focuses solely on the ‘analytics’ that power your email marketing optimization program and will help you dramatically reduce your cost per acquisition and increase marketing ROI by tracking the performance of the various KPIs and metrics used for email marketing.
Attribution Modelling in Google Analytics and Beyond
Attribution modelling is the process of determining the most effective marketing channels for investment. This book has been written to help you implement attribution modelling. It will teach you how to leverage the knowledge of attribution modelling in order to allocate marketing budget and understand buying behaviour.
Attribution Modelling in Google Ads and Facebook
This book has been written to help you implement attribution modelling in Google Ads (Google AdWords) and Facebook. It will teach you, how to leverage the knowledge of attribution modelling in order to understand the customer purchasing journey and determine the most effective marketing channels for investment.
About the Author
Himanshu Sharma