Column charts explained simply. Types of charts, and how to choose the right type of column chart and format it well. Simple instructions for beginners, some knowledge of excel needed. Level - Easy. 1st in a series on Column Charts, 3rd in my series on Charts.

1. The column chart
Understanding column charts and creating them in
Excel

2. The Column Chart
• It shows your data in vertical fashion, which helps comparison.

3. 1. Architecture.
• a rigid, relatively slender, upright support, composed of relatively few pieces.
• a decorative pillar,.
• 2. any columnlike object, mass, or formation.
(a column of smoke.)
• 3. a vertical row or list:
(Add this column of figures.)
• 4. a vertical arrangement on a page of horizontal lines of type.
(There are three columns on this page.)
These are just a few!
The dictionary meanings of “column”

4. The Column Chart
• There are different types of column charts.
• I will show you the three main types
• This will help you choose a chart type that helps you
visualize your data better
• Then we will see how to create column charts in Excel

5. The definition
A column chart is a graphic
representation of data. Column
charts display vertical bars going
across the chart horizontally,
with the values axis being
displayed on the left side of the
chart.
This chart shows the number of
vehicles sold in India from 2009
onwards.
0
2,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
8,000,000
10,000,000
12,000,000
14,000,000
16,000,000
18,000,000
20,000,000
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
Automobile sales trend in India

6. Adding information
Additional information can be conveyed
by stacking numbers in the columns.
This is called a
stacked column chart.
0
2,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
8,000,000
10,000,000
12,000,000
14,000,000
16,000,000
18,000,000
20,000,000
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
Automobile sales trend in India
Two Wheelers
Three Wheelers
Commercial Vehicles
Passenger Vehicles

7. The same data in
another chart type
The information can
also be viewed in
separate columns for
each data set.
This is called a
clustered
column
chart.

8. How do these three
types show the same
data differently?
Choose the chart type according
to your need.
0
2,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
8,000,000
10,000,000
12,000,000
14,000,000
16,000,000
18,000,000
20,000,000
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
Automobile sales trend in India
0
2,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
8,000,000
10,000,000
12,000,000
14,000,000
16,000,000
18,000,000
20,000,000
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
Automobile sales trend in India
Two Wheelers
Three Wheelers
Commercial Vehicles
Passenger Vehicles

9. 0
2,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
8,000,000
10,000,000
12,000,000
14,000,000
16,000,000
18,000,000
20,000,000
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
Automobile sales trend in India
Two Wheelers
Three Wheelers
Commercial
Vehicles
Passenger
Vehicles
0
2,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
8,000,000
10,000,000
12,000,000
14,000,000
16,000,000
18,000,000
20,000,000
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
Automobile sales trend in India
The stacked columns show more detail and
illustrate the total change in sales over the
years just as well the plain column chart.
Plain Column Chart Stacked Chart

10. In order to see the
trend of individual
categories, a clustered
chart is a better choice.
Here the different trends for
the vehicle types can be seen
very clearly
Increasing
trend in two
wheelers
Stacked Chart Clustered Chart
Little
increase in
passenger
vehicles

11. Let us look at a chart
which does not show
a trend.
This stacked chart shows the
marks obtained by 6 students in
their Term examination.
The data has been sorted
according to the total marks,
from highest to lowest.
38 40
50 52
66
7842 45
60 54
69
7063
66 45
63
72
77
53
57
80 65
76
68
59
62
60 62
68
65
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Shruti Rita Aakar Kiran Raghu Bhaskar
Term Exam Marks Civics History Science Eng Math
Stacked Chart

12. In this case a
clustered chart does
not give very good
visual information.
This is because the total marks
are an important comparison
point for this type of data.
38 40 50 52
66
7842 45
60 54
69
7063 66 45
63
72
77
53
57
80 65
76 68
59
62
60 62
68 65
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Shruti Rita Aakar Kiran Raghu Bhaskar
Term Exam Marks
Civics History Science Eng Math
38
40
50
52
66
78
42
45
60
54
69 70
63
66
45
63
72
77
53
57
80
65
76
68
59
62
60
62
68
65
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Shruti Rita Aakar Kiran Raghu Bhaskar
Term Exam Marks Math Eng Science History Civics
Stacked Chart Clustered Chart

13. Adding a label with
the total marks helps
us to see the data
better
If we did not have the
labels with total marks,
we would not be able
to tell that Kiran got
one mark more than
Aakar
Stacked Chart

14. Some formatting
adds a lot of value
to your chart
Stacked Chart

15. Choose your chart type based on the message you want to convey.
You can experiment with the different types to help you decide.
0
2,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
8,000,000
10,000,000
12,000,000
14,000,000
16,000,000
18,000,000
20,000,000
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
Automobile sales trend in India
Two Wheelers
Three Wheelers
Commercial Vehicles
Passenger Vehicles
Lets see how we can make these charts in Excel.

16. Enter your
data carefully
Make sure all the
numbers are
formatted in the same
way and there are no
extra spaces or
commas in your data.
Select the data
Go to
INSERT > CHART
Then select the
column chart option.
Stacked Chart

17. Select
separate cells
by holding
down CTRL
while
selecting
This selection will
result in a plain
column chart
Column Chart

18. Making it look
interesting
• Once you have selected the type of chart you want and
created it in Excel, you should format it to make it more
meaningful and attractive.
• You can change the colours, sizes and fonts of many of
the elements.

19. To improve the chart by adding
or removing elements and
formatting them you need to
know the parts of the chart
0
2,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
8,000,000
10,000,000
12,000,000
14,000,000
16,000,000
18,000,000
20,000,000
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
Automobile sales trend in India
Two Wheelers
Three Wheelers
Commercial Vehicles
Passenger Vehicles
Chart Title
Value Axis
Category Axis
Legend
GridlinesElements of the chart

20. 0
2,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
8,000,000
10,000,000
12,000,000
14,000,000
16,000,000
18,000,000
20,000,000
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
Automobile sales trend in India
Two Wheelers
Three Wheelers
Commercial Vehicles
Passenger Vehicles
Plot Area
Chart Area
The plot and chart areas can be
filled with plain colors, gradients
or pictures, or left without fill.
Elements of the chart

21. Elements of the chart
0
2,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
8,000,000
10,000,000
12,000,000
14,000,000
16,000,000
18,000,000
20,000,000
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
Automobile sales trend in India
Two Wheelers
Three Wheelers
Commercial Vehicles
Passenger Vehicles
Chart Border
Data Series
Plot border
Legend
border
The data series is the most
important element of your
creation. Your choice of colour,
type of fill and border will affect
the overall appearance of your
chart.

22. Data
labels
Gap
between
columns
Add data labels only if necessary.
Adjust the placement of the
label. They can even be dragged
to a better position. Choose a
font colour that stands out well
from the background.
Elements of the chart

23. Format the series
with a gradient for an
easy & better effect.
To change the look of a data series, first select it, open the
FORMAT tab and then select the desired colour and type of
gradient.
You can also choose a pattern, or a picture.

24. This is a selection of
different types of
formatting of
columns.
The chart area has also
been formatted with a
radial gradient
Gradient with
border
Solid fill with
shadow
Gradient
rectangular fill
Texture fill
with border Gradient fill with
gradient border Picture fill

25. This is the term
exam marks
stacked chart.
I will show you
how this total marks
label was added
&
how to add custom
pictures
Stacked Chart

26. Add a column with the total
marks and select that too while
selecting your data.
Stacked Chart
Right click on the total marks data series in
the chart, ensure that only that data series is
selected, and change the chart type to “line.”
Then format the data label and increase the
font. Once the label looks good format the
line, choose “No line.”

27. Now the total marks can be seen
above the individual categories.
Stacked Chart

28. Create five letters in
power point using word
art in separate text boxes.
The font used here is
Adobe Garamond Pro
Bold.
Each letter is formatted
with a different colour
and the background is
formatted with a linear
gradient to suit it. Take
care to ensure the
gradient is in the same
direction for all of the
letters.
The width of all text
boxes should be equal,
here it is 2 cms.
2 cms

29. Copy one of the text
boxes from the
powerpoint file, let’s start
with H.
In Excel, select the series
“History” in the chart,
choose FORMAT, in the
FILL option choose
PICTURE>CLIPBOARD.
Repeat this for the other
letters. You can use any
picture or fill in this
manner.

30. The chart title has been
formatted and a shadow
added.
The text on both axis has
also been changed to the
same colour and the
same shadow was added
to the category axis text.
The grid lines colour is
changed and the line
type is now dashed.
Stacked Chart
The labels have been
moved to the right

31. When choosing colours
you can choose custom
colours. Standard colours
have the advantage of
being the same every
time you choose the
colour.
This is the font colour
used here
Stacked Chart

32. When using pictures,
the data labels may
not be visible. Here
they have been pulled
to the side.
Stacked Chart

33. When using pictures, the
data labels may not be
visible. Here they have
been pulled to the side.
They can even be deleted
if they do not add value
to your message.
Stacked Chart

34. Images used from free image sources
"Aegina, The Temple of Aphaia" by Alun Salt. -Licensed
under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Commons
A Specimen by William Caslon" by William Licensed
under Public Domain via Commons
You can edit all the fonts and text boxes in the chart and
add many colours and pictures. But don’t get carried
away and overdo the decorating!
Remember the purpose is to enhance the understanding
and the message of the chart, not to show off all the
formatting you know! If in doubt choose to be simple.
There are many more creative and elaborate ways of
displaying your data in charts… in my next installment…
Thanks!!!
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