How to Make a Bar Graph in Excel?

A Bar Graph is a graph that represents the categorical data with rectangular bars for the height and lengths of the bar, which are proportional to the data values. The bars on graphs are plotted vertically or horizontally. Sometimes bars that are plotted vertically are also referred to as Column charts.

The bar graph usually shows the comparisons between the various categories of the data points in the dataset. On one axis, it shows the categories that are being compared, and on another axis, it shows the corresponding values of those categories. In this article, we will be using random sales data as the dataset and representing it in bar graphs for visualization.

Step 1: Create a dataset

In this step, we will insert random financial sales data into our Excel sheet. Below is the screenshot of the random data we will use for our bar graph.

Step 2: Insert Bar graph

Once we have created our dataset, we will insert a bar graph for our data values. We need to drag & select data and then go to the Insert tab and then the chart section and insert the bar chart.

Once we select our desired bar chart. Excel will automatically plot a graph for our dataset. Below is the screenshot attached for it.

In the above graph, we can easily visualize the different courses that are sold. In the next step, we will try to format our graph.

Step 3: Formatting graph

We will try to format our graph according to our needs in this step.

1. Changing the graph title

In order to change the graph title, we need to double-click on the title and edit it. In our case, we will change it to Courses Sales.

Once we select the chart title by double-clicking it, we need just to edit it to Courses Sales.

2. Adding or Removing the chart elements

We can also add or remove the chart elements. For this, we need to select our chart and then click the plus(+) icon. This will open various chart elements, which we can add or remove by checking or unchecking the check-box option.

3. Adding Axis titles and Legend

In this step, we will add the axis title and the legend for our bar chart. For this, we need to perform the same previous step and add the chart titles and the legend. For axis titles, we will use No. Of Sales for Y-axis and Course Names for X-axis and we will position the legend at the top.

4. Changing the style of the graph

In this step, we will try to change the style of the graph. For this, we need to select our graph and click on the chart style option. It will show various inbuilt styles for the graph. We can use whatever style we want.

In the above picture, we can see our chart style has been changed for the default one.

5. Changing the color of the graph

In this step, we will try to change the color of the graph. For this, we need to follow the same step as the previous one select the Color tab beside the Style tab and choose the color pattern according to our own requirements.

In conclusion, knowing how to make a bar graph in Excel is essential for many professionals. It helps you show data clearly and spot trends easily. From picking the right data to styling your graph, each step is important. Excel is a powerful tool for visualizing data, and mastering it can help you make better decisions. So, practice these basics, get creative, and make your data stand out with Excel’s bar graphs!

How do I create a bar graph in Excel?

To create a bar graph in Excel:

1. Enter your data into columns.
2. Select your data.
3. Go to “Insert” and choose “Bar Chart.”
4. Pick the type of bar graph you want.
5. Customize your graph as needed.