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Column charts

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The column chart Understanding column charts and creating them in Excel
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Page 1: Column charts

The column chartUnderstanding column charts and creating them

in Excel

Page 2: Column charts

The Column Chart

• It shows your data in vertical fashion, which helps comparison.

Page 3: Column charts

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”

Page 4: Column charts

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

Page 5: Column charts

The definitionA 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. 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

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

Automobile sales trend in India

Page 6: Column charts

Adding informationAdditional information can be conveyed by stacking numbers in the columns.

This is called a

stacked column chart.

2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-150

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

Automobile sales trend in India

Two WheelersThree WheelersCommercial VehiclesPassenger Vehicles

Page 7: Column charts

The same data in another chart typeThe information can also be viewed in separate columns for each data set.

This is called a clustered column chart.

Page 8: Column charts

How do these three types show the same data differently?Choose the chart type according to your need.

2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-150

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

Automobile sales trend in India

2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-150

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

Automobile sales trend in India

Two WheelersThree WheelersCommercial VehiclesPassenger Vehicles

Page 9: Column charts

2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-150

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

20,000,000Automobile sales trend in India

Two Wheelers

Three Wheelers

Commercial Vehicles

Passenger Ve-hicles

2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-150

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

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

Page 10: Column charts

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

Page 11: Column charts

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.

Shruti Rita Aakar Kiran Raghu Bhaskar0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

38 4050 52

667842 45

60 54

697063 66 45

63

7277

5357

80 65

7668

5962

60 62

68 65

Term Exam Marks Civics History Science Eng Math

Stacked Chart

Page 12: Column charts

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.

Shruti Rita Aakar Kiran Raghu Bhaskar0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

38 40 50 52 66 7842 4560 54

69 7063 66 45 63

7277

53 5780 65

76 68

5962

60 62

68 65

Term Exam MarksCivics History Science Eng Math

Shruti Rita Aakar Kiran Raghu Bhaskar0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

3840

5052

66

78

4245

60

54

69 70

6366

45

63

72

77

5357

80

65

76

68

5962

6062

6865

Term Exam Marks Math Eng Science History Civics

Stacked Chart Clustered Chart

Page 13: Column charts

Adding a label with the total marks helps us to see the data betterIf 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

Page 14: Column charts

Some formatting adds a lot of value to your chart

Stacked Chart

Page 15: Column charts

Choose your chart type based on the message you want to convey. You can experiment with the different types to help you decide.

2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-150

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

Automobile sales trend in India

Two WheelersThree WheelersCommercial VehiclesPassenger Vehicles

Lets see how we can make these charts in Excel.

Page 16: Column charts

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 dataGo to INSERT > CHARTThen select the column chart option.

Stacked Chart

Page 17: Column charts

Select separate cells by holding down CTRL while selecting

This selection will result in a plain column chart

Column Chart

Page 18: Column charts

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.

Page 19: Column charts

To improve the chart by adding or removing elements and formatting them you need to know the parts of the chart

2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-150

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

Automobile sales trend in India

Two WheelersThree WheelersCommercial VehiclesPassenger Vehicles

Chart Title

Value Axis

Category Axis

LegendGridlines

Elements of the chart

Page 20: Column charts

2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-150

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

Automobile sales trend in India

Two WheelersThree WheelersCommercial VehiclesPassenger VehiclesPlot

AreaChart Area

The plot and chart areas can be filled with plain colors, gradients or pictures, or left without fill.

Elements of the chart

Page 21: Column charts

Elements of the chart

2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-150

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

Automobile sales trend in India

Two WheelersThree WheelersCommercial VehiclesPassenger 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.

Page 22: Column charts

Data labelsGap 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

Page 23: Column charts

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.

Page 24: Column charts

This is a selection of different types of formatting of columns. The chart area has also been formatted with a radial gradientGradient with borderSolid fill with shadowGradient rectangular fillTexture fill with border Gradient fill

with gradient border Picture fill

Page 25: Column charts

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

Page 26: Column charts

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.”

Page 27: Column charts

Now the total marks can be seen above the individual categories.

Stacked Chart

Page 28: Column charts

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

Page 29: Column charts

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.

Page 30: Column charts

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

Page 31: Column charts

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

Page 32: Column charts

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

Stacked Chart

Page 33: Column charts

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

Page 34: Column charts

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!!!

Daksha Bhat

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