How to Create a Burn-up Chart in Excel (With Easy Steps)

Burn-up charts are an effective tool for tracking the progress of a project. These charts provide visual representations of the progress made on a project over time and can be used to spot any potential problems that may arise. A burn-up chart is a type of chart created in Microsoft Excel, which is used to monitor the progress of a project. In this article, I am going to explain the whole procedure on the topic of how to create a Burn-up chart in Excel. I hope it will be helpful for you if you are looking for a similar sort of thing.

Burn-up Chart in Excel: Step-by-Step Procedure to Create

To create a burn-up chart in Excel, I am going to explain the whole procedure in detail in the following section. I have divided the whole procedure into 4 different parts to make it more simple to understand. Let’s march forward.

Step 1: Create a Dataset with Proper Parameters

It is a must to have a proper dataset to create a burn-up chart. So, we will be discussing the dataset of an ongoing project. I have arranged the data of that project in the Dates, Estimated Project, Estimated Progress, and Actual Progress columns.

Step 2: Calculate Estimated and Actual Progress

In order to find the estimated progress of the project, input the following formula in cell F5.

=D5

This will define the value at the beginning of the project.

Now, apply the following formula in cell F6 to have the total progress till day 2.

=F5+D6

Afterward, use Fill Handle to AutoFill the rest of the cells in Column F.

In a similar fashion, calculate the total progress on the ongoing project in the Cumulative Actual Progress column.

Step 3: Create a Burn-up Chart

In order to have a Burn-up chart, create a normal chart first. For this, select the column Dates and Estimated Project.
Then, go to Insert.
Next, click on Recommended Charts from the ribbon.

A wizard named Insert Chart will appear.
Select the Line pattern for the chart and click on OK.

Now, right-click on the mouse keeping the cursor on the chart.
From the available options, click on Select Data…

Now, click on Add to add a new series.

Put a suitable name and define the range from the Edit Series wizard.
Followingly, press OK.

Use a similar pattern to further the series.

Following these steps, I have generated the Estimated Progress and Actual Progress series.

In order to modify the previously set series, select that series and click on the Edit option.

Do the necessary modification and press OK to finish it.

We can have our defined series in the Select Data Source. Press OK to finish the modification.

Now, we can see a Burn-up Chart generated from our data.

Step 4: Modify Burn-up Chart

To do further modification, select the chart first.
Then, click on the Addition (+) sign.
Now, select the necessary elements from the Chart Elements group to add them to the chart.

You can edit further according to your choice.

Download Practice Workbook

Download this practice workbook to exercise while you are reading this article.

Burn Up Chart.xlsx

Conclusion

At the end of this article, I like to add that I have tried to explain the whole procedure on the topic of how to create a Bur up chart in Excel. It will be a matter of great pleasure for me if this article could help any Excel user even a little. For any further queries, comment below. You can visit our site for more articles about using Excel.

<< Go Back to Burndown Chart in Excel | Excel Charts | Learn Excel

Get FREE Advanced Excel Exercises with Solutions!