Nasir Muhammad Munim
Column Charts can be used to show how data changes over time or to show comparisons between things. In Column Charts, the categories are usually lined up along the horizontal axis, and the values are usually lined up along the vertical axis. In this article, we’ll show you how to use the Charts tool in Microsoft Excel to create a Column Chart in Excel quickly and easily.
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2 Suitable Ways to Create a Column Chart in Excel
There are mainly two types of column charts available in Excel. They are 2-D and 3-D column charts. For any kind of given data, we can plot these two types of charts. The steps to create these charts are described below.
For Column Charts, it’s best to have data that comes in a certain order. It’s also better if each row of data has a heading for both the rows and the columns. There’s no rule about it, but it’s better. We should set up our data this way so that it is easier to plot. For better understanding, we will follow the table below showing how 3 people spend their time daily in Study, watching Television, using Mobile and Sports.
1. Creating 2-D Column Chart
2-D Charts are the most commonly used charts. It is easier to see the differences and relations with 2-D charts. Here are the steps to easily create a 2-D Column Chart in Excel.
Steps:
- First, select the entire data set. In our case, the range is (B4:F7).
- Next, go to the Insert tab and in the Charts area, select the Column or Bar Chart option.
- Then in the Column or Bar Chart option, select the first option in the 2-D Column section.
- Finally, we will get a simple column chart like the below image.
Read More: Column Chart vs Bar Chart in Excel (6 Useful Examples)
2. Creating 3-D Column Chart
To create a 3-D Column Chart in Excel, we will follow exactly the same steps as creating a 2-D chart. But while selecting chart type, we will select the first option in the 3-D Column area.
Finally selecting this chart type will immediately create a 3-D column chart like the below image.
Modifying Column Chart in Excel
Let’s say, we want to see each individual’s time together. To do so, we can follow these steps:
Steps:
- Firstly, select the X-axis of the Column Chart, right-click on it, and click on Select Data.
- Secondly, a dialog box will appear named Select Data Source. In that box click on Switch Row/Column and then press OK.
- Finally pressing OK will make our previous graph like this.
Here we can see Sam, Chris, and Ben’s time spent in different activities together and compare them.
Now if we want to see each individual’s time together in 3-D, we will follow the same steps. Following those steps will result in the following image.
Create Different Types of Column Charts in Excel
There are different chart types to choose from when we are creating a Column Chart in Excel. Each one shows a different way of comparing and relating. Below, we’ll discuss different column charts.
1. Clustered Column
Clustered Column is the first type to select in column chart selection. It comes in both 2-D and 3-D types in Excel. To create such a chart, we should follow the steps below.
Steps:
- At first, we will select our data.
- Then in the Insert tab, we will select one of the Clustered Column Chart options in the column chart in the Charts tool.
- Finally, for choosing 2-D we will get the chart below.
- And for choosing 3-D we will get the following.
Read More: How to Insert a 3D Clustered Column Chart in Excel (with Easy Steps)
2. Stacked Column
These charts illustrate a field’s total and its contributors. Sam, Chris, and Ben spend total of 8 hours in the Study. Here, the overall Study time and individual contributions are indicated by color. These procedures below create a Stacked Column Chart.
Steps:
- First, we need to select one of the options like the image below since this feature is available in both 2-D and 3-D.
- Then choosing 2-D will result in creating a chart like this.
- And if we choose 3-D, we will get the following.
3. 100% Stacked Column
It is simply the Stacked Column but the total is 100% and each person’s contribution is in percentage. To get it, we will follow these steps.
Steps:
- To begin with, we need to select one of the following options in the Charts section since this feature is available in both 2-D and 3-D type charts.
- Next for choosing 2-D, we will get a chart like the following.
- And for 3-D we will get this chart below.
Read More: How to Make a 100% Stacked Column Chart in Excel
4. 3-D Column
To get this chart, we need to select the 3-D Column option in Chart tools.
Finally choosing this option will give us the following result.
Things to Remember
- For all of these types of charts, all the steps are the same except for choosing the chart type.
- Switch Row/Column will change the Column Chart not the given data in Excel.
- 3-D Column is only available for 3-D type.
- We must select the entire data before selecting the chart type.
- For the 100% Stacked Column Chart, the height of all the columns is the same since every field is considered in percentage and the total is 100%.
Conclusion
Column Charts are a very useful feature in excel if we want to analyze or differentiate our data. In every field, this feature is used for analyzing and visualizing the progress or differences. These methods and steps mentioned above will get you a Column Chart within a few clicks. If you’re still having trouble with any of these steps, let us know in the comments. Our team is ready to answer all of your questions. In excel, if you face problems, visit our website ExcelDemy for all types of excel related problem solutions.
