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How to Create a Simple Bar Chart in Excel?

Bar charts are a graphical representation of categorical data using horizontal bars. This is a simple yet great visual for comparing changes in values and observing trends.

In this post, we’ll look at simple categorical data and the steps required to construct a visually appealing bar chart in Excel.

For this exercise, consider sample data of employee headcounts by various departments as shown:

Simple Bar Chart  sample data

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Step 01: Create Chart

Select all the data, go to Insert, and choose a 2D clustered bar chart.

Simple Bar Chart 2D clustered

With this, a bar chart for your data gets inserted.

Simple Bar Chart (a)

Please note that the colors for the chart are dependent on the theme of your Excel sheet.

Step 02: Formatting the Chart

While the previous step creates a bar chart, let us look at some of the formatting that is available in Excel for a visually appealing and effective chart.

i. Click anywhere on the chart, and press CTRL+1 to open the format pane.

ii. Here, from the drop-down choose the “HEADCOUNT’ series.

Simple Bar Chart choose series

iii. Under Fill & Line, choose a fill color for the bars to match the report where this chart might go.

Simple Bar Chart fill color

iv. Again, from the drop-down choose the “Horizontal (Value) Axis Major Gridlines” and

Simple Bar Chart  horizontal axis Major guidelines

modify the line color to make it less apparent.

Simple Bar Chart line color

v. Add a suitable chart title and format it using the Home Ribbon as shown:

Simple Bar Chart title

vi. Click on the chart, and use “+” to add data labels, and similar to the previous step format it using the Home Ribbon.

Simple Bar Chart data labels

vii. Again, click on the “+” to add the Axis titles, add suitable titles (as and if needed). Format them if needed using the options in the Home Ribbon.

Simple Bar Chart axis titles

viii. From the drop-down in the format pane now choose the chart area. Now, choose a suitable fill, here I have chosen a pattern fill with a color that goes with my theme and one that doesn’t overpower the chart.

Simple Bar Chart pattern fill

Also, format the chart border as shown:

Simple Bar Chart border

ix. Choose the Plot Area from the drop-down and apply the same fill color as in the previous step.

Simple Bar Chart plot area

Please note that this is a design preference, you can choose to apply chart and plot area colors as per your preference.

With this, your simple bar chart for categorical data is ready to be added to your reports or presentations, and further analysis.

Simple Bar final chart

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