Bar graph maker

How to make it here

1. Drop an Excel or CSV file with a category column, or paste a table.
2. Choose the category and the values. Pick sum, average or row count.
3. Sort, stack or group the bars, then copy the graph.

What is a bar graph?

A bar graph shows one bar per category, with the length of the bar standing for a value. People compare lengths very accurately, so a bar graph is the clearest way to answer “which is biggest, and by how much?”.

Vertical bars are often called a column chart; horizontal bars are easier to read when category names are long. SheetGlance switches between them for you.

When to use a bar graph

• Comparing totals across groups: sales by store, spend by channel, votes by option.
• Ranking: the top 10 products, the busiest days of the week.
• Comparing several measures per group: this year and last year side by side.
• Showing the mix inside each group: stacked bars for revenue by product within each region.

For a trend over time, a line graph is usually clearer. To show parts of one whole, consider a pie chart when there are only a few parts.

Stacked or grouped bars?

Stacked bars put the values for each category on top of each other. Use them when the total matters and the parts add up to it, for example sales by product inside each region.

Grouped bars (side by side) place the values next to each other. Use them when you want to compare each value directly, for example three competitors per category. SheetGlance picks stacked bars when there are many categories or three or more values, and lets you switch.

How to make a bar graph in Excel

1. Put the categories in one column and the values next to them, with a header row.
2. Select the range.
3. Go to Insert → Charts → Insert Column or Bar Chart and choose Clustered Column for vertical bars or Clustered Bar for horizontal bars. Choose Stacked to stack several series.
4. To sort bars by size, sort the source data first: Data → Sort, largest to smallest.

If the same category appears on many rows, Excel draws one bar per row. Use a PivotTable first, or drop the file here: SheetGlance adds up the rows per category automatically.

How to make a bar graph in Google Sheets

1. Select the data with headers and choose Insert → Chart.
2. Under Setup → Chart type, choose Column chart or Bar chart (stacked versions are listed too).
3. Under Customise → Series, add data labels if you want the values on the bars.

Tips for a clearer bar graph

• Sort bars by size unless the categories have a natural order, like days of the week.
• Always start the value axis at zero: bar length is the message.
• Show the top 10–15 categories and group the rest as “Other”.
• Use one colour and highlight only the bar you want people to notice.