In this tutorial, we will learn how to make a Stunning chart in Google Sheets.
As I mentioned in my previous article on the complete guide to Google Sheets charts, I’ve put together this thorough guide for you to learn everything about Google Sheets charts. In this article, we’ll learn how to create stunning charts in Google Sheets. This is a comprehensive reference that covers some of the most commonly used charts, including a detailed discussion of the chart editor box and the various customization choices for distinct charts.
Uses of Charts in Google Sheets
When working with charts, we need some knowledge and good practice to create a beautiful and responsive chart. A responsive chart means that the chart we designed should communicate and interact with the reader; it should be as simple as possible so that the user can quickly understand what this chart is about and what it is attempting to define. So, in simple terms, the chart we create for ourselves should be understandable to others as well.
A good chart is communicative and user-friendly; it should not be over-designed or under-designed; it should be beautiful so that a user can watch it and enjoy it; and it should be simple and quick to communicate the message for which the chart was created. In this article, we will discuss various tips, tactics, methodologies, hacks, and best practices for creating stunning charts in Google Sheets.
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How to Make a Stunning Chart in Google Sheets
To teach you how to create stunning charts in Google Sheets, we have divided this post into several pieces. Section-wise learning is consistently more effective and lasts longer than mixed learning. So let us get started. For the sake of practical implementation, I will make a simple chart with a simple data set, but I will not emphasize how to create a chart because I have already covered this topic several times in this series. So I will simply explain customization and a few methods for creating stunning charts in Google Sheets.
Check out the articles below to learn how to create a chart from a sketch using various datasets.
How to make a stunning Line Chart in google sheets
Line charts are the most popular style of chart in Google Sheets and Google Slides. We can plot both simple and sophisticated and complex data into a line chart, which shows our data elegantly with colorful lines and allows people to easily comprehend the data trend.
Step 1>
Add a chart title.
Step 2>
Use minimal edits.
Step 3>
Use a line thickness of 4px.
Tip: Use a line chart to show data trends. For example, we are determining the yearly sales, profit, and loss trends.
How to make a stunning Area Chart in google sheets
Area charts are quite similar to line charts in that they feature lines, but they also have a thick area surface behind the lines, forming a mountain-like shape that represents the diversity of the data over time; if the data changes rapidly, the area will become very inconsistent and faded up. If the data is linear and does not fluctuate rapidly, the region will stay smooth.
Step 1>
Create a chart title.
Step 2>
Use the black text color for the title.
Step 3>
Keep line thickness auto.
Step 4>
Keep the point size to none.
Tip: Use an area chart to demonstrate the trends in your data over time; it is similar to a line chart but has a shaded area below the lines that displays the extent of the trend even when the lines meet or overlap.
How to make a stunning Column Chart in google sheets
Column charts are used for many data columns, and the columns in this chart are raised and lowered depending on the data. The deviation in this data is derived by subtracting the highest column from the lowest. Most of this chart is used for categorical data, such as monthly sales.
Step 1>
Add a chart title.
Step 2>
Turn on data labels and raise their font size.
Step 3>
Turn on the 3D visual.
Tip: When comparing two or more data sets by time or any other feature, use a column chart; this is especially suggested for categorical data with several categories.
How to make a stunning Bar Chart in google sheets
Bar charts are comparable to column charts and can be used interchangeably; however, we mostly use bar charts to compare individual data points. For example, compare item sales by geography or provide a student breakdown based on their major. The bar chart is elevated from left to right, but the column chart rises in a column series from bottom to top.
Step 1>
Add a chart title.
Step 2>
Turn on data labels and raise their font size.
Step 3>
Increase the font size of the Vertical Axis Title.
Step 4>
Increase the legend size.
Tip: When comparing specific items under different conditions, use a bar chart; in this case, we compared grades based on gender.
How to make a stunning Pie Chart in google sheets
Pie charts are commonly used in market analysis and to determine differences in data over time. For example, to find the top 5 manufacturing defects on a daily basis, the problems can now be modified, as can their location. We use a pie chart to represent this type of data. We just utilize it to compare different aspects of the same data.
Step 1>
Add a chart title, keep it centered, and align.
Step 2>
Use percentage for the slice labels.
Step 3>
Keep the legend position at the bottom.
Step 4>
Use different colors for each pie piece.
Tip: Use a pie chart to compare segments of the same data, such as the top 5 manufacturing failures, the contributions of different personnel, and the performance of different departments month after month or year.
How to make a stunning Scatter Chart in google sheets
We use scatter charts to show numerical coordinates on the horizontal X and vertical Y axes. We use this chart to calculate the difference between two dependent variables; it allows us to quickly see the effect of each variable on the other.
Step 1>
Increase the vertical and horizontal axis title sizes to 16px and 18px, correspondingly.
Step 2>
Don’t use Legend (it looks unpleasant).
Step 3>
Do not use data labels (they look unattractive).
Tip: Use scatter charts to show how two variables depend on one other, such as the sale of cold drinks and the different temperature scales.
How to make a stunning Map Chart in google sheets
Using different colors, we use map charts to show the geo-location or map of any region, area, country, or city. Several colors are used to show the values of that specific location. The value might range from the number of hospitals in the area to the region’s population.
Step 1>
Use a limited map if you have data in a specific region (e.g., Asia).
Step 2>
Avoid changing colors (it looks bad).
Step 3>
Use the Aggregate checkbox to view the number of sales.
Tip: Use map charts to show the values of any data for a region, city, or country.
Important Notes
- Remember that the text size and colors are always your preferences; we simply told you the best practices.
- All of the charts defined above are the main charts; other variations of the above charts will be discussed in another article.
- The goal of this post is to explain how you should create each sort of chart.
- The suggestion for each chart is to tell you when to utilize that particular chart style.
- Of course, the customization tips provided in this lecture are optional; you can have whatever you want, but as a newbie, we will guide you through the best practices.
- When creating a chart, always include a title and vertical and horizontal axis headings to help readers understand what each axis represents.
- Never use too many colors in the chart.
- Always strive to keep your chart as simple as possible; don’t go overboard with details. Keep only the most significant details, such as the chart title, axis titles, legend (if applicable), data labels, and error bars.
- Do not change the default colors when using map/geo charts in Google Sheets.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create a map chart in Google Sheets using the same steps I would for a regular chart?
The steps for creating map charts in Google Sheets are the same as for creating ordinary charts. To build a map chart, go to the Insert menu and pick Chart, then Geo chart. Select the data range, adjust the chart as needed, and voilà! You can now see your data as an interactive map chart.
What are the geo charts in Google Sheets?
Geo charts are used to display data about a region/area/country or continent, and Google Sheets provides us with a complete world map. We specify the region names (spelling must be 100% correct), and Google detects the region on the map, allowing us to easily show our data for different regions about anything such as sales in a different region, traffic from different countries, business in different countries, and so on.
Conclusion
This article covered creating charts in Google Sheets, and it was a complete instruction that taught you how to create attractive charts in Google Sheets. I hope you enjoyed this comprehensive post. I started off with the main chart categories in Google Sheets and covered seven of them. We will undoubtedly publish the following article on this topic, which will go into the sub-categories of chart kinds. We also haven’t seen any charts in the other categories. We will also view them and learn how to make them both effective and beautiful.
That’s all for today. Thank you very much for visiting. For more amazing tips, tutorials, and guides keep learning and sharing.