Charts and Simple Reports

Introduction

A chart turns rows of numbers into a picture people understand in seconds. This lesson shows how to make one in any spreadsheet program, and how to avoid charts that mislead. See also the chart advice in our Data Basics course.

Make a summary first

Charts need the numbers you want to show. For the sales table, we want revenue by region. The totals, worked out earlier, are:

Total: 248.5. In the next course you will calculate such totals with SUMIF, and with pivot tables. For now, type them in a small table.

Create a chart

1. Select the summary table, including the headings.
2. Choose Insert, then Chart.
3. The program suggests a type. Change it if needed.
4. Add a title, and label the axes.

The data range matters: charts read from your cells, so if you change the numbers, the chart changes too.

Choosing the chart type

• Column or bar chart: compare amounts between categories, such as revenue by region.
• Line chart: show change over time, such as monthly revenue.
• Pie chart: show parts of a whole, only with a few slices.
• Scatter chart: show whether two numbers are related.

When in doubt, use a bar chart.

Make it clear and honest

• Title that says what the chart shows, such as "Revenue by region, Jan to Apr".
• Axis labels with units.
• Start bar charts at zero. A cut-off axis exaggerates differences.
• Use few colours, with a purpose.
• Remove clutter: heavy gridlines, 3D effects and unnecessary decoration.
• Order the bars sensibly, such as largest to smallest.
• Add data labels if exact values matter.
• Make sure it is readable by people with colour vision difficulties by also using labels or patterns.

A one-page report

A simple report answers a question. Arrange on one sheet:

1. A title and date, and the source of the data
2. The key message in one sentence, such as "Region S earned more than region N in this period"
3. One or two charts
4. A small table of the main numbers
5. Notes: assumptions and limits, such as "only eight sample rows"

Set the page layout and print area so it fits on one page, and preview before printing or exporting to PDF.

Sharing safely

• Remove personal or private data you do not need to share.
• Share a PDF or a view-only link when others do not need to edit.
• Check who can access a shared link.

Where to go next

In Spreadsheets Intermediate you will learn to look things up, add up by category and build pivot tables that create these summaries automatically.

Try it yourself

Create a column chart for revenue by region from the table above. Add a clear title, axis labels and data labels. Then write the key message in one sentence beneath it.

Summary

• Select a summary table, insert a chart and choose a type that fits the question.
• Label clearly, start bars at zero and avoid clutter.
• A good report has a key message, a chart or two, a small table and notes on limits.