Visualizing complex data is important when you are trying to present a lot of information. And a simple way to do this is to use a bar graph in Google sheets.

How to Create a Bar Graph in Google Sheets

But how do you create a simple bar graph in Google sheets? Luckily, the process is simple and takes very little time. Let’s take a look at the steps to make a bar chart in Google sheets.

1.Open your spreadsheet

The first thing you need to do is go to sheets.google.com and open the spreadsheet for visualizing data. If you want to create a new spreadsheet, go to sheets.new and insert your data.

2.Select data

Next, choose the data you wish to include in the graph. To do this, click the first cell and hold the shift key.

In the top toolbar, click Insert Chart icon.

3.Format your chart into bar graph

In the chart editor, select the dropdown menu under Chart Type. Choose “bar” section and select the chart style that works best for you. You will find some default chart here.

How to Create a Stacked Bar Chart in Google Sheets

Now that you have figured out how to insert a simple bar graph in Google Sheet, let’s look at a more advanced chart type.

Standard stacked bar graphs are useful when you have to work with multiple data ranges. Let’s take a look at how you can create stacked bar charts in Google Sheets.

Go to Chart Editor

Click on the chart editor option.

Click Standard

Under the Stacking option, select Standard. You can also choose the 100% option to get a ratio of the data to the whole set.

How to Make a Bar Graph with Multiple Variables in Google Sheets

If you’re working with multiple variables, here are the steps to follow to create a bar graph in Google sheets.

Select your data

First, you need to select your data range. Hit ctrl+c to do this.

Insert graph

Next, click the Insert tab and find the chart option. When you click it, a bar graph will appear in the spreadsheet.

How to Create a Double Bar Graph in Google Sheets

If you have two data sets to visualize on one graph, a double bar graph can come in handy. Here are the steps to create a double bar graph in Google sheets.

Enter data

The first step is to add the values for the data sheet.

Create double bar graph

Next, highlight the values and click the Insert tab. There, click Chart. Once you complete this step, the double bar graph will appear on the spreadsheet.

How to Make a Bar Chart in Google Sheets with One Column of Data

You don’t always work with a lot of data. Sometimes, you’re working with just one column of data. Luckily, you can use create a bar chart in Google Sheet. Let’s explore how.

Select data

The first step is to select data. Just press ctrl+c and select the data you want to turn into a bar chart.

Create bar graph

Next, click the Insert tab where you will find the chart option. Once you click it, a bar chart will appear.

Select stacked bar chart

Under the customize button, you will find the stacking option. Here you can choose an option that works best for your data visualization.

How to Customize Bar Graphs in Google Sheets

If you’re looking to edit chart and create a customized bar graph, you can follow these steps to make use of the chart editor.

Select data range

Select the data range you want to customize.

Open chart editor

Next, click the Insert tab and then the Chart option.

Customize bar graph

In the Chart editor, you will find the customize tab. Click on it and start customizing your graph.

How to Label a Bar Chart in Google Sheets

To make it easier for anyone looking at the bar chart to understand it properly, you can use labels. Here are the steps to follow:

Click Edit Chart

On your bar graph, click the three dots that appear on top right. Then, choose the Edit chart option.

Add labels

Next, under the Series option, click add labels.

Customize labels

You can also customize the look of your labels. To do this, click the customize tab and explore options that work best for you.

How to Change the Title of a Bar Graph in Google Sheets

For more customization such as changing the chart title, Google provides some simple solutions. Here are the steps to get started:

Go to Chart Editor

To begin with, go to Chart Editor and then click the customize button.

Change Chart title

Under the customize button, you will find the Chart & axis titles. In the Title text bar, enter the title.

How to Reverse Axis Order of Your Bar Chart

If you are looking to reverse axis order of your bar graph, here are the steps to follow:

Go to the Series option

First, click on the customize button. This will open up the Series option. Click on it.

Reverse the Axis order

Next, go to the Axis option. Here, you will be able to reverse the order of your bar graph.

How to Format a Data Point in Google Sheets

To format data point, follow these steps.

Go to Series

Under the Customize tab, find the series option and click it.

Select the Data Point

The next step is to click the Format data point option. When you hit add, you will prompted to select the data point.

Customize a Data Point

Once you select the data point, you will find options to customize it.

Add Error Bars to Your Bar Chart in Google Sheets

Error bars help highlight the error that can be expected with the value. And adding them to your Google Sheets is pretty straightforward. Here’s how you do this:

Activate Error bars

Under the customize bar, click series. When you scroll down, you will find the Error Bars option. Click on it and add value as 10. With this one simple step, you will be able to activate Error Bars in your Google Sheet.

How to Swap Columns and Rows of a Bar Chart

Transposing or swapping columns and rows is extremely simple with Google Sheets. Here’s how you do it.

Copy the Data Range

To start with this, you need to copy the data range. Select the range and hit ctrl+c.

Transpose data

Next, click on a different cell. Here, type this code based on your data. We have added this =TRANSPOSE(A1:B5). Now press enter.

Benefits of Creating a Bar Graph in Google Sheets for Your Business

Whether you are wondering how to make a pie chart in Google sheets or how to make a line chart in Google sheets, there are some really simple tricks that can make your work easier. Here are some ways Google sheets makes life easier.

Collaboration: The best part about Google sheets is that it supports collaboration. In other words, your entire team can work to visualize data at the same time on the same document.
Cost: For a small business working on sales data, Google sheets is an effective solution because it costs nothing.
Works across devices: With Google sheets, you can create chart types on a variety of devices.
Cloud-based: If you are thinking how to make a Gantt chart in Google sheets, you need to know that this solution is cloud-based. It’s also available offline.

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This article, “How to Make a Bar Chart in Google Sheets” was first published on Small Business Trends