Column Chart Excel 2013: Make one in Easy Steps

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Column Chart Excel 2013: Overview

Column charts compare categories of data and display them graphically. Excel has a wide variety of options for column charts, but you can create a basic one in a couple of clicks. Below the steps you’ll find some tips for creating and formatting a column chart in Excel 2013.

Column Chart Excel 2013
A column chart displays data in categories.

Column Chart Excel 2013: Steps

Step 1: Type your data into two columns.
Column charts compare categories of data, so one column should be your categories (categorical variables). The other should be numerical or quantitative variables. For example, you might have “Breeds of Dog” in column A and “Number of dogs” in column B.

Step 2: Select your data and then click the “Insert” tab. To select the data, use your mouse to left-click in the top left cell, then drag the cursor to the bottom right.

Step 3: Click the down arrow next to the column icon in the charts area, then click a chart type. For example, click the first icon for a basic column chart.

That’s it!

Column chart Excel 2013: Tips for formatting the chart

Make the bars wider (close the gap between the bars): Right click on the chart, then click “Format Chart Area” to open to Format Charts area window. Click the drop down menu under Format Chart Area (Chart Options) and click “Series (variable name).” The variable name will be the name of the list of numerical variables on your chart. Click the third icon under Series options (the three bars). Move the “Gap Width” slider to chance the width of the bars.

Remove elements like data labels: Click the Chart Options icon (a plus sign) to the right of the chart. If you don’t see the icon, close the Format Charts Area box.

Pick a different chart style: Click the Design tab (it will show up when you click the chart). Then choose a style from the icons displayed in the center of the Toolbar.


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