Charts that tell a story
8 minutes · 4 steps · free, no sign-up
A chart is only useful if the reader gets the message in a few seconds. That starts with choosing the chart that suits the question, and ends with a title that says what to notice, not just what the data is. You will make three charts from one sheet.
- Choose a line chart to show change over time
- Show two series, such as sales against a target
- Use columns to compare categories
- Use a pie only for parts of a whole, and write a title that makes the point
Click a cell and start typing. Enter edits, Tab moves right, arrows move, Delete clears.
Quick referenceWhich chart?
Change over time line
Compare categories column or bar
Parts of a whole pie (few slices only)
Title say what to noticeThe key ideasSummary: Charts that tell a story
Start with the question. If it is "how did it change?", use a line. If it is "which is biggest?", use columns or bars. If it is "what share does each part take?" and there are only a few parts that add to a whole, use a pie. Adding a second series, such as a target, gives the reader something to compare against.
Then write the title as the answer: "Sales beat target from April" tells the reader what to see, where "Monthly sales" only describes the data. Include the headings in your range so the chart can label itself.
Watch out forCommon mistakes
- A pie with too many slices. Beyond four or five, people cannot compare them. Use bars instead.
- A line for unrelated categories. A line suggests a continuous change. Products or regions belong in columns.
- A title that only names the data. "Sales" tells nobody anything. State what changed.
- Leaving out the headings in the range. Without them the chart has no series names or labels.
Next stepTry it in the real Google Sheets
In Google Sheets, select your data and use Insert → Chart. The chart editor can suggest a type, and the Customise tab lets you set titles, colours and axis labels.