5 Ways To Create Stacked Bar Chart In Excel

Creating a stacked bar chart in Excel is a great way to visually represent data that is categorized into different groups. This type of chart is particularly useful when you want to show the contribution of each group to the total. In this article, we will explore five ways to create a stacked bar chart in Excel.

A stacked bar chart is a type of bar chart where the bars are divided into sub-bars, each representing a different category. The height of each sub-bar represents the value of the corresponding category, and the total height of the bar represents the sum of all categories. Stacked bar charts are useful for comparing the contribution of different categories to the total.

Why Use Stacked Bar Charts?

Stacked bar charts are useful for several reasons:

• They allow you to compare the contribution of different categories to the total.
• They help to identify trends and patterns in the data.
• They are easy to create and interpret.
• They can be used to display both positive and negative values.

Method 1: Using the Built-in Stacked Bar Chart Option

The easiest way to create a stacked bar chart in Excel is to use the built-in stacked bar chart option. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Select the data range that you want to use for the chart.
2. Go to the "Insert" tab in the ribbon.
3. Click on the "Bar Chart" button in the "Illustrations" group.
4. Select the "Stacked Bar Chart" option from the drop-down menu.
5. Customize the chart as desired.

Method 2: Using a Pivot Table

Another way to create a stacked bar chart in Excel is to use a pivot table. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Select the data range that you want to use for the chart.
2. Go to the "Insert" tab in the ribbon.
3. Click on the "PivotTable" button in the "Tables" group.
4. Select a cell range to place the pivot table.
5. Drag the fields that you want to use for the chart to the "Row Labels" and "Values" areas.
6. Right-click on the pivot table and select "PivotChart".
7. Select the "Stacked Bar Chart" option from the drop-down menu.

Method 3: Using a Formula

You can also create a stacked bar chart in Excel using a formula. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Select the data range that you want to use for the chart.
2. Create a new column next to the data range.
3. Enter the following formula in the new column: =SUMIFS(data_range, category_range, category)
4. Drag the formula down to fill the rest of the cells in the new column.
5. Select the data range and the new column.
6. Go to the "Insert" tab in the ribbon.
7. Click on the "Bar Chart" button in the "Illustrations" group.
8. Select the "Stacked Bar Chart" option from the drop-down menu.

Method 4: Using a Macro

You can also create a stacked bar chart in Excel using a macro. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open the Visual Basic Editor by pressing "Alt + F11" or by navigating to "Developer" > "Visual Basic" in the ribbon.
2. Create a new module by clicking "Insert" > "Module" in the menu.
3. Paste the following code into the module: Sub CreateStackedBarChart()
4. Select the data range that you want to use for the chart.
5. Run the macro by clicking "Run" > "Run Sub/UserForm" in the menu.

Method 5: Using a Third-Party Add-in

Finally, you can also create a stacked bar chart in Excel using a third-party add-in. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Download and install a third-party add-in, such as Power BI or Tableau.
2. Select the data range that you want to use for the chart.
3. Go to the "Add-ins" tab in the ribbon.
4. Click on the "Stacked Bar Chart" button in the add-in.
5. Customize the chart as desired.

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