Charts

Turn a block of cells into a bar, line, area or pie chart that updates with the data.

Turn a block of cells into a bar, line, area or pie chart that updates as the data changes.

Before you start: adding and changing charts needs Can edit on Sheets. Anyone who can open the workbook sees its charts.

Add a chart

1. Select the data: labels in the first column (for example customer names), numbers in the next columns. If the first row holds headings, include it — it names each series. Otherwise the column labels are used.
2. Click Charts on the toolbar. The charts panel opens on the right.
3. Click From selection.

Change a chart

• Switch between Bar, Line, Area and Pie.
• Click the title to rename it.
• Select chart data (the grid button) selects the cells the chart reads, so you can check or extend them.
• The bin deletes the chart (you confirm first).

Charts are saved with the sheet. Edits to the data show up in the chart straight away.

How data becomes a chart

• The first column labels the points. A one-column selection becomes a single series labelled by row number.
• Each other column with numbers is a series. Date columns and columns with no numbers are left out.
• Bar with several series draws one small bar chart per series. Line and Area draw all series on one chart. Pie uses the first series.
• A chart reads the first 200 rows of its range. For bigger data, summarise it first (for example with SUMIF on another sheet) and chart the summary.
• A sheet can have up to 20 charts.