8.12 Choosing the Right Chart
| Your question | Best chart | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Compare categories (cities, stores) | Column / Bar (sorted) | Pie with many slices |
| Ranking (Top 10 products) | Sorted bar | Unsorted column |
| Trend over time | Line (many periods), Column (few) | Pie, scatter |
| Part of whole (≤ 5 parts) | Pie / Doughnut, 100% stacked bar | 3D pie |
| Parts over time | Stacked column / Stacked area | Many pies |
| Two measures, different scales | Combo with secondary axis | Two unrelated charts |
| Relationship between two numbers | Scatter (+ trendline) | Line |
| Distribution | Histogram, Box & Whisker | Column of raw values |
| Start → end bridge | Waterfall | Stacked column |
| Stages that shrink | Funnel | Pie |
| Hierarchy share | Treemap, Sunburst | Nested pies |
| Geography | Filled Map | Map when geography isn't the point |
| Trend inside a table | Sparklines | Many tiny charts |
| Single KPI | Big number card (cell) with ▲▼ | A chart with one bar |
About this data: Teaching sample for a fictional shop “HomeNest Supplies”. Figures and names (e.g. Neha Shah) are made up for this lesson on choosing the right chart.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
When choosing a chart, many students think "which chart looks nice?" Instead, ask "what is the question?" – compare, trend, share, relationship, distribution – and use this table. Don't put 7–8 different chart types on one dashboard; 3–4 types are enough.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
Chart निवडताना बरेच students "कोणता chart छान दिसतो?" असा विचार करतात. त्याऐवजी "प्रश्न काय आहे?" – compare, trend, share, relationship, distribution – असं विचारा, आणि हा table वापरा. एकाच dashboard वर 7-8 वेगळे chart types नकोत; 3-4 types पुरेसे.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
Chart चुनते समय बहुत से students सोचते हैं "कौन सा chart अच्छा दिखता है?". उसकी जगह पूछो "सवाल क्या है?" – compare, trend, share, relationship, distribution – और यह table इस्तेमाल करो. एक ही dashboard पर 7-8 अलग chart types नहीं; 3-4 types काफ़ी हैं.
Worked example — choosing the right chart
Why
Priya Deshmukh in Pune and James O'Neill abroad both need a clear, repeatable way to use choosing the right chart on a FreshGo Mart sheet without breaking totals.
What
Choosing The Right Chart is the Excel idea this page teaches. We will walk one tiny example end to end.
How
- Open a blank sheet. In A1 type a short label for choosing the right chart.
- Enter a small made-up value for Priya Deshmukh using ₹ where money appears.
- Add a second value for James O'Neill using £ so you see mixed currencies stay numeric.
- Apply the method from this lesson step by step (menu or formula as shown above).
- Check the result still works inside SUM or a simple check cell.
Formula / action
Follow the formula or ribbon steps shown in this lesson (keep values numeric).Meaning: Once choosing the right chart is correct on one row, copy the same pattern down the column.
Practice tasks (10+)
Try these on a blank sheet. Open a hint only if you are stuck. No quiz — just practice.
1. Rebuild the smallest example of choosing the right chart on a blank sheet for Pearl Textiles.
Hint: Use only the steps on this page. Keep numbers numeric.
2. Change one input for Meera Joshi and confirm the result updates.
Hint: If the result is stuck, check absolute vs relative references.
3. Repeat the same steps with a £ or € value for Liam Murphy.
Hint: Formatting must not break SUM.
4. Write the result meaning in one plain sentence next to the cell.
Hint: Imagine explaining it to a new joiners.
5. Add a second row and fill the method down.
Hint: Double-click the fill handle if the pattern is consistent.
6. Break the example on purpose, then fix it using this lesson.
Hint: Common break: text instead of a number.
7. Apply choosing the right chart to a 5-row made-up Pearl Textiles table.
Hint: Keep column headers clear.
8. Check your answer with a simple total or COUNT.
Hint: A wrong total usually means a format or key mismatch.
9. Swap ₹ and $ on one column and re-check totals.
Hint: Stored values stay the same; only the display changes.
10. List two mistakes beginners make with choosing the right chart.
Hint: Look back at the tip box on this page.
11. Teach the steps out loud in under one minute.
Hint: Why → What → How.
12. Save the sheet as PearlTextil_practice.xlsx.
Hint: Use a clear file name for class.
Loading practice tasks...
- Total days admitted (Easy): Add up Days admitted in D2:D11.
- Average bill (Easy): Average of the Bill amount (₹) column, rounded to 2 decimals.
- Rows in Cardiology (Easy): How many rows have Category/group "Cardiology"? (column B)
- Largest days admitted (Easy): The largest value in D2:D11.
- Days admitted for Cardiology (Medium): Total of the Days admitted column where Department is "Cardiology".
- Cardiology in Mumbai (Medium): Total of the Days admitted column where Department is "Cardiology" and City is "Mumbai".
- Best in Cardiology (Medium): Largest E2:E11 value where B is "Cardiology".
- Value of row 2 (Medium): Multiply the first-row Days admitted by the first-row Bill amount (₹).
- Look up Lucas Rossi (Medium): The Days admitted for "Lucas Rossi" (use a lookup on column A).
- Total value (Hard): Sum of D times E for all rows.
- Share of Cardiology (Hard): Share of D2:D11 that is "Cardiology", rounded to 3 decimals.
- Total "Days admitted" for Paediatrics (Hard): Add up the "Days admitted" column for the rows where "Department" is "Paediatrics".
- Above average? (Hard): "Above" if E2 is above the average of E2:E11, else "Below".
Quick revision cards
Three standalone cards. Each one explains the idea with its own example. Scan the QR to open this lesson.
