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Google Sheets Tips

How to Make a Column Chart in Google Sheets

In this article, you will learn how to make a bar chart in Googles Sheets. 

How to create a column chart in Google Sheets

  • Select a series of data you want to visualize.

  • Go to “Insert” and click ”Chart”.

  • Then, you have a default chart on a sheet, and a chart editor shows up on the right.

  • Select “Column chart” in Chart type section.

  • Confirm the data range selected and adjust it if needed.

  • Also, ensure the correct ranges are input in X-axis and Series sections.

  • Move to the “Customize” tab in the chart editor and customize your chart if you want.

How to insert a chart from the menu bar in Google Sheets

How to change chart type in Google Sheets

See how to customize your chart with an example. Assume you are a finance manager and want to visualize your company's historical and estimated revenue performance in 2022 according to the company brand fonts and colors. You want to make the following changes to the basic chart you have just created:

  • Change the font style to “Roboto”.

  • Revise the title to “Revenue Performance in 2022”. It should be bold and colored in blue, and its font size is 24.

  • Change the color of the bars to the same blue as the title.

  • Show a vertical axis and modify its maximum value to 1,200.

  • Remove gridlines in the background of the chart.

  • Add data labels.

Font style change

Go to “Chart style” in the “Customize” tab. Select “Roboto” from the drop-down list at “Font”.

How to change a font style of a column chart in Google Sheets

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Revision of the title

Go to “Chart & axis titles” in the “Customize” tab. Select “Chart title”, enter the title in the text box, change font style and color, make it bold, and change text color.

How to change chart title and its style in Google Sheets

Change of bars’ color

Go to “Series” in the “Customize” tab. Select “Fill color” in the “Format” section; choose the color you want to fill in.

How to change the color of a column chart in Google Sheets

Adjustment of the vertical axis

Go to “Vertical axis” in the “Customize” tab. Check “Show axis line” (if unchecked as a default setting), and input specific values for the minimum and maximum of the vertical axis range.

How to adjust the vertical axis of a column chart in Google Sheets

Removal of the gridlines

Go to “Gridlines and ticks” in the “Customize” tab. Uncheck “Major gridlines” (if checked as a default setting).

How to delete the gridline of a column chart in Google Sheets

Adding data labels

Go to “Series” in the “Customize” tab. Check “Data label” at the bottom of the menu. Change “Position” from “Auto” to “Outside end”.

How to check “Data label” in “Series” for a column chart in Google Sheets

How to adjust data label for a column chart in Google Sheets

How do I make a stacked column chart in Google Sheets?

Check this article: How to Make a Stacked Column Chart in Google Sheets to learn how to create a stacked column chart.

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