A good stacked bar chart (also called a stacked column chart) can be a game-changer for data visualization and presentation. One look and you can compare different categories within a dataset.
Imagine breaking down your company’s sales by product category or understanding how expenses are distributed across departments—all of which can be compared and shown through an easy-to-understand visual format.
But how easy is it to create a stacked bar chart in Google spreadsheets?
Well, it’s possible with its chart editor feature. Are they the prettiest and most customizable charts you’ll ever work with? Probably not. But they get the job done.
In this guide, we’ll take you through the process of creating a stacked bar chart with Google Sheets’ chart editor, from data preparation to its final visualization.
We’ll also explore a better way to visualize your data beyond just a stacked bar chart.
How to Create a Stacked Bar Chart in Google Sheets
Summarize this article for me pleaseHow to Create a Stacked Bar Chart in Google Sheets
Here’s how you can create a stacked bar chart in Google Sheets:
Step 1: Prepare your data
Start by importing information from your data source and organizing it in Google Sheets. Create clear headers for your columns. In the first row, label each column with descriptive titles. This is important for creating a coherent bar chart.
In this example, we’ve used “Teams” for column A and gender labels for columns B and C. Double-check your data inputs.
Regardless of your data type, don’t forget to input your data in the appropriate columns.
Step 2: Select the data for your chart
Once your data is neatly arranged, it’s time to highlight it. Click on the top-left cell of your dataset and drag your mouse to select all the relevant information. This selection will form the basis of your stacked bar chart.
Remember, precision while selecting your data range is key here—you don’t want to include any blank rows or irrelevant data accidentally.
Step 3: Choose and insert a chart
Now for the fun part—turning your data into a visual masterpiece.
Head to the top menu and click on “Insert,” then select “Chart” from the dropdown menu. A default chart will appear, along with the chart editor on the right side of your screen.
In the chart editor, under the “Setup” tab, click on the “Chart type” dropdown menu. Scroll through the options until you find the “Stacked column chart” and select it.
And voila! You’ve just created a stacked bar chart in Google Sheets.
Also Read: How to make a graph in Excel
Step 4: Customize your chart
Now, let’s customize our chart to exactly how we need it.
To do this, double-click on your chart to open the chart editor panel (if it’s not already visible).
Navigate to the “Customize” tab for an array of options.
Here, you can adjust the overall chart style, a chart title, data labels for the horizontal and vertical axis, legend placement, and series colors. Play around with these settings to make your bar chart informative and visually appealing.
Step 5: Adjust chart position
Your bar chart looks great. Now, let’s place it better. Simply click and hold your chart, then drag it to your desired location on the spreadsheet.
Rearrange your chart’s position as per your requirements. It’s a simple move but is super helpful in adding data context to your chart.
Step 6: Fine-tune your stacked bar chart
Take a moment to review your graph. Are the colors easy to distinguish? Is the title clear and descriptive? Do the axis titles make sense? Have you clearly defined the chart’s legend?
Make any necessary adjustments to ensure your stacked bar chart effectively communicates your data. Remember, clarity is key in data visualization.
Step 7: Share your creation
Your Google Sheet stacked bar chart is now ready. You can share your Google sheet with others, allowing them to view or edit your chart.
Alternatively, you can download the chart as an image to use in presentations or reports.
Summarize this article for me pleaseLimitations of Creating Bar Charts in Google Sheets
While Google Sheets is a great tool to create stacked bar charts, it’s not perfect.
Google Sheets is free but it doesn’t allow for smooth and easy collaboration on a document, especially when multiple team members work on a single presentation. It also cannot handle large datasets, and it can quickly feel limiting.
- Limited customization options: Google Sheets provides basic customization for its stacked bar chart but lacks advanced design features. This can reduce the scope of customization for different types of data sets and lead to limitations on design
- Data size restrictions: A bar chart in Google Sheets has a limit on the amount of data it can handle. While it can work for small to medium-sized datasets, the performance will degrade significantly with large volumes of data
- Lack of real-time collaboration on charts: Although Google Sheets excels at real-time collaboration for spreadsheet data, this functionality doesn’t extend to chart editing—where only one user can modify a chart at a time. The lack of a collaborative environment can hinder teamwork in data visualization projects
- Limited interactivity: A stacked bar chart and other charts (like a flowchart, line chart, organizational charts, and Gantt charts in Google Sheets) are all static visualizations. They lack interactive features such as drill-down or hover capabilities. This limitation can impact presentations or reports where audience engagement is important
- Formatting inconsistencies across devices: A bar chart in Google Sheets may not maintain consistent formatting across different devices or platforms. What looks perfect on your desktop might appear differently on a mobile device or when printed
Summarize this article for me pleaseCreate Stacked Bar Charts With ClickUp
While the chart editor in Google Sheets gives you basic functionalities for creating stacked bar charts, ClickUp takes it a step further by offering real-time collaboration with other users and integrations with other tools. Here’s how.
ClickUp Whiteboards
ClickUp Whiteboards offer a flexible canvas for creating stacked bar charts. Unlike Google Sheets, you’re not constrained by cell-based layouts. This helps customize your charts better.Â
Here’s how to use ClickUp Whiteboards for stacked bar charts:
- Start with a blank whiteboard, or use the ClickUp’s Bar Graph Whiteboard Template
- Use shapes and lines to create your chart structure
- Add text boxes for labels and data values
- Group elements to keep your chart organized
- Use color coding to distinguish between different data categories
ClickUp Whiteboards allow real-time collaboration—a feature missing in Google Sheets due to its single-user editing limitation. Multiple team members can work on the chart simultaneously, which helps your team get work done faster.
ClickUp Bar Graph Whiteboard Template
The ClickUp Bar Graph Whiteboard Template allows you to visually compare quantitative data sets and categories. The horizontal double bar graph allows you to compare two data sets, which helps in better storytelling.
You can also use this template to:
- Compare and contrast data to spot trends and patterns
- Provide an easy-to-understand visual representation of information
- Make complex datasets more understandable and easier to communicate
- Help teams collaborate and make better decisions
ClickUp Dashboards
ClickUp Dashboards provide a powerful alternative to Google Sheets for creating and displaying stacked bar charts. Here’s how you can use it:
- Create a new Dashboard or use the ClickUp’s Stacked Bar Graph Template
- Add a bar chart widget to your Dashboard
- Select the data source for your chart from your ClickUp tasks or custom fields
- Configure the chart to display as a stacked bar chart
- Customize colors, labels, and other visual elements
Dashboards in ClickUp offer greater interactivity compared to static Google Sheets charts. You can click on chart elements to drill down into the underlying data, revealing more insights—useful when you are presenting your data in a stakeholder meeting.
ClickUp’s Stacked Bar Graph Template
The ClickUp’s Stacked Bar Graph Template provides an easy-to-understand presentation of key insights, whether you’re tracking project progress or monitoring customer sentiment.
In this template, the stacked bar graph displays the comparison and composition of a small number of variables through time, whether relative or absolute.
You can also use this template to:
- Highlight the relationship between multiple sets of data
- Visually compare differences between sets of data or categories
- Quickly identify patterns in data
ClickUp Gantt Charts
While primarily used for project timelines, ClickUp Gantt Charts can be creatively used to create stacked bar-like visualizations. Here’s how:
- Start with a new Gantt chart or use ClickUp’s Simple Gantt Template
- Create tasks representing your data categories
- Use subtasks to represent the “stacked” elements of your chart
- Adjust task durations to represent data values
- Color-code tasks and subtasks to distinguish between categories
ClickUp Gantt charts offer dynamic updating and dependency linking— key features that are not available in Google Sheets stacked bar charts. It also allows you to visualize complex data sets.
ClickUp’s Simple Gantt Template
Use ClickUp’s Simple Gantt Template to get a bird’s eye view of a project and visualize dependencies effectively. With this template, you can instantly pull tasks from your List into a simple chart using ClickUp’s Gantt view.
While this is a beginner-friendly free template, it’s also a great starting point for seasoned project enthusiasts who just want to get things going quicker.Â
You can also use this template to:
- Track project deadlines and dependencies with a bird’s eye view
- Check task statuses as Open, In Progress, or Complete with respective color coding
- Quickly identify delays in tasks and potential blockers
Also Read: Monthly Calendar Templates
Overcoming Google Sheets’ limitations
ClickUp addresses several key limitations of creating stacked bar charts in Google Sheets:
I. Customization
ClickUp offers more advanced design features, allowing you to create visually stunning charts that align with your brand.
II. Data handling
ClickUp can handle larger datasets more efficiently than other Google Sheets alternatives, making it suitable for complex data visualization needs.
III. Collaboration
Real-time collaboration is available across all ClickUp features, including chart creation and editing.
IV. Interactivity
ClickUp charts are interactive, allowing users to explore data in depth.
V. Cross-device consistency
ClickUp ensures your charts look consistent across different devices and platforms.
Additional ClickUp features
Beyond stacked bar charts, ClickUp offers a range of features that make your data visualizations immediately accessible (in addition to looking great), along with exceptional project management capabilities:
- Table view: Organize and filter your data in a spreadsheet-like format
- Task management: Integrate your charts with actionable tasks and workflows
- Goal tracking: Align your stacked bar charts with broader project or company goals
- Real-time collaboration: Work together on charts and related tasks seamlessly
Integration with other tools
While Google Sheets may require manual data entry or complex integrations, ClickUp offers native integrations with various tools. It allows you to automatically pull data from different sources into your stacked bar graph, ensuring the visualization is always up-to-date.
For those transitioning from Google Sheets, ClickUp also provides resources to help you make the switch. You can learn how to create a Gantt chart or even explore creating line charts in Excel.
ClickUp also stays ahead of the curve with features like AI for spreadsheets, providing advanced data analysis capabilities that go beyond traditional stacked bar charts.
Also Read: Free Google Sheets Invoice Templates
Summarize this article for me pleaseRaise the Bar for Data Visualization with ClickUp
Now you know how to create a stacked column chart in Google Sheets.
But now you also know about its limitations. Just creating a bar chart and placing it beside your data set does not convey the complete picture and detracts from your ability to tell a compelling visual story. Add to that the lack of design customization and data size restrictions, and the process of creating bar charts on Google Sheets begins to sound boring.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Whether you’re creating project management charts or exploring Gantt chart examples, ClickUp lets you work alongside your team with real-time collaboration—all of which makes data visualization much more fun and impactful.
Create your first interactive bar charts with ClickUp today and experience the difference!
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