Bar chart with differences in Excel

In this video i will explain how to create a bar chart with two series and green and red arrows for the differences. Data labels will give the exact difference.

The basis for this bar chart is just a simple bar chart with 2 data series. By adding error bars we can create the arrows which indicates the differences between the 2 series. Error bars will only be positive and have specific values out off your data table. By changing the format of the error bars you can made them look noce like an arrow.

To position the data labels nice on top of the arrows there is a third and fourth data series needed. This data series have both the same values which equals the highest value of the original two data series. The third and fourth data series will be transparent so the bars are not visible. The are only added to place the data labels on top of it. Data labels have also a value from cell which is also in the data table.

This type of charts are very usefull to compare data for example of to different time periods. Differences are made visible and data labels are presenting the exact difference. This chrt will show you directly if figures have gone up or down compared to a certain time period.

0:00 - Intro
0:41 - Creating the data table
3:14 - Inserting the basic bar chart
3:34 - Formatting the chart
5:10 - Adding the error bars
6:17 - Formatting the error bars
8:16 - Adding data labels
8:48 - Add extra series for data labels
9:30 - Format the extra data series bars
11:38 - Format the data labels

[jullezs]

Excellent video, clear steps and explanations. Thanks a lot.
This is exactly what I needed for my upcoming presentation. I'll look into your back catalogue of videos and look forward to improve some other things I need to present.

[scottmercado]

This is very helpful in identifying trends and visualizing where gaps and wins are for KPIs. Nice !!!

[m.raedallulu]

You have beautiful imagination, sir !
Thank you so much !

[RebelliouSTR]

Amazing video, it is very helpful and it is explained in detail. Thank you for your effort.

[alvaroj.gonzalezaceves]

excellent, great information plus a beautiful graphic, thank you

[chakralamurali]

I felt like I learnt one new good thing today. Thank you sir

[sfsoffd]

Greit!!! Thank You. Expecting for more videos!

[Mercfn]

thank you for this trick, it really helped me with my thesis!

[sudhakardevaraj]

Thank you sir great information for excel user

[Noob-ngof]

Pretty cool video. Earned a subscription.

[shayanmajeed]

This is an excellent video, thank you. I have a question for you… how would you recommend I adjust this when a lower bar is better? I’m looking at comp to revenue ratios (not sales), and using actuals vs budget, so the “smaller” bar is better. Is that an actual change to the calculated diff columns or so I adjust the error bar custom series from positive to negative?

[davidgillon]

Great technique for the charts; thank you. Just one observation, I think the % calculations for the two columns are the wrong way round? Eg Feb increase by 90 on a basis of 630 in 2020 should show a 14.3% increase not 12.5% (which is based on the 720).

[Seftehandle]

Hi, data labels still had to be manually adjusted even when I use the max bars. Any tip? Happy new year and best wishes. With this video I can tell you have a great eye for design and I wish you more similar videos as they look so distinguished. 🙏

[dianakrastina]

Hey, this is amazing tutorial, but is it possible to do this for more than 2 years, because I am assuming this approach for months, is there a way that I could just keep adding months and see the change?

[thangamaninmamit-civil]

Very nice. Very useful. I need a help. How to represent the well depth and groundwater level in the well below ground level?? Any idea?

[lenalist]

great video thanks :-) How to get to add labels for the actual visible bars when the "max" bars are in the way? Is it possible to toggle bars - or put those in front to the back?

[shailendersinha]

This is great learning. But why did we choose diff+ for 2020 error bars and diff - for 2021?

[ColletteMitchell-zdht]

If you wanted to add data for July how would you update the graph?

[george]

Can we automate or conditional format the color arrow dependent on excel cube if minus than red if plus then green?

[doniaelattar]

lmao i was tNice tutorialnking the sa but don't give up! We got tNice tutorials!