Lesson 23: Sparklines Show
/en/excel2013/charts/content/ IntroductionSometimes you may want to analyze and view trends in your data without creating an entire chart. Sparklines are miniature charts that fit into a single cell. Because they're so compact, it's easy to include several sparklines in a workbook. Optional: Download our practice workbook. Types of sparklinesThere are three different types of sparklines: Line, Column, and Win/Loss. Line and Column work the same as line and column charts. Win/Loss is similar to Column, except it only shows whether each value is positive or negative instead of how high or low the values are. All three types can display markers at important points, such as the highest and lowest points, to make them easier to read. LineWhy use sparklines?Sparklines have certain advantages over charts. For example, let's say you have 1,000 rows of data. A traditional chart would have 1,000 data series to represent all of the rows, making relevant data difficult to find. But if you placed a sparkline on each row, it will be right next to its source data, making it easy to see relationships and trends for multiple data series at the same time. In the image below, the chart is extremely cluttered and difficult to follow, but the sparklines allow you to clearly follow each salesperson's data. The same data visualized in a chart and in sparklinesSparklines are ideal for situations when you need a clear overview of the data at a glance and when you don't need all of the features of a full chart. On the other hand, charts are ideal for situations when you want to represent the data in greater detail, and they are often better for comparing different data series. To create sparklines:Generally, you will have one sparkline for each row, but you can create as many as you want in any location. Just like formulas, it's usually easiest to create a single sparkline and then use the fill handle to create sparklines for the adjacent rows. In our example, we'll create sparklines to help visualize trends in sales over time for each salesperson.
Modifying sparklinesIt's easy to change the way sparklines appear in your worksheet. Excel allows you to customize a sparkline's markers, style, type, and more. To display markers:Certain points on a sparkline can be emphasized with markers, or dots, making the sparkline more readable. For example, in a line with a lot of ups and downs, it might be difficult to tell which values are the highest and lowest points. Showing the high point and low point will make them easier to identify.
To change the sparkline style:
To change the sparkline type:
Some sparkline types will be better suited for certain types of data. For example, Win/Loss is best suited for data where there could be positive and negative values (such as net earnings). Changing the display rangeBy default, each sparkline is scaled to fit the maximum and minimum values of its own data source: The maximum value will go to the top of the cell, while the minimum will go to the bottom. However, this doesn't show how high or low the values are when compared to the other sparklines. Excel allows you to modify the sparkline display range, which makes it easier to compare sparklines. To change the display range:
Challenge!
/en/excel2013/track-changes-and-comments/content/ What do we call the mini charts placed in single cells representing a row of data in your selection?Sparklines are tiny charts placed in single cells, each representing a row of data in your selection.
What are tiny charts that reside in a cell in Excel?Sparklines are tiny charts that reside in a cell in Excel. These charts are used to show a trend over time or the variation in the dataset. You can use these sparklines to make your bland data look better by adding this layer of visual analysis.
What is a graphic representation of trends in a data series?3. Line Graph. A line graph reveals trends or progress over time and you can use it to show many different categories of data. You should use it when you chart a continuous data set.
What is the visual representation of worksheet data?The correct answer is Chart. In Microsoft Excel, a chart is often called a graph. The chart is a visual representation of data from a worksheet that can bring more understanding to the data than just looking at the numbers.
|