We all know that to make a chart we must specify a range of values as input.
But what if our range is dynamic and keeps on growing or shrinking. You cant edit the chart input data ranges every time you add a row. Wouldn’t it be cool if the ranges were dynamic and charts get updated automatically when you add (or remove) rows?
Well, you can do it very easily using excel formulas and named ranges. It costs just $1 per each change. 😉
Ofcourse not, there are 2 ways to do this.
The easiest way to make charts with dynamic ranges
If you are using Excel 2003 or above you can create a data table (or list) from the chart’s source data. This way, when you add or remove rows from the data table, the chart gets automatically updated.
See the below screencast to understand how this works
Using OFFSET formula to make dynamic ranges for chart data
For some reason if you cannot use data tables, the next method is to use OFFSET formula along with named ranges.
We all know that OFFSET formula is used to get a range of cells by passing on starting point and number of cells to offset. Steps for creating dynamic chart ranges using OFFSET formula:
1. Identify the data from which you want to make dynamic range
In our case the data should be filled in the following table. As user keeps on adding new rows we will have to update our chart’s source data.
Lets assume the data table is in the cell range: $F$6: $G$14
2. Write OFFSET formulas and create named ranges from them
Ok, the problem is that as and when we add a row at the end (or remove a row), we should update the chart’s data range. For this, we can use OFFSET formula.
A refresher on how to use OFFSET formula:
3. Create a new named range and type OFFSET formula
Create a new named range and in the “refers to:” input box, type the OFFSET formula that would generate a dynamic range of values based on no. of sales values typed in the column G. I have used the below formula. You can write your own or use the same technique.
=OFFSET($G$6,0,0,COUNTA($G$6:$G$14),1)
Set the named range’s name as “sales_data” or something like that.
Now repeat the same for years column as well and call it “years_data”
4. Create a column chart and set the source data to these named ranges
Create a column chart. For the source data use the named ranges we have just created.
Important: You must use the named range along with worksheet name, otherwise excel wont accept the named range for chart source data.
That is all, now your chart is dynamic
Download the Dynamic Chart Ranges Tutorial Workbook
Click here to download the dynamic chart ranges workbook and use it to learn this trick. I have given Excel 2007 file since the file includes tables.
Bonus Tip: Edit chart series data ranges using mouse
If you have no time for writing lengthy formulas or setting up data tables, you can still save time when editing chart series data ranges. Just select the series by clicking on the chart. Now excel shows highlighted border around the cells from which the chart series is created. Just click on the bottom-right corner and drag it up and down to edit the chart series data ranges. (more: Edit formula ranges using mouse)
See the demo to understand this:
More tricks to make dynamic charts using Excel
Here is a list of tutorials and examples recommend just for you. Go check them out and make your charts even more dynamic.
- Filter Charts just like you filter Data
- Select and show one chart from many
- Dynamically Group Related Data in the Charts
- Use Data Filters as Chart Filters and Make Dynamic Charts
- A Dynamic Donut Bar Chart – Show total and break-ups in an interesting way
Tell me about your experience with dynamic charts using comments.
31 Responses to “Beautiful Budget vs. Actual chart to make your boss love you”
Would be considerably easier just to have a table with the variance shown.
On Step 3, how do you "Add budget and actual values to the chart again"?
There are a few ways to do it.
Easy:
1) Copy just the numbers from both columns (Select, CTRL+C)
2) Select the chart and hit CTRL+V to paste. This adds them to chart.
Traditional:
1) Right click on chart and go to "select data..."
2) From the dialog, click on "Add" button and add one series at a time.
One more way to accomplish it is just select the columns into chart. Press Ctrl+C and then press Ctrl+V
Regards
Neeraj Kumar Agarwal
Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to work for me in Excel 2010. The "Var 1" and "Var 2" columns cannot combine two fonts to display the symbol and the figure side-by-side.
Secondly, there is no option to Click on “Value from cells” option when formatting the label options. The only options provided are Series Name, Category Name or Value.
@TheQ47... the emoji font also has normal English letters, so if you use that font, then you should be ok. I am assuming your computer doesn't have that font or hasn't been upgraded for emoji support.
Reg. Excel 2010, you can manually link each label to a cell value. Just select one label at a time (click on labels, wait a second, click on an individual label) and press = and link it to the label var 1 or var 2.
I am using excel 2010, please explain how to apply Step 12
Regards
Neeraj Kumar Agarwal
Hi Neeraj,
"Value from cells" option is only available in Excel 2013 or above. In older versions, you have to manually adjust the label value by linking each label seperately.
Read this please: https://chandoo.org/wp/change-data-labels-in-charts/
Sir, you are just awesome.
Your creativity has no limit.
Regards
Neeraj Kumar Agarwal
Hi Chandoo,
I just found your website, and really love it. It helps me a lot to be an Excel expert 😉
Currently I am facing with a problem at step 11:
Var1 Var2
D30%
A5%
B0%
B4%
B7%
C10%
C13%
D27%
I42%
Though at mapping table, I used windings, here formula uses calibra. How I can change it? I am able to change only the whole cell. In this case numbers will be Windings too.
Thanks for your help!
Hi Mariann... Welcome to Chandoo.org and thanks for your comment.
If you wanted to use symbols from wingdings and combine them with % numbers, then you need to setup two labels. One with symbol, in wingdings font and another with value in normal font. Just add the same series again to the chart, make it invisible, add labels. You may need to adjust the alignment / position of label so everything is visible.
[…] firs article explains how you can enhance your charts with symbols. You can simply insert any supported symbol into your data and charts. To some extend you can […]
You're a good person, thank you to share your knowledge with us, I will try to do in my work
Great visualization of variance. My question is that is this possible in powerbi?
How would you go about it?
HELLO, WHY CANT I FIND VALUES FOR LABELS IN EXCEL 2013
Dear chanddo sir,
What to do if we have dynamic range for Chart. How this will work. can you able to make the same thing works on dynamic range.
Sir Chandoo,
Good Day!
First, I'd like to say that I am very grateful for your work and for sharing all these things with us.
I tried to do this chart but it seems that the symbols don't work with text (abs(var%),"0%") unless we keep the Windings font style.
The problem is, it converts the text into symbol as well and you wont see the 0% anymore. I'm using Windows 7.
WOW - Segoe UI Emoji
This is the greatest discovery for me this month 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Here's my two-cents:
https://wmfexcel.com/2019/02/17/a-compelling-chart-in-three-minutes/
Sir This is awesome chart, and very easy to made because of your way to explain is very simple , everyone can do. Thank you
one problem i am facing, I hv made this chart , but when i am inserting data table to chart it is showing two times , how can i resolve this
in this chart when i am adding new month data for example first i made this chart jan to mar but when i add data for the apr month graphs updated automatically but labels are missing for that new month
Hi Renuka,
Please make sure the formulas for labels are also calculated for extra months. Just drag down the series and set label range to appropriate address.
So I am playing with the Actual chart here - but amounts are bigger than your - you have 600 as Budget - my budget is 104,000 - is there a way to shorten that I am unaware of
thank you - I LOVE YOUR SITE
Thanks for the tips and tricks on Excel. In the Planned versus Actual chart examples, you use multiple values (ex. multiple Categories in above). How can this be done when we have only 1 set of values? For example if I have only this:
Planned Actual
SOW Budget 417480 367551
How can I create a single bar chart like the one above?
Thank you Chandoo.
This one is just perfect for my Quarterly Review presentation on Operational Budget against Actual Performance for the Hospital I'm currently working with.
Just Subscribed today (10 minutes ago)
Is there a way to make the table of data into a pivot table to be able to add a slicer for the graph due to many different categories and months?
Hi, I tried to modify you template with something appropriate for me, and I found a problem. this template was modified by me started with excel 2010, then 2016 and finally 2019. Same thing - somehow appear an error - or didn't show the emoticons for positive percentage or doubled the emoticons for some rows. I suspect to be from excel. if is need it I can sand you my xlsx for study. Please help if you can.
Hi Chandoo,
Could you please check the Var Formula in Step1. You have mentioned budget-actual and when i did this i got different values but when reversed like actual-budget i got the actual value what you have demonstrated in step1.
Please share your view.
This is a great chart (budget vs. actual). However, in trying recreate it, I cannot color in the UP Down bars individually, and they all become formatted with the same color. I'm using Office 365. Look forward to the feedback.
Thanks.
Dan
pls explain in detail step 7
While in the Excel sheet you have used following formula for Var
Var = Actual - Budget
But
in the note, you have written
Var = Budget - Actual
Good Presentation and Data information.thank you so much chandoo.