Module 05: Turn data into decisions
Create a chart that answers one clear question
Chart monthly order counts, add a meaningful target, and keep totals and missing observations from distorting the picture.
Basic two-dimensional charts in Windows desktop Excel 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024 and Microsoft 365. Mac and Excel for the web have chart tools with different menus and formatting controls; the steps below use the Windows ribbon.
Useful first: Build a PivotTable and prove that its totals are right
- Match a chart to a specific comparison.
- Select the correct categories and series without including a grand total.
- State what the observations support and what they do not.
Small data. A result you can check.
Synthetic monthly counts. Paste at ChartData!A1. The three months are one consecutive example period.
View the raw practice data
Month Orders Target Jan 80 100 Feb 120 100 Mar 100 100
01Start with the question and the numbers
The question is: which of these three months met the target of 100 completed orders? Paste the sample at A1:C4 on a sheet named ChartData. These are counts, not revenue or percentages. In A6 type Total orders and in B6 calculate the total. Keep that summary outside the chart source.
January records 80 orders, February 120 and March 100. Their total is 300. The sequence shows a rise followed by a fall; it does not justify saying that orders increased every month. Three observations also cannot establish seasonality or predict the next month.
=SUM(B2:B4)Enter in B6. Expected result: 300; the target series is not additional completed orders.
02Build and label a simple comparison
Select A1:C4, then Insert > Insert Column or Bar Chart > 2-D Clustered Column. Confirm that the horizontal categories are Jan, Feb and Mar, with separate Orders and Target series. If Excel arranged those differently, use Chart Design > Select Data to inspect the ranges and Switch Row/Column when appropriate.
Set the title to Completed orders against a 100-order target. Label the vertical axis Orders and, for these nonnegative counts, set its minimum bound to zero. Keep the two series visually distinct and retain the legend. The chart should show January below target, February above it and March exactly meeting it.
A basic column chart makes three comparisons easy. A line chart can emphasize a longer time sequence, but connecting points would not create information about days between these monthly observations. Avoid three-dimensional effects here: apparent depth adds no useful measure.
| Month | Orders | Difference from target |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80 | -20 |
| Feb | 120 | 20 |
| Mar | 100 | 0 |
03Audit the picture before publishing
Click each series and check that its formula points to rows 2:4, not row 6. A Grand Total category would compare the combined period with individual months and dominate the picture. A chart built from the wrong cells can still look polished.
Treat an unknown month differently from a confirmed zero. Do not type zero just to remove a gap; document what is missing and inspect the chart's empty-cell settings. Before sharing, read the source numbers beside the chart, check any filters, and write one sentence containing actual values. Keep the worksheet or an accompanying table available for readers who cannot distinguish series by color.
Update March after a correction and revise the chart's message.
- Change ChartData!B4 from 100 to 90. Leave C4 at the target of 100.
- Verify that B6 recalculates and the March order column changes.
- Write a sentence stating the new total and which months meet the target.
Show the worked answer
Total completed orders become 290. March is 10 below target.
Only February meets or exceeds the target after the correction: January has 80, February 120 and March 90.
Check your work- The Target series remains 100 in every month.
- The chart contains exactly three month categories, with no Total orders category.
One question before you move on.
Ready for the next step?
Mark this lesson when you can explain the idea and reproduce the practice result.
Your checklist stays on this browser.Reference notes
These lessons use original examples. Check Microsoft’s documentation for details and platform-specific options.
- Microsoft: Available chart types in Office
- Microsoft: Creating charts from start to finish
- Microsoft: Empty cells and hidden data in charts
Prepared September 13, 2026 · Column Harbor editorial team. Menu locations and available functions can vary by Excel version.