Stacked bar chart maker
Show a total and the parts that make it up in one bar. Paste a table: every value column becomes a segment, and one click switches to 100% stacked to compare the mix instead.
First row = headers. First column = categories; every extra column becomes a series. Paste straight from a spreadsheet.
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How to make a stacked bar chart
- First column: the bars (e.g. students, months, regions). Each extra column: one segment, with a header naming it.
- Paste the table. “Stacked” is already selected.
- Choose 100% under “Multiple series” to turn each bar into shares that add to 100%.
- Switch Direction to Horizontal for long labels, then download.
Stacked vs 100% stacked
A stacked bar chart (also called a segmented or composite bar graph) stacks each series on top of the previous one, so the bar’s height is the total. A 100% stacked chart rescales every bar to the same height, so each segment shows its share. Use the first when totals differ and matter, the second when you want to compare the mix across bars, such as survey answers by age group.
How the segments are calculated
Each segment starts where the one below it ends. In 100% mode each value is divided by its bar’s total and multiplied by 100, so a 6-hour slice of a 50-hour week shows as 12%. Negative values stack downward from zero.
Keep it readable
- Put the most important series first. It sits on the baseline, where it’s easiest to compare.
- Five segments or fewer; group the rest into “Other”.
- If you mainly compare individual groups, a double bar graph is clearer.
Questions
What is a stacked bar chart?
A bar chart where each bar is split into coloured segments, one per series, stacked on top of each other. The full bar shows the total and the segments show what it is made of.
What is a segmented bar graph?
Another name for a 100% stacked bar chart, common in statistics classes. Each bar is divided into percentages of its total that add to 100%. Choose “100%” to make one.
When should I not use a stacked bar chart?
When you need to compare the middle or top segments precisely. They don’t share a baseline, so differences are hard to judge. Use side-by-side bars instead.
Can I show values inside the segments?
Yes, tick “Value labels”. Labels appear in segments that are tall enough to hold them, in a colour that contrasts with the segment.