Excel Dot Plots (Table of Contents)
What are Dot Plots in Excel?
Dot Plot chart is a column bar kind of chart but without bars rather it will have dots. In the column bar chart, we have a straight bar based on the numbers but in the dot plot, we have as many dots as we have in the data table.
For an example look at the below sample chart.
In the data “Item 1” has 11, 14, 2, and 6 as the data points, so in dot plot chart we have respective dots on respective vertical axis series. Unfortunately, there is not a built-in dot plot chart in excel. We need to create our own chart by modifying the data and go through various steps. Follow the below steps to create your first “Dot Plot Chart” in excel.
How to Make Dot Plots in Excel?
Below is the example of the dot plots in excel.
Steps Involved in Creating Dot Plot in Excel
I have created one of the sample data item-wise sales numbers for five months, below is the sample data of the same.
We will create a Dot Plot chart for this data. Follow the below steps to create the chart.
Step 1: Enter numbers 1, 2, and 3 in the next columns of the data. Refer below image.
Step 2: Now select the first two rows of the data and insert column chart.
Step 3: Now right click on the chart and choose “Select Data”.
Step 4: In the below dialogue box choose the “Edit” option.
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Step 5: We can see the existing values as our selected range.
Delete these existing values and enter 0, 0, 0 for all the three items.
Step 6: Click on Ok, we will have a blank chart like the below one.
Step 7: Again right click on the chart and choose “Select Data”. In the below window click on “Add” button.
Step 8: In the below window, select the cell A1 for “Series Name” and for “Series Values” enter 1 as the value.
Step 9: Click on Ok, we will have a chart like the below one.
Step 10: Now right click on the chart and choose “Change Chart Type”.
Step 11: In the below window select “Combo”.
Step 12: For “Item 1” choose “Scattered Chart” and click on Ok.
Step 13: Now we will have a chart like the below with just a dot, column bar replaced with just a dot.
Step 14: Right click on the chart and choose “Select Data” again. In the next window select “Item 1” and click on “Edit”.
Step 15: Now we can see below the options window.
For “Series Name” choose cell A1, for “Series X Values” choose the column which has number 1 (the one we have entered manually in step 1) and for “Series Y Values” choose Item 1 numbers.
Click on Ok, now we will have dot plot chart for “Item 1”.
Step 16: Now we need to repeat the same process for the other two items i.e. “Item 2” & “Item 3”.
Below is for Item 2.
Below is for Item 3.
Now we will have a “Dot Plot” chart ready like the below one.
As we can see instead of the traditional “Column Bar” chart we have “Dot Plot” chart.
Things to Remember
- There is no built-in dot plot chart in excel.
- We need a combination of the scattered chart to create a dot plot chart.
- We can increase the size of the dots in case if required under format data series section.
- If you need a horizontal dot plot chart then we need to insert the bar chart instead of the column chart.
Recommended Articles
This has been a guide to Dot Plots in Excel. Here we discuss how to make dot plots in excel along with examples and downloadable excel template. You may learn more about excel charts from the following articles –
- Excel Plots
- Make Surface Chart
- Make Animation Chart
- Make Grouped Bar Chart in Excel
- Make Stock Chart in Excel
- Make Pie Chart in Excel
- Make Flow Chart in Excel
- Make Funnel Chart in Excel
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