Step Chart in Excel

How to Create Step Chart in Excel? (Step By Step)

Now we will follow the below steps to create a step chart in excel.

• Step 1: Insert two new columns with the same headers.

• Step 2: Now copy the date values from A3 to A9 and paste in the new column D2. Here you need to ignore the first date value.

• Step 3: Now copy the Stock Price from B2 to B8 and paste in E2. Here you need to ignore the last value.

• Step 4: Now copy actual data from A2 to B9 paste in D9 cell.

• Step 5: Now select the data and insert Line Chart.

Now we have our Chart.

• Step 6: Select the vertical left axis and press Ctrl + 1 to open up the format data series option.

 

• Step 7: Now click on “Axis Option” >>> set the minimum value to 100, maximum to 135 and major value to 5.

• Step 8: Now click on the horizontal axis and click on “Number” formatting and change the date format to “MMM-YYYY”.

• Step 9: Change the “Line” color to green. Now we have our chart ready.

Difference Between Line Chart and Excel Step Chart

Below are some of the general differences.

Difference #1

A-Line Chart shows the trend of data points and it will not focus on the exact time of change or fluctuation of data points from one period to another.

On the other hand “A Step Chart” shows the trend shows the exact time of change along with the trend of the data points as well.

As you can (red marked area) line chart shows that after the first month it shows a consistent decline in stock price but the step chart shows that price actually declined only in February month.

Difference #2

Finding the actual trend could be tricky with a line chart because it doesn’t show the exact trend of change and how much. But a step graph due to its horizontal line can show the actual trend with clear visibility.

As you can see above the line chart shows that decline started from Mar to June but the Step chart also shows a decline but not with consistent decline throughout the months.

Things to Remember

• Showing differences from one period to another is the main advantage of this chart.
• It can tell the story better than the Line Chart.
• If don’t want to show the full date in the horizontal axis of the chart then you can change the date format under the chart formatting section.
• You need to adjust the minimum value, maximum value and manor interval point to fit in your chart to look better.

Recommended Articles

This has been a guide to the step chart. Here we discuss how to create a step graph in excel along with examples and downloadable excel template. You may learn more about excel from the following articles –

• Steps to Make Bullet Chart in Excel
• Create Combo Chart in Excel
• Create Contour Plots in Excel
• Create Sparklines in Excel