How to Create a Bar Chart

Bar Chart

> Chart Knowledge > How to Create a Bar Chart

Posted by James Freeman | 12/23/2019

A simple tutorial helps you learn how to draw a bar chart. Increase your understanding and work more effectively with our Bar Chart Software.

Bar chart is simple and popular method to visualize data. It show the comparison of one or more series of data points very effectively. And the clustered bar chart is especially useful in comparing multiple data series. But how to make bar chart? If you are not skilled at coding, you can try this simple and intuitive way that every one could learn in just minutes.

Create Bar Charts from Templates

Edraw has included many blank barcharttemplatestoeasebarcharting.Thesetemplatesarewell-designedandfullyeditable.Youdon't need to bother about drawing bar and axis. Just input your data and description. It is that simple.

Besides the commonly used bar chart template, Edraw also offers 3D bar chart, stacked bar chart and 100% bar chart templates.

Clustered bar and 3D clustered bar

Clustered bar

Stacked bar and 3D stacked bar

Stacked bar

100% stacked bar and 3D 100% stacked bar

100% stacked bar

Build Bar Chart through Easy Editor

The buil-in bar chart shapes are designed with easy point-and-click editor. This editor helps users make modifications extremely easily. Choose the shape, a floating button shows automatically. Rest the cursor over the floating button and then you can see its drop-down menu. See below.

Create Bar Chart

From the drop-down list, you could do lots of quick commands:

Add a Category: Add as much category as you want simply by clicking on the "Add a Category" option.
Delete a Category: Delete a category is as easy as above.
Set Category Number: Enter a value to quickly set the category number; the minimum value is 1.
Set Series Number: Enter a value to quickly set the series number; the minimum value is 1.
Set Max Value: Click "Set Max Value" to input the max value of your bar chart.
Hide Data Labels: Through this option, you can choose to show or hide the data labels.
Hide Legend: Through this option, you can choose to show or hide legend.
Show Legend on Right Side: You can choose to show the legend on the right side or on the bottom.
Appearance Options: Click this button, a dialogue will pop up with more options. You can set "data label position", "data precision", "data format", "prefix unit", "unit", "category interval", "hide/show axis", "axis tick number", and "axis label orientation".

Bar Chart Appearance Options

Draw a Bar Chart Amazingly Easily

Open the Bar Chart Template from the Chart library. Drag a suitable template from library to start your bar chart. You can edit the bar chart template easily through the poin-and-click editor.

1. Edit Bar Chart Data

Double click value text on bar to edit the chart data, the bar width changes according to the rate of bar value and axis max value.

Note: In 100% stacked bar chart you cannot edit the bar percentage value directly. You need to select the category sub shape and drag the yellow diamond handle to change the bar width and percentage value.

edit bar chart data

2. Change Bar Height

Select the chart > Vertically move the yellow diamond handle on the edge of the first category.

Change bar height

3. Set Bar Fill Style

Select a series of sub shape in any category or a legend sub shape > Change the selected shape fill style, then Edraw applies the fill style to all of the series shapes.

Set bar fill style

4. Change the Category Interval

Click Change the Interval on chart action menu to set the value, the interval value should be greater than or equal to 0.

Bar interval

Various Color Themes for Diversified Bar Chart

A great variety of bar chart styles and color schemes produce quality bar charts fitting for any purpose. From cylinder bar chart, 3d bar chart, highlight bar chart to gradient bar chart; we cover almost every style.

Bar Chart Themes

Create Bar Chart for Excel, PowerPoint and Word

When you complete the bar chart, you can save it as the project file for revision later. You can export it to MS Word, Excel or PowerPoint with one click on the Export button in the quick access toolbar. You can also print it or export it in the html, pdf, svg, transparent png format.

Export Bar Chart