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How to add data bars in excel on mac (The Simplest Way)

February 13, 2023
5.2K Views

Excel's Data Bars feature combines data with a bar chart inside the cell to display the proportion of the selected data or the location of the selected value on the bars. The Conditional formatting option's drop-down list on the Home menu ribbon provides access to the Data bar. Gradient Fill and Sold Fill Data bar may be seen if we go there. Solid fill employs the sold dark colour fil, whereas gradient fill uses the shades in the cell with values. If we use Data Bars, it will automatically determine the length of the bars it should retain for each of the selected values inside the cell. Let's say we have a list of 10 numbers.

How to add data bars in excel online, 2016 and 2019

Excel makes it incredibly quick and simple to add data bars. Let's use some examples to better understand how adding data bars in Excel works.

Difference between chart and data bars

1. Click on a Column chart under Insert.

2. For our data, we now have a straightforward column chart.

Wow!! To present and go looks excellent. You'll find them amusing, I'm sure. But wait, we have more intriguing visuals that display the bars inside the specific cell itself.

For this data, we will add Excel Data Bars, which display the bars inside the cell alongside the numbers. To add data bars to Excel, follow the procedures shown below.

3. Choose a number between B2 and B11.

4. Activate the HOME tab. Select Data Bars after selecting Conditional Formatting. Choose the first of the two categories to be highlighted in this section.

5. Now we have a lovely bar inside the cells.

In this category, the greatest value has the longest bar, while the lowest value has the shortest bar. Only Excel's conditional formatting automatically selects this.

How to show only bars and no numbers in excel

If you prefer to simply see bars in the cell rather than numbers, you may select to display only bars rather than both. You can use the methods shown below to just display bars.

1. Choose a number between B2 and B11.

2. Click Manage Rules under Conditional Formatting.

3. Double-click the rule as indicated below.

4. Select Show Bars Only and then click OK in the box that appears below.

5. Instead of combining numbers and bars, we will now just observe bars.

How to add data bars with negative numbers in excel

Negative values can also be displayed using Excel Data Bars. I have the results of a student's six competitive exams. Various students in some exams received negative scores as a result of negative grading.

You can no longer identify the student who received poor scores on a test by looking at the data. In order to swiftly determine the highest marks on each exam, we also need some highlights here. The Data Bar method of conditional formatting may be used to achieve this.

1. Choose the cells in the Exam 1 Scores range.

2. Select Data bars under Conditional Formatting. Because we have negative values here, pick gradient fills but do not select red bars. Red bars will be used to symbolise all the negative numbers.

3. We now have bars. The bad ratings are simple to spot right away.

4. You don't need to apply conditional formatting individually to the next 5 examinations; instead, you may duplicate the range of conditional formatting that is now in use and paste it as a format.

5. Choose the final 5 test ranges. Press ALT, E, S, and T. This shortcut key only allows you to paste the copied cells in their original format.

6. For all tests going forward, conditional formatting data bars will be used.

Note: This was an attempt to show you how to add data bars in excel online, 2016 and 2019, in both windows and mac. 

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You just need to have a little understanding of how and which way things work and you are good to go. With having this basic knowledge or information of how to use it, you can also access and use different other options on excel or spreadsheet. Also, it is very similar to Word or Document. So, in a way, if you learn one thing, like Excel, you can automatically learn how to use Word as well because both of them are very similar in so many ways. If you want to know more about WPS Office, you can download WPS Office to access, Word, Excel, PowerPoint for free.

15 years of office industry experience, tech lover and copywriter. Follow me for product reviews, comparisons, and recommendations for new apps and software.