Excel Charts That Tell a Story

Bar/column for comparison across categories. Line for trend over time. Scatter for correlation between two variables. Pie only for parts-of-a-whole with 5 or fewer slices. Avoid 3D, dual-axis and doughnut unless you have a specific reason - they obscure the data more than they reveal it.

Remove the chart title (let the axis label speak). Remove gridlines if the data is clearly labelled. Use one accent colour and one neutral colour. Sort bars from largest to smallest. Label the data points directly when there are few of them. Use a horizontal axis that starts at zero for bar charts.

A line chart with time on the x-axis. Use one line per series, no more than 4-5 lines per chart. If you have many series, use small multiples (one chart per series in a grid) instead of one cluttered chart.

Add the target as a new series in the chart, set its chart type to line, format it in a contrasting colour. The target becomes a horizontal reference line that the actual data can be measured against.

Almost never. Use a pie only when (a) you have 2-5 categories, (b) the parts sum to a meaningful whole (100%), (c) one slice is clearly dominant. If any of those conditions fail, switch to a horizontal bar chart sorted from largest to smallest.

No. 3D charts distort the data - bars in front appear larger than bars behind, the perspective hides exact values, and the eye cannot compare heights accurately. The single biggest 'unprofessional' tell in an Excel dashboard is a 3D chart. Use 2D with a flat fill.