← Google Sheets from Scratch: Formulas, QUERY, and Collaboration
Lesson
Lesson 1: Charts and pivot tables
Turn a table into a clear picture: choose a chart type that fits the data, and condense large datasets into a pivot table.
Charts and pivot tables: an overview
Charts and pivot tables
In Google Sheets a chart is built from a selected range of cells: select the columns and rows you need → “Insert → Chart”. The key rule: a chart updates automatically when the source data changes. So if you change a number in the table, the chart redraws itself with no extra steps.
Each chart type answers its own question. A column chart is for comparison: “Which store sold more?”, “Which manager is in the lead?” A line chart is for change over time: “How did revenue change month by month?”, “Is attendance growing?” A pie chart is for parts of a whole: “Which product has the largest share of sales?”, “How is the budget split?”
A pivot table is a tool for aggregating large amounts of data. It lets you “collapse” thousands of rows into a compact report by setting three axes: which rows to group by, which columns to spread across, and which value to calculate (sum, average, count). For example, from a year’s sales log you can get a “manager × month → deal total” table in one step. In Google Sheets you create a pivot table with “Insert → Pivot table”.
Lesson notes
Charts and pivot tables
In Google Sheets a chart is built from a selected range of cells: select the columns and rows you need → “Insert → Chart”. The key rule: a chart updates automatically when the source data changes. So if you change a number in the table, the chart redraws itself with no extra steps.
Each chart type answers its own question. A column chart is for comparison: “Which store sold more?”, “Which manager is in the lead?” A line chart is for change over time: “How did revenue change month by month?”, “Is attendance growing?” A pie chart is for parts of a whole: “Which product has the largest share of sales?”, “How is the budget split?”
A pivot table is a tool for aggregating large amounts of data. It lets you “collapse” thousands of rows into a compact report by setting three axes: which rows to group by, which columns to spread across, and which value to calculate (sum, average, count). For example, from a year’s sales log you can get a “manager × month → deal total” table in one step. In Google Sheets you create a pivot table with “Insert → Pivot table”.