Sparklines in Excel (tiny chart / micro chart)

Data visualization in Excel 2010 is very easy and impressive. You can show trend in a single cell by using sparklines option. Unlike chart in excel, Sparkline is not an object its a tiny chart or micro chart in background of cell. A sparkline can display a trend based on adjacent data in a clear and compact graphical representation.

What is Sparkline? 

Sparkline is micro chart or tiny chart (cell sized chart) aligned with rows of tabular data. Simple way to show trend information.

How to use?

Select cell where you want to add sparkline go to INSERT – Sparklines – (select any one option out of 3  - line, column and Win/Loss)
Then range window will appear select data range and click Ok. That’s it.

There are three type of sparkline option given.
1. Line
2. Column
3. Win/Loss

let's see an example..

 In above example I have shown how to add line and column sparklines, you can use win/loss option to show win / loss by selecting low Point or High point option from Sparkline design tab.

Tips:

- To delete or to remove sparklines use clear all option from Home > Editing  > Clear  > Clear All.

- Even if you have Excel 2010 make sure you are not using "Compatibility Mode" it will disable sparklines option.

- Excel Versions: sparklines added in Excel 2010 and versions after it. if you open sparklines file in excel 2007 or in lower version, sparklines will not appear.

- You can write words in cell and show sparkline in the same as sparklines shown in background. 

- To copy Sparkline in other documents use copy and 'paste as picture' option.

Please use comment section to provide your feedback or to ask question.