Add Total Values, Percentages & Dynamic Legends
There is so much potential to improve the standard Excel stacked chart. For one, adding total values outside the last stack would ease comparison between categories.
Adding percentages to the stacks would also help identify and compare the stack sizes to one another.
One method I specially like, is to create a dynamic legend and to put the labels of each of the stacks (so not the data labels but the name of the stack) on the right hand side of the last category – as shown in the graph below.
Step 1: How to add Total Values to Stacked Charts in Excel
Step 2: How to add Dynamic Series Labels (Excel Legend) for Improved Readability
Step 3: How to show Percentages in a Stacked Column Chart in addition to Values
Download the Workbook to follow along
Hello-
Great tutorial! I am having a minor problem with Step 2. It looks like your labels “Asia, America, and Europe are aligned to the left”. For some reason, my labels are centered and will not change alignment when I click left or right alignment. The devil is in the detail. I want to know where to go to adjust the alignment of the data label when needed.
Much appreciated,
Donovan
Hi Donovan – you have to click on the plot area and reduce the plot area range – once you drag it to the left to make it smaller, you will see the labels will have enough breathing space and will align properly.
Awesome! Step 3 told me exactly what I needed to know!