How to Create an Area Chart in Excel (6 Suitable Examples)

Example 1 – Make a Simple 2-D Area Chart in Excel

Steps:

• Select range B6:E12.

Cell B6 is the first cell of the column Week and cell E12 is the last cell of the column MacBook Pro 16.

• Go to the Insert tab.
• Select Insert Line or Area Chart.
• Click on Area to insert a simple Area Chart.

To format the chart and add elements.

• Right-click on the chart.
• Click on Select Data.

• A Select Data Source box will open.
• Select Series 1 from the Legend Entries (Series).
• Click on Edit.

• In the Series name insert the cell C5 which indicates the name of the model MacBook Air M1.
• Click on OK.

• Change Series 2 to Dell XPS 13 and Series 3 to MacBook Pro 16.
• Click OK.

• Select the chart.
• Click on Chart Elements.
• Check the box for Axis Titles.

• Double-click on the Axis Titles to edit the text.
• Change the X-axis title to Sales Quantity and the Y-axis title to Week.

Note: You can add other chart elements to the chart like Data Labels or Data Table.

• You will have your simple 2-D Area Chart as shown in the image below.

Read More: How to Shade an Area of a Graph in Excel

Example 2 – Create a Stacked 2-D Area Chart in Excel

Steps:

• Select range B6:E12.
• Go to the Insert tab.
• Select Insert Line or Area Chart.
• Click on Stacked Area to insert a Stacked Area Chart.

• Format and add elements to the chart.

Read More: Excel Stacked Area Chart Negative Values

Example 3 – Build a 100% Stacked 2-D Area Chart in Excel

Steps:

• Select range B6:E12.
• Go to the Insert tab.
• Select Insert Line or Area Chart.
• Click on 100% Stacked Area to insert a 100% Stacked Area Chart.

• Format and add elements to the chart.

Example 4 – Make a Simple 3-D Area Chart in Excel

Steps:

• Select range B6:E12.
• Go to the Insert tab.
• Select Insert Line or Area Chart.
• Click on 3-D Area to insert a simple 3-D Area Chart.

• Format and add elements to the chart.

Example 5 – Create a Stacked 3-D Area Chart in Excel

Steps:

• Select range B6:E12.
• Go to the Insert tab.
• Select Insert Line or Area Chart.
• Click on 3-D Stacked Area to insert a 3-D Stacked Area Chart.

• Format and add elements to the chart.

Read More: Excel Area Chart Data Label Position

Example 6 – Build a 100% Stacked 3-D Area Chart in Excel

Steps:

• Select range B6:E12.
• Go to the Insert tab.
• Select Insert Line or Area Chart.
• Click on 3-D 100% Stacked Area to insert a 3-D 100% Stacked Area Chart.

• Format and add elements to the chart.

Things to Remember

• In a 100% Stacked Area Chart, you will get the percentage of total sales for a week for each model. To read this chart for Week 1, see the Y-Axis value for MacBook Air M1, which is 25%. Above the MacBook Air M1, the sales percentage of Dell XPS 13 is stacked, which will be at (25+45)%=70%. The rest of the sales percentage is for MacBook Pro 16.
• You can read the values for a Stacked Area Chart. In this case, the Y-axis represents the direct values of sales quantity.
• You can change the order for Excel Stacked Area Charts using the Select Data Source box.

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Related Articles

• Proportional Area Chart Excel
• Smooth Area Chart Excel

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