Hello and welcome to this video tutorial from computergaga.com and in this
video we are going to look at how to create a Step chart in Excel. So I have
this example on screen with a Line graph and a Step chart side-by-side to try and
visualize the difference between them and some of the benefits that you may
see with Step charts. In the top left-hand corner I have some data on
this spreadsheet with some dates at irregular intervals and I'm using the
idea of a level of stock that gets checked at these irregular intervals. And
that data has been visualized with the two charts. Now the Line graph is not a
great representation of what's going on there, whereas the Step chart is probably
a better representation of that because we can see the exact times that these
checks take place, and also a better idea of how many times these checks take
place. So it's not a gradual process which a Line graph is probably better at
presenting that trend over time. These stock checks happen at irregular
intervals and the Step chart is that better example of exactly when these
stock movements happened and the effect that they have on the data. Especially
when you look at those last few months. When you look at the data and you can
see that on the 26 October, then only again on the 2nd of December and then
again on the 18th of January. So there are huge gaps between that data and how the Line
graph shows it as a gradual process whereas the Step chart here you can see
how the data doesn't change. And then there is that increase in stock level. Then it
doesn't change for a while until the next increase, as a better
presentation of it. So let's have a look at how to create one of these Step charts. So
here we are with the sample set of data. And this will be a nice and quick
process to do and I'll try and explain in detail exactly how it works
afterwards. What we will need to do is create a separate range of data for this
chart. And I'm going to begin just by copying my two headings, so I don't have
to retype those. And then I'm going to copy the date values, but I'm going to
miss the first one. So I'm starting from row three here with the 20th of
August down to the bottom. And I will copy and paste those into my new data
range. And then with the values I'm going to start from the first one in row two
but select down to the second from last in row nine there. And I'm going to copy
and paste those into my stock level area. Then back to the data range select
everything, apart from headers. And copy and paste those underneath that data set.
So we have this. And this might look a little bit strange you're thinking what
is he doing. But now if I select that entire data from my new range. Click on
Insert. Go to my line graph button and just go for a typical 2d line, and simple
as that we have ourself a step chart. And we could make further modifications to
this. Whether it being the axis, which is going on a monthly interval. Or changing
the titles or even removing these gridlines,
which is something I normally like to do to maybe improve its appearance. But we
have our Step chart as simple as that. Now let's start to look at how that's
working. Now the data we have behind the chart, if I just move that for a moment,
does not need to be in order for this to work. As you can see because it's not in
order. But if I sort those dates in order. So if I just click on a date and
go to Data and sort that in ascending order it doesn't affect the chart, but it
might give us a better idea as to how this is working. Because as you can
see here it mentions the first day only once, because of the way we copied it
across. But then I have a duplication on every date from that. So it shows to the
chart that we started with a value of 717 and then exactly a week later as it
happens, we have still 717. But on that same date it dropped to 410. And that's
what gives a Step chart its appearance where we have that straight line. Because
as far as they're concerned initially there was no change in the value. But on
the same date there then was that change creating that steep drop, that
straight line. Whereas the line graph would have shown it as a gradual process.
Like a direct line between A to B at an angle. Which is maybe not a true
reflection of what really happened then. And that's how it works. Because we've
got the two data. One showing the no change in value, and then the change
creates that step effect. I hope you found this video useful. Please check out
some of our other videos on our YouTube channel. And come check us out a
computergaga.com
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