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Sparklines

A sparkline is a small chart that helps you visualize data in a compact format within a cell. It uses a range of cells to display trends, comparisons, or distributions at the cell level. You can use type-specific formulas to create different kinds of sparklines in a workbook.

You can define the following sparkline types:

TypeWhen to use
Line Sparklines
  • Line: Show trends or changes over time in a simple, compact format.
  • Area: Emphasize trends and magnitude by shading the area under the line.
Bar Sparklines
  • Column: Compare individual values over time or across categories using vertical bars.
  • Win/loss: Show positive and negative outcomes (such as wins and losses) without displaying exact values.
  • Stacked: Show how components contribute to a total value over time or across categories.
  • Cascade: Visualize how sequential gains and losses impact a total, by step.
  • Pareto: Display the cumulative impact of categories to highlight key contributors, based on the 80/20 rule.
  • Horizontal bar: Compare values across categories using horizontal bars.
  • Vertical bar: Display individual data points as vertical bars to show trends or comparisons.
  • Histogram: Show the distribution of continuous data by grouping values into ranges.
Pie Sparklines
  • Pie: Show category proportions within a whole using a circular chart.
Scatter Sparklines
  • Scatter: Visualize relationships or distributions between two variables to identify patterns, clusters, or outliers.
  • Spread: Show how data points are distributed along a scale, highlighting clusters, gaps, and outliers.
Calendar Sparklines
  • Month: Visualize daily trends or patterns within a single month.
  • Year: Show seasonality or trends across an entire year.
Other Sparklines
  • Box plot: Display distribution, median, and variability, highlighting outliers.
  • Bullet: Compare a value to a target or benchmark using a compact linear bar.
  • Variance: Show the difference between actual and target values over time or categories.
  • Range block: Indicate where a value falls within a defined range, such as for progress or status.
  • Gauge KPI: Show performance against a goal using a gauge-style indicator.
  • Image: Use small images or icons to represent data trends or categories visually.