For example, here's how you can represent the data for the first four months by using the scatter graph with smooth lines and markers: Scatter with lines is best to be used when you have few data points.

Scatter with straight lines and markers.

Or, you can customize some elements of your graph to make it look more beautiful and to convey the correlation between the two variables clearer.īesides the classic scatter plot shown in the above example, a few more templates are available: The scatter diagram will be immediately inserted in your worksheet:īasically, you may consider the work done. To insert a classic scatter graph, click the first thumbnail:

Go to the Inset tab > Chats group, click the Scatter chart icon, and select the desired template.

Do not select any other columns to avoid confusing Excel.

Select two columns with numeric data, including the column headers.

With the source data correctly organized, making a scatter plot in Excel takes these two quick steps: In our example, we are going to visualize the relationship between the advertising budget for a certain month (independent variable) and the number of items sold (dependent variable), so we arrange the data accordingly: If your dependent column comes before the independent column and there is no way you can change this in a worksheet, you can the swap x and y axes directly on a chart. The dependent variable (the one affected by the independent variable) should be in the right column, and it will be plotted on the y axis. So, you enter two sets of numeric data into two separate columns.įor ease of use, the independent variable should be in the left column as this column is going to be plotted on the x axis. But first, you need to arrange your source data properly.Īs already mentioned, a scatter graph displays two interrelated quantitative variables. With a variety of inbuilt chart templates provided by Excel, creating a scatter diagram turns into a couple-of-clicks job. The tighter the data points fall along a straight line, the higher the correlation. The main purpose of a scatter plot is to show how strong the relationship, or correlation, between the two variables is. The chart displays values at the intersection of an x and y axis, combined into single data points.

Typically, the independent variable is on the x-axis, and the dependent variable on the y-axis. In a scatter graph, both horizontal and vertical axes are value axes that plot numeric data.

A scatter plot (also called an XY graph, or scatter diagram) is a two-dimensional chart that shows the relationship between two variables.

Linear scatter plot data sets