Creating a semaphore thermometer chart

For example, a worksheet set up to track daily progress toward a goal: 1,000 new sales in 10 days. Cell C16 contains the goal value, and cell C17 contains a simple sum formula:

= SUM (C5:C14)

Cell C19 contains a formula that calculates the percent of goal (see Creating a simple thermometer chart):

= C17 / C16

To create the chart like this one, do the following:

   1.   Add additional data to see different colors for different volumes (in this example, cells C20:C23):

   2.   Select cells C20:C23.

   3.   On the Insert tab, in the Charts group, choose the Column button:

Choose the Stacked Column chart.

   4.   Do one of the following:

• Right-click in the chart area. In the popup menu select Select Data...:
  

  Then in the Select Data Source dialog box, click the Switch Row/Column button:

  
• Under Chart Tools, on the Design tab, in the Data group, click the Switch Row/Column button:
  

   5.   Remove the horizontal (x) axis and the legend. Make any other adjustments to get the look you desire (see Creating a simple thermometer chart for more details).

   6.   Right-click in the data series and choose Format Data Series... in the popup menu:

   7.   On the Format Data Series pane, on the Fill tab, choose the color you prefer:

   8.   In the Format Data Series pane, choose different colors for every series. You can choose different series in that pane:

Make any other adjustments to get the look you desire.

See also this tip in French: Comment créer un graphique de thermomètre de sémaphore.