A sparkline is a tiny chart that sits inside a single worksheet cell. In Excel you'll add one by selecting a blank cell at the end of a row of data, choosing Insert and a sparkline type such as Line or Column, then selecting the data; in Google Sheets you type a formula instead, such as =SPARKLINE(A1:F1).
That's the catch with sparklines: the two apps do the same job in completely different ways. Excel treats them as a feature you insert from the ribbon and format on the Sparkline tab. Google Sheets treats them as a function, and you'll control the look with an options list inside the formula.
What sparklines are good for
Microsoft says to use sparklines to show trends in a series of values, such as seasonal increases or decreases or economic cycles, or to highlight the maximum and minimum values. For the best impact, it says to place a sparkline near its data. In practice that means one small chart at the end of each row, so you can read the trend without leaving the numbers.
How to add sparklines in Excel
- Select a blank cell at the end of a row of data.
- Select Insert and pick the sparkline type, such as Line or Column.
- Select the cells in the row, then OK.
- With more rows of data, drag the fill handle down to add a sparkline for each row.
The fill handle step is the time saver. You'll build one sparkline, drag, and every row gets its own chart in one move.
Formatting an Excel sparkline on the Sparkline tab
Select the sparkline and the Sparkline tab appears. Here's what Microsoft lists on it:
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Line, Column or Win/Loss | Changes the sparkline type |
| Markers | Highlights individual values |
| Style | Applies a ready-made look |
| Sparkline Color | Sets the colour |
| Weight | Sets the width of the line |
| Marker Color | Changes the colour of the markers |
| Axis | Shows the axis when the data has positive and negative values |
Google Sheets: the SPARKLINE function
In Sheets, SPARKLINE creates a miniature chart in a single cell using a formula. The syntax is SPARKLINE(data, options). Data's the range or array to plot, and options is an optional range or array of settings. If your options come from a range on the sheet, Google says it should be two cells wide, with the option in the first cell and its value in the second.
The charttype option picks the chart:
| charttype | What you get |
|---|---|
"line" | A line chart, and the default if you don't set a type |
"bar" | A stacked bar chart |
"column" | A column chart |
"winloss" | Columns for two outcomes, positive and negative, like heads or tails |
Google's sample usages show the pattern: SPARKLINE(A1:F1) for a plain line, SPARKLINE(A2:E2,{"charttype","bar";"max",40}) for a bar, and SPARKLINE(A1:A5,{"charttype","column";"axis",true;"axiscolor","red"}) for a column chart with a red axis.
SPARKLINE options by chart type
| Chart type | Options Google lists |
|---|---|
| Line | xmin, xmax, ymin and ymax set the axis limits; color sets the line colour; empty and nan control empty and non-numeric cells; rtl draws right to left; linewidth sets the thickness |
| Column and win/loss | color, lowcolor, highcolor, firstcolor, lastcolor and negcolor colour specific columns; axis and axiscolor draw an axis; ymin and ymax scale the column height, though not for win/loss |
| Bar | max sets the maximum along the horizontal axis; color1 and color2 set the two bar colours |
Colours can be names such as "green" or hex codes such as "#3D3D3D". And here's the one that catches people out: to change the colour of a line sparkline in Sheets, Google says to change the font colour of the cell.
Excel and Google Sheets sparklines side by side
| Task | Excel (Microsoft) | Google Sheets (Google) |
|---|---|---|
| Create | Insert > sparkline type > select cells | =SPARKLINE(A1:F1) |
| Chart types | Line, Column, Win/Loss | line, bar, column, winloss |
| Change colour | Sparkline Color | The color option; for lines, the cell's font colour |
| One per row | Drag the fill handle down | Copy the formula down |
Sparklines aren't a replacement for a full chart when you need labels and a legend; for that, see how to make a graph in Excel, and if the point is the direction of travel, adding a trendline does it on a bigger chart. Where sparklines shine is a summary sheet, like the one in my guide to building an Excel dashboard.
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My take on sparklines
One small chart per row beats a big chart nobody reads. Put sparklines right next to the numbers in a dashboard and you'll spot the rows that are climbing or slipping in a second. In Excel, build one and drag it down; in Sheets, write one formula and copy it. Just remember that a line sparkline in Sheets takes its colour from the font, not the options.
To round off your Excel reading, finish with my full guide on how to wrap text in Excel.
Frequently asked questions
What is a sparkline in Excel?
A tiny chart in a single worksheet cell that shows the trend in a row or column of values.
How do I add a sparkline in Excel?
Select a blank cell at the end of a row, choose Insert and a sparkline type, select the data cells, then OK.
What sparkline types does Excel have?
Line, Column and Win/Loss. You can switch between them on the Sparkline tab.
How do I make a sparkline in Google Sheets?
Use the SPARKLINE function, for example =SPARKLINE(A1:F1), and add an options array to change the chart type.
How do I change a line sparkline's colour in Google Sheets?
Google says to change the font colour of the cell.
