Marimekko Chart In Excel

What Is Excel Marimekko Chart?

Excel Marimekko chart is a data visualization tool that enables professionals to represent complex information in a visually appealing and efficient manner. This chart type effectively displays categorical or qualitative data on both the horizontal and vertical axes, allowing for easy interpretation of proportions and relative sizes.

The Marimekko chart consists of overlapping rectangles, with each rectangle representing a specific category or segment. The width of each rectangle reflects the proportionate value it represents, while the height signifies another categorical dimension. This allows professionals to analyze two variables simultaneously, making it ideal for identifying patterns, trends, and relationships in large datasets. Excel Marimekko charts are widely used in various industries, such as marketing, finance, and project management, for informed decision-making processes and comprehensive data analysis.

Key Takeaways
  • Marimekko charts in Excel are highly effective in illustrating the interplay between two categorical variables.
  • These charts serve as a powerful tool for conveying multidimensional categorical data relationships.
  • They act as a visual bridge, enabling us to comprehend complex interactions and distributions within diverse datasets.
  • These charts possess the unique ability to unveil intricate relationships, compare different scenarios, and emphasize relative proportions, making them invaluable in various fields such as marketing and economics.
  • By harnessing the potential of Marimekko charts, we can gain a deeper understanding of the intricate dynamics at play within our data.

How To Create A Marimekko Chart In Excel Spreadsheet? (With Steps)

Creating a Marimekko chart in an Excel spreadsheet requires a systematic approach to representing proportions and distributions effectively.

  • To begin, ensure the data is organized in a table with values representing both the vertical and horizontal dimensions.
  • Then, select the entire dataset and click on the Insert tab in Excel’s ribbon.
  • From there, navigate to the Charts section and choose Stacked Bar chart type.
  • Adjust the chart as desired by removing unnecessary elements such as gridlines and labels and adding relevant titles and legends.
  • Next, right-click on any bar in the chart, go to Change Series Chart Type, and select Scatter with Straight Lines.
  • This will convert each bar into separate data points connected by lines.
  • Fine-tune formatting options by modifying axis scales, applying appropriate colors and styles, and resizing or repositioning graph components accordingly.
  • Finally, clearly interpret and analyze the created Marimekko chart using concise annotations or labeling axes for a comprehensive understanding of the information presented.


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Examples

Example #1

As mentioned, the Marimekko chart is a valuable tool for comparing the performance of different companies within the same market sector.

To illustrate this, we have created a simple data sample.

Step 1: To begin, navigate to the Insert tab. Select the 100% Stacked Column Chart option located within the Charts group.

Marimekko chart in excel- 100% Stacked Column Chart

Step 2: In order to eliminate the gap between data series in the stacked bar chart, we need to adjust the formatting. To do this, click anywhere within the excel data bars and right-click. From the options that appear, select Format Data Series. Within this menu, update the gap width percentage from 150 to 0%.

Marimekko chart in excel- step 2 - Format Data Series

Step 3: Once the gap width is updated to 0%, you will notice the changes mentioned below.

Marimekko chart in excel- step 3 - Format Data Series

Step 4: To clearly delineate the boundaries of each company’s sales segment, we can insert lines across their respective borders.

Step 5: To accomplish this, select a shape under the Illustration tab and choose Line. The line will then appear within the chart area. Format and position it accordingly, ensuring it spans across each company’s border within the data bars.

Marimekko chart in excel- step 5 - Choose Line

Step 6: Specifically for the company, it is necessary to draw a line across its data bar’s border and format it accordingly.

Step 6 - Draw Line across bars

Step 7: After formatting, it can be copied and pasted across the borders of each company’s data bars.

Step 7 - Draw Line across all bars

Example #2

The Marimekko chart is a valuable tool for comparing the performance of different companies within the same market sector. To illustrate this, we have created a simple data sample.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to create and customize the Marimekko chart:

Step 1: Begin by navigating to the Insert tab and selecting the 100% Stacked Column Chart option located within the Charts group.

Example 2 - Step 1 - 100% Stacked Column Chart

Step 2: In order to eliminate the gap between data series in the stacked bar chart, it is necessary to adjust the formatting. To do this, click anywhere within the data bars and right-click. From the options that appear, select Format Data Series. Within this menu, update the gap width percentage from 150 to 0%.

Step 3: Once the gap width is updated to 0%, you will notice the changes mentioned below.

Example 2 - Step 3 - Format Data Series

Step 4: To clearly delineate the boundaries of each company’s sales segment, we can insert lines across their respective borders.

Step 5: To accomplish this, select a shape under the Illustration tab and choose Line. The line will then appear within the chart area. Format and position it accordingly, ensuring it spans across each company’s border within the data bars.

Step 6: Specifically for the company, it is necessary to draw a line across its data bars border and format it accordingly.

Example 2 - Step 6 - Draw Line across bars

Step 7: Once the line is properly formatted, it can be copied and pasted across the borders of each company’s data bars.

Example 2 - Step 7 - Draw Line across all bars

Example #3

The Marimekko chart is a valuable tool for comparing the performance of different companies within the same market sector. To illustrate this, we have created a simple data sample.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to create and customize the Marimekko chart:

Step 1: Begin by navigating to the Insert tab. Select the 100% Stacked Column Chart option located within the Charts group.

Marimekko Chart - Example 3 - Step 1 - 100% Stacked Column Chart

Step 2: In order to eliminate the gap between data series in the stacked bar chart, it is necessary to adjust the formatting. To do this, click anywhere within the data bars and right-click. From the options that appear, select Format Data Series. Within this menu, update the gap width percentage from 150 to 0%.

Step 3: Once the gap width is updated to 0%, you will notice the following changes.

Marimekko Chart - Example 3 - Step 3 - Format Data Series

Step 4: To clearly delineate the boundaries of each company’s sales segment, we can insert lines across their respective borders.

Step 5: To accomplish this, select a shape under the Illustration tab and choose Line. The line will then appear within the chart area. Format and position it accordingly, ensuring it spans across each company’s border within the data bars.

Step 6: Specifically for the company, it is necessary to draw a line across its data bars border and format it accordingly.

Example 3 - Step 6 - Draw Line across bars

Step 7: Once the line is properly formatted, it can be copied and pasted across the borders of each company’s data bars.

Example 3 - Step 7 - Draw Line across all bars

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What data is suitable for a Marimekko chart?

It is important to gather relevant and suitable data in order to create a meaningful Marimekko chart. The ideal dataset for a Marimekko chart should consist of categorical variables that provide comprehensive information about different dimensions or categories being analyzed.
These variables should possess clear distinctions and have sufficient sample sizes to reflect the proportions within each category accurately. Additionally, the dataset should also include measurable frequencies or percentages associating each intersection of categories, allowing for an accurate representation of the relative contributions made by each category combination.

2. Are there any limitations or drawbacks to using Marimekko charts in Excel?

Firstly, the creation of Marimekko charts in Excel requires a significant amount of manual work as there is no built-in template or tool specifically designed for this chart type. Users have to manually create and manipulate multiple stacked bar charts to achieve the desired effect, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors.
Additionally, Marimekko charts are not suitable for displaying large datasets as the overlapping and stacking of bars may result in cluttered visuals that are difficult to interpret.

3. What is the purpose of using a Marimekko chart in Excel?

The purpose of using a Marimekko chart in Excel is to visually represent categorical data in a way that effectively illustrates the proportionality and connection between two variables. By combining a stacked bar chart with a 100% stacked chart, the Marimekko chart displays information on both the width and height axes, creating rectangles whose areas directly correspond to the values being depicted. This allows for a clear analysis of how different categories contribute to the overall composition or distribution of data across different segments.

Download Template

This article must help understand the Marimekko chart in Excel formulas and examples. We can download the template here to use it instantly.

This has been a guide to Marimekko Chart In Excel. Here we discuss how to make a Marimekko Chart in excel spreadsheet with examples and downloadable excel template. You can learn more from the following articles –

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