How do I show percentages in a bar chart properly?

Question

Level 1

8 points

How do I show percentages in a bar chart properly?

I am trying to create a bar chart that shows a data set of numbers as % in the chart.

For example, my data row reads, 0,0,15,15. When I create a bar chart and go to Series - Format - Percentage it simply shows these figures in the chart as 0,0, 1500%, 1500%.

This is clearly nonsense and should be represented as 0,0, 50%, 50%

I have successfully created bar charts in Numbers in the past where following exactly the same steps produced the proper % figure in the chart.

Please can someone advise what I am doing wrong or what numbers is doing wrong here?

I-Mac 7,1 2.8Ghz, Mac OS X (10.5.4)

Posted on Oct 10, 2013 3:42 AM

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Answer 1

Badunit

Level 7

30,498 points

Oct 13, 2015 2:01 PM in response to alexanderforrest

Create a column that calculates the percentages, just as in the answer to the OP's question.
Make a stacked bar chart of both columns
Select the second series on the chart, your percentages. They barely show on the chart and might be hard to click to select so use Edit Data References then click the colored circle (which should be the default green) on the table to select it.
Set the series to "no fill" so it doesn't show on the chart.
Turn on Data Labels for that series and format them so they look the way you want. Set them to be at "Bottom".

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Answer 2

Yellowbox

Level 7

21,939 points

Oct 10, 2013 4:18 AM in response to Dixmandiff

Hi Dixmandiff,

Column A is a Header Column. It contains category names.

Row 1 is a Header Row.

Body cells in Column C formatted as Percentage.

Formula in C2 is =B2/SUM(B) and Fill Down.

Select Column A then command click on Column C. Insert a bar chart.

With the chart selected, it shows the Columns that are included.

Click on a bar to select the series.

Inspector > Chart > Series > tick Value Labels. Choose a postion for the labels. I chose to show them to the right of the bars as there are some zeroes.

Inspector > Chart > Series > Format > Same as Source Data (source data are already %)

Inspector > Chart > Axis > Value Axis (X) change the number of steps to make sensible value labels on the axis.

Regards,

Ian

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Answer 3

Oct 13, 2015 11:53 AM in response to Yellowbox

Hi Yellowbox,

I have the same problem, just mine is a little different, I want to show grams in the y axis, but then have the percentages displayed on the bar chart.

Example:

How can I get those percentages to display as a percentage of the total amount of all 3?

Thanks,

Alexander

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Answer 4

Oct 13, 2015 2:09 PM in response to Badunit

Hi Badunit,

Thanks for the quick response. Really cool.

Solved my problem, just seems really round-about, would be awesome if Apple built in more options like the ability to make a differentiation between the series selected and the tag on the bars...

Your solution works perfectly thought, thanks again!

Alex

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Answer 5

Badunit

Level 7

30,498 points

Oct 13, 2015 2:52 PM in response to alexanderforrest

Yes, it would be handy if you could choose the labels from your table versus having to plot them as a second series. That would also allow you to use non-numeric labels. You can suggest it via the menu item Numbers/Provide Numbers Feedback.

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Answer 6

SGIII

Level 8

37,550 points

Oct 13, 2015 12:49 PM in response to alexanderforrest

Hi Alexander,

Since your question is different, would you consider starting a new thread?

SG

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