How to Make a Line Graph with Multiple Lines in Google Sheets?

Line graphs are arguably among the most straightforward visualization designs you can use to visualize your data in Google Sheets.

You can use them to understand key data points in depth.

There are three variants of Line Graphs you can use in your data stories, namely:

• Dual Axis Line Chart
• Area Line Chart
• Multi Series Line Chart

It’s relatively straightforward to plot Line Charts with two data columns. However, it becomes a complex process when you have more than two data columns.

You cannot find ready-made Line Graphs in Google Sheets. The spreadsheet tool comes with pretty basic charts that need more time and effort to edit. Besides, Google Sheets lacks a huge chunk of the charts highlighted above.

It turns out you don’t have to do away with Google Sheets. You can supercharge it by installing third-party add-ons to access ready-to-use and visually appealing Line Graphs.

In this blog, you’ll learn the following:

Table of Content:

1. What is a Line Graph in Google Sheets?
2. Video Tutorial:
3. Why Do we use line graphs in Google Sheets?
4. Types And Uses of Line Graphs in Google Sheets
   1. Dual-axis Line Chart
   2. Area Line Chart
   3. Multi Series Line Chart
5. The Best Tool to Use to Visualize Your Data with Line Graphs
6. How to Make a Line Graph with Multiple Lines in Google Sheets: Step-By-Step
   1. Step 1: Arrange Your Data in Table
   2. Step 2: Install ChartExpo Add-in in Google Sheet
   3. Step 3: Create a New Chart in Google Sheet
   4. Step 4: Access charts via Create New Chart for a library list
   5. Step 5: Export data and find the Multi Series Line Chart
   6. Step 6: Select Data And Enter Metrics
   7. Step 7: Click the Create Chart Button For the Final Chart
7. Tips to Making a Line Chart in Google Sheets
8. Limitations to Using Google Sheets To Create a Line Chart
9. Frequently Asked Questions About Google Sheets Line Graphs
10. Wrap Up

Before we delve right into the how-to guide, let’s explore the significance of visualization designs, such as Line graphs with multiple lines.

What is a Line Graph in Google Sheets?

Definition: A Line Chart is a visualization design that displays information as a series of data points connected by straight lines. You can use the chart to extract trends and patterns insights into raw data.

Visualization Source: ChartExpo

How to make a Line Graph with multiple lines in Google Sheets should never be a nerve-wracking or time-intensive affair. Keep reading to learn more.

Video Tutorial: How to Create Line Graph with Multiple Lines in Google Sheets?

Why Do we use line graphs in Google Sheets?

1. Trend Analysis: Line graphs effectively showcase trends over time, allowing users to easily identify patterns, peaks, and troughs in data sets.
2. Clear Comparisons: They enable straightforward comparisons between multiple data series, helping users visualize how different datasets relate to one another.
3. Simplicity: Line graphs are easy to understand and interpret, making them accessible for users at all skill levels.
4. Continuous Data Representation: They are ideal for displaying continuous data, as they connect individual data points with lines, illustrating changes smoothly over intervals.
5. Dynamic Updates: In Google Sheets, line graphs automatically update when the underlying data changes, ensuring that visualizations reflect the most current information.

Types And Uses of Line Graphs in Google Sheets

1. Dual-axis Line Chart

A Dual Axis Line Chart combines a column and line chart to help you compare two variables in your data. The visualization design uses two axes to display the relationships between two variables with varying magnitudes and scales.

Visualization Source: ChartExpo

The green lines show positive values (growth) while the red ones show a decline or negative values

Benefits & Uses

1. You can easily plot the Dual Axis Chart to illustrate the relationship between two different variables in your data.
2. The chart can display a lot of information with limited space. This means you don’t have to clutter your dashboard with multiple graphs.

How to Make a Line Graph with multiple lines in Google Sheets, such as Dual Axis Charts, should never stress you. Keep reading to learn more.

1. 2. Area Line Chart

You can use the Area Line Graphs to track changes in your data in a given period. Line Graphs are strategically positioned to track minute changes in variables better than Bar Charts.

Visualization Source: ChartExpo

Benefits & Uses

1. The Area Line Chart is incredibly easy to plot and interpret.
2. Also, the chart can easily be understood by a wider variety of audiences.
3. You can count on the Area Line Chart if your goal is to extract insights into bulky and complex data sets.

How to make a Line Graph with multiple lines in Google Sheets, such as Area Line Charts, should never stress you. Keep reading to learn more.

3. Multi Series Line Chart

A Multi Series Line Chart is a visualization design that groups data points based on their values.

Visualization Source: ChartExpo

Besides, it uses a combination of lines and dots to depict patterns and trends on key variables. You can easily spot the presence or absence of a relationship between two variables in your data. To highlight insights, always use different colors for the markers. Additionally, understanding how to make a graph from a table can enhance your ability to visualize and analyze data effectively.

Multi Series Line Charts are valuable in providing insights into correlations between key variables.

The correlation between the variables is considered to be strong if it’s possible to draw a (nearly) straight line between the markers on the chart. Conversely, if the markers are distributed evenly, the correlation is low or equal to zero.

Benefits & Uses

• You can easily plot the Multi Series Line Chart to illustrate the relationship between two different variables in your data.
• The chart can display a lot of information using limited space.

How to make a Line Graph with multiple lines in Google Sheets should never consume your valuable time or even stress you.

The Best Tool to Use to Visualize Your Data with Line Graphs

Google Sheets is one of the go-to data visualization tools for businesses and professionals.

However, this freemium spreadsheet tool comes with very basic Line Charts, which require a lot of extra work in terms of editing. Also, it lacks a sizeable number of Line Charts with multiple lines (highlighted earlier).

Well, you don’t have to do away with the spreadsheet app.

You can turn Google Sheets into a reliable data visualization tool loaded with advanced charts by installing third-party apps, such as ChartExpo.

As we said, how to make a Line Graph with multiple lines in Google Sheets should never be a time-intensive task. Keep reading to learn more.

Why ChartExpo?

ChartExpo is a Chart maker that comes as an add-on you can easily install in your Google Sheets.

With advanced visualizations such as Sankey Diagram, Control Chart, Pareto Chart, Radar Chart, and many more, ChartExpo turns your complex, raw data into compelling, easy-to-digest, visual renderings that tell the story of your data.

With just a few clicks, this Line Chart generator produces simple and clear visualization designs.

Yes, ChartExpo generates charts in Google Sheets that are amazingly easy to interpret, even for non-technical audiences.

How to Make a Line Graph with Multiple Lines in Google Sheets: Step-By-Step

ChartExpo is a Google Sheets add-on that lightens your data visualization task.

More so, it has a super-intuitive user interface (UI) to provide you easy access to Line Graph with multiple lines, such as Multi Series Line Chart.

As mentioned earlier, Line Charts are best suited for showing trends since changes against time take a linear approach. Population growth, demand forecasts, and units sold are all examples of linear data types.

In this example, we’ll use the Multi Series Line Chart to visualize the tabular data below.

Note the table below has more than 2 data columns, which makes Multi Series Line Chart the best-suited visualization design.

Step 1: Arrange Your Data in Table

Year	Samsung	iPhone	Huawei
2015	700	1500	1000
2016	600	1400	900
2017	700	2000	1300
2018	500	1800	800
2019	980	1900	1100
2020	700	2500	1200

Step 2: Install ChartExpo in Google Sheet

Step 3: Create a New Chart in Google Sheet

Step 4: Access charts via Create New Chart for a library list

Step 5: Export data and find the Multi Series Line Chart

Step 6: Select Data And Enter Metrics

Step 7: Click the Create Chart Button For the Final Chart

Insights:

• Between 2015 and 2020, the best-selling mobile phone brand was the iPhone. It’s on an uptrend pattern.
• Conversely, during the same period, the worst-selling phone brand was Samsung. It’s on a downward trend in terms of performance.

Tips to Making a Line Chart in Google Sheets

1. Organize Your Data: Structure your data with categories in the first column and values in adjacent columns. This helps Google Sheets accurately interpret your data.
2. Use Clear Labels: Clearly label your x-axis and y-axis. Descriptive titles enhance understanding and make it easier for viewers to grasp what the chart represents.
3. Choose the Right Chart Type: Select the “Line Chart” option from the Chart Editor. Google Sheets offers various line chart styles, including smooth lines or markers, to enhance readability.
4. Customize for Clarity: Utilize customization options to adjust colors, line thickness, and data point markers. This improves visual appeal and helps emphasize key data points.
5. Add a Legend: If your chart includes multiple data series, include a legend to identify each line. This is crucial for clarity and helps users understand the data set corresponding to each line.

Limitations to Using Google Sheets To Create a Line Chart

1. Data Size Limitations: Google Sheets has a limit on the number of rows and columns, which can restrict the amount of data you can visualize.
2. Customization Constraints: While Google Sheets offers basic customization options, it lacks advanced charting features found in specialized data visualization software, limiting design flexibility.
3. Performance Issues: With larger datasets or complex charts, Google Sheets may experience performance lags, leading to delays in rendering charts or interacting with the data.
4. Limited Chart Types: Google Sheets primarily supports standard line charts and a few variations. More complex visualizations, like dual-axis line charts or combination charts, may not be easily achievable.
5. Data Refresh: Unlike some dedicated analytics tools, Google Sheets doesn’t automatically update charts with real-time data unless manually refreshed, which can hinder dynamic reporting.

Frequently Asked Questions About Google Sheets Line Graphs

What is meant by the Line Diagram?

A Line Graph is a graphical display of information that changes continuously over time. Within the chart, there are various data points connected by a straight line.

You can use the visualization type to track continuous changes in key variables within your raw data.

What is the Line Chart in statistics?

A Line Chart is a visual comparison of two or more variables displayed on the x and y-axes on a Cartesian plane.

Use this chart if you want to emphasize changes in values for one variable (plotted on the vertical axis) relative to a second variable (plotted on the horizontal).

Wrap Up

What is a Line Graph?

Well, it’s a visualization design that you can use to display relationships and pattern insights into your raw data.

There are 3 variants of Line Graphs with multiple lines you can leverage in your data analysis, namely:

• Dual Axis Line Chart
• Area Line Chart
• Multi Series Line Chart

Let’s talk about Google Sheets because it’s one of the most popular spreadsheet apps around. The aforementioned spreadsheet application comes with pretty basic Line Charts, which require extra time in terms of customizations.

How to Make a Line Graph with multiple lines in Google Sheets should not stress you or consume your valuable time.

There’s an add-on that supercharges Google Sheets to produce ready-made and visually stunning Line Graphs. This easy-to-use and affordable tool is called ChartExpo.

So why do over 40,000-plus users love ChartExpo?

• ChartExpo comes loaded with over 50 charts all for just $10 a month.
• This incredibly affordable tool has a full set of tools, including a graph maker, chart templates, and a data widget library, you can easily create data visualizations of different types

Sign up for ChartExpo today to create ready-to-use and visually stunning Line Graphs with multiple lines.