How to Create a Sankey Diagram in Google Sheets?

The Sankey Diagram in Google Sheets is ideal for visualizing data that involves flows, such as energy usage, costs, or resource allocation.

Flow data can be complex and bulky, and using the wrong chart may make it difficult to spot insights. A Google Sheets Sankey diagram simplifies this by providing a clear, easy-to-read visualization of how values move between categories or stages.

While creating a Sankey chart manually in Google Sheets can be complicated, you don’t need to abandon Sheets. By installing a simple add-on, you can generate a ready-made diagram instantly, saving time while keeping your workflow entirely within Google Sheets.

What is a Sankey Diagram in Google Sheets?

Definition: A Sankey diagram in Google Sheets is a visual tool used to illustrate the flow of resources, energy flow, or materials through a process. Originally developed by Matthew Sankey in the 1890s to show energy efficiency in steam engines, these diagrams highlight how quantities move between stages and where losses or bottlenecks occur.

A Google Sheets Sankey diagram allows you to map complex flows in a clear, intuitive format, making it easier to analyze efficiency, track resource distribution, and identify key areas for improvement.

How to Make a Sankey Diagram in Google Sheets?

Step 1: Open Google Sheets

• Launch Google Sheets and open the spreadsheet containing the data you want to visualize.

Step 2: Install an Add-On

• Go to Extensions → Add-ons → Get add-ons. Search for a Sankey chart tool like ChartExpo and install it. This add-on provides a ready-made chart without coding.

Step 3: Open the Add-On

• Once installed, open the add-on from Extensions → Add-ons. Select the Sankey chart in Google Sheets from the list of available charts.

Step 4: Input Your Data

• Highlight the data in your spreadsheet. Enter the numerical values (e.g., units sold, costs) as metrics and the categories or stages as dimensions.

Step 5: Create the Chart

• Click the Create Chart button. The Sankey diagram in Google Sheets will appear instantly based on your data.

Step 6: Customize the Diagram

• Adjust chart properties such as headers, legends, node colors, and labels to make the visualization clear and easy to interpret.

Step 7: Export and Share

• Once the chart is ready, export it in your preferred format and share it with your team or stakeholders.

Top 3 Methods For Creating a Google Sheets Sankey Chart

Method 1: Use a Third-Party Add-On (Quickest)

The fastest way to generate a Sankey chart in Google Sheets is by installing an add-on.

Steps:

1. Go to Extensions → Add-ons → Get add-ons.
2. Search for “Sankey Chart in Google Sheets” and install it.
3. Open the add-on from the Extensions menu.
4. Enter your data, then select dimensions and metrics.
5. Click to create the chart.

Method 2: Use Google Apps Script

Best suited for users comfortable with coding.

Steps:

1. Open Extensions → Apps Script.
2. Paste a pre-written Sankey script into code.gs.
3. Create index.html and add the chart code.
4. Link your Google Sheet ID, save, run the script, and allow permissions.
5. Your chart will generate within the linked sheet.

Method 3: Use an External Tool

This method is ideal if you prefer building charts outside Google Sheets.

Steps:

1. Copy your data from Google Sheets.
2. Paste it into an online charting tool.
3. Customize the chart as needed.
4. Export the chart and embed it back into Google Sheets if required.

Benefits of Sankey Chart in Google Spreadsheets

1. Visualizes Complex Flows Clearly

• It makes understanding the movement of resources, funds, or energy across different stages simple. Large or complex datasets that are hard to interpret in tables become immediately clear.

2. Highlights Key Contributors

• The width of each link and node represents the magnitude of a value, allowing you to quickly spot the most significant inputs, outputs, or changes in your process.

3. Supports Data-Driven Decision Making

• By showing how metrics flow through a system, it provides actionable insights for improving efficiency, reducing waste, or reallocating budgets effectively.

4. Offers a Bird’s-Eye View

• This visualization gives a high-level overview of processes, costs, or workflows, making it easy to identify trends, bottlenecks, or inefficiencies without digging through raw data.

5. Versatile Across Industries

• It can be applied in areas like supply chain management, marketing analytics, cash flow analysis, energy tracking, or visualizing customer journeys.

Best Practices for Creating a Sankey Chart in Google Sheets

1. Use Clean and Structured Data

• Ensure your data is well-organized with clear source, target, and value columns. This makes it easier for the chart to map flows accurately and avoids errors or confusing visuals.

2. Keep the Flow Focused

• Avoid clutter by including only key nodes and links. Too many connections can make the chart overwhelming and difficult to interpret. Highlight the flows that matter most for your analysis.

3. Apply Meaningful Labels and Colors

• Label each node and link clearly, and use contrasting colors to differentiate flows. This improves readability and ensures your audience can easily understand the chart.

4. Start with Smaller Segments

• If your dataset is large, create the chart with smaller sections first. Once validated, combine sections to show the full flow. This prevents performance issues and makes adjustments easier.

5. Review and Validate Your Insights

• Always double-check the chart against your raw data to ensure accuracy. A Sankey diagram in Google Sheets is most effective when it clearly highlights patterns, inefficiencies, or key flows without misrepresenting the data.

FAQs

Does Google Sheets have a Sankey Diagram?

Google Sheets Sankey charts are not available by default.

We’re not advising you to do away with Google Sheets in favor of other expensive tools.

This is because there’s an add-on you can easily install in Google Sheets to access insightful, ready-made, and easy-to-customize charts.

Can you make a Sankey diagram in Google Sheets?

Follow the steps below to create a Sankey Diagram in Google Sheets.

1. Open your Google Sheets.
2. Open the worksheet and click the Extensions menu button.
3. Once the Charts, Graphs, & Visualizations by the ChartExpo tool drop-down menu shows, click the Open button.
4. Click the Add New Chart button to access the inventory of charts and graphs available.
5. Once the add-on is loaded, you will see a list of charts in Google Sheets. Look for “Sankey Chart Google Sheets”.
6. Highlight your data and select the Metric option. Fill in the numerical numbers (e.g., Units Sold).
7. Select the Dimensions button and fill in the dimensional data (e.g., Store, Category, Items, and Brand).
8. Complete the simple task by clicking the Create Chart button.
9. Check out the final Sankey Chart in Google Sheets.

Wrap Up

A Sankey diagram in Google Sheets offers far more clarity than traditional charts like pie charts when analyzing flow-based data. It’s especially effective for visualizing complex and bulky data, such as energy usage, cost distribution, or resource flows.

Without the right visualization, this type of data can quickly become overwhelming. A Sankey chart in Google Sheets simplifies interpretation, highlighting key connections and patterns at a glance.

Using a ready-made solution for Google Sheets can save significant time while producing a chart that’s easy to read and understand. Its intuitive design makes it simple to spot trends, inefficiencies, and insights that might otherwise remain hidden.