They say a Slope graph is a Line Chart’s fraternal twin.
While the Line Graph displays insights into three or more data points in a specified time, Slope graph in Excel displays as few as two data points.
You can use charts to display insights into key data points. Besides, Slope charts are a minimalist version of Line Charts. And this is because they show the beginning and end points. So, if you’re not interested in knowing how a line evolved, go for Slope Graph in Excel.
Excel has tables and charts for visualizing data. But it lacks ready-made Slope Charts.
You don’t have to do away with your Excel. You can supercharge it with a particular add-in to access ready-made Slope Graphs.
Before delving right into the blog’s core, we’ll address the following question: what is a Slope Graph in Excel?
A Slope Chart is a simple Line visualization you can easily use to display insights into two or more data points across a given period.
Also, this chart displays transitions, changes over time, absolute values, and rankings.
Unlike other line charts, Slope Chart in Excel is more straightforward to read.
Yes, you read that right.
Slope graphs strip away much of the clutter, allowing you to focus on insights that matter.
Edward Tufte first mentioned the chart in his best-seller book, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, which was released in the early 80s. Initially, Tufte called the visualization “Table-Graphic,” before rebranding it to Slope graph.
Tufte wanted a minimalist and easy-to-decode chart to display insights into a single variable across multiple categories over time.
A Slope graph is slightly slimmed down than the common Line Chart you know.
So, how can you read a Slope graph?
There is a wide range of real-world processes modeled using straight lines. And naturally, Slope graphs are well-positioned to tell a compelling data story.
The chart comprises two parallel vertical axes that indicate the same type of categorical variable with the same units of measurement.
A Slope Chart lacks a horizontal axis. More so, the distance between the vertical axes is either ordinal or a time interval scale. The value of each data is linked by a straight line or a curve.
The gradient of the lines in a Slope Graph in Excel changes in absolute or relative values over time. To create contrasts in these lines, we recommend you use different colors or thicknesses.
Keep reading because momentarily, we’ll show you how to create slope chart in excel.
Meanwhile, we’ll address the following question: what are the best practices of Slope graph in Excel?
Let’s check out the best practices section recommended by the father of Slope graph, Edward Tufte.
Always strive to be clear and concise to your audience. And this implies you should avoid clutter and other less important details in your Slope chart in Excel.
Label your chart using legends and titles. Also, we recommend you use highly contrasting colors to create a clear distinction between the lines.
And this will help in establishing the context of your data stories.
In the ensuing section, we’ll address the question: when should you use a Slope Graph?
You don’t want to miss this.
The Slope chart in Excel can help you in multiple scenarios.
Let’s check them out.
It’s easy to detect and analyze changes over time, especially when working with a smaller data sample.
Slope graphs in Excel comes in handy, especially if your objective is to display insights into multiple key variables with only a single visualization.
And this is because lines occupy minimal space. So you can easily display multiple insights using minimal space. The other strength of Slope graph is that data labels appear horizontally. So, there’s minimal chance of clutter.
The horizontal labels display the title and other additional details in a way we naturally read charts and graphs in a data story. Besides, you can easily display longer names without having to trim.
It gets better.
Slope Chart can help you to track changes and compare results in datasets with many unique variables.
One of the common uses of a Slope graph is to highlight changes between two or more critical variables in your data.
The y-axis of the chart depicts data points across a specified time. The point on the scale shows how performance changes between each period.
For instance, you can leverage a Slope Graph in Excel to display changes in sales of products between 2018 and 2022. During this period, changes in tastes and preferences are bound to shift. So, what was your best-seller in 2019 will likely not dominate in 2022 or beyond.
This is where the Slope chart in Excel comes in.
The chart can easily show you all the services and products that have lost or gained interest. This is critical insight, especially if your goal is to fine-tune your marketing strategy.
The chart can help you paint the before and after pictures regarding a strategy.
In digital marketing, the chart can help you highlight changes across web pages.
Visualization designs that order items hierarchy carry immediate value.
And this is because they show the most and least critical variables in your dataset. Slope graphs show critical insight by displaying the order of your items, especially when working with raw data.
Besides, they go further by displaying how these rankings change over time. And this ensures you’re always aware of the most and least significant variables
For example, you can analyze the close businesses in your space and how you stack up against them.
The other key advantage of this visualization graph is that it can help you monitor your position in the market in real time.
A Slope Chart shows changes over time.
And this means the graph can help you to compare the results of two metrics with a common attribute. So you can easily understand how a data point impacts another. Besides, you’re also likely to learn how to optimize key metrics to improve the results of the other.
In the movie Moneyball, the head coach’s scouts use Slope Charts to recruit draft players based on their performance metrics.
The Slope graph in Excel provides a versatile way of comparing data using easy-to-read charts and graphs.
Also, this chart can help you to learn where to double down on your time, money, and energy.
Data is less valuable, especially if you cannot translate it into digestible information.
Slope Charts can help you to distill signals from noise in your data. And implies you can draw tons of hidden answers. Besides, these charts are 10 times more effective than pivot tables, where you’re likely to commit sizable hours to extract answers.
You can use insights generated to craft compelling data stories for your audience.
Opportunities in your data are constantly appearing.
You can continuously improve your strategies using data if you have Slope graphs in your armory.
Intuition is natural.
But profitable businesses don’t run on gut feeling and intuition — they are data-driven. This is where Slope Charts come in. They help you establish what’s working and what’s not.
Uncovering hidden patterns and trends is tremendously straightforward if you use Slope Graph in Excel.
These visualization designs can help you to make sense of the patterns and trends to back up business decisions.
You can quickly evaluate the competition for more insights.
Remember, competition plays a significant role in your overall performance.
But it can easily detract from your core objective. On the other hand, if you lack intelligence about what your rivals are doing, it will be challenging to measure their effect on your profitability.
You can leverage these charts to conduct competitive comparison analysis and reveal new intelligence. You might discover who you thought was your biggest competitor isn’t so moving needles anymore.
Conversely, new players in the market that you weren’t aware of may have taken their place.
Excel lacks ready-made Slope Chart templates. We’re not advising you to do away with Excel in favor of other expensive tools.
And this is because there’s an amazingly affordable visualization tool that comes as an add-in you can easily install in Excel to access insightful and easy-to-customize Slope Charts. The application is called ChartExpo.
What is ChartExpo?
ChartExpo is an add-in you can easily install in your Excel without needing tutorials.
With many ready-to-go and insightful charts, graphs, and maps, ChartExpo turns your complex, raw data into easy-to-interpret and visually appealing Slope Graphs in Excel.
More benefits
In the coming section, we’ll show you how to analyze your data using the Slope graph in Excel.
Imagine you’re running a Google Ad campaign.
Your key goal is to compare clicks across the targeted geographical locations.
How can you go about this?
The logical step to take is to compare performance between the previous versus current period.
Let’s use the data below for our scenario.
| Period | State | Clicks |
| Previous | Chicago, Illinois, US | 14 |
| Previous | Dallas, Texas, US | 7 |
| Previous | Houston, Texas, US | 12 |
| Previous | Austin, Texas, US | 14 |
| Previous | Albany, New York, US | 31 |
| Previous | Trenton, New Jersey, US | 24 |
| Previous | Newark, New Jersey, US | 22 |
| Previous | Helena, Montana, US | 8 |
| Previous | San Antonio, Texas, US | 7 |
| Current | Chicago, Illinois, US | 21 |
| Current | Dallas, Texas, US | 27 |
| Current | Houston, Texas, US | 30 |
| Current | Austin, Texas, US | 69 |
| Current | Albany, New York, US | 21 |
| Current | Trenton, New Jersey, US | 34 |
| Current | Newark, New Jersey, US | 21 |
| Current | Helena, Montana, US | 21 |
| Current | San Antonio, Texas, US | 28 |
To install ChartExpo into your Excel, click this link.
A Slope Chart is a simple Line visualization you can easily use to display insights into two more data points across a given period.
Also, this chart displays transitions, changes over time, absolute values, and rankings. Unlike other Line Charts, Slope Graph in Excel is more straightforward and easy to read.
A Slope graph is a Line Chart’s fraternal twin.
While the Line Graph displays insights into three or more data points in a specified time, Slope graph in Excel displays only two data points.
You can use a Slope graph to display hierarchy insights into key data points. Edward Tufte first used the chart in his book, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, published in 1983.
Slope charts are a minimalist version of Line Charts. And this is because they show the beginning and end points. So, if you’re not interested in knowing how a line evolved, go for Slope Chart in Excel.
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