Gauge charts, also known as dial or meter charts, are some of the most visually impactful tools for representing progress or performance. They provide an intuitive snapshot of how a metric compares against a goal, making them ideal for dashboards, reports, and presentations. Whether you're tracking sales targets, monitoring customer satisfaction, or evaluating operational efficiency, gauge charts excel at transforming raw data into actionable insights.

In this article, we'll dive into the details of gauge charts—what they are, why they're beneficial, and how to create them using tools like Excelkits ' gauge chart maker.

What Is a Gauge Chart?

A gauge chart, also called a dial chart, is a circular or semi-circular data visualization that measures a single value within a defined range. It mimics an analog speedometer, offering an immediate overview of performance. The needle, or pointer, indicates the specific value of a metric, such as customer satisfaction or sales progress, while the background dial represents the entire range of possible values. This range is often divided into segments, which are color-coded to reflect performance zones. For instance, red might indicate poor performance, yellow moderate, and green excellent.

The labels or markers on the dial provide additional context, such as numerical values or thresholds that highlight milestones or key performance indicators (KPIs). By combining these elements, gauge charts transform abstract data into a visual display that anyone can interpret at a glance. Unlike other chart types like line charts, bar charts or scatter plots, that display multiple data points or trends, gauge charts focus on a single metric, making them particularly effective for monitoring goals, tracking performance, and motivating action.

Why Are Gauge Charts Beneficial?

Gauge charts are beneficial for several reasons. They simplify communication by refining complex metrics into a single, straightforward visual format. This clarity makes the data super easy to interpret by stakeholders at all levels, from executives to team members. Additionally, they are great motivational tools, as they visually illustrate progress toward a goal. For example, watching the needle inch closer to a fundraising target can encourage further effort and engagement.

Gauge charts excel in emphasizing a single, critical metric, cutting through the noise of multi-data visualizations. This focus helps teams concentrate on what truly matters, whether it's reaching a revenue target, improving customer feedback scores, or optimizing operational efficiency. Their versatility further adds to their appeal; they can be adapted to suit a wide range of industries and use cases.

When to Use a Gauge Chart

Gauge charts shine when tracking progress, performance, or status in relation to a specific goal or benchmark. Some ideal use cases include:

• Goal Completion: Monitor fundraising campaigns, sales quotas, or project milestones.
• Customer Feedback: Visualize customer satisfaction scores or Net Promoter Scores (NPS).
• Employee Performance: Measure productivity or progress on specific KPIs.
• Manufacturing and Operations: Track machine efficiency, defect rates, or production cycles.
• Healthcare Metrics: Monitor patient satisfaction, staff performance, or operational throughput.
• Sales and Marketing Dashboards: Measure lead conversions, campaign ROI, or revenue against targets.

For instance, a business tracking sales performance could use a gauge chart to visualize revenue progress toward a quarterly target. The simple yet powerful visual provides immediate insights to sales managers, enabling them to identify opportunities or gaps in real-time.

How to Create a Gauge Chart

Creating a professional gauge chart doesn't require advanced technical skills, especially when using tools like Excelkits ' gauge chart maker. Follow these steps to create a clear, impactful gauge chart:

1. Define Your Metric and Range

Start by identifying the metric you want to measure and its range of possible values. Determine performance thresholds, such as poor, moderate, and excellent, and assign color zones to represent these levels.

2. Input Your Data

Use Excelkits ' gauge chart maker online to enter your data. Excelkits allows seamless imports from various sources like CSV files, Google Sheets, or Excel. Input your metric, range, and any benchmarks to establish a baseline for your chart.

3. Customize Your Gauge Chart

With Excelkits , customization is straightforward. Adjust the chart’s appearance by setting colors for performance zones, adding labels for clarity, and formatting the needle for precise representation.

4. Finalize and Share

Once your gauge chart is ready, export it in high-quality formats like PNG or JPEG for reports, dashboards, or presentations. For interactive dashboards, Excelkits provides embeddable widgets that update dynamically based on live data.

How to Make a Gauge Chart in Excel

Unfortunately, Excel doesn't offer the option to create a gauge chart in its standard chart creation tool. You can still build one in the program, but it takes a bit of know-how and time to do so.

• Prepare Your Data: Create a table with your metric range, current value, and performance zones.
• Insert a Doughnut Chart: Highlight the performance zones and add a Doughnut Chart from the Insert menu.
• Customize the Doughnut Chart: Adjust the chart to a semi-circle and color the segments to represent performance zones.
• Add the Needle: Overlay a Pie Chart with a single data point to act as the needle.
• Finalize the Chart: Label the ranges, format the chart, and save or embed it into your report.

How to Make a Gauge Chart in Google Sheets

Creating a gauge chart in Google Sheets is quite a bit more straightforward than in Excel as there is already a built-in template for this. Here is how to do it:

• Input Your Data: Enter your metric, including its current value into a table. Google Sheets allows you to create multiple gauge charts in a single visualization, so enter multiple metrics if you plan to do so.
• Select Your Data: Highlight the cells containing your data.
• Insert the Gauge Chart: Use the Insert menu and select 'Chart' from the dropdown. Click on the chart type and scroll down to the 'Other' section to find the gauge charts.
• Customize the Chart: The gauges will automatically max out at 100, so you will need to modify the maximum in the 'Customize' section. Here, you can also modify segment colors and add labels or titles for clarity.
• Share or Export: Save the chart or embed it in your document or presentation.

Excelkits Free Gauge Chart Maker

Gauge charts can be tedious to create when using traditional platforms like Excel or Google Sheets. But now, you don't have to. Excelkits free gauge chart maker provides a user-friendly way to create customizable gauge charts seamlessly, regardless of technical skill. With seamless data integration, users can import information directly from tools like Google Sheets or Excel, bypassing their complex systems and streamlining the chart creation process.

By signing up for Excelkits ' free plan, you'll get access to three embeddable widgets and up to 1,000 monthly views, perfect for individuals or small teams. Upgrading to the premium plan unlocks powerful features such as real-time data syncing to keep your dashboards accurate and up-to-date, increased monthly views, and the option to remove Excelkits branding for a polished, professional look. This plan is ideal for businesses and professionals looking to scale their data-driven content and create polished, branded experiences.