How to Graph Two Sets of Data in Google Sheets

Visualizing two sets of data on a single graph can instantly reveal trends, comparisons, and relationships that are impossible to see in a spreadsheet. This guide will walk you through several easy methods for creating insightful charts with two data series in Google Sheets, from comparing year-over-year sales to analyzing the correlation between ad spend and conversions.

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First, Organize Your Data

Before you create any chart, the key is to structure your data properly. A clean setup makes the entire process smoother. For most charts that compare two data sets over the same period (like month-over-month), you’ll want a three-column layout:

• Column A: The label for each data point (e.g., dates, months, campaign names). This will be your horizontal axis (X-axis).
• Column B: Your first numerical data set (e.g., Sales 2023). This will be your first series.
• Column C: Your second numerical data set (e.g., Sales 2024). This will be your second series.

Here’s a simple example comparing sales figures from two different years:

Having your data organized like this tells Google Sheets exactly how to plot the information on a chart.

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Method 1: Create a Combo Chart to Compare Different Metrics

A combo chart is perfect when you want to compare two different types of data on the same graph, like units sold (a number) and revenue (dollars). It typically combines column and line charts to make the relationship easy to see.

Let's imagine we're tracking monthly website traffic and the number of leads generated. Traffic might be in the thousands, while leads are in the dozens. A combo chart handles these different scales beautifully.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Select Your Data: In your Google Sheet, click and drag to highlight all the cells containing your data, including the headers (e.g., A1:C7).
2. Insert the Chart: Go to the menu and click Insert > Chart. Google Sheets will automatically suggest a chart type, but we’ll customize it.
3. Open the Chart Editor: The Chart editor sidebar should appear on the right. If not, just double-click on your new chart to open it.
4. Choose ‘Combo chart’: Under the "Setup" tab in the Chart editor, click the dropdown under "Chart type" and scroll down to select "Combo chart."
5. Customize Your Series: The real power is in customizing how each series is displayed. Go to the "Customize" tab in the Chart editor and click on the "Series" dropdown.
6. Refine Your Chart: Add a clear title (e.g., "Website Traffic vs. Leads Generated") and label your horizontal and vertical axes under the "Chart & axis titles" section in the Customize tab. This context is essential for anyone reading your chart.

Your finished chart will now clearly show the relationship between your two sets of data, even with their different scales.

Method 2: Use a Line Chart for Trend Comparison

When you have two data sets measured in the same units that you want to compare over time, a line chart is your best friend. This is the classic way to visualize year-over-year performance, compare traffic from two different sources, or track the progress of two sales representatives.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Select Your Data Range: Just like before, highlight the data you want to plot, including your labels and both data series (e.g., A1:C7 from our "Sales 2023 vs. Sales 2024" example).
2. Insert a Chart: From the top menu, navigate to Insert > Chart.
3. Select 'Line chart': Google Sheets is pretty smart and will often default to a line chart when it recognizes a time-based label like months or dates. If it doesn't, go to the Chart editor, click the "Chart type" dropdown, and select "Line chart."
4. Customize the Lines: Now for the details. In Chart editor, click the "Customize" tab, then expand the "Series" section.
5. Add Labels and a Legend: Make sure your chart has a title like "Year-over-Year Sales Growth." Under the "Legend" section, you can adjust the position of the key that explains what each line color represents (e.g., top, bottom, right).

This side-by-side trend analysis instantly shows you if performance is improving, declining, or staying flat compared to the previous period.

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Method 3: Build a Grouped Column Chart for Direct Comparisons

Sometimes you need to compare two data sets head-to-head for specific categories, rather than looking at a trend over time. A grouped column or bar chart is perfect for this. For example, comparing the follower counts of your company on two different social media platforms across different quarters.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Highlight Your Data: Select the cells with your categorical labels and the two corresponding numerical data sets.
2. Insert Your Chart: Click Insert > Chart.
3. Choose 'Column chart': This is often the default, but if not, select "Column chart" (or "Bar chart" for horizontal bars) from the "Chart type" dropdown in the Chart editor. Google Sheets will automatically group the bars for each category.
4. Format and Style: Go to the "Customize" tab.
5. Consider Data Labels: For column charts, adding data labels can be very helpful. In the "Series" customization options, check the "Data labels" box to display the exact numerical value on top of each column. This saves viewers from having to guess the value based on the axis.

This type of chart makes direct magnitude comparisons incredibly intuitive. At a glance, you can see which category performed better in which period.

Method 4: Use a Scatter Plot to Find Relationships

What if you want to understand the relationship between two different variables? For instance, does spending more on ads lead to more sales? A scatter plot is the tool for revealing this kind of correlation.

For a scatter plot, your data should be arranged in two columns of numerical data. For our example, one column for "Daily Ad Spend" and one for "Daily Sales." Each row represents an observation (e.g., a single day).

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Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Set Up Your Data: Make sure you have just your two numerical data series in adjacent columns. Highlight them.
2. Insert a Chart: Go to Insert > Chart.
3. Select 'Scatter chart': In the Chart editor, scroll down the "Chart type" list and find "Scatter chart."
4. Analyze with a Trendline: This is where the magic happens. In the "Customize" tab, go to the "Series" section.
5. Scroll down and check the box for "Trendline." Google Sheets will instantly draw a line of best fit through your data points.
6. Interpret the Trendline:
7. Label Your Axes: More than any other chart, scatter plots need clear axis titles. Label your horizontal (X-axis) and vertical (Y-axis) so it's clear which variable is which.

Scatter plots move beyond simple comparison and help you uncover deeper, more strategic insights baked into your data.

Final Thoughts

Creating graphs with two sets of data in Google Sheets is a straightforward way to turn rows of numbers into a clear, compelling story. Whether you're building a combo chart, line graph, column chart, or scatter plot, mastering these techniques will elevate your reports and make your data analysis much more effective.

Manually creating these charts is powerful, but it can still be time-consuming, especially when you're pulling data from multiple sources like Google Analytics, Shopify, or your CRM. At Graphed, we’ve built a tool that automates this entire process. You can connect your marketing and sales data sources in seconds and then simply ask for the chart you want in plain English, like "Create a line chart comparing Facebook Ads spend vs revenue by campaign for last month." We build the live, interactive dashboard for you, so you can spend less time wrangling spreadsheets and more time acting on insights.