How to Make an XY Graph in Google Sheets

Trying to figure out the relationship between two different sets of numbers, like your ad spend and your revenue, can feel like you're trying to solve a puzzle. The easiest way to see that connection clearly is with an XY graph. This guide will walk you through exactly how to build a professional-looking XY graph in Google Sheets, step-by-step. We'll cover everything from structuring your data correctly to customizing your chart so it tells a compelling story.

What is an XY Graph, Anyway?

An XY graph, also known as a scatter plot or scatter chart, is a simple yet powerful way to visualize the relationship between two sets of numerical data. You plot one variable on the horizontal axis (the X-axis) and the other on the vertical axis (the Y-axis). The result is a collection of dots, and the pattern they form (or don't form) tells you a story.

Its goal isn’t to show a trend over time - that's what a line graph is for. Instead, an XY graph's main job is to answer one key question: Does Y change when X changes?

When should you use an XY Graph?

You'll find an XY graph incredibly useful anytime you want to check for correlation or a potential cause-and-effect relationship between two things you can count. For marketers and business owners, this is a daily need. Here are some relatable examples:

• Ad Spend vs. Revenue: Does daily revenue increase when you increase your daily ad budget?
• Website Traffic vs. New Signups: As more people visit your site, do you get more new users for your product?
• Product Price vs. Units Sold: How does changing the price of an item affect how many of them you sell?
• Number of Sales Calls vs. Deals Closed: Do salespeople who make more calls close more deals?

In all these cases, you have two different numerical metrics, and you suspect one might influence the other. An XY graph is the perfect tool to put that suspicion to the test visually.

How to Create an XY Graph in Google Sheets: Step-by-Step

Let's build one from scratch. We’ll use a classic marketing example: tracking daily Google Ads spend against the number of new leads generated each day. The process is straightforward and only takes a few clicks.

Step 1: Get Your Data Ready

The single most important step happens before you even touch the chart menu. Your data needs to be structured properly for Google Sheets to understand it. Here’s the rule:

• Create two columns, side-by-side.
• The left column should be your independent variable (the one you control or which happens first). This will become your X-axis. In our case, that's "Google Ads Spend."
• The right column should be your dependent variable (the one that might be affected by the first). This will become your Y-axis. For us, that's "Daily Leads."
• Make sure you have clear headers at the top of each column. Both columns must contain only numerical data (currency, numbers, etc.).

Your data should look something like this:

Step 2: Select Your Data

Click on the header of the first column (e.g., cell A1, "Google Ads Spend"), hold down the Shift key, and then click on the last data point in your second column. This will highlight both columns, including the headers. Correctly selecting both the headers and the data tells Google Sheets what to label each axis automatically.

Step 3: Insert the Chart

With your data selected, navigate to the top menu and click Insert > Chart. Google Sheets will pop up with a Chart Editor on the right side of your screen and generate a chart it thinks is best. Sometimes it guesses right, but often you'll need to specify what you want.

Step 4: Choose 'Scatter chart' from the Chart Editor

In the Chart Editor, under the Setup tab, find the Chart type dropdown menu. Click on it, scroll down until you see the Scatter section, and choose the plain Scatter chart option.

That's it! Google Sheets will instantly transform your selection into an XY graph. You now have a basic visualization of the relationship between your ad spend and daily leads.

Making Your Graph Clear and Professional

A default chart gets the job done, but taking a few extra minutes to customize it can transform it from a generic graph into a clear, valuable insight that's ready for any report or presentation.

All customization options are found in the 'Customize' tab of the Chart Editor. If you've closed it, just double-click your chart to bring it back.

1. Add Clear Chart and Axis Titles

Your chart needs a name, and your axes need labels. Giving your chart a descriptive title helps anyone looking at it understand the context instantly. Click on 'Chart & axis titles' to edit the main 'Chart title' and add titles for your 'Horizontal axis' and 'Vertical axis'.

Example:

• Chart title: Relationship Between Google Ads Spend and Leads
• Horizontal axis title: Daily Google Ads Spend ($)
• Vertical axis title: Number of New Leads

2. Customize the Data Points (Series)

Under the 'Series' section, you can change the appearance of the dots that represent your data. You can change their color to match your brand, modify their shape from circles to stars, and adjust their size. This is especially useful if you are plotting multiple series of data on the same chart (e.g., comparing Google Ads vs. Facebook Ads performance).

3. Adjust Gridlines and Ticks

Go to the 'Gridlines and ticks' menu. Sometimes the default gridlines can make a chart look cluttered. You can remove them or add more 'minor gridlines' if you need extra precision. A good practice is to tone down the color of the gridlines to a light gray so they don’t distract from your data points.

Level Up: Adding a Trendline for Deeper Insight

An XY graph is great for seeing a general pattern, but you can take it one step further by adding a trendline. A trendline is a single line that best fits the data, showing the general direction of the relationship at a glance.

Here’s how to add it:

1. In the Chart Editor, go to the 'Customize' tab and select 'Series'.
2. Scroll down and you'll see a list of checkboxes. Check the one that says 'Trendline'.

A line will immediately appear over your data points. If the line slopes upwards, it indicates a positive correlation (as X increases, Y tends to increase). If it slopes downwards, it's a negative correlation (as X increases, Y tends to decrease). If it’s mostly flat, there may be no correlation at all.

For an even more scientific view, you can have Google Sheets show you the R-squared (R²) value. In the same menu, under 'Label', choose 'Use Equation' and check the 'Show R²' box. The R² value is a number between 0 and 1 that tells you how well the line fits the data. The closer it is to 1, the stronger the relationship between your two variables.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Creating an XY graph is simple, but a few common missteps can lead to confusing or inaccurate charts. Here are the main ones to watch out for:

• Mixing Up Your Axes: The most common mistake is putting your data in the wrong columns. Remember: the cause or independent variable (like ad spend) goes on the left (X-axis), and the effect or dependent variable (like leads) goes on the right (Y-axis). If you get them backward, you can fix it in the 'Setup' tab of the Chart editor without redoing your sheet.
• Using a Line Chart Instead: It’s tempting to pick a Line chart because it connects the dots, but don’t. A line chart implies a continuous sequence over time. Unless your X-axis is time (days, months, years), a Scatter chart is the correct choice to show correlation.
• Forgetting to Format Numbers: If you're plotting currency, make sure that column is formatted as currency in your sheet. This improves the readability of your chart's axis labels and tooltips.

Final Thoughts

Mastering the XY graph in Google Sheets gives you a powerful tool for finding relationships hiding in your data. By structuring your data correctly and using the customization options, you can move beyond simple spreadsheets and create compelling visualizations that answer critical business questions and help you make smarter, data-driven decisions.

While Google Sheets is fantastic for this kind of work, that multi-step process of exporting CSVs, setting up your sheet, and creating charts can still eat up a lot of time, especially when you face new questions a day later. We designed Graphed to cut out that manual work entirely. Instead of building charts click by click, you can just connect your data sources (like Google Ads or your CRM) and ask a question in plain English, like "Show me a scatter plot of daily ad spend vs new leads this month." We'll instantly generate the live dashboard you need, saving you from the report-building loop and giving you more time to act on the insights you discover.