Table of Contents
To create a scatterplot with multiple series in Google Sheets, first organize your data into columns or rows, with each series in a separate column or row. Then, select all the data including the headers and click on the “Insert” tab at the top of the screen. From the drop-down menu, select “Chart” and then “Scatter.” A chart will appear on the sheet with all the data points plotted. To add multiple series, click on the chart and then click on the “Customize” tab at the top. Under the “Series” section, click on the “Add Series” button and select the data for the new series. Repeat this process for each additional series. Adjust the formatting and labels as desired to create a clear and informative scatterplot with multiple series.
Often you may want to create a scatterplot with multiple series in Google Sheets, similar to the plot below:
Fortunately this is easy to do in Google Sheets with some simple formulas.
The following step-by-step example shows exactly how to do so.
Step 1: Enter the Data
First, let’s enter the following dataset that contains information about assists and points for basketball players on various teams:
Step 2: Format the Data
Before we can create a scatterplot to visualize the assists and points for each team, we must first format the data in a specific manner.
First, we’ll enter the unique values for each group along the top row and then type the following formula into cell E2:
=IF($A2=E$1, $C2, NA())
Then drag this formula to the right until you hit cell H2.
Then drag it down to each cell until you hit cell H17:
Next copy all values from column B and paste them into column D:
Step 3: Create the Scatterplot
In the Chart editor panel that appears on the right side of the screen, choose Scatter chart as the Chart type:
The following scatterplot will appear:
Each point in the plot represents a unique player and the colors of the points correspond to the teams.
Feel free to add a title along with axis labels to make the plot easier to read:
Additional Resources
The following tutorials explain how to perform other common tasks in Google Sheets: