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Vertical Bar Sparklines

A vertical bar sparkline, also called a vbar sparkline, is a compact chart that displays a single data value using a vertical bar. Similar to a mini bar chart, it visually represents magnitude and direction within a single cell—making it useful for comparing values across categories or time.

When to use vertical bar sparklines​

  • Comparing values across categories: Show relative size or performance of values across rows or time periods.
  • Visualizing data distribution: Use bar height to quickly assess variation, with taller bars representing larger values.
  • Tracking directional change: Show positive or negative shifts from a baseline within a small footprint.

Create a vertical bar sparkline​

  1. On the Insert tab, select Sparklines.
  2. Under Bar Sparkline, select Insert Vbar Sparkline. The VbarSparkline Setting dialog opens.
  3. Enter a number or reference that defines the length of the bar, such as 0.3 or A1.
  4. Select the color scheme. The default is gray.
  5. Click Ok. The sparkline is inserted into the selected cell.

Edit a vertical bar sparkline​

  1. Select the vertical bar sparkline in your workbook.
  2. On the Sparkline tab, select Settings. The VbarSparkline Setting dialog opens.
  3. Set the parameters, then click Ok.
  4. Copy and paste the sparkline cell to duplicate the configuration in another location, as needed.

Vertical bar sparkline parameters​

ParameterDescription
ValueSets the value to display. Accepts a number or reference, such as 0.3 or A1.
  • Values above 100% or below -100% are shown with an arrow.
  • Positive values start from the bottom of the cell; negative values start from the top.
ColorSchemeSets the color of the bar. Default is gray.
axisVisible(Optional) Displays an axis line when selected.
barHeight(Optional) Sets the height of the bar as a percentage of the cell height. Value must be greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1.
barWidth(Optional) Sets the width of the bar as a percentage of the cell width. Value must be greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1.
LET function(Optional) Defines dynamic formatting logic by assigning a color based on a calculated value using the LET function and nested IF conditions.

➤ Example – Use LET to apply conditional colors
You can customize the bar color based on value ranges. The following example changes the bar color depending on the value in cell C3:
=LET(ref,C3,color,IF(ref>=0.8,"#092834",IF(ref>=0.6,"#347B98",IF(ref>0.4,"#66B032",IF(ref>=0.2,"#B2D732",IF(ref>=0,"#F0F7D4","red"))))),VBARSPARKLINE(ref,color,TRUE,0.4))