How To Create A Sankey Diagram In Excel

Introduction

Creating a Sankey diagram in Excel can be a complex process, requiring a detailed understanding of chart manipulation and data organization. These flow diagrams are essential for visualizing the distribution of resources, energy, or information, highlighting the major transfers or flows within a system. However, this guide will simplify the steps necessary to craft a Sankey diagram in Excel.

While Excel relies on complex functions and manual chart creation, modern AI-powered alternatives can streamline this process significantly. Rather than wrestling with Excel's intricate features, you can now use Sourcetable's AI chatbot to instantly create, analyze, and visualize data through natural conversation. For the easiest way to create Sankey diagrams and handle any spreadsheet task, try Sourcetable's AI-powered platform.

Creating a Sankey Diagram in Excel

Understanding Sankey Diagrams

Sankey Diagrams, also known as Sankey Charts, are specialized flow diagrams that depict the movement of information, materials, or energy. They are pivotal in identifying inefficiencies within systems and are widely regarded for presenting complete process data.

Tools for Creating Sankey Diagrams in Excel

To create a Sankey Diagram in Excel, users can utilize add-ins like ChartExpo and Power-user. These tools facilitate the creation of complex Sankey Diagrams which is not inherently straightforward in Excel.

Creating a Sankey Diagram with ChartExpo

ChartExpo, costing $10 per month, provides a user-friendly interface for generating Sankey Diagrams. Once the add-in is installed, data can be inputted to visualize the flow of multiple dimensions within a process.

Creating a Sankey Diagram with Power-user

At $18.75 per month, Power-user is another add-in that enables the creation of Sankey Diagrams in Excel. It similarly requires installation and offers the capacity to construct detailed flow representations.

Alternative Methods

While Excel supports the creation of Sankey Diagrams, it is a complex task involving extensive Excel formulas and functions. For users seeking easier alternatives, Google Sheets provides functionalities for creating Sankey Diagrams with less complexity.

Why Learn How to Create a Sankey Diagram in Excel

Sankey diagrams in Excel help visualize complex flow processes and resource distributions. These diagrams are invaluable for business analysts, project managers, and data scientists who need to track resources, money, or data flows across systems.

Business Applications

Sankey diagrams effectively display budget allocations, sales funnels, and supply chain flows. Excel's built-in functionality makes creating these visualizations accessible without specialized software, saving time and money for organizations.

Data Analysis Benefits

Understanding how to build Sankey diagrams in Excel enables quick identification of inefficiencies and bottlenecks in processes. This knowledge helps optimize workflows and improve decision-making through clear visual representation of complex data relationships.

Excel vs Sourcetable: The Future of Spreadsheets

Excel has been the go-to spreadsheet solution for decades, but Sourcetable represents a revolutionary shift in how we work with data. While Excel relies on manual function inputs and complex formulas, Sourcetable leverages AI to turn your spreadsheet tasks into simple conversations. Try Sourcetable at https://app.sourcetable.com/ to answer any spreadsheet question instantly.

Natural Language Interface

Excel requires users to learn complex functions and formulas, while Sourcetable lets you simply chat with an AI to create spreadsheets, analyze data, and generate visualizations. This conversational approach eliminates the learning curve traditionally associated with spreadsheet software.

Data Processing and Analysis

Sourcetable's AI can handle files of any size and connect directly to databases, performing complex analyses through simple chat commands. Excel's manual approach to data processing can be time-consuming and requires technical expertise.

Visualization and Reporting

While Excel users must manually create charts and format data, Sourcetable's AI automatically generates stunning visualizations based on natural language requests. The AI understands context and can recommend the most effective ways to present your data.

Sample Data and Templates

Sourcetable can generate sample data and create sophisticated templates through simple conversation. Excel users must source sample data externally and build templates from scratch, often requiring significant time investment.

Conclusion

Creating Sankey diagrams in Excel requires multiple steps and complex data preparation. The process can be time-consuming, especially for users new to Excel.

Sourcetable simplifies this process. Its AI-powered interface lets you generate Sankey diagrams through natural language commands. You can create and modify diagrams without manual data manipulation.

Start building better visualizations with Sourcetable today.