How to use the Excel to Graph
- Click "Upload file" and choose an .xlsx, .xls or .ods file. The first sheet is loaded.
- Pick the chart type and columns.
- Download the figure as SVG, PDF or PNG.
Why not just use Excel charts?
Excel’s default charts need many clicks to reach a journal style: removing gridlines, adding minor ticks, fixing fonts, setting the exact figure size. Plotiq starts there. It also exports true vector PDF/SVG and high-DPI PNG, which Excel does not do directly.
Formatted cells and dates
Cells are read as they are displayed in Excel, so dates, percentages and rounded numbers come through as you see them. If a column of numbers is stored as text, it is still recognised as numeric.
Excel chart vs Plotiq figure
Excel can make every chart type here, but reaching a publication-ready figure takes many steps. A comparison for a typical lab-report figure:
| Task | Excel | Plotiq |
|---|---|---|
| Closed axis box, inward ticks, minor ticks | Manual formatting per axis | Default |
| Exact figure width (e.g. 3.5 in) | Resize by hand | Choose from a list |
| Units with superscripts (mg L⁻¹) | Rich-text editing per label | Type mg L^{-1} |
| Vector PDF / SVG for a journal | Not directly | One click |
| 600 DPI PNG | Not directly | One click |
| Fit parameters as a table | Trendline label only | Statistics table |
Merged cells, totals and other spreadsheet habits
Spreadsheets often contain things a chart shouldn’t include: title rows above the table, merged header cells, blank spacer rows, and a "Total" row at the bottom. Plotiq skips title rows and blank rows automatically. Delete total rows before plotting (remove that line from the pasted data); otherwise the total appears as an extra, very tall point or bar.
If the data you need is on a sheet other than the first, copy the cells from that sheet and paste them into the data box.
Frequently asked questions
- Does it keep my Excel formulas?
- Plotiq reads the calculated values, not the formulas, so the chart shows exactly what you see in the cells.
- Which sheet is used?
- The first sheet. To plot another sheet, move it to the front or convert it with Excel to CSV first.
- Can I paste cells instead of uploading?
- Yes. Copy a range in Excel and paste it into the data box.
- Is my file uploaded?
- No. Your data never leaves your browser. Plotiq parses and plots files locally with JavaScript, so nothing is uploaded to a server.
Last updated: · by the Plotiq team