Create a bar chart

Applies To
Access for Microsoft 365 Access 2024 Access 2021 Access 2019

Try it!

Add a bar chart right on a form. In Access, you can create column, line, bar, area, radar, pie, combo, arc, box and whisker, bubble, doughnut, funnel, scatter, waterfall, and word cloud charts. For more information on other charts you can try, see Create a chart on a form or report.

  1. In the ribbon, select Create > Form Design.

  2. Select DesignInsert Modern Chart > Bar > Clustered Bar.

  3. Click on the Form Design grid in the location where you want to place the chart. Resize the chart for better readability.
    Use control handles Vertical double-headed arrow cursor image Horizontal double-headed arrow cursor image to resize a chart or reposition the chart by dragging it Compass icon.

  4. Select the data source. On the ribbon, select Chart Settings. In the Chart Settings pane, select Queries, and then select the query you want.

    This example uses QuarterlyExpensesQry. 

  5. To configure the chart, select options under the following sections. In the example, set:

    • Axis (Category) to "Quarter".
    • Values (Y axis) to "Expenses (Sum)".
    • Values (Y axis) to "Actual (Sum)".
    • Values (Y axis) to "Projected (Sum)".
  6. Select Format > SumofProjected > Display Data Label.

  7. To add a data label to a bar, select the Format tab in the Chart Settings pane, select "SumofProjected" under Data Series, and then select Display Data Label.

  8. To format the numbers, Press F4 to open the Property Sheet, and then set:

    • Primary Values Axis Format to "Currency".
    • Primary Values Axis Font Color to "White".
    • Primary Values Axis Display Units to "Thousands".
  9. To see the completed chart, right-click on the Form tab and select or Form View.

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Create a chart on a form or report

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