How-to
How to build a Google Slides stacked bar chart with ChartKit
Stacked bars are useful when you need to show both total size and composition at the same time. When the composition is the only point, switch to a 100% bar so the audience compares mix rather than absolute scale.
Choose the right variant
Use a stacked bar when
You need to compare both the total and the contribution of each segment across categories.
Use a 100% bar when
You want the audience to compare mix, share, or allocation while removing differences in total size.
Build steps
- Start with categories that answer a single clean comparison question.
- Keep segment order consistent across every bar so the eye does not have to relearn the encoding.
- Use labels selectively on the segments or totals that matter most to the story.
- Adjust spacing and colors so the chart reads clearly on a slide, not just in a spreadsheet cell.
Presentation advice
If one segment is the real punchline, call it out. If the story is about the whole stack, show totals. If the story is about mix, remove any visual noise that competes with the shares.