The main function of Marimekko Chart is to demonstrate groups of data and relative sizes of the elements to be displayed at the same time.

Let’s follow the tutorial below and format the chart as required.

First we need to create a 100% stacked area chart. For a 100% stacked column chart, it will only be necessary to have one set of values per category. For details please check data in the picture.

• Column C shows the values for the width of the columns

• Row 2 is for the Legend for the stacked values

• Row 3 is the starting point for the column and heights

• Row 4 shows the "real" values for the widths

Let’s take a look at column C, the starting point is 0 and the next value is 7. This indicate the value denotes the width of the column to be worth 7, starting from 0 and stretching across to 7.

At the next cell down the value is again 7 as this denotes the starting point for the next column width, therefore the next value down is 28. The value of the column width is not 28 though, it is actually the difference between 7 and 28 (21), but shows that the column starts at 7 and ends at 28.

Simply put, each category will contain a start value and an end value.

To create Marimekko Chart:

• Highlight data between Category 1 to Category 5

• Create a 100% stacked area chart (top right option)

• Within source data option, Select data at width column as category axis label

• Go to Axes within Chart Options and select “Time-scale” as axis type

• Remove category axis label and manually add labels by using text boxes

It’s done! An editable Marimekko Chart sample can be downloaded from here.

- End of Tutorial