How to Add Data to a Chart in Google Sheets

Adding new information to an existing chart in Google Sheets shouldn’t require starting over from scratch. You can easily update your graphs to include a new week of sales figures, a new marketing channel's performance, or any other data point. This guide will walk you through the simple, reliable methods for adding data to your charts, plus a few tricks to make the process even faster.

First Things First: How to Create a Basic Chart in Google Sheets

Before you can add data to a chart, you need to have one! If you’re completely new to charts in Google Sheets, here’s a quick rundown of how to get one started. If you already have your chart, feel free to skip to the next section.

Let's say you have a simple table of a product's monthly sales.

Your data might look something like this:

Here’s how to turn that table into a chart:

Select Your Data: Click and drag your mouse over the cells you want to include in the chart. In this case, you would select the range containing "Month," "Sales," and all the data points below them. Be sure to include the headers!
Insert the Chart: Go to the Google Sheets menu and click Insert > Chart.
Done! (Mostly): Google Sheets will automatically analyze your data and create a suggested chart type - often a line chart or a column chart for this kind of data. A “Chart editor” panel will also appear on the right side of your screen, which is where all the customization happens.

With your chart created, you're now ready to learn how to modify and update it with new information.

Method 1: The Standard Way - Edit the Chart's Data Range

The most direct and reliable way to add data to an existing chart is by modifying its source data range. This method is perfect when your new data is located right next to your original data.

Let's expand on our previous example. Imagine you’ve now gathered sales data for June and have added a "Profit" column you also want to show.

Your updated table looks like this:

Right now, your chart only shows "Sales" data from January to May. Here’s how to update it to include June’s data and the new "Profit" series.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Open the Chart Editor

Double-click anywhere on your chart. This will bring up the Chart editor sidebar on the right. If you don't see it, you can also single-click the chart, then click the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner of the chart and select Edit chart.

Step 2: Locate the Data Range Field

In the Chart editor, make sure you are on the Setup tab. Near the top, you'll see a field labeled "Data range." This field tells the chart which cells to look at for information. It will already be populated with your original data range (e.g., A1:B6).

Step 3: Modify the Data Range

There are two ways to modify this range:

Manual Entry: You can simply click inside the text box and type the new range. Your original range was A1 through B6. Since your data now extends down to row 7 ("June") and across to column C ("Profit"), your new range will be A1:C7. Just type this in and hit Enter.
Visual Selection (Recommended): For an easier, more visual way, click the grid icon to the right of the Data range field. This opens a "Select a data range" pop-up. From here, you can click and drag your mouse on your spreadsheet to highlight the new, complete data set (A1 through C7). Once you have selected the entire range, including the new data, click "OK."

As soon as you confirm the new range, your chart will instantly update. It will now show data for all six months and include two data series: one for "Sales" and one for "Profit." Google Sheets automatically assigns different colors and adds them to the legend.

Method 2: Add a Specific Data Series for Non-Adjacent Data

Sometimes the data you want to add isn't located conveniently next to your existing data. For example, you might have Q1 sales in one table and Q2 sales in another, and you want to plot them on the same graph without reorganizing your sheet.

In this case, editing the entire data range is tricky. Instead, you can add a new "series" to your chart directly.

Imagine your sheet looks like this:

== Q1 Data == == Q2 Data ==Month | Q1 Sales Month | Q2 Sales---------|--------- ---------|---------January | $4,500 April | $6,100February | $5,200 May | $5,800March | $4,800 June | $6,400

Let's say you've already created a chart for Q1 Sales. Here's how to add the Q2 Sales data as a new series.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Open the Chart Editor

As before, double-click your chart to open the Chart editor pane.

Step 2: Add a New Series

On the Setup tab, scroll down until you see the section labeled "Series." This lists the data series currently on your chart (in this case, "Q1 Sales").

Click on the + Add series option. A box will appear asking you to "Select a data range."

Step 3: Select the New Data

Click inside the box or click the grid icon, which will bring up the familiar selection tool. Go to your sheet and select only the data for your new series - the numerical values. For this example, you would highlight the cells containing $6,100, $5,800, and $6,400. Then, click "OK".

But wait - you’re not done! The chart now has a new line or set of bars, but it doesn't know what to call them on the x-axis.

Step 4: Update the X-Axis Range

Back in the Chart editor, look for the "X-axis" section just above "Series." It currently just refers to your Q1 months. To combine both, you'll need to update this range.

Click into the "X-axis" range, open the selection tool, and this time, select both sets of months. In Google Sheets, you can select non-adjacent ranges by holding down Ctrl (on Windows) or Command (on Mac) while you select. First, select January-March. Then, hold Ctrl/Cmd and select April-June. This will create a combined range like A2:A4,D2:D4.

Your chart will now correctly display both data series across a continuous six-month axis.

Method 3: A Quick Trick - Copy and Paste the Data

For a surprisingly fast method with simple, adjacent data, you can sometimes use a simple copy-and-paste action.

Copy the new column of data you want to add, including its header (e.g., your "Profit" data from $1,200 down to $2,100, plus the "Profit" header cell).
Click once on your chart to select it.
Press Ctrl+V (or Cmd+V on Mac) to paste.

In many cases, Google Sheets is smart enough to interpret this and automatically add your copied data as a new series to the chart. This method is fantastic for quick additions but can be less reliable with complex data setups or non-standard chart types. If it doesn't work, falling back to Method 1 or 2 is always a safe bet.

Best Practices for Managing Chart Data

Adding data becomes much easier when you follow a few good data management habits.

Keep Data Tidy: The number one rule is to keep your source data organized in simple, tabular formats. Avoid empty rows or columns in the middle of your data set, as this can confuse the chart editor. Having clean columns and rows makes expanding the data range foolproof.
Label Everything: Always update your chart after adding new information. Use the Customize tab in the Chart editor to change the Chart Title and Axis Titles if necessary to reflect the new data. Ambiguous titles make a chart hard to understand.
Use Named Ranges (Intermediate): For data ranges you update frequently, consider creating a Named Range. You can do this by selecting your data and going to Data > Named ranges. By pointing your chart to a named range instead of a cell reference (like A1:C7), you can update the chart simply by redefining where the named range points, which can be useful if the chart is on a different sheet from its data.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to add new data to a Google Sheets chart is an essential skill that helps you maintain dynamic and up-to-date reports. Whether you’re formally editing the data range in the Chart editor, adding a new series from a different table, or using the quick copy-paste trick, you can keep your visuals current without the frustration of rebuilding a chart every time business data changes.

Spreadsheet reports are incredibly powerful, but manually collecting, updating, and charting data from different tools like Google Analytics, Shopify, Facebook Ads, and your CRM can drain hours from your week. We built Graphed to automate that entire process. You simply connect your data sources once, and then you can ask for dashboards and insights in plain English, like "Show me my top ad campaigns by ROI for this quarter." We instantly build live, interactive dashboards that update in real-time, helping a non-technical person become their own data analyst without ever needing to mess around with a spreadsheet again.