Tables with Bubbles

Ann K. Emery

Last updated:

Mar 24th, 2026

Related resources:

Bubble Charts, Tables

Ann K. Emery, data visualization data storytelling Microsoft Excel tables with bubbles

You’re familiar with regular tables…

…and you’ve seen heat tables…

…but have you tried tables with bubbles?!

There are obviously pros and cons of each approach – like everything with data visualization.

Comment below with your own insights into the pros and cons.

How to Make Tables with Bubbles in Excel

You’ll set up a Helper Table with x, y, and z values.

Then, you’ll insert a bubble chart.

Finally, you’ll adjust the axes, grid lines, colors, and labels, just like you normally would.

Let me know if you’d like a more detailed tutorial.

Download the Excel File

Or, you can download my Excel file and explore it yourself.

This is just the file I used for this blog post (not step-by-step instructions).

More about Ann K. Emery
Ann K. Emery is a sought-after speaker who is determined to get your data out of spreadsheets and into stakeholders’ hands. Each year, she leads more than 100 workshops, webinars, and keynotes for thousands of people around the globe. Her design consultancy also overhauls graphs, publications, and slideshows with the goal of making technical information easier to understand for non-technical audiences.

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