Geo charts and maps in Google Sheets - Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

Geo charts and maps let you show data on a map to see patterns by location. This helps you understand things like sales by country or population by state in a visual way.

When you want to show sales numbers for different countries on a world map.

When you need to display population data by state or region in your country.

When you want to compare data like revenue or users across different cities.

When you want to create a visual report that highlights geographic trends.

When you want to make your spreadsheet data easier to understand with maps.

Steps

Step 1: Select the cells containing your location data and values

- Google Sheets spreadsheet

The data range is highlighted on the sheet

💡 Include a column with location names (like country or state) and a column with numbers

Step 2: Click Insert

- Top menu bar

A dropdown menu appears

Step 3: Select Chart

- Insert dropdown menu

A chart editor panel opens on the right side

Step 4: In the Chart editor, click Setup tab

- Chart editor panel

Chart type options are visible

Step 5: Click Chart type dropdown

- Chart editor Setup tab

A list of chart types appears

Step 6: Scroll down and select Geo chart

- Chart type dropdown list

The chart on the sheet changes to a map showing your data locations

Step 7: Use the Customize tab in the Chart editor to adjust colors and labels

- Chart editor panel Customize tab

The map colors and labels update based on your settings

Before vs After

Before

A table with columns: Country (USA, Canada, Mexico) and Sales (100, 80, 60)

After

A world map chart showing USA, Canada, and Mexico colored by sales values

Settings Reference

Region

📍 Chart editor Setup tab

Choose which geographic area the map shows

Default: World

Color axis

📍 Chart editor Customize tab > Color axis

Set how data values are colored on the map

Default: Gradient from light to dark

Display mode

📍 Chart editor Setup tab

Choose if the map colors whole regions or shows markers on locations

Default: Regions

Common Mistakes

Using location names that are not recognized (like misspelled country names)

The map cannot match data to locations and shows blank or wrong areas

Use correct and standard location names like 'United States' or 'Canada'

Selecting data without location names

The chart cannot plot data on a map without locations

Always include a column with location names or codes

Choosing a region that does not match your data

The map may show empty areas or no data

Set the region in the chart editor to match your data's geography

Summary

Geo charts show your data on maps to reveal geographic patterns.

You must have location names and numbers in your data to create a geo chart.

Adjust region and colors in the chart editor to make your map clear and useful.