How to make a scatter plot in Excel
A scatter (XY) plot puts one variable on each axis so you can see whether they move together — and a trendline turns that pattern into a number. Here's the Excel method, and the one-click alternative.
When a scatter plot is the right tool
When you need to know whether two things actually move together — not just guess from a table of numbers.
Find drivers
Does ad spend actually move sales? Does price affect units?
Test a hunch
See a relationship before trusting it in a model.
Catch outliers
Points far off the line are records worth investigating.
How to make one in Excel
Two columns of numbers, the Scatter chart type, and a trendline to put a figure on the pattern.
Set up two columns
X (the cause) in one column, Y (the effect) in the next, one row per record.
Insert the chart
Select both columns, then Insert › Charts › Scatter (X Y).
Add a trendline
Click a point → Chart Elements (+) › Trendline. Tick "Display Equation" and "Display R-squared value".
Read R²
R² near 1 means a strong relationship; near 0 means little. Correlation isn't causation — sanity-check it.
One caution: a trendline will happily fit a straight line to data that isn't linear. Always look at the cloud of points first — if it curves or fans out, a linear R² will mislead you. That visual check is exactly what gets skipped under deadline pressure.
The faster way — skip the setup
Testing many variable pairs by hand is slow and easy to misread. DataHub Pro scores the relationships for you.
A few minutes, easy to misread
- Pick the right chart type each time
- Add and configure the trendline
- Eyeball whether linear even fits
- Redo for each new variable pair
Relationships, scored automatically
- Upload the file — it picks sensible X/Y pairs
- Trendline, R² and correlation computed
- Flags non-linear and outlier patterns
- Straight into a dashboard or report
FAQ
What is a scatter plot used for?
A scatter (XY) plot shows the relationship between two numeric variables — whether they rise together, move opposite, or are unrelated. It's the fastest way to see correlation and spot outliers.
How do I add a trendline in Excel?
Click any data point, open Chart Elements (the +), tick Trendline, then in its options tick "Display Equation" and "Display R-squared value" to see the fit.
What does R-squared mean?
R-squared measures how much of the variation in Y is explained by X, from 0 to 1. Higher is a tighter fit, but it never proves causation — only that the two move together in your data.
Keep exploring
More visual analysis you can run on your own data — no sign-up needed to read.
Get the relationship without guessing
Upload an Excel or CSV file and DataHub Pro plots the pairs, fits the trend and scores the correlation for you. Free to try, no card.
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