How to create a thematic map in Excel

How do you create a map like the one above for your next presentation if you don’t have a mapping tool? Simple, create it in Excel. Easier said than done, right? Well, not really…

Following the “geo-scatterplot”, in this screencast tutorial I’ll show you how to create a thematic map and color-code it, based on your own data. You don’t need add-ins or additional software, just a little time to set it up. Please note that this is not intended to replace even the simplest mapping tool.

To start the tutorial just click the link below:

Screencast: How to create a thematic map in Excel.

Note that you need a map. You can draw it yourself or you can import it. Drawing a States map is simple:

• Import an image to the Excel file (you can use this one, for example);
• Draw the shapes using the map as a reference.

The other option is to obtain a file. You can get an ESRI Shape file from the National Atlas but you’ll have to convert it to Windows Metafile (WMF) or similar format.

Hope you’ll find this technique useful and feel free to suggest any improvements.

If you liked this tutorial you may be interested in How to create population pyramids and the “Howto Edition” fo the Demographic Dashboard. And you may consider subscribing…

You may also be interested in:

1. How-to screencasts: Population pyramids in Excel
2. Creating a VBA-free Excel dashboard

Tagged as: chart how to, thematic map