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Box plot maker

Summarise a column of numbers in one picture: the median, the middle half of the data, the range and the outliers. Split it by a category to compare groups side by side.

Drop an Excel or CSV file here

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Math scores by classMath scores by class20406080100Class 1Class 2Class 3
Example made with SheetGlance

How to make it here

  1. Drop an Excel or CSV file, or paste a table with a numeric column.
  2. Choose the numeric column and, if you like, a category to split it by.
  3. Read the five-number summary and the list of outliers, then copy the chart.

What is a box plot?

A box plot, or box and whisker plot, summarises a set of numbers with five values: the minimum, the first quartile (Q1), the median, the third quartile (Q3) and the maximum. It is compact, so you can put several groups side by side and compare them at a glance.

How to read a box plot

  • The line inside the box is the median: half the values are below it.
  • The box runs from Q1 to Q3 and holds the middle 50% of the values. Its length is the interquartile range (IQR).
  • The whiskers reach the furthest values that are within 1.5 × IQR of the box.
  • Separate dots beyond the whiskers are possible outliers.
  • A median off-centre in the box, or one whisker much longer than the other, means the data is skewed.

In the example above, Class 2 has the highest median and the narrowest box, so its scores are higher and more consistent. Class 3 has the widest spread and one low outlier.

Box plot or histogram?

A histogram shows the full shape of one distribution, including two peaks or gaps. A box plot hides those details but makes comparisons between groups and outliers much easier. A good routine is to look at the histogram first, then use a box plot to compare groups.

How to make a box plot in Excel

  1. Select the column of numbers (put groups in separate columns to get one box per group).
  2. In Excel 2016 or later, go to Insert → Charts → Insert Statistic Chart → Box and Whisker.
  3. Right-click the boxes and choose Format Data Series to show the mean markers, inner points and outlier points, and to choose inclusive or exclusive quartile calculation.

Excel doesn’t list which values are outliers. SheetGlance names them in the summary under the chart.

How to make a box plot in Google Sheets

Google Sheets has no built-in box plot. A common workaround is a Candlestick chart built from a small table with the minimum, Q1, Q3 and maximum of each group, calculated with MIN, QUARTILE.INC and MAX. It works, but outliers and medians must be added by hand. Dropping the sheet here, exported as CSV or XLSX, is quicker.

What counts as an outlier?

The usual rule, also used here, flags any value more than 1.5 × IQR below Q1 or above Q3. An outlier isn’t automatically wrong: it can be a typing error, a special case such as a bulk order, or the most interesting point in your data. Check it before you delete it.

Updated 2026-11-11

Questions people ask

Can I compare several groups?

Yes. Choose a category column, such as class, store or region, and you get one box per group on the same scale.

Which quartile method is used?

Quartiles are calculated with linear interpolation, the same method as Excel’s QUARTILE.INC.

Does the box plot show the mean?

The box shows the median. The mean is listed in the statistics table under the chart, next to the standard deviation.

Is there a limit on the number of values?

The tool handles tens of thousands of rows in a normal browser. Very large files take a little longer to open.

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