Steps Progress Chart in Excel: Build a Clear Tracker

To create a steps progress chart in Excel, list each step and its completion percentage, calculate the remaining percentage, then plot those two values in a stacked bar chart. The result is a horizontal tracker with one bar per step, showing at a glance what is complete and what is left. The example below is for Microsoft Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows.

You will need a list of step names and a reasonable estimate of progress for each one. Progress can be a percentage, such as 40%, or a decimal between 0 and 1. This chart works well for project phases, onboarding checklists, production stages, and other tasks that move from not started to complete.

What You’ll Need

Microsoft Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows. The steps are similar in Excel for Mac; ribbon labels are generally the same, though some formatting controls may appear in a different place. Excel for the web has similar chart tools, but fewer detailed formatting options.
A step name and a progress value for each item. Use estimates consistently: for example, decide whether progress means work completed, milestones achieved, or another measurable basis.
A worksheet with room for a three-column table: step, completed, and remaining.

Step-by-Step

Set up the chart data. In a blank worksheet, enter the headings Step, Completed, and Remaining in cells A1, B1, and C1. Add step names in A2:A5 and their progress values in B2:B5. For a worked example, use Plan at 100%, Design at 75%, Build at 40%, and Test at 0%. Enter progress as percentages; Excel stores 40% as the decimal 0.4. Keep each step name unique and use a consistent order, such as the order in which the work happens.
Calculate what remains. With step names in A2:A5 and progress percentages in B2:B5, enter this in C2: =1-B2. It subtracts completed progress from 100%. For the example, the remaining values are 0%, 25%, 60%, and 100%, respectively. Copy the formula from C2 down through C5 by dragging the fill handle at the cell’s lower-right corner, or copy C2 and paste it into C3:C5. The reference adjusts for each row, so C3 uses B3, for example. If the formula returns a negative value or more than 100%, check that the input is a valid percentage between 0% and 100%.
Format the values as percentages. Select B2:C5 and choose Home > Number, then select Percentage. Use the Increase Decimal or Decrease Decimal buttons in the same Number group if you want more or fewer decimal places. Whole percentages are easiest to scan in a simple progress tracker. Check that values display as percentages, not as 40 or 0.4 when you intended 40%.
Select the chart data. Select A1:C5, including the headers. Because the step names are the first column and the two plotted values are the next columns, Excel can use the names as category labels and the headers as series names. If you have more or fewer than four steps, select the full range of populated rows. Do not include blank rows below the data; they can create empty categories in the chart.
Insert a stacked bar chart. Choose Insert > Insert Column or Bar Chart > 2-D Bar > Stacked Bar. Select Stacked Bar, not 100% Stacked Bar: in this example, each step already totals 100%, and the standard stacked bar keeps the two component values visible as the completed and remaining portions. Excel should show one horizontal bar per step, with the completed series followed by the remaining series.
Check the chart’s data orientation. The vertical category axis should list Plan, Design, Build, and Test, while the horizontal value axis should run from 0% to 100%. If the chart instead has a separate bar for every series or lists the series names as categories, select the chart and choose Chart Design > Switch Row/Column. If that does not correct it, choose Chart Design > Select Data and check that the chart data range includes A1:C5, with the first row used for series names and the first column used for category labels.
Make the progress easier to read. Select the completed portion of a bar, then use the chart’s Format Data Series pane to choose a solid fill color. Select the remaining portion and give it a contrasting, subdued color, such as light gray. Aim for clear contrast without relying only on two similar shades. To add the step names and a useful title, select the chart and choose Chart Design > Add Chart Element > Chart Title > Above Chart; replace the placeholder with a short title such as “Project Steps Progress.”
Add percentage labels if they help. Select the completed series, then choose Chart Design > Add Chart Element > Data Labels > Inside End. This displays the completed values on the bars. If the labels show decimals or too many places, right-click a label and choose Format Data Labels; in the pane, open Number, choose Percentage, and set decimal places to 0 or 1. A 0% step may have no visible filled area for its label, so keep the category name clear and do not force a label into an empty bar.
Set the axis scale and tidy the layout. Right-click the horizontal value axis and choose Format Axis. Under Axis Options, set the minimum bound to 0 and maximum bound to 1 if Excel has not already set them; under Number, choose Percentage. This keeps all bars on the same 0–100% scale. If the first step appears at the bottom and you want it at the top, right-click the vertical category axis, choose Format Axis, and turn on Categories in reverse order. Resize the chart so the longest step name and all bars are visible.
Keep the chart current. When progress changes, update the corresponding value in column B; column C recalculates and the chart updates. If you add steps outside the original selected range, expand the chart data range using Chart Design > Select Data. For a tracker that will grow regularly, you can convert the data range to an Excel table using Insert > Table and confirm that the table has headers. Charts based on tables can include new rows as the table grows, but check the chart after adding a row to confirm the new step appears.

Common Mistakes

Entering whole numbers instead of percentages. Typing 40 and then applying Percentage formatting displays 4,000%, not 40%. Enter 40% or 0.4 for forty percent. Verify the displayed value before building the chart.
Using a clustered bar chart. A clustered chart places completed and remaining values in separate bars, so it does not read as one progress bar. Choose Stacked Bar to put the two portions together.
Plotting only the completed values. Without the remaining series, a 40% bar ends at 40% of the axis and the unfilled area has no distinct visual treatment. Include both Completed and Remaining.
Letting progress exceed its range. A progress value above 100% or below 0% can make the bar misleading or push the axis beyond its intended scale. Check the source values and agree on how to represent work that is blocked, delayed, or over target.
Including blank rows or the wrong range. Blank rows may appear as empty categories, and omitting a row leaves out a step. Recheck Chart Design > Select Data when the plotted steps do not match the table.

Tips

Keep the number of steps manageable. A chart with dozens of narrow bars can be hard to read. Group tiny tasks into meaningful phases, or make separate charts for different workstreams.
Use plain language for step names. Short labels such as “Design review” are easier to scan than long descriptions. If labels must be longer, make the chart taller and widen it rather than shrinking the font until it is difficult to read.
Choose a consistent progress rule. For a step made up of several tasks, define how you calculate its percentage before updating the tracker. For example, you might count completed milestones equally. Avoid changing the measurement method from one step to another.
Use a table for a tracker that changes often. A table makes it easier to add rows and keep formatting consistent. After adding a row, verify that the chart includes it and that the Remaining formula has been filled in.
Keep colors accessible. Use a strong color for completed work and a clearly distinguishable neutral for what remains. Check that labels and bars can still be understood if the chart is printed in grayscale or viewed by someone who cannot distinguish particular colors.

Troubleshooting

The chart is blank or missing steps: Select the chart, open Chart Design > Select Data, and confirm the chart data range covers all three columns and every populated row. Check that the first row contains headers and that the step names are in the first column. If the source values are stored as text, re-enter them as numbers or percentages.

Bars do not add up to 100%: Check that the remaining formula is =1-B2 in C2 and has been filled down. Confirm that each progress entry is between 0% and 100%, and that the axis maximum is 1 rather than a larger value. If you changed the column layout, adjust the formula reference to point to the correct progress cell.

The chart shows two bars per step: It is likely a clustered chart. Choose Chart Design > Change Chart Type and set the type to Stacked Bar. If step names and series appear in the wrong places, use Chart Design > Switch Row/Column, then check the result.

Percent labels look wrong or overlap: Format the data labels as percentages with fewer decimal places, or remove labels and rely on the category names and axis. If bars are too close together, select a bar, open Format Data Series, and increase Gap Width by dragging the control toward a larger gap. Avoid adding labels to every narrow bar if they make the chart crowded.

A new step does not appear: If the chart uses a fixed range, choose Chart Design > Select Data and extend the chart data range to include the new row. If the data is in a table, confirm the row was added to the table itself and that its Remaining formula has populated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I show steps as Not started, In progress, and Complete?

Yes. For a simple status view, assign progress values such as 0%, 50%, and 100%, then use the same completed-and-remaining chart. If exact completion percentages are not meaningful, consider a separate status column and a table with conditional formatting instead of implying numerical progress.

Should I use a stacked bar or a 100% stacked bar?

For this setup, use a standard Stacked Bar because the completed and remaining values already total 100%. A 100% stacked bar can also show proportions, but it normalizes each category to 100%; that may conceal source values that do not add up correctly. Fix incorrect data rather than using normalization to hide it.

Can the chart show dates or deadlines too?

Keep dates in a separate column so the progress chart stays easy to interpret. You can include due dates in a nearby table, or add dates to the step labels if they are short. A progress bar chart does not automatically show whether a step is on schedule; comparing actual progress with planned progress requires additional schedule data.

How do I show the steps in a different order?

Reorder the rows in the source table, and the chart will follow the data order. If you only want to reverse the visual order, right-click the vertical category axis, choose Format Axis, and toggle Categories in reverse order.

Will the chart update when I change a percentage?

Yes. Changing a value in the Completed column recalculates the Remaining formula, and Excel updates the chart. If you add a new row, you may also need to extend the chart range unless the source is an Excel table that the chart includes.

Try it: the Percentage Formula Generator: percent of, percent change, increase and decrease, with the formula.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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