Sankey Diagram from Excel Data
Excel has no native sankey chart, and the add-in workarounds are fiddly. MakeCharts takes the other route: export your sheet as CSV, import it and get a clean sankey in seconds, then refine it by chatting instead of wrangling formulas.
Start free in seconds
Open the editor, drop in your data and export your first chart in minutes. Start on the free plan and upgrade when you want watermark-free exports.
Open the editorHow it works, step by step
Lay out three columns
In your spreadsheet, keep a source column, a target column and an amount column. Each row is one flow, from a category to another with a value.
Export as CSV and import
Save the sheet as CSV from Excel or Google Sheets and drop the file into the editor. The sankey draws itself from your rows, no formulas needed.
Refine and export
Ask the AI to color costs red, merge small flows or reorder nodes, then export a watermark-free (paid plans) SVG or PNG for your report or deck.
Frequently asked questions
Can Excel make a sankey diagram?
Not natively. Excel has no built-in sankey chart, so people rely on clunky add-ins or manual shapes. Importing your data here is faster and stays editable.
How should I structure my spreadsheet?
Use three columns: source, target and amount. Each row becomes one ribbon flowing from the source node to the target node with that value.
Do I need to install an Excel add-in?
No. There is nothing to install in Excel. You only export a CSV and import it into the browser editor, so your spreadsheet stays untouched.
Can I update the diagram when my data changes?
Yes. Save the sankey to the cloud, then re-import an updated CSV or edit the amounts in place. The layout and colors are preserved.
Your data is ready. Your chart is three steps away.
Open the editor