The classic fundraising thermometer: one tall bar that fills toward a goal. It’s just a single-series column chart of the percent complete, styled to look like a thermometer — a dashboard favorite.
The example
$7,500 raised toward a $10,000 goal.
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Metric | Value |
| 2 | Raised | $7,500 |
| 3 | Goal | $10,000 |
| 4 | % of goal | 75% |
The formula
One value drives the whole chart:
How it works
A thermometer is one bar dressed up:
- Compute percent of goal:
=MIN(raised/goal, 1)— MIN caps it at 100%. - Make a single-series column chart of just that one value.
- Set the value axis minimum to 0 and maximum to 1 (100%) so the bar fills proportionally and consistently.
- Style it: narrow the gap width to make a fat bar, color it red, add a rounded “bulb” shape at the base for the thermometer look.
No chart needed at all: for a quick dashboard, a vertical REPT bar or a tall cell with a conditional-formatting data bar fills toward the goal too. The chart version just looks more polished on a printed report.
Try it: interactive demo
Set raised and goal.
Variations
Show amount + percent
Label cell:
REPT vertical bar
No chart, wrap text + tall row.
Over-goal stretch
Let it exceed 100%:
Pitfalls & errors
Fix the axis to 0–1. If the axis auto-scales, the bar always looks full. Lock max = 100% so the fill is meaningful.
Cap with MIN. Without it, exceeding the goal overshoots the axis (unless you intend to show the overage).
One value only. A thermometer plots a single percentage — don’t add other series to it.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a thermometer chart in Excel?
Why does my thermometer always look full?
Can I make a thermometer without a chart?
Stop fighting formulas. Learn them in a day.
This recipe is one of hundreds of real-world formulas we teach. Our Excel Formulas & Functions class covers lookups, logic, text, and dynamic arrays hands-on — live in Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, Oklahoma City, Denver, or online.
See the Formulas & Functions Class