How to How to Create a Burnup Chart in Excel in Excel - Practical Guide

A burnup chart visualizes project progress by tracking completed work against total scope over time. In Excel, you'll create cumulative data series and combine a line chart with a bar chart to show remaining work versus completed tasks. This agile tool helps teams monitor sprint velocity and predict project completion dates accurately.

Why This Matters

Burnup charts provide clear project visibility for stakeholders and enable data-driven decision-making in agile environments. Teams can quickly identify delays and adjust resources before project deadlines are missed.

Prerequisites

•Basic Excel skills and familiarity with data entry
•Understanding of project data (dates, tasks completed, total tasks)
•Knowledge of chart creation basics

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare your data

Create three columns: Date (Column A), Completed Tasks (Column B), and Total Tasks (Column C). Add cumulative values in Column B, starting from 0 and increasing daily. Keep Column C constant with your total scope.

Calculate ideal burndown

In Column D (Ideal Line), create a formula like =C$2-(ROW()-2)*(C$2/MAX(ROW()-2:ROW())) to show linear progress from total tasks to zero by project end date.

Select data range

Highlight all data including headers (Columns A–D). Go to Insert > Charts > Line Chart to create the base chart type.

Convert to combination chart

Right-click the chart > Change Chart Type. Select Combo, set Completed Tasks as Line, Total Tasks as Column, and Ideal Line as Line with markers.

Format and label

Add a chart title via Chart Title, set axis labels via Axis Titles, and adjust legend via Legend options. Customize colors: green for completed, blue for total, red for ideal line.

Alternative Methods

Using a stacked area chart

Create separate columns for Completed and Remaining tasks, then use a stacked area chart where remaining tasks decrease as completion increases. This shows the same data but with visual emphasis on the gap.

Using Power Query for dynamic data

Import project data from external sources using Power Query, then refresh the chart automatically as new task completions are logged. This eliminates manual data entry.

Tips & Tricks

✓Update your data daily or weekly to maintain an accurate project timeline and visible trend.
✓Use consistent date intervals (daily, weekly) to ensure the chart accurately represents progress over time.
✓Add conditional formatting to highlight cells where completed tasks fall below the ideal line.

Pro Tips

★Use named ranges (Formulas > Define Name) for your data series to make chart updates cleaner when data grows.
★Create a secondary axis for Total Tasks if values are vastly different from Completed Tasks for better visual clarity.
★Set the chart's horizontal axis to start at your project start date to maintain chronological accuracy.

Troubleshooting

Chart doesn't update when I change data values

Ensure your chart is linked to the correct data range. Right-click the chart > Select Data > verify the data range includes all updated cells.

Ideal line and actual line overlap too much

Adjust the scale of your axes via Chart Design > Format Axis to give more visual separation. Consider using a secondary axis for one data series.

Dates are not displaying correctly on the x-axis

Format Column A as Date (Home > Number > Date format), then right-click the chart axis and select Format Axis > Date (not Category) axis type.

Related Excel Formulas

SUM CUMSUM (via helper columns)ROW MAX

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between a burndown and burnup chart?

A burndown chart shows remaining work decreasing to zero, while a burnup chart displays completed work increasing toward the total scope line. Burnup is preferred in agile because it shows positive progress and makes scope changes more visible.

Can I create a burnup chart for multiple projects?

Yes, add separate data columns for each project and create multiple line series in the same chart. Use different colors and a legend to distinguish between projects for easy comparison.

How often should I update the burnup chart?

Update daily or at the end of each sprint day to capture accurate progress trends. Weekly updates work for longer projects, but daily updates provide better visibility for sprint management.

What if my team adds new tasks mid-sprint?

Increase the Total Tasks value (Column C) accordingly. The ideal line will automatically recalculate if you use a formula, showing the new scope baseline and helping visualize scope creep.