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How-To

Quick Start

Create your first Pareto chart in less than two minutes.

This example shows the simplest way to create a Pareto chart: a single column of category names where each row is one observation. Quantum XL counts how many times each category appears.

Goal

Create a Pareto chart that counts how often each defect type occurs, showing which defects to prioritize.

Sample Data

Press Copy for Excel, then paste the table into a blank worksheet.

Defect Type
Scratch
Dent
Scratch
Crack
Scratch
Dent
Scratch
Chip
Dent
Scratch

Each row represents one defect observation. Quantum XL will count how many times each defect type appears (Scratch: 5, Dent: 3, Crack: 1, Chip: 1).

Steps

  1. Put the data in Excel

    Press Copy for Excel above the table, click cell A1 in a blank worksheet, and press Ctrl+V. The header row lands in row 1 and the 10 data rows in rows 2 through 11.

  2. Launch the analysis

    From the Excel ribbon, select QXL Stat Tools → Analysis Tools → Pareto.

  3. Select your data

    Select cells A1:A11 (the header row plus all 10 data rows).

  4. Configure the analysis

    In the Pareto Analysis dialog:

    • Data Columns: "Defect Type" should be checked

    Quantum XL automatically selects the single provided data column, so you don't need to change any options. Click Finish to generate the chart.

Result

Quantum XL creates a Pareto chart showing defect types sorted by frequency. The chart reveals that Scratch is the most common defect (5 occurrences), followed by Dent (3), with Crack and Chip tied at 1 each.

More Examples

Ready for more? See these variations: