A Pareto chart template needs four things: sorted categories, counts, cumulative percentages, and the 80% threshold line. You have three options — download a ready-made template (Excel, Word, PDF), use the online maker (instant, zero setup), or build a spreadsheet yourself.
Download the Pareto template
Free Pareto worksheet with Category, Count, % of Total, and Cumulative % columns. The Excel version has the percentage and running-total formulas pre-filled — just type your counts and sort high→low. No signup, no email, direct download.
Pareto Template — Excel
Editable .xlsx with auto % of total, cumulative %, and a TOTAL row. Works in Excel, Google Sheets, and LibreOffice. Add a chart in two clicks.
Pareto Template — PDF
Printable A4 worksheet for tally sessions and team meetings. Count by hand, then transfer into the spreadsheet to chart.
Pareto Template — Word
Editable .docx for Microsoft Word or Google Docs — best when the analysis goes into a longer report.
Pareto Chart Maker — Online
Enter categories and counts; the chart builds instantly with bars, cumulative line, 80% marker, and PNG export.
Option 1: Free Online Template (Recommended)
Online Pareto Chart Maker
No spreadsheet setup. Enter your categories and counts — chart builds instantly with bars, cumulative line, 80% marker, vital few callout, and PNG export.
Use Free Online Template →No signup · Works on mobile · PNG export
Excel / Google Sheets
Build it manually in a spreadsheet. More work, but useful if you need to embed it in a report or share with a team.
See step-by-step guide below ↓
What a Pareto Chart Template Includes
Template Structure
| Category | Count | % | Cumulative % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category 1 — highest | — | —% | —% (vital) |
| Category 2 | — | —% | —% (vital) |
| Category 3 | — | —% | —% |
| Category 4 | — | —% | —% |
| Other | — | —% | 100.0% |
Categories above the 80% cumulative line = vital few → prioritize these.
A filled-in example: one month of returns, counted two ways
The structure above is easier to judge filled in. The numbers below are an illustration written for this page — not a customer case — for an online store that logged 412 returns in one month, by reason. First, the template as most people fill it: by count.
| Return reason | Count | % | Cumulative % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wrong size | 148 | 35.9% | 35.9% |
| Damaged in transit | 96 | 23.3% | 59.2% |
| Not as pictured | 71 | 17.2% | 76.5% |
| Arrived late | 44 | 10.7% | 87.1% |
| Changed mind | 31 | 7.5% | 94.7% |
| Defective item | 14 | 3.4% | 98.1% |
| Other | 8 | 1.9% | 100.0% |
| Total | 412 |
Three reasons cover 76% of returns, and the fourth takes the total past 80%. Read this way, the first project is sizing: better size charts, fewer wrong-size orders.
Now fill the same template a second time with what each return costs instead of how often it happens — return shipping, write-off and reshipping, averaged per reason. Under each reason: returns × average cost.
| Return reason | Total cost | % | Cumulative % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damaged in transit 96 × $42 | $4,032 | 53.5% | 53.5% |
| Wrong size 148 × $9 | $1,332 | 17.7% | 71.2% |
| Not as pictured 71 × $11 | $781 | 10.4% | 81.5% |
| Defective item 14 × $55 | $770 | 10.2% | 91.7% |
| Changed mind 31 × $9 | $279 | 3.7% | 95.4% |
| Arrived late 44 × $6 | $264 | 3.5% | 98.9% |
| Other 8 × $10 | $80 | 1.1% | 100.0% |
| Total | $7,538 |
The order changes, and so does the first project. Damaged parcels are 23% of the returns but 54% of the money, so packaging comes before size charts. Defective items, 3% of returns by count, are 10% of the cost. Neither chart is wrong; they answer different questions. When categories cost very different amounts per occurrence, fill the template twice — the Excel file works the same way if you type cost into the Count column — and decide which question you are answering before you pick the vital few.
How to Build a Pareto Chart in Excel (5 Steps)
- Enter categories in column A, counts in column B — sorted from highest to lowest
- Column C: cumulative % formula:
=SUM($B$2:B2)/SUM($B$2:$B$[n])— drag down for all rows - Select columns A, B, C → Insert → Combo Chart → bars for count, line for cumulative %
- Right-click the line → Format Data Series → Secondary Axis
- Add an 80% reference line: add a helper column with 0.8 in every row, plot as a flat line
When to Use a Pareto Chart Template
- Quality defect analysis (manufacturing, software)
- Customer complaint prioritization
- Safety incident categorization
- Process improvement (Lean, Six Sigma DMAIC Analyze phase)
The fastest Pareto chart template online. Enter data, get a chart with vital few callout and PNG export in 60 seconds. Build Pareto Chart Now →
Related resources
- Pareto Analysis: Complete Guide with Examples
- OEE calculation and template — the six big losses, ready to rank on a Pareto
- Pareto Chart Examples: 6 Real-World Cases
- Pareto Chart in Excel — Step-by-Step — build the chart yourself, formulas included
- 5 Whys vs. Pareto: When to Use Each
- Free Pareto Chart Maker (tool)
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free Pareto chart template?
Yes. The fastest option is our free online Pareto Chart Maker — enter your category names and counts, and the chart builds automatically with the 80% threshold, vital few callout, and PNG export. No signup required. For spreadsheet users, you can replicate the same output in Excel or Google Sheets by sorting data descending, adding a cumulative % column, and creating a combo chart with bars and a line.
How do I make a Pareto chart in Excel?
To make a Pareto chart in Excel: (1) Enter categories in column A and counts in column B, sorted highest to lowest. (2) In column C, calculate cumulative percentage: =SUM($B$2:B2)/SUM($B$2:$B$10). (3) Select all three columns and insert a Combo Chart — bars for counts, line for cumulative %. (4) Add a secondary axis for the % line. (5) Add a horizontal reference line at 80% by adding a helper column with 80% in every row. The online tool does all of this automatically.
What should a Pareto chart template include?
A complete Pareto chart template should include: a title row for the problem/period being analyzed, a data table with category names + count + percentage + cumulative percentage, the Pareto chart itself (descending bars + cumulative line + 80% threshold), a “vital few” callout highlighting the categories above 80%, and a section for corrective actions. Our free online maker generates all of these automatically.
What is the difference between a Pareto chart and a bar chart?
A regular bar chart shows values for categories without any particular order. A Pareto chart specifically sorts categories from highest to lowest count and adds a cumulative percentage line — the combination of sorted bars + cumulative line is what makes it a Pareto chart. The 80% threshold line further separates “vital few” from “useful many” categories, which is the whole point of the tool.