Progress Bar in Google Sheets: REPT vs Excel CHAR
Template sellers and teams often switch between Excel and Sheets. See what transfers and what breaks when you rely on CHAR for bar characters.
Quick answer
Excel CHAR only returns characters with codes 1 through 255. Google Sheets CHAR supports the full Unicode range. For progress bars with shade blocks, emoji, or stars, Sheets REPT formulas are simpler and more portable inside the Better Sheets playground library.
At-a-glance comparison
| Category | Google Sheets REPT + CHAR | Excel CHAR |
|---|---|---|
| CHAR code range | Full Unicode (0 through 1114111) in Google Sheets | Excel CHAR limited to 1 through 255 |
| Shade block bars (▓░) | Native with CHAR(9619) and CHAR(9617) | Requires UNICHAR in modern Excel, not plain CHAR |
| Emoji bars | Literal emoji or UNICHAR in REPT | UNICHAR required; CHAR alone cannot render emoji |
| Formula portability | Playground formulas are tested for Google Sheets | Excel formulas need separate testing per CHAR limit |
| Symbol discovery | CHAR playground with 2,000+ copy-paste codes | ASCII tables or UNICHAR code lookup |
| Best for | Google Sheets dashboards, templates, and themed bars | Legacy Excel workflows capped at ASCII characters |
Side-by-side formulas
Sheets dark shade bar
CHAR codes above 255 work in Google Sheets.
=REPT(CHAR(9619),MIN(10,MAX(0,ROUND(A1/B1*10,0))))&REPT(CHAR(9617),MAX(0,10-MIN(10,MAX(0,ROUND(A1/B1*10,0)))))
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░
Excel-compatible pipe bar
Uses ASCII characters available in Excel CHAR without UNICHAR.
=REPT("|",ROUND(A1/B1*10,0))&REPT(".",10-ROUND(A1/B1*10,0))
||||||||..
Google Sheets REPT + CHAR
Google Sheets combines REPT with CHAR or literal Unicode characters. CHAR(9619) renders a dark shade block; emoji bars use literal emoji or UNICHAR. The playground library ships hundreds of tested combinations.
Excel CHAR
Excel CHAR(n) only works for n between 1 and 255, which covers basic ASCII and some extended characters. Block shade characters like CHAR(9619) are not available in Excel CHAR. Excel users often use REPT with pipe characters or switch to UNICHAR in newer Excel versions for Unicode symbols.
Details
Why Sheets CHAR opens more bar styles
Progress bars often use block elements, stars, and geometric shapes above code 255. Google Sheets CHAR handles these directly. That is why the playground uses CHAR(9619) for dark shade bars and dozens of star variants without leaving the REPT pattern.
What Excel users should do instead
In Excel 365, UNICHAR closes the gap for Unicode symbols. For older Excel, ASCII pipe-and-dot bars or conditional formatting data bars are the practical fallback. Do not assume a Sheets CHAR formula pastes into Excel unchanged.
Building cross-platform templates
If your buyers use both platforms, ship the numeric ratio in one column and platform-specific bar formulas in separate tabs. Or use simple ASCII REPT bars that work in both environments.
Choose Google Sheets REPT + CHAR when…
- •You build exclusively in Google Sheets
- •You want shade blocks, stars, or emoji in the bar
- •You use the CHAR playground to pick symbols
- •You sell templates on the Google Workspace marketplace
Choose Excel CHAR when…
- •Your audience is on Excel 2019 or earlier with CHAR-only workflows
- •You need ASCII-safe bars that avoid Unicode entirely
- •You already use Excel conditional formatting data bars
- •You are migrating legacy pipe-and-dot REPT patterns
Related pages
Common questions
- Does Excel CHAR(9619) work?
- No. Code 9619 is outside Excel CHAR range. Use UNICHAR(9619) in Excel 365 or pick ASCII characters that stay inside CHAR 1 through 255.
- Do playground formulas work in Excel?
- Some do if they use ASCII characters only. Formulas with CHAR codes above 255 or emoji need edits before they work in Excel.
- What is the difference between CHAR and UNICHAR?
- In Google Sheets, CHAR handles the full Unicode range. In Excel, CHAR is capped at 255 and UNICHAR handles larger code points. The playground labels which functions each formula uses.
- Where can I browse CHAR codes for bars?
- Use the CHAR symbol table at /char to copy codepoints for blocks, stars, and geometric fills. Filter by shape to find progress bar characters quickly.
Pick symbols, then paste the bar
Browse shade blocks and star ratings in the CHAR table, then copy a matching REPT bar from the progress hub. Every formula shows a live preview before you paste.