Charts and Graphs - Excel

Categories

Creating Charts

Charts and graphs in Excel help visualize data for better understanding and analysis. Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide on how to create a basic chart:

- Select the Data -

Highlight the range of data you want to include in the chart. Ensure that you include headers for the categories and data series.

Example Data:

Month Sales
Jan 500
Feb 700
Mar 600
Apr 800

- Insert a Chart -

  • Go to the Insert tab on the Ribbon.

  • Choose the type of chart you want to create from the Charts group. Common types include:

    • Column/Bar Chart: Good for comparing values across categories.

    • Line Chart: Ideal for showing trends over time.

    • Pie Chart: Useful for showing proportions of a whole.

    • Scatter Plot: Great for showing relationships between two variables.

    • Area Chart: Highlights the magnitude of change over time.

    • Other Chart Types: Including Treemap, Sunburst, Histogram, Box & Whisker, etc.

  • Click the chart type, and Excel will insert the chart based on your selected data.

- Position and Resize the Chart -

  • Click on the chart to select it.

  • Drag the chart to your desired location in the worksheet.

  • Resize the chart by dragging the handles on the corners and sides to adjust the width and height.

- Switch Row/Column Data -

  • If Excel doesn't correctly plot your data, you can switch the rows and columns. Click on the chart, go to the Chart Design tab, and click Switch Row/Column.

- Adjust Data Range -

  • If you need to adjust the data range for your chart, click the chart to select it, then go to the Chart Design tab and click Select Data to change the data source.

Customizing Charts

Once you have created a chart, you can customize it to improve its appearance and make it more informative. Here are detailed steps to customize various chart elements:

- Chart Title -

  • Edit Title: Click on the chart title to edit it. You can type a new title directly or use the formula bar to link it to a cell by typing =CellReference (e.g. =A1)

  • Format Title: Format the title using the options in the Home tab to change the font, size, color, and alignment.

- Axis Title -

  • Add Axis Titles: Click on the chart to activate the Chart Tools. Go to the Chart Design tab, click on Add Chart Element, choose Axis Titles, and select either Primary Horizontal or Primary Vertical.

  • Edit and Format Axis Titles: Click on the placeholder text to edit and format the axis titles using the options in the Home tab.

- Legend -

  • Add or Modify Legend: Click on the chart to activate the Chart Tools. Go to the Chart Design tab, click on Add Chart Element, and select Legend. You can choose the position (top, bottom, left, right) or remove it entirely.

  • Format Legend: Click on the legend to select it, then use the formatting options to change the font, size, color, and placement.

- Data Labels -

  • Add Data Labels: Click on the chart to activate the Chart Tools. Go to the Chart Design tab, click on Add Chart Element, and select Data Labels. Choose a position for the labels (center, inside end, outside end, etc.).

  • Format Data Labels: Click on a data label to select it, then use the formatting options to customize the font, size, color, and number format.

- Changing Chart Type -

  • Change Chart Type: If you want to change the chart type, click on the chart to select it. Go to the Chart Design tab, click Change Chart Type, and select a new chart type from the list. Confirm the change by clicking OK.

- Gridlines -

  • Modify Gridlines: To modify gridlines, click on the chart to select it. Go to the Chart Design tab, click Add Chart Element, then Gridlines, and choose the type of gridlines (primary major, primary minor, etc.) to add or remove.

  • Format Gridlines: Right-click on the gridlines and choose Format Gridlines to customize their color, style, and width.

- Format Chart Elements -

  • Format Individual Elements: Right-click on any chart element (e.g., data series, axes, plot area) and choose Format [Element] to open the formatting pane. Use the formatting options to customize colors, line styles, shadows, 3D effects, and more.

- Adding Trendlines -

  • Add Trendline: To add a trendline to show trends in data, click on a data series, then go to the Chart Design tab, click Add Chart Element, and select Trendline. Choose the type of trendline (linear, exponential, etc.) that best fits your data.

- Adding Error Bars -

  • Add Error Bars: If you need to display error margins, click on a data series, then go to the Chart Design tab, click Add Chart Element, and select Error Bars. Choose the type of error bars and customize them as needed.