In
introduction
Video: Charts
It can often be difficult to interpret Excel workbooks that contain a lot of data. Charts allow you to illustrate your workbook data graphically, which makes it easy to visualize comparisons and trends.
Optional: Download our practice workbook.
Understanding charts
Excel has several different types of charts,
allowing you to choose the one that best fits your data. In order to
use charts effectively, you'll need to understand how different charts
are used.
Click the arrows in the slideshow below to learn more about the types of charts in Excel.
- Excel has a variety of chart types, each with its own advantages. Click the arrows to see some of the different types of charts available in Excel.
In addition to chart types, you'll need to understand how to read a chart. Charts contain several different elements, or parts, that can help you interpret the data.
Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn about the different parts of a chart.
To insert a chart:
- Select the cells you want to chart, including the column titles and row labels. These cells will be the source data for the chart. In our example, we'll select cells A1:F6.
- From the Insert tab, click the desired Chart command. In our example, we'll select Column.
- Choose the desired chart type from the drop-down menu.
- The selected chart will be inserted in the worksheet.
If you're not sure which type of chart to use, the Recommended Charts command will suggest several different charts based on the source data.
Chart layout and style
After inserting a chart, there are several things you may want to
change about the way your data is displayed. It's easy to edit a chart's
layout and style from the Design tab.
- Excel allows you to add chart elements—such as chart titles, legends, and data labels—to make your chart easier to read. To add a chart element, click the Add Chart Element command on the Design tab, then choose the desired element from the drop-down menu.
- To edit a chart element, like a chart title, simply double-click the placeholder and begin typing.
- If you don't want to add chart elements individually, you can use one of Excel's predefined layouts. Simply click the Quick Layout command, then choose the desired layout from the drop-down menu.
- Excel also includes several different chart styles, which allow you to quickly modify the look and feel of your chart. To change the chart style, select the desired style from the Chart styles group.
You can also use the chart formatting shortcut buttons to quickly add chart elements, change the chart style, and filter the chart data.
Other chart options
There are many other ways to customize and organize your charts. For example, Excel allows you to rearrange a chart's data, change the chart type, and even move the chart to a different location in the workbook.
To switch row and column data:
Sometimes you may want to change the way charts group your data. For example, in the chart below, the Book Sales data are grouped by year, with columns for each genre. However, we could switch the rows and columns so the chart will group the data by genre, with columns for each year. In both cases, the chart contains the same data—it's just organized differently.
- Select the chart you want to modify.
- From the Design tab, select the Switch Row/Column command.
- The rows and columns will be switched. In our example, the data is now grouped by genre, with columns for each year.
To change the chart type:
If you find that your data isn't well suited to a certain chart, it's easy to switch to a new chart type. In our example, we'll change our chart from a Column chart to a Line chart.
- From the Design tab, click the Change Chart Type command.
- The Change Chart Type dialog box will appear. Select a new chart type and layout, then click OK. In our example, we'll choose a Line chart.
- The selected chart type will appear. In our example, the line chart makes it easier to see trends in the sales data over time.
To move a chart:
Whenever you insert a new chart, it will appear as an object on the
same worksheet that contains its source data. Alternatively, you can move the chart to a new worksheet to help keep your data organized.
- Select the chart you want to move.
- Click the Design tab, then select the Move Chart command.
- The Move Chart dialog box will appear. Select the desired location for the chart. In our example, we'll choose to move it to a New sheet, which will create a new worksheet.
- Click OK.
- The chart will appear in the selected location. In our example, the chart now appears on a new worksheet.
