Charting for Beginners
In Excel 2016, charts and diagrams can show trends, averages, high and low points, and more. Charts make it easier for your intended recipient to sort and comprehend the information being presented.
There are many different kinds of charts available in MS Excel--pie charts, bar charts, line charts, even organisational charts.
MS Excel provides you with several tools to help you create them. You'll find those tools under the Insert tab in the Chart group:
In previous versions of Excel, you had the Chart Wizard to help you create charts. However Excel 2016 offers : Recommended Charts tool. This is under the Insert tab on the Ribbon in the Charts group (as shown above).
To create a chart this way, first select the data that you want to put into a chart. Include labels and data.
When you click on the Recommended Charts button, a dialogue box opens like the one pictured below.
Based on your data, Excel has therefore recommended a chart for you to use as above.
On the left side of this dialogue box is all the chart recommendations.
On the right is a preview of what the chart will look like with your data.
Choose the chart that you want to use, then click OK.
The chart is then embedded into your worksheet for you:
If you click on your chart, the Chart Tools Format tab opens in the Ribbon:
Types of charts
To the right of the recommended charts button there are a range of charts that you can select should you decide not to use the recommended charts icon.
These buttons and their dropdown menus can be used to create these types and styles of charts.
Insert Column or Bar Chart.
Insert Hierarchy Chart. This chart can be used to compare a part to a whole or to show the hierarchy of several columns or categories.
Insert Waterfall or Stock Chart. The waterfall chart is used to show how a starting value is affected by a series of positive and negative values. The stock chart shows the trend of a stock's value over a period time.
Insert Line or Area Chart. This chart enables the user to preview data as a 2-D or 3-D line or area chart.
Insert Statistic Chart. Statistical charts include Pareto, Box, Whisker and Histograms. These charts are used to show a statistical analysis of your data.
Insert Combo Chart. A combo chart is useful when there is data.
Insert Pie or Doughnut Chart.
Insert Scatter (X,Y) or Bubble Chart.
Insert Surface, or Radar Chart.
Creating a chart using the Ribbon
Without using the recommended charts icon it is still easy to create a chart.
The first step is to select the data you want to put in your chart.
Now click on insert column or bar chart.
Choose the chart you want or click on More Column Charts.
You can then click on the chart that best suits. Select the chart type you want and click OK.
Creating a chart from scratch without pre-selecting data
Click the Insert Column or Bar Chart button on the Ribbon again. However, this time, don't select any data before you do it. Select the type of bar chart that you want to use. The chart will be embedded in your workbook and the Chart Design and Chart Format tab is now visible on the ribbon.
Now click the Select Data button under the Design tab. The Select Data Source dialog window will open.
Using your mouse highlight that data required in the chart and press enter and press OK.
To enter a chart title, click on the Chart Title box and type in the title of your choice.
Click on Add Chart Element to the right of the Chart Tools Design tab to create Axis titles and other chart elements to suit your requirements.
To change your column colours, simply click on the bars, right click and click on the drop down arrow of the fill icon and select the colour.
Modifying and Moving a chart
Right click on the plot series to provide a range of different options:
From the dropdown menu the user can format the chart area. The user can delete the chart, change the chart type, reset, save the chart as a template, or select alternative data to be included in the chart.
To move the chart click on the boarder or the chart and click your mouse, hold and drag when the four cross arrows appear. To resize a chart, click on the circular handles on the chart boarder and drag mouse to change the size.
To move a chart to its own sheet
Click in the plot of the chart or select the data in your spreadsheet and press F11 on your keyboard. The chart will then be placed on its own sheet in the same workbook. The sheet will be named Chart 1 - you can change the name of this by double clicking on Chart 1 and typing a suitable sheet name for the chart.
To summarise the chart tools design tab ribbon
Chart Layouts
The chart element allows you to modify chart elements and the quick layout allows you to change the chart type.
Change Colours
This enables the user to change to colour combinations used on the chart.
Chart Style
The style of chart can be altered.
Switch Row/Column
Allows you to reverse columns and rows in your chart and select data to be used in your chart.
Change Chart Type
Allows the chart to be changed from a bar to a pie or to any other chart you require.
Move Chart
The chart can be moved to a different place in the worksheet or to another worksheet.
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