Chapter 5: Getting Started Making Charts

5.1. What Is a Chart?

A chart is a visual representation of numeric values. Charts are also known as graphs.

5.2. Creating a Chart

Creating a chart is fairly simple:

1. Make sure that your data is appropriate for a chart.

2. Select the range that contains your data.

3. Select the Insert tab and select a chart type from the Charts group. These icons display drop-down lists that display subtypes. Excel creates the chart and places it in the center of the window.

4. (Optional) Use the various tools and commands to change the look or layout of the chart or add or delete chart elements.

Example:

From Excel data below, create a chart:

By following above indicated steps, the following line chart will be created:

5.3. Working with Charts

This section covers some common chart modifications:

5.3.1. Resizing a chart

If your chart is an embedded chart, you can freely resize it with your mouse. Click the chart’s border. Square handles appear on the chart’s corners and edges. Move the mouse pointer over a handle and when the pointer turns into a double arrow, drag to resize the chart.

5.3.2.Moving a chart

To move an embedded chart to a different location on a worksheet, click the chart to select it, move the mouse pointer over one of its borders, and then drag. 

5.3.3. Copying a chart

To make an exact copy of an embedded chart on the same worksheet, click the chart’s border, press and hold the Ctrl key, and drag. Release the mouse button, and a new copy of the chart is created. You also can use standard copy-and-paste techniques to copy a chart.

5.3.4. Deleting a chart

To delete an embedded chart, press Ctrl and click the chart (to select the chart as an object). Then press Delete. When the Ctrl key is pressed, you can select multiple charts, and then delete them all with a single press of the Delete key.

5.3.5. Adding chart elements

To add new elements to a chart (such as a title, legend, data labels, or gridlines), activate the chart and click the Chart Elements button, which appears to the right of the chart. Click the check box beside one of the listed chart elements to display or hide it. Note that each item expands to display additional options.

You can also use the Add Chart Element control on the Chart Tools ➪ Design ➪ Chart Layouts group.

5.3.6. Formatting chart elements

The easiest way to format chart elements is to right-click the element and choose Format <Element> from the shortcut menu.