Charting With Excel 2010

ChartingExcel 2010Tutor Led

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In

CHARTING WITH EXCEL 2010 TUTOR-LED MANUAL V1.0 Product: EX07ChartsTut

CHARTING WITH EXCEL 2010

TUTOR-LED MANUAL V1.0

CHARTING WITH EXCEL 2010 TUTOR-LED MANUAL V1.0

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Copyright 2012 Melbourne by Watsonia Software Pty Ltd (ABN 64 060 335 748) Published by Watsonia Publishing

wp: 47 Greenaway Street Bulleen Vic Australia 3105 Telephone: (61 3) 9851 4000 Facsimile: (61 3) 9851 4001 Web site: www.watsoniapublishing.com Product Code EX07ChartsTut First Published November 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Production Acknowledgments

This course is produced by the University of Strathclyde IT Training Team.

Trademark Acknowledgments

All terms mentioned in this manual that are known to be trademarks or service marks have been appropriately acknowledged or capitalised. Watsonia Software cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. Use of a term in this manual should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark. Screen Shots © 1983-2012 Microsoft. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to provide accurate and complete information. However, Watsonia Software assumes no responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from the use of information in this document. Data and case study examples are intended to be fictional. Any resemblance to real persons or companies is coincidental.

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This publication is protected in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act. Apart from permissions expressed in the Copyright Act pertaining to copying for study, review, or research, no part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, or stored in a database or retrieval system, or transmitted or distributed in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording, or otherwise without written permission from Watsonia Software Pty Ltd.

Charting with Excel 2010 - Tutor-Led Manual v1.0

© Watsonia Publishing - i - Read Me Preface

READ ME FIRST

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In case you're not familiar with the terminology, Read Me First is quite often the name given to a computer file that contains important information for people to know prior to using an application.

This section contains some important information to help you use this book so we thought we'd start with a Read Me First section.

Who this course is for... This course is designed for users who are keen to extend their understanding and knowledge of the software.

What skills and knowledge you will acquire...

The skills and knowledge acquired in this course are sufficient to be able to use and operate the software at an efficient level.

What you'll need to know before beginning this course...

This course assumes you have attended the Excel 2010 Basics course or that you already have these skills.

The objectives of this guide… At the completion of this course you should be able to:

create effective charts in Microsoft Excel

use a range of techniques to enhance charts

move or copy charts within the same workbook or to different workbooks

What you get in a Chapter... Each of the chapters is comprised of a summary page listing the topics covered in that chapter. The chapter then consists of single-page topic sheets pertaining to the theme of the chapter.

What you'll need to have before commencing this course...

Many of the topics in the this course require you to open an existing training file. These files are provided in your training account's T:\ network drive if you are attending a tutor led course. These files can also be downloaded from the University of Strathclyde Online Resource Centre.

As you work through this guide…

It is strongly recommended that you close all open files, if any, prior to commencing each new chapter in this learning guide. Each chapter, where relevant, has its own set of course files and any from a previous chapter are no longer required.

Where to from here... Have a look at the next page which explains how a topic page works, ensure that you have access to the exercise files (see above), and you're ready to make a start.


© Watsonia Publishing - ii - How To Preface

WORKING WITH TOPIC SHEETS

The majority of this book comprises single-page topic sheets. There are two types of topic sheets: task and reference. The layout of both is similar – an overview at the top, detail in the centre and

additional reference (optional) material at the bottom. Task sheets contain a Try This Yourself step-by-step exercise panel in the detail area as shown below.

Topic name

General topic overview provides an introduction to the topic

Try This Yourself (Task-based topic sheets) is a detailed step-by-step practice exercise for you to work through. In Reference topic sheets this is usually replaced by a box with reference information.

In Task topic sheets screen shots and graphics provide a visual clue as to what will happen when you work through the Try This Yourself practice exercise. In Reference topic sheets the screen shots and graphics are used to visually represent information and concepts.

The For Your Reference (optional) element provides a quick summary of the steps required to perform a task. These usually only appear in Task-based topic sheets.

The Handy To Know (optional) element provides additional information such as alternate ways of accomplishing a task or further information providing handy tips.

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CONTENTS

© Watsonia Publishing - iii - Contents

Chapter 1: Creating Charts 1

Understanding The Charting Process ............................................................ 2 Understanding Common Chart Types ............................................................ 3 Choosing The Chart Type .............................................................................. 4 Creating A New Chart ..................................................................................... 5 Working With An Embedded Chart ................................................................. 6 Resizing A Chart ............................................................................................. 7 Printing An Embedded Chart .......................................................................... 8 Creating A Chart Sheet .................................................................................. 9 Changing The Chart Type ............................................................................ 10 Changing The Chart Layout ......................................................................... 11 Changing The Chart Style ............................................................................ 12 Printing A Chart Sheet .................................................................................. 13 Embedding A Chart Into A Worksheet.......................................................... 14 Deleting A Chart ........................................................................................... 15

Chapter 2: Charting Techniques 17

Understanding Chart Layout Elements ........................................................ 18 Adding A Chart Title ..................................................................................... 19 Adding Axes Titles ........................................................................................ 20 Positioning The Legend ................................................................................ 21 Showing Data Labels .................................................................................... 22 Showing A Data Table .................................................................................. 23 Modifying The Axes ...................................................................................... 24 Showing Gridlines ......................................................................................... 25 Formatting The Plot Area ............................................................................. 26 Showing The Plot Area ................................................................................. 27 Adding A Trendline ....................................................................................... 28 Adding Error Bars ......................................................................................... 29 Adding A Text Box To A Chart ..................................................................... 30 Drawing Shapes In A Chart .......................................................................... 31

Chapter 3: Chart Object Formatting 33

Understanding Chart Object Formatting ....................................................... 34 Selecting Chart Elements ............................................................................. 35 Using Shape Styles To Format Objects ....................................................... 36 Changing Column Colour ............................................................................. 37 Using Shape Effects ..................................................................................... 38 Filling The Chart Area And The Plot Area .................................................... 39 The Format Dialog Box ................................................................................. 40 Using The Format Dialog Box ...................................................................... 41 Using Themes ............................................................................................... 42

Chapter 4: Working with Charts 43

Moving Charts within a Workbook ................................................................ 44 Copying Charts within a Workbook .............................................................. 45 Moving or Copying Charts to Another Workbook ......................................... 46

Concluding Remarks 47


CONTENTS

© Watsonia Publishing - iv - Contents

Notes:


© Watsonia Publishing Page 1 Chapter 1 - Creating Charts

CHAPTER 1 CREATING CHARTS

In this session you will:

gain an understanding of how charts are created and presented in Excel

gain an understanding of common chart types

gain an overview of different chart types

learn how to create a new chart in Microsoft Excel

learn how to work with an embedded chart

learn how to resize the chart

learn how to print an embedded chart

learn how to create a chart sheet

learn how to change the chart type of an existing chart

learn how the change the chart layout of an existing chart

learn how to change the style of a chart

learn how to print a chart sheet

learn how to embed a chart into a worksheet

learn how to delete a chart.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, a chart in a worksheet can be worth a thousand numbers! Charts are used to summarise data, reflecting proportions, trends, and anomalies in your data far more effectively.

The really clever feature of charting in Excel is just how easy it is to create a brand new chart.

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UNDERSTANDING THE CHARTING PROCESS

Charts provide a visual way of seeing trends in the data in your worksheet. The charting feature in Excel is extremely flexible and powerful and allows you to create a wide range of charts from

the worksheet data. But the beauty of the charting process is that it is delightfully easy and simple – once you know how.

The Charting Process

There’s no rocket science here – to create a new chart you simply select the data that you want to graph, then from the Insert tab of the Ribbon, choose the type of chart you want. As soon as you have clicked on the desired chart type a new chart will be embedded in the active worksheet.

Embedded Charts

Charts that appear within a worksheet are known as embedded charts. A chart is really an object that sits on top of the worksheet – unlike numbers and letters, charts are not actually placed into worksheet cells.

Chart Sheets

If you want to keep your chart separate from the data you can move the chart to its own sheet. Chart sheets make it easier and more convenient to work with your chart because you’ll see more of it on the screen – since the data is not there!



UNDERSTANDING COMMON CHART TYPES

There are several common chart types that are used to portray worksheet data. Chart types such as bar and column reflect the size of a value by the length of the bar or height of the column, so

you can see at a glance how values compare. Chart types such as line show trends over time and pie charts show you proportion. Here are some examples of common chart types.

Common Chart Types

Variation Within A Chart Type

Within each chart type there are chart subtypes, including 3-D charts. Here are a few variations of a clustered column chart, including a clustered cylinder, 3-D pyramid and 100% stacked cone.



CHOOSING THE CHART TYPE

A chart is far more effective at communicating results, outcomes or trends than a table of figures displaying the same information. Different chart types have been created to communicate

different types of information. Some charts show simple relationships between values, while others are designed for quite technical purposes. Here is a summary of the use of different chart types.

Chart Type Use

Column, Bar, Cylinder, Cone, Pyramid

These chart types, either in 2D or 3D, are used to compare values across categories. For example, they could compare the populations of different countries.

Line, Area Lines in 2D or 3D are perfect for showing trends such as sales or employment figures. An area chart is basically a line chart with the area below the line filled in.

Surface The surface chart plots trends in two dimensions. You could use this to plot departmental sales figures over time. The chart then shows you the trends between departments, as well as the sales trends over time.

Pie, Doughnut If you want to show proportion, such as the sales figures from different departments that make up a total, then the pie and doughnut charts are for you. The doughnut chart varies only from the pie chart in that it can display more than one series of values.

Technical Chart Options

Stock The stock chart type has been designed to show the stock figures for a day, and the trend over time. At its simplest, you can plot the high, low and close figures, and at its most complex, the volume, open, high, low, and close. It can be adapted to show the relationships between any 5 sets of values.

XY (Scatter) Scatter diagrams are used to display the relationship between two variables. For example, you could research the age and value of a series of cars, and plot the values you find. You could also investigate the height and weight relationship of a group of people.

Bubble The bubble chart is a scatter chart with a third set of values that determine the size of the bubble marker. For example, it could be used to show the concentrations of a particular metal at different times, sampled from different depths in a dam. The position on the graph would reflect the depth and time, and the size of the bubble would reflect the concentration of the metal.

Radar A radar diagram is designed to show the change in values from a central point. For example, it can be used to show mobile telephone coverage, including multiple networks and multiple measurements.



CREATING A NEW CHART

Creating a chart is really easy in Excel. You simply select the data to chart then access the chart type you want on the Insert tab of the Ribbon. The only tricky part is selecting the

correct data to chart. Generally you should select only raw data – not the totals or subtotals. Also headings at the left and at the top often present themselves as the legend or axis of the chart.

Try This Yourself:

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e Before starting this exercise

you MUST open the file E758 Charting_1.xlsx...

Click on cell A3, hold down the

key and click on cell G7

to select only the raw data

Click on the Insert tab of the Ribbon, and click on the Column command in the Charts group to see a gallery of Column chart types

Click on the first option – the Clustered Column chart type

Excel will now create a chart and place it (known as embedding) in the worksheet for you…

Click on cell A1 to deselect the chart

For Your Reference…

To create a chart:

1. Select the range to chart

2. Click on the Insert tab of the Ribbon, and click on the Column command in the Charts group

3. Click on the desired chart type

Handy to Know…

When a chart is active the Ribbon shows additional tabs with commands that are used when charting.

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WORKING WITH AN EMBEDDED CHART

By default, a new chart will be placed in the active worksheet, which is usually the one that contains the data. Charts are placed over the top of the worksheet as objects. When you want to

work with a chart you must select it – this can be done by clicking on the chart. The chart itself is made up of many objects and these too can be selected by clicking on them.

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Continue using the previous file with this exercise, or open the file E758 Charting_2.xlsx...

Move the mouse pointer to the border of the chart and click once to select the chart as an object

The border of the chart will thicken to indicate that the chart is selected. In addition the range of data used for the chart will be enclosed in coloured lines. The Ribbon will show chart-specific tabs and commands…

Click on the chart legend to make it the active object in the chart

Click on the vertical axis to make it the active object

Click on the horizontal axis to make it the active object

Click on the border of the chart to make the overall chart the active object again – notice that the coloured lines have reappeared

Click in cell A1 to deselect the chart


To select a chart and its objects:

1. Click on the border of the chart to select an embedded chart

2. Click on the various objects of a chart to select them

Handy to Know…

Once an object, be it a chart, a legend on the chart, or whatever, is selected you can right click to see a short cut menu specific to the selected object.

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RESIZING A CHART

There are two main ways to resize a chart if you are not happy with its current size. You can manually resize it by dragging on the sizing handles around the border of a selected chart.

These handles appear with dots in them. You can also resize a chart using the commands that appear in the Size group on the Format tab of the Ribbon that appears when the chart is selected.

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Click on the chart to select it

Move the mouse pointer to the sizing handle on the left border of the chart until the mouse pointer changes to a double arrow

Hold down the left mouse button and drag left until the chart is about 25% larger

You can also resize a chart from the Ribbon…

Click on the Format tab of the Ribbon and notice that there is a Size group

Click on the up button of the Shape Height command until it shows 8.5 cm

Click on the up button of the Shape Width command until it shows 18 cm

Click in cell A1 to deselect the chart


To resize a chart:

1. Drag one of the six sizing borders on the border of a selected chart

OR:

1. Click on the up/down buttons of the Shape Height and Shape Width commands

Handy to Know…

Generally you would drag the sizing handles when you are interested in getting an approximate size change, and the commands on the Ribbon when you need to precisely size the chart.

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PRINTING AN EMBEDDED CHART

When you print a worksheet Excel will print whatever is in or embedded in that worksheet including charts. This makes it easy and convenient to print both the chart and its

underlying data. All you need to do is to position the chart in the appropriate location, and then access the print commands in the normal way.

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Click on the File tab then select Print to see a preview of the data and the chart

Not all of the chart or data may be visible so we’ll change the orientation to landscape…

Click on the Page Setup command to see the Page Setup dialog box

Click on Landscape in Orientation and click on [OK]

Select Print to print your chart. For this course please do not print to save paper.


To print a chart:

1. Click on the File tab then click on Print. The preview will be on the right of the screen

2. Click on the Print command

Handy to Know…

It’s best to preview a chart before actually printing it. This way you’ll be able to make whatever page setup changes that are required to properly position and see the chart on the printed page.

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CREATING A CHART SHEET

Charts can either be stored in a worksheet or in a separate sheet of their own known as a chart sheet. Chart sheets separate the chart from the underlying data and are useful - especially if you

are interested in printing the chart on its own page. Charts can be shifted back and forth between a worksheet and a chart sheet.

Try This Yourself:

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Click on the chart to select it and display chart commands in the Ribbon

Click on the Design tab on the Ribbon, then click on the Move Chart command in the Location group to display the Move Chart dialog box

Click on New Sheet, then type Revenue Chart – this will become the sheet name for the chart

Click on [OK] to move the embedded chart to its own sheet

Click on the Chart Data tab to see the data again


To create a chart sheet:

1. Click on the Design tab on the Ribbon, then click on the Move Chart command in the Location group

2. Click on New Sheet, type a new name for

the sheet and click on [OK]

Handy to Know…

Keeping charts on their own sheets makes them easier to work with. They are larger and there is not the confusing matrix of data lines.

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CHANGING THE CHART TYPE

Creating a chart is easy. But what if the results were not what you wanted? Do you have to go back and start again? No! It is really quite easy to alter the chart type – all you need to do is to

understand what each chart type is designed for and to select the format that best suits your purpose. Just be aware that some chart types are designed for specialised applications.

Try This Yourself:

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Before starting this exercise you MUST open the file E758 Charting_7.xlsx...

Click on the Revenue Chart worksheet tab to see the chart, then click anywhere on the chart to select it and see the chart commands on the Ribbon

Click on the Design tab on the Ribbon and click on the Change Chart Type command in the Type group to see the Change Chart Type dialog box

Click on 3-D Cylinder then click on [Yes] then [OK] to apply the change to the chart

Click on the Chart Data worksheet


To change the chart type:

1. Ensure the chart or chart sheet is selected

2. Click on the Design tab on the Ribbon and click on the Change Chart Type command in the Type group

3. Click on the desired chart and click on [OK]

Handy to Know…

You can use the Change Chart Type command in the Type group for either embedded charts or charts that have their own worksheet tabs.

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CHANGING THE CHART LAYOUT

Excel has a gallery of layouts that can be applied at anytime to an existing and selected chart either in its own worksheet or embedded into the data worksheet. These layouts basically

move objects on the chart around to different locations on the chart giving you several design and layout options.

Try This Yourself:

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Click on the Design tab, then click on the More

button for the Chart

Layouts group to see a gallery of possible layouts

Click on Layout 3 to see the chart updated with this layout

Repeat steps 2 and 3 and experiment with some of the other layouts

Click on the More button

for the Chart Layouts

group and click on Layout 5

Click on the Chart Data tab


To change the chart layout:


2. On the Design tab click on the More button

for the Chart Layouts group

3. Click on the desired layout

Handy to Know…

Layouts are like predefined themes created by someone at Microsoft. Even though you choose one of these layouts you can still make your own modifications to where the elements and objects are positioned and how they look.

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CHANGING THE CHART STYLE

The style of a chart involves basically the colour scheme presented in the chart. Naturally you can manipulate the colours of the bars and lines and other elements as you please. However, unless

you have a lot of spare time, you may as well use one of the predefined styles built into Excel. You can choose and change styles in a chart at any time.

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Click on the Design tab, then click on the More

button for the Chart

Styles group to see a gallery of possible styles

Click on Style 14 to see this applied to your chart

Click on the More button

for the Chart Styles

group and click on Style 34

Click on the Chart Data worksheet tab


To change the chart style:


2. On the Design tab click on the More button

for the Chart Styles group

3. Click on the desired style

Handy to Know…

If you can’t find the style you want simply select the one that is the closest and then modify those elements that you want.

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PRINTING A CHART SHEET

You can print an embedded chart simply by printing the worksheet as if it is a standard worksheet. And what’s more, you can print a chart sheet in exactly the same way. To print a

chart sheet all you need to do is to make sure that the chart sheet is active and then just print through the File tab commands.

Try This Yourself:

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Click on the Revenue Chart worksheet tab

Click on Chart Title, type Revenue Chart and press

to provide a more

meaningful title

Click on Axis Title, type Euros and press

Select the File tab then Print to view the Print Preview on the right of the screen

No further adjustment is required here so we can go ahead and print it…

If you have a working printer click on the Print command


To print a chart sheet:

1. Click on the chart tab to make the chart sheet active

2. Click on the File tab then select Print to view the Print Preview

3. Click on the Print command

Handy to Know…

When you preview a chart prior to printing the screen rendition may not be as clear as when the chart is actually printed. If your chart appears fuzzy in print preview it will still probably print satisfactorily.

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EMBEDDING A CHART INTO A WORKSHEET

Charts can either be presented in their own sheets or they can be embedded into a worksheet that contains data. In fact you can move a chart back and forth between its own

sheet and a worksheet as often as you wish without impacting at all on the chart. Sometimes it is easier to work with a chart in its own sheet, but may be necessary to print it with its data.

Try This Yourself:

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Click on the Revenue Chart worksheet tab

Click on the Design tab on the Ribbon, then click on the Move Chart command in the Location group to display the Move Chart dialog box

Click on Object in, click

on the drop arrow

and click on Sheet 2

Click on [OK] to move the chart to the worksheet

Reposition the chart by dragging it to the top left of the sheet then drag the resizing handles to resize it as shown

Click on the Chart Data worksheet tab


To embed a chart in a worksheet:

1. Click on the Design tab on the Ribbon, then click on the Move Chart command in the Location group

2. Click on the drop arrow and click on the

sheet to embed it into, then click on [OK]

Handy to Know…

Embedding is normally only done when it is necessary to print the worksheet and the data together.

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DELETING A CHART

If you no longer require a chart you can delete it quite easily – in fact, it is even easier to delete a chart than the data! With embedded charts you must first select them in the worksheet and then

press the key to delete the chart. With charts in

chart sheets you can delete the sheet by right clicking on the chart sheet tab and choosing the deletion option.

Try This Yourself:

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Click on Sheet 2 to see the chart in the worksheet then click on the chart to select it

Press to delete the

chart


To delete a chart:

1. Click on the worksheet to see the chart, then click on the chart to select it

2. Press

Handy to Know…

Because it is so easy to delete a chart object it is also easy to delete it by accident! Remember, you can use the Undo feature in Excel to restore accidental deletions.

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© Watsonia Publishing Page 17 Chapter 2 - Charting Techniques

CHAPTER 2 CHARTING TECHNIQUES


gain an understanding of chart layout elements

learn how to add a chart title

learn how to add axes titles

learn how to position the legend

learn how to show data labels

learn how to show a data table

learn how to modify the horizontal and vertical axes

learn how to show or hide gridlines

learn how to format the plot area

learn how to show or hide the plot area

learn how to add a trendline

learn how to add error bars to a chart

learn how to add a text box to a chart

learn how to draw shapes in a chart.

When you create a chart in Excel, it’s produced with a default layout and appearance. You can modify the layout, adding labels and other features, to improve its appearance and readability.

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UNDERSTANDING CHART LAYOUT ELEMENTS

Microsoft Excel provides a range of chart elements that can be added to the layout or used to modify the layout so that the chart is easier to interpret. Charts can be used to communicate a

range of ideas, and chart layout elements help you emphasise particular ideas, information and trends. This page takes an introductory look at the elements that you can take advantage of.

Chart Layout Elements

The chart above has been overladen with chart layout elements so that you can see how they fit in and work together. In reality, you would only ever use a few at a time to avoid confusion.

The chart title appears at the top of the chart and explains it purpose. Textual elements like this can be edited and moved to any location required.

The horizontal (x) and vertical (y) axes show the scale of the chart or nominate the data elements. In this example, the x-axis is hidden by the data table.

The axes titles give an overview of the data that is plotted on the chart.

Horizontal and vertical gridlines can be drawn across the plot area (background) to help the reader judge the position of the elements, e.g. the size of the column.

The legend tells you the name of each data series in the chart.

The data labels show you the actual figures in conjunction with the data points.

A trendline shows you the trend of a particular data series, while error bars show you possible variations in figures.

A data table details the chart figures below the data points in a table layout. In this example it includes the legend key.

Text boxes and shapes can be used to annotate charts or provide additional information.



ADDING A CHART TITLE

The chart title tells the reader at a glance what the chart is about. It is effectively a summary of the purpose of the chart. Chart titles generally appear at the top of the chart where they don’t

interfere with the plotted figures in the chart. Excel provides two preset title positions – one above the chart and one overlaid on the chart so that there is more room for the plot area.

Try This Yourself:

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you MUST open the file E761 Charting Techniques_1.xlsx...

Click on the worksheet tab for Projected Sales Chart to see the chart

This is a column chart showing sales projections, but without a title it’s a bit hard to work this out...

Click in the chart then click on the Chart Tools: Layout tab to display the layout tools

Click on Chart Title in the

Labels group to display the options

Centred Overlay Title leaves the size of the plot area unchanged while Above Chart resizes the chart and places the title outside the plot area...

Select Centred Overlay Title

The chart title will appear at the top of the chart over the plot area...

Type Projected Sales

Figures then press

The text appears in the Formula bar as you type and is placed in the Title text box

when you press


To add a chart title:

1. Click on Chart Title in the Labels

group on the Chart Tools: Layout tab

2. Select a position option

3. Type the title text and press

Handy to Know…

You can remove a title by clicking on Chart

Title and selecting None.

There are only two standard placement options, but you can drag the title to any position you like. You can also edit it by clicking in the text box and making changes.

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ADDING AXES TITLES

Axes titles appear outside the vertical (y) axis and the horizontal (x) axis and are used to provide units of measure or an overall text description of the data elements plotted on each

axis. For example, if your vertical axis shows dollar amounts, you can detail which currency you’ve used by adding a vertical axis title.

Try This Yourself:

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Continue using the previous file with this exercise, or open the file E761 Charting Techniques_2.xlsx...

If the Chart Tools: Layout tab is not displayed, click in the chart and then click on the tab to display it

Click on Axis Titles

then point to Primary Horizontal Axis Title

The options are displayed...

Select Title Below Axis

A title will appear below the chart...

Type International Office and then press

Click on Axis Titles

then point to Primary Vertical Axis Title to display the options

There are a few more alternatives for the vertical axis...

Select Horizontal Title

It will appear to the left of the chart and the plot area will resize to make room for it...

Type $AUD then press


To add axes titles:

1. Click on Axis Titles

2. Point to Primary Vertical Axis Title or Primary Horizontal Access Title

3. Select the required option

4. Type the title text then press

Handy to Know…

You can remove an axis title by clicking on the title and pressing or by clicking on

Axis Titles , pointing to Primary

Vertical Axis Title or Primary Horizontal

Access Title and selecting None.

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POSITIONING THE LEGEND

A legend is a list of the data series that have been plotted on a chart along with their corresponding colours or other identifying marks. By default, charts are created with a legend that

appears to the right of and outside the plot area. There are six preset position options for you to select from, some overlaying the plot area, others being placed outside the plot area.

Try This Yourself:

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Currently, the legend is positioned on the right...

Click on Legend to

display the options

Select Show Legend at Top

The legend will move to behind the title and the plot area will widen...

Click on the legend so that pale blue handles appear around it

Point to the line anywhere between the top handles, then drag the legend down below the heading

You can actually position the legend wherever you want to. We’ll put it back near the data that it explains...

Click on Legend then

select Show Legend at Right


To position a legend:

1. Click on Legend

2. Select an option

Handy to Know…

If a legend is not displayed, you can create

one by clicking on Legend and

selecting any of the legend position options.

You can remove a legend by clicking on it and pressing or by clicking on

Legend and selecting None.

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SHOWING DATA LABELS

Data labels are text boxes placed on the chart that show the actual figures behind the chart. Data labels can show the value, the category label or the percentage of a total. They are

particularly useful for pie charts as they can be used to show the exact percentage of each slice. Data labels can be placed in several preset positions on the chart.

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At the moment the columns show you roughly how large the number is but not the detail...

Click on Data Labels to

see the options

Select Center

The actual figures will appear across the centre of the columns. Unfortunately some overlap a little...

Click on the figure in the green column (Mar) for Auckland

All the figures in that data series will be selected...

Point to the middle of the number then drag it down a little so that it no longer overlaps the previous figure

Repeat steps 5 and 6 to adjust the position of the data label for Feb (red) for New York


To show data labels:

1. Click on Data Labels

2. Select the required position

Handy to Know…

You can remove data labels by clicking on

Data Labels and selecting None.

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SHOWING A DATA TABLE

A data table, in reference to charts, is a table of the figures used to create the chart. It allows you to report both the data and the chart in one place. A data table is only ever placed below the chart

itself, and the figures are aligned with their corresponding data point or column in the chart – unless you create a horizontal bar chart. You can choose to include legend keys if you like.

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At the moment, the data is shown in the columns as data labels. You can also show it outside the plot area in a table...

Click on Data Table to

display the options

The data table is always positioned below the chart, but you can decide whether or not to display the legend keys...

Select Show Data Table with Legend Keys

The data table will be added. The individual data labels are now redundant...

Click on Data Labels

and select None

The data now only appears below the chart. We’ll leave the existing legend in place


To show a data table:

1. Click on Data Table

2. Select an option

Handy to Know…

To remove a data table, click on Data Table

and select None.

You can format the data in a data table by clicking in the data table and then applying the required formatting using the controls on the Home tab.

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MODIFYING THE AXES

Axes

The axes show the values and labels for the charted data. By default, the values appear on the left-hand side of the chart (vertical axis) and the labels appear across the bottom of the chart

(horizontal axis). The position of the major units on these axes is calculated by Excel, but you can select alternative layouts and scales and even remove them altogether if you want to.

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On this chart, the horizontal axis is obscured by the data table, so any changes you make will not be visible. However, you can examine the options and make change to the vertical axis which currently shows the default axis settings...

Click on Axes to display

the submenu then point to Primary Horizontal Axis to see the options

Point to Primary Vertical Axis to see these options

Select Show Axis in Thousands

The number of zeros in each major unit will be reduced and the label Thousands will appear


To modify the axis:

1. Click on Axes

2. Point to Primary Horizontal Axis and Primary Vertical Axis

3. Select an option

Handy to Know…

You can modify the Axis Options by clicking

on Axes , pointing to Primary

Horizontal Axis and selecting More Horizontal Axis Options or pointing Primary Vertical Axis and selecting More

Vertical Axis Options.

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SHOWING GRIDLINES

Many of Excel’s chart types include major gridlines by default. Gridlines help you to determine the numeric value of each data point and are therefore very useful when the absolute

size of the data value is important. You can show or hide horizontal and vertical gridlines and decide whether to display them for major and/or minor units.

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At the moment, only the horizontal gridlines are displayed and these align with the major units...

Click on Gridlines and

point to Primary Horizontal Gridlines to display the menu

Notice that Major Gridlines is selected...

Point to Primary Vertical Gridlines to display the options

Notice that None is currently selected...

Select Major Gridlines to apply vertical gridlines to the chart

In this case they make the chart a little busy and don’t add much value, but at least you can see how they work


To show gridlines:

1. Click on Gridlines

2. Point to Primary Horizontal Gridlines or Primary Vertical Gridlines

3. Select an option

Handy to Know…

To remove gridlines, click on Gridlines

point to Primary Horizontal Gridlines or Primary Vertical Gridlines and select

None.

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FORMATTING THE PLOT AREA

The plot area is the area between the axes in which the data is plotted. You can also think of it as the chart background. Depending upon the default format of the chart you choose, the plot

area may be white, but you can select from a range of colour, textures or images to fill the plot area. This can enhance charts if you plan to use them for presentations.

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Currently, the plot area (background) is clear...

Click on Plot Area to

display the options

Currently, there is no fill set...

Select Show Plot Area

Nothing happens because the default fill is white...

Click on Plot Area and

select More Plot Area Options to display the Format Plot Area dialog box

The Fill category settings are displayed...

Click on Gradient fill then click on [Close]

The plot area of the chart is now filled with a blue gradient


To format the plot area:

1. Click on Plot Area

2. Select More Plot Area Options

3. Make the required selections

4. Click on [Close]

Handy to Know…

To return the plot area to the default fill

colour, click on Plot Area and select

Show Plot Area.

To remove the plot area fill, click on Plot

Area and select None.

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SHOWING THE PLOT AREA

The plot area is the area between the axes in which the data is plotted. You can also think of it as the chart background. Depending upon the default format of the chart you choose, the plot

area may be white, but you can select from a range of colours, textures or images to fill the plot area. This can enhance charts if you plan to use them for presentations.

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you MUST open the file E761 Charting Techniques_8.xlsx...


Currently, the plot area (background) is clear...

Click on Plot Area to

display the options

Currently, there is no fill set...

Select Show Plot Area

Nothing happens because the default fill is white...

Click on Plot Area and

select More Plot Area Options to display the Format Plot Area dialog box

The Fill category settings are displayed...

Click on Gradient fill then click on [Close]

The plot area of the chart is now filled with a blue gradient


To format the plot area:

1. Click on Plot Area

2. Select More Plot Area Options

3. Make the required selections

4. Click on [Close]

Handy to Know…

To return the plot area to the default fill

colour, click on Plot Area and select

Show Plot Area.

To remove the plot area fill, click on Plot

Area and select None.

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ADDING A TRENDLINE

A trendline is used to depict the trend, showing an average figure for the values that the chart is built on and building a prediction of what the values are likely to be. Trendlines show the

general direction of results and the expected direction of future results. There are six trend types to select from, being linear, logarithmic, polynomial, power, exponential and moving average.

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Click on Trendline to

display the options

They include various calculation methods for trends...

Select Linear Trendline

The Add Trendline dialog box will appear so that you can select a particular month...

Click on Mar and then click on [OK]

A trendline will be added to your chart and the trendline information will be added to the legend


To add a trendline:

1. Click on Trendline

2. Select an option

3. Click on the data series you want to create a trend from

4. Click on [OK]

Handy to Know…

You can add a trendline to a data series in unstacked, 2-D, area, bar, column, line, stock, xy (scatter), or bubble charts. You can’t add trendlines to data series in stacked, 3-D, radar, pie, surface, or doughnut charts.

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ADDING ERROR BARS

Error bars are graphical representations of possible error ranges in figures. The error bar is placed at the data point to show the possible variations in value. For example, you could use

error bars to reflect a potential 2% positive and negative variation in sampling results. There are four options for error bars, being fixed value, standard error, percentage and standard deviation.

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Error bars appear at the top of each column or data point. Currently they aren’t shown...

Click on Error Bars to

display the options

Select Error Bars with Standard Error

The error bars will be placed on the chart and the chart will adjust accordingly


To add error bars:

1. Click on Error Bars

2. Select an option

Handy to Know…

You can access all of the error bar options by

clicking on Error Bars and selecting

More Error Bars Options.

You can remove error bars by clicking on

Error Bars and selecting None.

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ADDING A TEXT BOX TO A CHART

There may be times when, no matter which chart layout element you look at, none of them actually add the information to the chart that you need. In these situations you can use a text box and type

whatever you want to. Text boxes can be placed anywhere on the chart, so you can use them to add subtitles, author notes, explanations, copyright information and so on.

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Click on Text Box in the

Insert group

The mouse pointer will change to an insertion point. The tool tip will tell you which part of the chart you are located over...

Starting between the columns for Auckland and Dublin, click and type Anomaly due to fuel shortage

Drag the right-hand middle handle to the right so that it fits the text

Drag up the bottom middle handle so that it fits the text

Drag the text box to centre it between the vertical gridlines, then click in a blank area of the chart to deselect it


To add a text box:

1. Click on Text Box

2. Click in the chart

3. Type the text

4. Resize and reposition the text box if necessary

Handy to Know…

You can also add a text box to a chart by

clicking on Shapes and clicking on the

Text Box which is the first icon on the left.

Shapes is found on the Chart Tools:

Layout tab and the Insert tab. Text Box

is also found on the Insert tab.

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DRAWING SHAPES IN A CHART

You can add shapes to charts to provide additional information, to point to specific figures, to indicate anomalies or just for decoration. There are 160 shapes to choose from, each of which

can be resized and tweaked, including lines, rectangles, basic shapes, block arrows, equation shapes, flowchart shapes, stars and banners, and callouts.

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Click on Shapes to

display the options, then point to the third shape from the left in the top row

The tool tip will tell you that it’s an arrow...

Click on Arrow then hover over the bottom edge of the text box

Red squares will help you line up with the middle of the text box...

Point to the bottom centre red square then click and drag straight down to draw an arrow

It should be parallel with the columns beside it...

Drag the arrow across slightly, if you need to, to align it with the error bar

Click away from the arrow to deselect it


To draw a shape on a chart:

1. Click on Shapes

2. Click on the shape

3. Drag in the chart to draw the shape

Handy to Know…

Text can be added to shapes by right-clicking on the shape and selecting Edit Text.

Shapes can be deleted by clicking on the shape to select it and pressing .

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This chart has way too many details and additions, but illustrates the types of elements that you can use to enhance charts. In reality, you’d only use some of these elements and keep the layout simple and uncluttered.



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© Watsonia Publishing Page 33 Chapter 3 - Chart Object Formatting

CHAPTER 3 CHART OBJECT FORMATTING


gain an understanding of chart objects and how they can be formatted

learn how to select chart elements

learn how to use shape styles to format objects

learn how to change column colour

learn how to use shape effects

learn how to fill the chart area and the plot area

gain an understanding of the Format dialog box

learn how to use the Format dialog box

learn how to apply a theme to a chart.

While charts are created with a default appearance, you can change the formatting of each object that comprises the chart to create a fully customised version.

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UNDERSTANDING CHART OBJECT FORMATTING

Charts are complex drawings that are made up of a wide range of text and graphical elements. Each object can be formatted individually to create fully customised charts. The objects in a

chart vary a little depending on the chart type, but in general the objects are fairly standard. This page examines a range of chart objects and the formatting that can be used to modify them.

Chart Objects

Chart objects include lines, shapes and the background of the slide. The following examples apply to the column chart shown above.

The chart background is the area behind the chart and it is usually hidden. You can insert a picture in the background to make the chart more visually appealing.

The chart area is the overall area occupied by the chart.

The plot area is the area in which the figures are plotted.

Series are the groups of figures plotted on the chart. In this example there are three series: Jan, Feb and Mar.

The vertical and horizontal axes mark the edges of the chart and display the categories and scale.

Object Formatting Options

Shape Fill settings, such as solid colour, gradient, picture and texture, change the inside of a shape.

Shape Outline settings control the colour, weight and pattern of lines or the outlines of shapes.

Shape Effects modify the entire shape by adding different surface textures, shadows, glow effects, soft edges, bevel effects or 3-D effects. Examples of different effects are shown on the series, plot area and chart area above.

Shape Styles modify shapes with various combinations of shape fill, outline and effect.



SELECTING CHART ELEMENTS

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Before you can apply formatting to an element in a chart, you need to be able to select it accurately so that you don’t accidentally format the wrong thing. Once you’re comfortable

working with charts, you’ll learn where to click to select specific objects, but if you’re not sure, Excel provides a special control which helps you do just that. It’s called Chart Elements.

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you MUST open the file E762 Chart Formatting_1.xlsx...

Click in the chart to display the Chart Tools tab then click on the Format tab

Click on the Title to select it

Pale blue handles will appear around the title showing that it is selected. From here you can format the title or move it to another location...

Click on a number in the vertical axis to select it

You can also select elements from a list...

Look at the Chart Elements control in the Current Selection group

This shows you that the Vertical (Value) Axis is currently selected...

Click on the drop arrow for

Chart Elements to display the list

Select Series “Dublin” to select the red line in the chart

Pale blue handles will appear around each data point...

Click outside the chart to deselect the series


To select chart elements:

1. Click on the element

OR

1. Click on the drop arrow for Chart

Elements and click on the element name

Handy to Know…

The only part of the chart that can’t be selected using Chart Elements is the background.



USING SHAPE STYLES TO FORMAT OBJECTS

Shape Styles take the guesswork out of formatting chart objects by allowing you to apply a shape fill, outline and effects in one step. They are especially effective for series objects such as

columns, lines, bars and pie slices. There’s a range of styles to choose from plus a selection of complementary colours.

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Continue using the previous file with this exercise, or open the file E762 Chart Formatting_2.xlsx...

Click on the chart sheet tab for Costs By Month

This is a basic column chart...

Click on the first blue column for Auckland to select it

The entire Jan series will be selected...

Click on the Chart Tools: Format tab then click on the

More button for Shape Styles to see the options

The tool tip displays the name of each style as you point to it...

Click on Intense Effect – Accent 1 (2

nd column, bottom

row) to apply it

The series will be reformatted...

Repeat steps 2 to 4 to apply the corresponding Intense effects to the Feb (red) and Mar (green) series


To use a shape style to format a chart object:

1. Select the chart object

2. Click on the More button for Shape Styles and select the style

Handy to Know…

You can remove a Shape Style by clicking on the object and clicking on Reset to Match

Style in the Current Selection group.

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CHANGING COLUMN COLOUR

If you need to select alternative colours for a column in a chart, you can select from a wide range of preset colours from the current theme, from a selection of standard colours or even

specify a custom colour. This allows you format charts to match corporate style guides or other colour schemes. Each column in the selected series will change colour.

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If the green series for Mar isn’t already selected, click on the green column for Auckland

Click on the Chart Tools:Format tab then click on the drop arrow for Shape

Fill to display the options

There is a selection of colours based on the theme as well as standard colours and other effects...

Click on Orange, Accent 6 (1

st

row, far right column) to apply the colour to the series

This is one way to change colour...


Shape Fill then select

More Fill Colours to display the Colours dialog box

You can specify any colour you like...

Click on the Standard tab then click on green in the middle row (3

rd from left)

Click on [OK] to apply the intense green colour


To change column colour:

1. Click on the column in the series to select it

2. Click on the drop arrow for Shape Fill

3. Click on the colour of your choice

Handy to Know…

You can also select an alternative colour using Shape Styles or apply one of the picture, gradient or texture effects under

Shape Fill .

If you click on Shape Fill itself rather than the drop arrow, it will apply the colour shown on the tool.

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You can mix your own colour by specifying red, green and blue values on the Custom tab of the Colours dialog box.



USING SHAPE EFFECTS

Just to make sure that you never run out of options or get bored creating charts, Excel includes a huge range of shape effects that you can apply to objects in your chart. Shape effects

include presets, shadows, reflections, glow, soft edges, bevel and 3-D rotation. You can apply one or more effects although some settings override others. Try a few and have fun!

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Click on the green line to select it

Click on Shape Effects

on the Chart Tools: Format tab to display the list of options

Select Shadow then click on the first option on the left under Outer

The tool tip will read Offset Diagonal Bottom Right. A shadow will appear below the first line...

Click on the purple line and press

repeats the previous

command and therefore applies the same shadow to this line...

Repeat step 4 for the orange and blue lines then click outside the chart to deselect it


To apply a shape effect:

1. Click on a shape to select it

2. Click on Shape Effects

3. Point to the shape effect you want then select an option

Handy to Know…

The colours available under Glow are controlled by the theme that is in place. Themes can be viewed, changed and modified on the Page Layout tab. Themes also affect the colours listed under Shape

Fill and Shape Outline .

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FILLING THE CHART AREA AND THE PLOT AREA

While you can play with the colours of lines and bars on a chart, sometimes all you need to do to jazz up a chart is to change the background areas of the chart. The area behind the lines,

columns, bars and pie slices is known as the plot area, while the area outside (and behind) the plot area is known as the chart area. These areas can

be modified using the Shape Fill options.

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Click on the blank area above the top gridline then click on the Chart Tools: Format tab

You should see the name Chart Area displayed in the Chart Elements control, which tells you that the Chart Area is selected...


Shape Fill then point to

Texture and select Blue tissue paper (1

st column 5

th

row)

The area behind the plot area will be filled...

Click in the plot area which is the white area behind the lines

Blue handles should appear at each corner...


Shape Fill and select

Tan, Background 2 under Theme Colours

This tones down the white area a little to make it more compatible with the chart area fill


To fill the plot area or chart area:

1. Click on the plot area or chart area

2. Click on the drop arrow for Shape Fill

and select an option

Handy to Know…

If you set the fill for the plot area to No Fill, the fill for the chart area will be visible throughout the chart. This is the default setting for pie charts.

When you apply a fill to the plot area, be careful not to compromise the readability of the chart.

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THE FORMAT DIALOG BOX

Each object in a chart can be formatted and adjusted in a myriad of ways. These settings are so numerous that they would just not fit on a ribbon or in a single dialog box, so Excel has

created many dialog boxes for the purpose and each of these is prefixed Format. This page examines some examples of the Format dialog box and how they are used and accessed.

Accessing The Format Dialog Box

The Format dialog box for each object or element on a chart can be displayed by selecting the

element and then clicking on Format Selection or on the dialog box launcher for Shape Styles,

or by right-clicking on the element and selecting Format.

Variation in the Format Dialog Box

Depending upon the element that you have selected when you display the Format dialog box, and the type of chart that you are working with, you will see a series of setting categories and various controls within these. Some samples are shown below:



USING THE FORMAT DIALOG BOX

The Format dialog box includes a series of categories of settings for the chart element that you had selected when you displayed the dialog box. These categories vary as do the settings in

each category. However, the controls provide great flexibility and allow you to take formatting to a whole new level.

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Click on the pie to select the slices

Click on Format Selection

on the Chart Tools:Format tab to display the Format Data Series dialog box

The controls relate specifically to a pie chart...

Select the percentage 0% for Pie Explosion and type 12

Click on the Shadow category then click on Presets under Shadow and click on Perspective Diagonal Lower Right (last option)

Click on [Close]

The changes will have been applied to the chart


To use the Format dialog box:

1. Click on the chart element

2. Click on Format Selection

3. Make the required changes

4. Click on [Close]

Handy to Know…

While you have the Format dialog box open, you can click on different parts of the chart and the Format dialog box will change automatically to display the relevant settings.

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USING THEMES

If you can’t be bothered fiddling around with the fine detail of formatting a chart, or simply don’t have time to indulge in fancy formatting, you can use a theme to change the appearance of a

chart. The advantages of using themes are that there is a wide range to select from, they format all aspects of the chart and they are consistent if you need to format charts in separate workbooks.

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Click on the chart sheet tab for Costs By Month

This is a standard column chart with colour and effect changes. The chart needs to be reset before you can apply a theme...

Click on the edge of the chart to select the chart area, then click on the Chart Tools:Format tab

Click on Reset to Match Style

This removes all individual modifications such as colour changes and shape effects...

Click on the Page Layout tab

then click on Themes to

display the list

Click on Apex (or a theme of your choice) to apply the formatting changes then click outside the chart to deselect it

Notice the change to the fonts and colours


To apply a theme to a chart:

1. Select the chart

2. Click on the Page Layout tab then click on

Themes

3. Select the required theme

Handy to Know…

Before you apply a theme, you must remove any existing formats that you don’t want retained by clicking on Reset to Match Style

. Individual changes to shape fill, outlines

and effects override themes.

Themes format the entire workbook.

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© Watsonia Publishing Page 43 Chapter 4 - Working with Charts

CHAPTER 4 WORKING WITH CHARTS


learn how to move charts within the same workbook

learn how to copy a chart within the same workbook

learn how to move or copy charts between workbooks.

Excel 2010 allows you to create an almost unlimited number of charts. Charts can either be embedded objects on a worksheet or they can reside on their own dedicated chart sheet in the workbook. You can easily copy or move charts within the same workbook or to different workbooks, if you so wish.

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MOVING CHARTS WITHIN A WORKBOOK

If you’ve created charts within an existing workbook, you can easily move the chart to another location within the same workbook. You can move a chart object on the worksheet or to

another worksheet in the same workbook. Alternatively, Excel provides an option to move a chart object from the worksheet onto a dedicated chart sheet in the workbook.

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you MUST open the file EK760 Working with Charts_1.xlsx...

On the Data worksheet, click and drag the chart object to move it so that it aligns more evenly with the worksheet data

Now let’s move the chart to a separate sheet rather than as an embedded chart object...

With the chart object still selected, on the Chart Tools:Design tab click on the Move Chart button

In the Move Chart dialog box, select New Sheet, type the sheet name as Water Usage Analysis and click [OK]

Now let’s move the chart back to an embedded object on the Data worksheet...

With the Water Usage Analysis sheet selected, click on the Chart Tools:Design tab click on the Move Chart button

Select Object in and ensure Data is specified and then click [OK]

You may need to move and/or resize the chart object on the Data sheet as well as resizing the legend box


To move a chart from one location to another:

Click and drag the chart to move it to another location on the same worksheet

Select the chart and then click Move Chart on the Chart Tools:Design tab – this option also lets you move a chart object to a chart sheet

Handy to Know…

In addition to using the Move Chart button on the Chart Tools:Design tab, you can also right click on a chart and Move Chart.

You can also use cut and paste to move a chart but only to move a chart object from one location to another but you can’t use this to move a chart object to a chart sheet.

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COPYING CHARTS WITHIN A WORKBOOK

You can copy charts within a worksheet. For example, you may like to create two different chart types using the same data. This could be done by copying one chart, and then changing

the chart type of the second, giving you two charts showing different perspectives of the data. A line chart, for example, could show you trends while a pie chart would show you proportions.

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Continue using the previous file with this exercise, or open the file EK760 Working with Charts_2.xlsx...

On the Data worksheet, right mouse click on the chart to select the chart area and choose Copy

Right click in the cell just below the lower left corner of the first chart and choose Paste

With the second version of the chart still selected, click on the Chart Tools:Design tab

Click the Change Chart Type button

Change the chart type to Doughnut and then click [OK]


To copy a chart within the same workbook:

1. Right click on the chart you wish to copy and choose Copy

2. Right click where you want the copied chart

to appear and choose Paste

Handy to Know…

When you a copy and paste a chart, the copied chart still links to the original data areas of the original chart. You can, however, change the chart type or any of the other chart characteristics without affecting the original chart.

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MOVING OR COPYING CHARTS TO ANOTHER WORKBOOK

You can move or copy charts between workbooks. For example, you might create a chart for a department, but don’t want to share the underlying data with them. You can create

the chart in the workbook that holds the data, and then move/copy it to another. Charts that have been moved/copied retain links to the source data so the chart can be updated if necessary.

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Continue using the previous file with this exercise, or open the file EK760 Working with Charts_3.xlsx...

On the Data sheet, right mouse click on the pie chart and choose Copy

Create a new blank workbook

In the blank workbook, right click in C3 and choose Paste

Save the new workbook as Water Catchment Analysis Charts.xlsx

Switch back to the original workbook and change the Northern Usage to 2,000,000 for all three months

Notice the charts update

Switch back to the new workbook and check that the copied chart has updated too

Switch back to EK760 Working with Charts_3.xlsx

Right click on the Catchment Forecasts chart sheet and choose Move or Copy

In the To book list select Water Catchment Analysis Charts.xlsx, in Before sheet choose Sheet 2 and check Create a copy then click [OK]

Save and close both workbooks


To copy/move charts to another workbook:

Copy or cut the original chart and paste into a new or existing workbook

Or

Right click on the chart sheet, choose Move or Copy and complete the dialog box options

Handy to Know…

You can copy/cut a chart and paste it into another workbook as a picture object using the Paste Special option. Using this method, if the original data/chart updates, the pasted picture doesn’t update but retains the original chart picture.

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© Watsonia Publishing Page 47 Concluding Remarks

CONCLUDING REMARKS

Congratulations!

You have now completed Charting with Excel 2010 Tutor-Led Manual v1.0. Charting with Excel 2010 Tutor-Led Manual v1.0 was designed to get you to the point where you can competently perform a variety of operations.

We have tried to build up your skills and knowledge by having you work through specific tasks. The step by step approach will serve as a reference for you when you need to repeat a task.

Where To From Here…

The following is a little advice about what to do next:

Spend some time playing with what you have learnt. You should reinforce the skills that you have acquired and use some of the application's commands. This will test just how much of the concepts and features have stuck! Don't try a big task just yet if you can avoid it - small is a good way to start.

Some aspects of the course may now be a little vague. Go over some of the points that you may be unclear about. Use the examples and exercises in these notes and have another go - these step-by-step notes were designed to help you in the classroom and in the work place!

Here're a few techniques and strategies that we've found handy for learning more about technology:

read computer magazines - there are often useful articles about specific techniques

if you have the skills and facilities browse the Internet, specifically the technical pages of the application that you have just learnt

take an interest in what your work colleagues have done and how they did it - we don't suggest that you plagiarise but you can certainly learn from the techniques of others

if your software came with a manual (which is rare nowadays) spend a bit of time each day reading a few pages. Then try the techniques out straight away - over a period of time you'll learn a lot this way

and of course, there are also more courses and books for you to work through.


INDEX

3 3D rotation 38

A add trendline 28 area chart 3 axes modify 24 axes titles 20 axes 18 axis title 18

B bar chart 3 bevel 38

C change column colour 37 changing chart layout 11 changing chart types 10 chart area fill 39 chart background 26, 27 chart data table 23 chart elements format 41 chart elements select 35 chart error bars 29 chart layout 11 chart object formatting 34 chart object 6 chart shape effects 38 chart shapes 31 chart sheet 13, 9 chart style 12 chart text box 30 chart title 18, 19 chart trendline 28 chart types 10, 4 chart 3 charting gridlines 25 charting theme 42 charts, chart sheet 44 charts, copying between workbooks 46 charts, copying 45 charts, Move Chart dialog box 44 charts, moving between workbooks 46 charts, moving 44 charts 2, 5 colour columns 37 column chart 3 column charts 5 column colour 37 creating charts 5

D data labels 18, 22

data table charting 18, 23 deleting charts 15 dialog box Format 40 draw shapes 31

E effects shapes 38 embedded charts 6 embedding charts 14 error bars 18, 29

F fill chart area 39 fill plot area 39 format chart 40 Format dialog box 40, 41 format objects 36 format plot area 26, 27 formatting chart objects 34

G glow 38 gridlines 18, 25

H horizontal axis title 20 horizontal axis 24 horizontal gridlines 25

L labels data 22 legend position 21 legend 18 line chart 3

M modify axes 24

O object formatting 36 objects 6

P Page Setup dialog box 8 pie chart 3 plot area fill 39 plot area 18, 26, 27 print a chart sheet 13 printing charts 13, 8

R reflection 38 remove legend 21 resizing a chart 7

S scale axes 24 scatter chart 3

select chart elements 35 shadow 38 shape effects 38 shape format presets 38 shapes charting 18, 31 show plot area 27 soft edges 38

T text box charting 18, 30 theme chart 42 title chart 19 titles axes 20 trendline 18, 28

V vertical axis 24 vertical gridlines 25 vertical title axis 20

For Further information regarding the range of training coursesprovided by the I.T. Training Team:

Tutor led training sessions1:1 appointmentsDevelopment and Training Resource Centre

Please go to http://www.strath.ac.uk/ittrainingor or e-mail [email protected]

The University of Strathclyde is a charitable bodyregistered in Scotland, number SC015263

Documents

Charting With Excel 2010