Creating & Editing Charts in Microsoft Excel 2003

Neal Aitkin

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Session Resources

• Session outline, Powerpoint, sample Excel spreadsheet and video demonstration of creating a chart available online at: http://griffith-ins.wikispaces.com/

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Excel information session objectives• Create charts in Microsoft Excel

– Use the Chart wizard to create a chart– Select the appropriate chart type– Select the location of chart in spreadsheet

• Edit charts in Microsoft Excel– Formatting charts– Changing data in charts

(NB: The process is different for Microsoft Office 2007 and Mac Office 2008. See http://griffith-ins.wikispaces.com/ for video demonstration)

Prerequisites: • ability to create a spreadsheet;• manipulate data;• calculate data;• format data;

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Excel: Chart WizardChart Wizard• The Chart Wizard feature forms a

chart from selected cells in a worksheet.

• In traditional two-dimensional charts, the X axis is used to reflect categories and the Y axis to reflect values.

• A feature of Excel is three dimensional charts. In a three-dimensional chart, a third axis, known as the Z axis, is used. This replaces the Y axis, reflecting the values used in the chart.

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Chart Worksheets

• Charts can be embedded into your current worksheet or added as a new worksheet to a workbook file.

• Chart worksheets are displayed full screen and when printed do not include worksheet data.

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Chart Data

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Chart (3-D type)Chart title

Data label

Legend

Category (X) axisCategory (X) axis title

Value (Z)Axis title

Value (Z)Axis

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Creating a Chart

• To create and customize a chart at the same time, select the data you want to present in the chart, and then click the Chart Wizard tool on the Standard toolbar.

• To create a chart instantly, select the data you want to present in the chart, and then press F11 or ALT+F1.

• Changing the chart type of your chart is easy. Right-click the chart, and then click Chart Type.

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Creating a Column Chart

Steps:

1. Select Cells A8:E12

2. Click the Chart Wizard button (on the Standard toolbar)

• A Column chart is a good type for comparing values directly.

I will use the spreadsheet “Goodwins Sports Supplies Forecast Income 2009” (slide 7)

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Creating a Column Chart

Chart Wizard – Step 1

• Select the most appropriate chart type and sub-type, then click Next

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Creating a Column ChartChart Wizard – Step 2

• Select the ‘Series’ tab, in Series list box select Series 1 and type Q1 (for Quarter 1) in Name text box

• Repeat for Series 2, 3 & 4, naming them Q2, Q3 & Q4, then click Next.

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Creating a Column Chart

Chart Wizard – Step 3

• Select the ‘Titles’ tab and enter a Chart title, Category (X) axis label and Value (Y) axis label, then click Next

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Creating a Column Chart

Chart Wizard – Step 4

• Choose location of chart – as new sheet or as object in current worksheet, name appropriately.

• Click Finish.

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Completed Column ChartColumn chart as an object in the worksheet

Column chart as a new sheet

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Choosing the right chart type• A Column chart

compares values directly

• A Stacked Column chart compares parts of several totals

• A Pie chart compares parts of one total

• A Line chart compares values over time

• XY Scatter charts are good for showing comparisons of numbers such as scientific or statistical data

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Make your chart more effective - Editing a Chart

• Make formatting changes• Revise chart items • Change chart colours• Revise fonts • Apply a shadow effect • Change the order of data

series • Change the data series

from rows to columns or vice versa

• Change a chart value axis

Make data more noticeable withsimple built-in formatting effects

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Formatting the chart:Double-click a part of a chart to open the Format dialog box for that object.

TipTip You can save all the formatting changes you've made to use another time. On the Chart menu, click Chart Type. On the Custom Types tab, click User-defined. Click Add, and in the Name box, type a name. Add a description if you like and then click OK.