This Excel charting tutorial provides a comprehensive guide to creating and customizing graphs within Microsoft Excel. Learn to visualize data effectively, from basic chart creation to advanced techniques.

Everyone uses Excel charts to visualize data and identify trends. While Excel offers extensive charting features, navigating them can be challenging. This tutorial simplifies the process, guiding beginners through creating professional-looking charts in minutes.

Excel Chart Fundamentals

A chart (or graph) visually represents numerical data using symbols like bars, columns, lines, and slices. Excel supports numerous chart types, including column, bar, line, pie, area, bubble, stock, surface, radar, and PivotCharts.

Creating an Excel Chart

Excel offers various chart types to represent data meaningfully. Combination charts allow for comparing different data types.

1. Data Preparation: For most charts (bar, column), no special data arrangement is needed. However, for optimal results:

   • Column headings or the first column become chart legend entries.
   • The first column (or headings) provides X-axis labels.
   • Other columns' numerical data creates Y-axis labels.

   Example Data:

   

2. Data Selection: Select all data for the chart, including headings if needed. For non-adjacent data, use Ctrl click. Ctrl Shift End selects all used cells.

3. Chart Insertion: Navigate to the Insert tab > Charts group. Choose your desired chart type. The Recommended Charts button offers pre-configured options.

   

   

   The More Column Charts… link or the Dialog Box Launcher displays all chart types.

   

   

   Resulting 3-D Column Chart:

   

   Further customization is detailed in the Customizing Excel Charts section.

Creating Combo Charts

Combo charts effectively compare different data types (e.g., revenue and sales).

1. Select data (e.g., amounts and prices).

2. Open the Insert Chart dialog (Dialog Box Launcher).

3. Choose the Combo category. Select a pre-defined combo chart or create a custom combination using the Custom Combination option. Use the Secondary Axis option for different scales.

   

   

4. The finished combo chart will look similar to this:

Customizing Excel Charts

Customize charts using:

1. Chart Tools tabs on the ribbon.
2. Right-click context menus.
3. On-object customization buttons:
   • Chart Elements: Add/modify chart elements (Live Preview available).
   • Chart Styles: Quickly change styles and colors.
   • Chart Filters: Show/hide data.

Saving Charts as Templates

Save frequently used charts as templates (.crtx) for reuse.

• Creating a Template: Right-click the chart and select Save as Template. (Excel 2010 and earlier: Design tab > Type group > Save As Template). Save to the Charts folder for automatic inclusion in Excel's template list.

• Applying a Template: In the Insert Chart dialog, select the Templates folder. For existing charts, use Change Chart Type.

• Deleting a Template: Use the Manage Templates button in the Insert Chart dialog.

Using and Changing the Default Chart Type

Excel's default chart (2D column chart) can be changed:

1. Open the Insert Chart dialog.
2. Right-click the desired chart and select Set as Default Chart.

Resizing and Moving Charts

Resize charts by dragging sizing handles or using the Format tab's Size group.

Move charts within a sheet by dragging. Move to a new sheet using the Design tab's Move Chart button. Export charts by copying and pasting into other applications.

This tutorial provides a foundation for Excel charting. Further tutorials will delve into advanced customization techniques.

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