Charts are an excellent tool to create a clear overview of data in an Excel file. They look professional in a presentation and they help you interpret the data more efficiently. In this blog post, I’ll share some of the basics with you. Want to become a real Excel pro? Join one of our open courses!
Create your chart
Click one of the cells you want to incorporate into your chart. Go to the ‘Insert’ tab, click ‘Recommended Charts’. Select one of the charts Excel recommends.
If you’d prefer to choose a chart type yourself (such as a column, pie or line chart). click the smaller buttons next to these on the same tab. Click OK to automatically add the chart to your Excel file.
Edit the chart elements
Nu je Now that you’ve created a chart, you can drag it to a new location in your document or modify its size. You can also customize different chart elements to make it match your taste.
When you select the chart, the tab ‘Chart Tools’ will appear at the top of the screen. Use this tab to edit the format, layout and design as desired. Should there be a title above your pie chart? Do the values appear in or below the columns? Want to add a legend? Every detail can be customized.
Sort geographical regions
If the data in your Excel file are related to countries, regions, ZIP codes, cities, etc. You can use a map chart to present them clearly. Select the data related to geographical locations, go to the ‘Insert’ tab and click ‘Charts’.
You’ll instantly see a chart with coloured areas representing the selected data. Use the plus and pen icons in the upper right corner to customize the chart.
Good luck!
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