Spreadsheet Techniques 2

1
Spreadsheet Techniques 2

• Charting in Excel

2
Getting Started
The Chart Wizard can be started by using the
Chart Wizard button on the Standard command bar
(top right) or from the Chart... button on the
Insert menu (bottom right). The data can be
selected prior to running the chart wizard,
filled in while running the chart wizard, or
added to the chart later. The Chart Wizard runs
through a series of steps that help you set up
your chart.
3
Selecting a Chart
The Standard Types tab of Step 1 of the Chart
Wizard shows a list of chart types on the left
side, and several chart sub-types on the right.
The Custom Types tab has a number of built-in
custom types of charts, including several
combination charts. You can add your favorite
custom chart types to the User-Defined
list. Column charts are among the most common
chart types you will use. The two commonly used
sub-types are the Clustered Column type (top left
option) and the Stacked Column type (top middle)
the 100 Stacked Column type (top right)
normalizes each stack so it reaches the top of
the chart. Bar charts are horizontally oriented
versions of column charts.
4
Selecting a Chart
Line charts are also commonly used in Excel. The
default Line-With-Markers is probably most common
(selected in the dialog box) other options
include Stacked Line and 100 Stacked Line.
5
Source Data
The Data Range tab gives you a preview of the
chart style you selected in Step 1, indicating
where the chart's source data range is, and
allowing you to plot by row or by column. The
dialog box shows a column chart, plotted by rows.
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Source Data
This dialog box shows an area chart plotted by
columns.
7
Helpful Hint
If you click in the Data range box, or click on
the Range selection button ,the dialog box
shrinks to the size of just the data range box,
obscuring less of the worksheet, so you are able
to adjust this range with your mouse.
8
Selecting the Data Range
When the Source Data dialog box is activated, the
source data range is highlighted by a "marching
ants" border, shown in the form below.
9
X axis
Y axis
Series Names
You may notice that when a chart is selected, its
source data range in the worksheet is
highlighted (see the previous slide). The Y
values in the chart are within the blue outlined
range. The Category (X axis) values are outlined
in purple, and the Series names (legend entries)
are outlined in green. Each outline has a handle
-- a small square of the same color -- at its
lower right corner. The source data range of the
chart can be enlarged or contracted by dragging
these handles. The source data can be moved by
dragging one of the colored outlines.
10
Changing the Data Range
Clicking on the Series tab gives you the option
to add or remove some of the data series in the
selected source data range. You can change the
Name, Values (Y axis), and Category labels (X
axis) of each series, by editing the contents of
the respective box, or by clicking on the Range
selection button, then dragging with the mouse.
11
Chart Options
This step allows you to provide a title for the
chart and for the chart axes, to select which and
what kind of axes to put in your chart, and
whether to show other options, such as
gridlines, a legend, and data labels.
12
Chart Location
Here you tell Excel where to place the chart. You
can put the chart onto its own sheet with a name
that you enter in the box (where it says
"Chart1"). Or you can embed the chart as a chart
Object in one of the existing worksheets (or
chart sheets), which you select from the drop
down list.
13
Practice With Charting
You are now ready to start your Chart and Graph
Practice. Click the link below to go to Activity
1. When choosing which graph to use, please
select the pie graph.
Excel Chart Activity 1
When you have completed Activity 1, be sure to
print it, and turn it in to be graded. You may,
then, begin on Activity 2.