Excel Charts
Charts in Excel provide a powerful tool for visualizing data in a meaningful and comprehensible way. Whether you’re analyzing trends, comparing values, or simply presenting information, charts offer a clear and concise representation of your data.
In Excel, you have a variety of chart types at your disposal, each suited for specific data types and analytical purposes. From the classic pie chart to the versatile column chart and the insightful line chart, Excel empowers you to transform numbers into impactful visuals effortlessly.
In the following content, we will delve into the process of creating Excel charts step by step, demonstrating how to select data ranges, choose chart types, and customize your visuals. By the end of this guide, you will have the skills to craft insightful charts that enhance your data analysis and presentation capabilities.
Excel Charts
Charts are visual representations of data used to make it more understandable.
Commonly used charts are:
- Pie chart
- Column chart
- Line chart
Different charts are used for different types of data.
Note: Charts are also called graphs and visualizations.
The chart above is a column chart representing the number of Pokemons in each generation.
Note: In some cases the data has to be processed before plotted into a chart.
Charts can easily be created in a few steps in Excell.
Creating a Chart in Excel
Creating a chart, step by step:
-
Select the range
A1:A8
Copy Values
-
Click on the Insert menu, then click on the Line menu (
) and choose Line (
) from the drop-down menu
Note: This menu is accessed by expanding the ribbon.
You should now get this chart:
Excellent! You have now created your first chart.
Note: The cells 9 and 10 were not selected in the range, and therefore not included in the graph.
Creating Another Chart in Excel
Lets compare the stats for the Pokemons; Charmander, Squirtle and Bulbasaur using a column chart.
- Select the range
A1:G4
Copy Values
- Click on the insert menu, then click on the column menu (
) and choose Clustered Column (
) from the drop-down menu
Note: This menu is accessed by expanding the ribbon.
You should now get this chart:
The chart gives a visual overview for the Pokemons stats.
Charmander, represented by the orange bars, and has the highest speed. Squirtle, represented by the gray bars, has the highest defense.
Note: The default chart title is “Chart Title”. It can be changed. You will learn about chart customization in a later chapter.