Learn how to add a secondary axis to your Excel charts on a Mac, PC, or in a Google Doc spreadsheet. Or in a Google Doc spreadsheet. Learn how to add a secondary axis to your Excel charts on a Mac, PC, or in a Google Doc spreadsheet. Having highlighted this additional data series on your chart, a menu bar labeled 'Format Data. A row or column of numbers that are plotted in a chart is called a data series. You can plot one or more data series in a chart. To create a column chart, execute the following steps. Select the range A1:D7. On the Insert tab, in the Charts group, click the Column symbol. Click Clustered.
Patterns and relationships between numbers are often easier to recognize when they are displayed in chart form. Our beginner's guide provides step-by-step directions for creating charts in all versions of Excel!
An Excel chart may be placed inside of a worksheet next to the data, or placed in a separate worksheet. Excel charts can also be copied to other software programs such as PowerPoint. Directions are given for each version of Microsoft Excel. Now let's learn how to create charts in Microsoft Excel!
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Below are links to the tutorial sections. We recommend reading the tutorial from start to finish.
Choosing the Chart Type
Before selecting the data you wish to graph, it's helpful to have an idea of what chart type would best display your data. The type of data often determines the chart type.
If multiple chart types can be used for your data, choose the chart type that will help the user best visualize the patterns and relationships between the data values. See 'Most Popular Chart Types' below.
All About Chart Data
When you chart in Excel, you chart one or more data series. A data series is a row or column of numbers that are entered into the worksheet for graphing.
A pie chart can only chart a single data series. If multiple data series are selected, Excel will ignore all but the first. The image below shows a single data series.
Most other chart types can handle multiple data series. In the worksheet below, we have outlined, in red, three data series (three rows in this case), which form a cell range.
Non-adjacent rows or columns can be selected, but they MUST form a rectangle.
Most Popular Chart Types
The four most popular chart types in Excel are described below, along with the best use of each chart type. For detailed descriptions of all chart types available in Excel, see our tutorial Excel Chart Types: Pie, Column, Line, Bar, Area, and Scatter Charts.
Type | Image | Description | When to Use |
---|---|---|---|
Pie Chart | Displays the percentages of a whole for each member in a series. | Excellent chart for comparing values in a single series as percentages of a whole. | |
Column Chart | Using vertical columns, displays values for one or more series over time or other category. | Especially effective in comparing values for multiple series. The 3-D Column chart displays multiple series over three axes (X, Y, and Z). | |
Bar Chart | Displays values for one or more series using horizontal columns. | Though useful for single or multiple series, this chart type especially effective in comparing large quantity of values in a single series. | |
Line Chart | Displays values as equally spaced points connected with a line. | This chart is most useful displaying trends over time or other ordered category for single or multiple data series. © Keynote Support |
How to Select Data for an Excel Chart
To select the cells that contain the values you want shown in the chart, click and drag the cursor from the top left cell of your cell range to the bottom right cell of your range, including column and row headings when possible. Columns containing totals, like in our worksheet above (e.g. Year), are typically NOT selected for the chart.
Non-contiguous rows and columns of cells are selected by pressing and holding the Ctrl key while selecting. But remember that your selection must form a rectangle.
How to Create a Chart in Microsoft Excel
After you've chosen your chart type and selected the data series (rows or columns) to chart, follow the directions below to insert the chart into your spreadsheet.
Create a Chart in Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and Newer Versions
Note: In the new versions of Excel, hover the cursor over a chart type or sub-type on the Insert ribbon to display a description of the chart.
- Click the Insert tab.
- Click the chart type from the Charts section of the ribbon. The sub-type menu displays.
- Click the desired chart sub-type. The chart appears on the worksheet.
- If you want to create a second chart, click somewhere in the worksheet to 'deselect' the current chart first, or the new chart will replace the current chart.
Create a Chart in Excel 2003, 2000, and 98
Note: In older versions of Excel, click the chart type or sub-type in the Chart Wizard to display a description of the chart.
- Click Insert | Chart. The Chart Wizard appears.
- Step 1: Click the desired chart type in the left column, and click one of the chart sub-types in the right column. Click Next.
- Step 2: Excel assumes you wish to keep the series data in rows. You may click 'Columns' to see how the chart changes. When finished, click Next.
- Step 3: Type a chart title. If you wish to add a title for the axes, do so. Then click Next.
- Step 4: Excel assumes you want the chart placed on the worksheet. If you would like the chart placed in a new sheet, click the radio button, type a sheet name, and click Finish.
To select an existing chart, click on its border, or click in an empty space inside the chart. When selecting a chart, be careful not to click on an element inside the chart or that element will be selected instead.
How to Delete a Chart
To delete a chart that has just been created, click the Excel Undo button. To delete an existing chart, select the chart by clicking on its edge, and press the Delete key, or right-click and select Cut.
How to Resize a Chart
To resize a chart, select the chart and drag any of the chart's corners.
How to Move a Chart
To move a chart to a different place on the worksheet, select the chart and drag it to the desired location.
To move a chart to a new or different spreadsheet in the same workbook, select the chart, right-click, and select Move Chart. Then choose the sheet or type in a new sheet name, and click OK.
Excel Chart Helpful Hints
For best results, keep the Excel chart simple and uncluttered. It is better to use multiple charts to express patterns and relationships between data than to use one chart that is too busy and over-complicated.
A colorful chart is ideal for online presentations or for printing on a color printer. But shades of gray are best for monochrome printing of charts.
We hope you've enjoyed our tutorial. Cheers!
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When sorting your Excel tables and worksheets in Office 2011 for Mac, you’re likely to use ascending and descending sort orders most often. The quick way to sort a table or data range is to select a cell in the column you want to sort. Then go to the Ribbon’s Data tab, find the Sort and Filter group, and click Sort. The first time you click this button, the sort is lowest to highest or alphabetical. Click the button again to sort highest to lowest or reverse alphabetically.
Don’t click the column letter before sorting. If you do, the sort will be applied only to the contents of the column, not the entire table or data range.
After 27 years, Microsoft changed the name of this feature from AutoFilter to just Filter? R.I.P., AutoFilter. The Filter feature places a button to the right of each cell in the header row of a table or data range. Filter is turned on by default when you make a table, and you can see these buttons in the header row of a table. You can toggle Filter on or off by pressing Command-Shift-F. When you click the Filter button in a column header, the Filter dialog displays. The column header label is the title of the dialog. Filter lets you sort and filter.
Sorting data in Excel tables
The upper portion of the Filter dialog is for sorting:
- Ascending: Click this button to sort the column from lowest to highest or alphabetically.
- Descending: Click this button to sort the column from highest to lowest, or reverse alphabetically.
- By Color: If you have applied color formats to a table, you can use this pop-up menu to sort by cell color or font color.
Filtering data in Excel tables
Beneath the Sort functionality is the Filter section of the Filter dialog. Usually, you know what you’re looking for in a column, so the first thing to do is either type what you want in the search filter or choose it from the Choose One pop-up menu and form field. Starting at the top of the Filter options you can choose:
- By Color: Show records in your column that match the cell color, font color, or cell icon. If you haven’t applied colors or conditional formatting, this pop-up menu is inactive.
- Choose One: Select a criterion from this pop-up menu. Then, in the pop-up menu to the right, you can select a record from the column that matches the set of conditions.
- Check boxes: You can select and deselect these boxes to display only rows that match the selected items.
- Clear Filter button: Removes all criteria from the entire Filter dialog so that no filter or sorting is performed.