Excel Charts 2003 PC

Creating Charts in Excel 2003

Introduction

Excel 2003 is the version of Excel packaged with the Office 2003 suite. This document outlines many of the basic features of the Chart Wizard. The toolbars and menus appear in the same locations at the top of the screen as they did in Excel 2002.

Charts

Using the Chart Wizard

By using the Chart Wizard, you can alter the chart type, add a title, and specify which direction Excel charts your data. Excel offers many different types of charts to choose from.

Opening/Closing the Chart wizard

• To open the Chart Wizard, go to the Insert menu and select Chart. Or click the Chart button on the Toolbar circled in red.

  

• To close the Chart Wizard, click on the X located on the far right corner of the pane.

Return to Table of Contents

Creating a Chart

There are two ways of selecting the data to be charted. You can either select it yourself before clicking on the Chart button , or you can do it in the Chart Wizard. If you are selecting data from different areas of your worksheet, to select non-contiguous cells, hold down the CTRL key while selecting the cells.

Step 1: Chart Type

1. Open the Chart Wizard by going to Insert > Chart, or by clicking the Chart button .
2. The Chart Wizard - Step 1 of 4 - Chart Type dialog box appears.
3. From the Chart type scroll list, select the appropriate chart type. To preview your information in any chart before you create it, click Press and Hold to View Sample.
4. Under Chart sub-type, select the appropriate sub-type and click Next.

Step 2: Chart Source Data

1. The Chart Wizard - Step 2 of 4 - Chart Source Data dialog box appears.
2. Check to see if the data you selected earlier is highlighted by the flashing dotted box. If not, then click the Data Range button . Take your cursor and select the data cells you would like to be charted.
3. For Series in, select Rows or Columns and click Next.

Step 3: Chart Options

1. The Chart Wizard - Step 3 of 4 - Chart Options dialog box appears.
2. The Titles tab is the first tab. In the Chart Title text box, type the desired title. In the appropriate text boxes, type the desired x- and -axes labels.
3. To use a legend, select the Legend tab. Select Show legend.
4. Click Next.

Step 4: Location

1. The Chart Wizard - Step 4 of 4 - Chart Location dialog box appears.
2. To make your chart appear within the Excel sheet, select As object in. From the pull-down list, select the desired worksheet (usually Sheet 1)
3. To make your chart appear as a separate sheet, select As new sheet. In the text box, type a name for the new worksheet.
4. Click Finish.
   

Return to Table of Contents

Adding a Chart Title

Titles are used to identify the chart for the reader. If you did not assign a chart title in the Chart Wizard, you can add the title at any time.

1. Click your chart to select it.
2. Choose Chart > Chart Options.
3. The Chart Options dialog box appears.
4. Select the Titles tab.
5. In the Chart title text box, type the desired title.
6. Click OK. The title is now added to your chart.
   

Return to Table of Contents

Adding a Chart Legend

1. Click your chart to select it.
2. Choose Chart > Chart Options.
3. The Chart Options dialog box appears.
4. Select the Legend tab.
5. Select Show Legend.
6. Click OK. The legend is now added to your chart.

*NOTE: Legends should not be used for pie charts. For pie charts, use labels rather than a legend

Return to Table of Contents

Placing a Legend

1. Click your chart to select it.
2. Choose Format> Selected Legend.
3. The Format Legend dialog box appears.
4. Select the Placement tab.
5. Select the place you want the legend.
6. Click OK. The legend is now moved to that location.

*NOTE: You can also manually click and drag the legend anywhere on the chart.

Return to Table of Contents

Scaling an Axis

Axis labels are used to identify the information being charted. The scale for both the X-axis and Y-axis labels can be manually adjusted (i.e., you decide the minimum, maximum, and increment values).

*NOTE: You cannot adjust the axes for pie charts.

1. Double click the axis you want to adjust.
2. The Format Axis dialog box appears.
3. Select the Scale tab.
4. Complete the Scale tab as desired.
5. Click OK.

Return to Table of Contents

Adding a Data Label

Data labels can enhance your chart by adding useful information. This can be useful if you have a wide or tall chart. On some charts the data labels may look cluttered if there are too many. Test data labels on your chart, and with other chart types, before using them on your final chart.

1. Click your chart to select it.
2. Choose Chart > Chart Options.
3. The Chart Options dialog box appears.
4. Select the Data Labels tab.
5. To display the value for a series, select Value.
6. To display the label for a series in the chart, select Series name.
7. To display the label for a category in the chart, select Category name.
8. Click OK. The labels are now added to your chart.
   

Return to Table of Contents

Adding Gridlines

Grids are used to increase the readability of the chart by helping direct the eye from axis value to the value being charted. This is especially useful if you have a very wide or tall chart. You can establish both major and minor grids. Major are the larger ones, minor the smaller, more detailed. Generally, major grids are sufficient.

1. Click your chart to select it.
2. Choose Chart > Chart Options.
3. The Chart Options dialog box appears.
4. Select the Gridlines tab.
5. Select the gridlines you want to be displayed.
6. Click OK. The gridlines are now added to your chart.
   

*NOTE: This tab will not exist with some charts (e.g., pie charts) that do not use grid lines.

Return to Table of Contents

Formatting a Chart

The key to formatting a chart in Excel is selecting the correct chart element(s). When you hold the mouse over a certain element, a Screen Tip appears, telling you what element (e.g., gridlines, data series, etc.) your mouse is hovering over.

*NOTE: For a data series, one click selects the series, and the second click selects a single data point within that series.

1. Hold your mouse over the desired chart element
2. A Screen Tip appears, indicating the type of element.
3. Right click the element. Choose Format (Element Name).
   OR Double click the element
4. The Format Element dialog box appears.
5. Make the necessary changes
6. Click OK.
   

Return to Table of Contents

Printing Data and Chart

You can position the chart next to or below the data, so that both fit on one page. You can use View > Page Break Preview to see what will be printed on one page. Once you are satisfied with what will be printed, use the following instructions:

1. Place the cursor within the worksheet to be printed and click anywhere except within the chart
2. Go to File > Print.
3. The Print dialog box appears.
4. Under Print what, verify that Active sheet(s) is checked.
5. Click OK. The selected worksheet is printed
   

Return to Table of Contents

Printing Only the Chart

This option allows you to print only the chart, rather than the data table or the entire worksheet.

1. Click to the desired chart to select it.
2. Go to File > Print.
3. The Print dialog box appears.
4. Under Print what, verify that Selected Chart is checked.
5. Click OK. The selected chart is printed.

Return to Table of Contents

Marge Rowell mrowell@wellesley.edu
Information Services
Date Created: October 17, 2004
Last Modified: September 25, 2007
Expires: July 1, 2008