1. Exploring Microsoft Excel 2003
Chapter 3 – Graphs and Charts: Delivering a Message
Robert Grauer and Maryann Barber
Committed to Shaping the Next Generation of IT Experts.
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2. Exploring Office 2003 Vol 1 2/e- Grauer and Barber
What is a Chart?
A graphic representation of data in a worksheet
Chart elements
Category labels – descriptive text entries
Data points – numeric values
Data series: a grouping of data points
Graphic representations of data allow decision makers to quickly spot trends and patterns without having to sort through rows and columns of data. Charts are frequently used in presentations. Many organizations have performance measurables. These items are often charted and displayed in each group’s work area.
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Chart Types
Keep it simple
Use the appropriate chart type
Pie and Exploded pie charts display proportional relationships
Column charts display numbers rather than percentages
Bar charts display numbers horizontally
The most important step in creating a chart is to decide on the intended message. The best-looking chart that conveys no meaning, or the wrong meaning, is useless. The intended message will often dictate the type of chart you create.
Pie charts are effective when you want to display proportion; i.e. if you have four regions and want to know how much each contributes to total revenues. The IRS used to put a pie chart in the front of the 1040 booklet showing how much of each dollar of tax revenue went to different areas in the budget.
Column charts and bar charts display the actual numbers rather than the percentages. These charts also allow you to plot more than one data series. Some people prefer bar charts, which display the numbers horizontally. They feel it allows them to compare proportionality among the data points more readily than column charts.
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4. Exploring Office 2003 Vol 1 2/e- Grauer and Barber
Pie Charts
Chart title
Notice the labels for each slice of the pie. They show both the category label and the percentage. This option eliminates the need for a legend.
Each slice of the pie represents the percentage of the dinner bill each person pays
Slices are exploded
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Column Charts
Embedded chart shows both the chart and the data
Row 3 contains column headings and forms labels for X axis
The pie chart shown earlier was created in a chart sheet. This chart is embedded in the worksheet. Notice that the chart is neatly lined up under the data and that the text on both axes is legible. Sometimes students will just create the chart and not make it presentable. An illegible chart is much worse than no chart at all.
Another common mistake is to not include the row or column headings in the data selected for the chart. This results in helpful category labels such as “Series 1” and “Series 2”. Use the mouse to select a non-contiguous cell range for the chart.
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6. Exploring Office 2003 Vol 1 2/e- Grauer and Barber
Creating A Chart
Two ways to create
Embed chart in worksheet
Sizing handles allow you to size, move, copy, or delete an embedded chart
Create in separate chart sheet
Charts are linked to underlying data
A change in the data instantly updates the chart(s) created on that data
Embedded worksheets allow you to show the chart and its underlying data on the same printed sheet or to display the data and more than one chart on the same sheet. Formatting embedded worksheets tends to be a little more difficult. Charts in separate chart sheets are easily created with the F11 key!
Chart sheets are easier to format and tend to print better.
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7. Exploring Office 2003 Vol 1 2/e- Grauer and Barber
Using the Chart Wizard
Select the cells that contain the data
Click the Chart Wizard button on the standard toolbar
Select the chart type
Check the data series
Complete the chart options
Choose the location
Don’t forget to include row and/or column headings in the data. These will be used as category labels. Don’t use chart wizard if you are creating a chart a “stand alone” chart, F11 is much faster. It provides a basic column chart (the default chart) that can be customized as you wish.
The Chart Wizard walks you step-by-step through creating the chart. If you make a mistake or change your mind on something, just click the Back button.
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Choose the Chart Type
Sub-types change as a different chart type is selected
Encourage students to make use of the button that views a sample chart. Many times it alerts students that they selected too much, or not enough, data.
Select any of the standard chart types or click the Custom Types tab to create your own
Definitely use this button. If all you see is a blank screen, cancel and reselect data.
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9. Exploring Office 2003 Vol 1 2/e- Grauer and Barber
Check the Data Series
Preview the chart before going further
Collapse button hides the dialog and allows you to select a different range
Encourage students to spend time on this tab. Does this look like the message they are trying to convey? If not, experiment with the data series and/or data type. The dropdown at the bottom shows the default Category axis labels. If students forget to select the row with the column headings, they can enter those cells during this step. Show them how to use the Collapse button to select cells.
The first row is used as a default for the X axis labels
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10. Complete the Chart Options
Use the other tabs to add descriptive text to the chart and enhance its formatting
A descriptive title is a very important feature for a useful chart. The easiest way to add the chart title is by using the Wizard; however, a title can be manually added after the chart has been created.
Explore the tabs on this dialog in class. Pay particular attention to the Legend and Data Labels tabs. If you plan to create the chart on a separate sheet, the Data Table tab places the data underneath the appropriate data series on the chart. I would not use a data table on a chart that is going to be embedded.
Enter a title for the chart. If you want labels for the axes, enter them here
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Choose the Location
Give the chart sheet a name
Use this option to create the chart in a chart sheet.
If you’re going to create the chart in a chart sheet, give the sheet a descriptive name so that you don’t end up with sheets named Chart1, Chart2, etc. If you forget, rename the sheet the same way you rename any worksheet. Better yet, if you intend to create the chart in a chart sheet, don’t use chart wizard because F11 is much faster!
Charts can actually be embedded in any worksheet. The default will be the worksheet that was active when the chart wizard was invoked.
Use this option to embed the chart
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Modifying a Chart
Add labels, change the data type, or format the chart with the Chart toolbar
Add text boxes, arrows and other objects for emphasis with the Drawing toolbar
Don’t get too carried away with adding objects to the chart. One or two text boxes and/or arrows can create a good effect, but too much causes the chart to become cluttered and hard to read. Keep it simple!
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Enhancing a Chart
Arrow with embedded text box highlights fourth quarter increase
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14. Moving and Sizing the Chart
Sizing handles indicate a chart is selected and can be moved, sized, copied, or deleted
Drag a corner handle to change height and width simultaneously and keep in proportion
When the sizing handle is selected, the chart can be resized. Resizing an embedded chart resizes all the elements in the chart, so there is a lot of experimentation involved.
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Multiple Data Series
Select multiple data series when you want to see individual data points rather than totals
Determine whether data series are in rows or columns
Data points plotted are the same either way, but grouping will be different.
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Rows Versus Columns
If data series are in rows
First row is used for category labels
Remaining rows are used for data series
First column is used for the legend text
If data series are in columns
First column is used for category labels
Remaining columns are used for data series
First row is used for legend text
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Data Series in Rows
Data series in rows, so first row is used as category labels and remaining rows are data series
First column used as legend text
Data series are specified in rows, so the data points are grouped by city. The legend text is taken from the first column.
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Data Series in Columns
Data series in columns, so first column is used as category labels and the first row as legend text
The twelve data points are the same, but the grouping is different. Now it is easier to compare by product as opposed to by area. Notice the title of this chart is different than the previous one.
We go back to our first point about creating charts. Decide what message you want to convey. Are you comparing by product or by city?
Data points are the same; different grouping allows you to make different comparisons
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Stacked Column Charts
Depicts totals by category instead of each individual data point
Each data point is plotted as part of a whole
Useful when you want to compare totals by category
A stacked column chart simply plots each data point as part of a whole. The second data point in the series is graphed where the first data point leaves off and so forth. A variation on this is the 100% stacked column chart, which combines the proportionality of a pie chart with the ability to plot multiple data series, which you cannot do with a pie chart.
Exploring Office 2003 Vol 1 2/e- Grauer and Barber

20. Example of Stacked Column Chart
Each category is graphed as a total. Denver is plotted beginning where Miami left off
Data labels show the value associated with each piece of the column
Each data point is plotted on top of the other data points in that series. This approach shows each data point as well as the total information. Data labels associate the value of each data point.
Exploring Office 2003 Vol 1 2/e- Grauer and Barber

21. Object Linking and Embedding
Create a document in one application that contains objects from another application
Embedded object is stored in the document
an Excel chart becomes part of the Word document
Linked object is stored in its own file
any change in this file is automatically reflected in the main document
There are advantages to linking and to embedding. If you want to create a memo to a worksheet that frequently changes and you want the values in the worksheet to remain static, embed the worksheet and/or chart. The advantage of a link is that as the underlying worksheet changes, the memo is automatically updated. Linking is a good choice for creating a template.
With either, the worksheet can be edited in the application that created it by simply double-clicking the object on the document. The difference between the two is where the document is saved. With an embedded object, it becomes part of the master document.
Links sometimes become broken if the file is moved or damaged. In a local network area environment, the link can become broken if the mapping to the network drive is changed, so take care when using links.
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Linking A Worksheet
Worksheet and embedded chart are linked into this document
With a linked document, changes to the source document are instantly updated. If they are not updated in the memo, right click on the linked object (the worksheet in this case) and select the Update Link command.
Exploring Office 2003 Vol 1 2/e- Grauer and Barber