How to create a chart in Excel
Microsoft Excel can turn numerical data into visual representations called charts, which make it easier to compare values and understand patterns in your data. In this tutorial you will learn how to create charts in Excel using existing worksheet data, including column charts and pie charts.
Preparing Data for a Chart
Before creating a chart in Excel, you must first enter the data into the worksheet.
In this example, the worksheet contains two sets of data:
Episode numbers from Season 1 of Star Trek: The Next Generation
U.S. viewership numbers for those episodes
A second dataset lists:
Seasons 1 through 7
The total number of episodes in each season
Charts are created by selecting the relevant data and inserting a visualization that represents that data.
Selecting Data to Create a Chart
The first step when creating a chart is selecting the cells that contain the data you want to visualize.
You can select only the values themselves, or you can select both the values and their labels. Including labels often produces a clearer chart because Excel can use those labels for the axes.
For example:
Selecting only the viewer numbers will produce a chart with numbered categories.
Selecting both episode numbers and viewer numbers allows Excel to label the chart with the correct episode numbers.
Creating a Column Chart
Column charts are commonly used to compare values across categories.
To create a column chart:
Select the data you want to chart
Go to the Insert tab
In the Charts group, choose Insert Column or Bar Chart
Select a clustered column chart
Excel will generate the chart and place it directly on the worksheet.
The chart will display:
categories along the horizontal axis
values along the vertical axis
Using Recommended Charts
Excel also offers a Recommended Charts feature.
When you choose Insert → Recommended Charts, Excel analyzes the selected data and suggests several chart types. Each option shows a preview so you can quickly see how your data will appear before creating the chart.
This feature can help beginners choose an appropriate visualization.
Understanding Chart Labels
Charts depend heavily on the structure of the data you select.
For example, if only the viewer numbers are selected, Excel treats each row as a numbered item rather than recognizing the episode numbers as labels.
By selecting both columns of data, Excel can use the episode numbers as labels along the horizontal axis.
Because Excel cannot understand the meaning of the data itself, selecting the correct cells is an important step.
Creating a Pie Chart
Pie charts show how different values contribute to a whole.
In this example, the worksheet contains:
Seasons 1 through 7
The number of episodes in each season
To create a pie chart:
Select the data that includes the season labels and episode totals
Go to the Insert tab
Choose Recommended Charts or select a Pie Chart
Excel will generate the pie chart and display each season as a portion of the total.
Moving Charts on the Worksheet
Charts are objects that can be repositioned on the worksheet.
To move a chart:
Click on the chart area
Move the cursor until the four-arrow icon appears
Click and drag the chart to a new location
This allows you to arrange multiple charts without covering the underlying data.
Resizing Charts
Charts can also be resized.
When a chart is selected, small white circles appear around its border. Dragging a corner handle increases the size of the chart while maintaining its proportions.
Dragging the side handles can stretch or compress the chart.
Moving a Chart to a New Worksheet
Excel also allows charts to be moved to their own worksheet.
To do this:
Select the chart
Go to Chart Tools → Design
Choose Move Chart
Select New Sheet
Excel will create a new worksheet containing only the chart.
This can be useful if you want to present the chart without displaying the data that produced it.
Next Step: Manipulating Charts
This tutorial demonstrated how to create charts from worksheet data.
In the next lesson, you will learn how to manipulate and customize charts in Excel, including changing chart elements and improving how the data is displayed.