Excel: Creating charts
Add new data to a chart
Suppose you have an existing chart which you need to update monthly, quarterly or yearly with new data?
There are several different ways to do this:
- Drag and drop, or copy and paste, the data from the worksheet to the chart.
- On an embedded chart, extend the colour-coded ranges on the worksheet.
- Change the source data for the chart to include the new figures.
Video
Watch the following video to see a demonstration of adding new data to an existing chart:
Multi-choiceTo add new data to a chart using colour-coded ranges:
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The chart must be on a separate sheet from the data.
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The chart must be on the same worksheet as the data used to create it.
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New data can only be added from non adjacent selections.
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To change the source data for a chart, to include new data:
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On the Chart menu, click Chart Options, and then click the Data Table tab.
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On the Chart menu, click Source Data, and then click the Series tab.
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On the Chart menu, click Source Data, and then click the Data Range tab.
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Activity
1. Save the following Excel workbook:
2. Use the data on the sheet 'Record sales' to create an embedded column chart.
3. Then create a second chart of the data, this time on a separate sheet.
3. Copy the data given in the following table to the 'Record sales' worksheet. (This data can be found on the second sheet of the workbook, labelled 'New data'.)
4. Practice adding the new data to your charts, using each of the methods demonstrated in the video.
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| 623508 | 692684 | 761860 |
| 724357 | 779840 | 835323 |
| 21844 | 23612 | 25381 |
| 1167994 | 1301810 | 1435626 |
| 2314144 | 2580007 | 2845870 |
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