Format a chart

IDevice Icon Video

Watch the following video to see a demonstration of formatting charts, including:

  • Change the scale and unit of an axis
  • Overlapping & spacing of data markers
  • Change the depth & width of a 3D chart
  • Add & change data labels
  • Change colours of the different elements of a chart
  • Change colours in a surface chart
  • Add a picture to a chart
Flash video: Formatting charts

True-False Question
Is the following statement true or false?


In most charts you can double click any chart element to change its colour, but to change the colours in a surface chart you have to format the colour in the legend key.

True False     
IDevice Question Icon Multi-choice
If your chart values consist of large numbers, you can make the axis text shorter and more readable by:
       
Selecting Display Units on the Scale tab of the Format Axis dialog box.
Selecting a Custom number format on the Number tab of the Format Axis dialog box.
Selecting the Logarithmic scale option on the Scale tab of the Format Axis dialog box.

To overlap or space data markers in bar and column charts:
       
Double click the axis and click the Scale tab.
Click and drag the columns or bars to move them.
Double click a data series and click the Options tab.

To change the position of all your data labels automatically:
       
Double click on a data series and then click the Options tab.
Double click one of the data labels and then click the Alignment tab.
Click any data label and use the mouse to drag the data labels into the position you want.

To insert a picture in an Excel chart:
       
Go to the Fill Effects option and click the Picture tab.
Go to the Insert menu and select Picture - From File.
Drag a picture from the Clip Art task pane.

IDevice Icon Activity

Save the following workbook:

Excel workbook: Formatting charts 

  1. Go to Chart 1 and change the scale of the axis so that the unit is in Thousands.
  2. On the 'ABC Regions' worksheet, practice changing the overlap of the columns and the spaces between the categories on the axis.
  3. The 'Fudge' worksheet contains a 3D chart. Practice changing the depth and width of this chart.
  4. Go to the 'Companies' worksheet. Add data labels to the pie chart then practice changing the location of the data labels to find the one that looks best.
  5. On the 'Student marks' worksheet, practice changing the colours of the bars.
  6. The 'Bills' worksheet contains a surface chart. Practice changing the colours of this chart.
  7. Go to the 'Regional sales' worksheet and put a suitable picture in the background of this chart. 

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