Excel allows you to make detailed charts and graphs from data stored in an Excel workbook. You have two options when creating charts in Excel 2007: you may incorporate a chart into an existing worksheet or you may create a separate sheet that contains only the chart you've made. The choice is strictly a matter of personal preference. Whether you embed the chart or place it in its own space, the data used to make the chart is linked to it. Any changes you make to the data will be reflected in the chart.

 

To create embedded charts in Excel 2007, you'll highlight the range of data values you want to chart with your mouse. Eliminate any blank rows that exist between the column labels and the data. Excel will not interpret the column labels and data properly if they're separated by one or more blank rows.

 

Choose Insert. From the Charts group, find the chart type you want. Each chart type has a drop-down menu that provides additional options within the chart type. You may choose line, pie, bar, area, scatter or "other" charts in Excel 2007. Select the chart type. Excel will display all available options for charts of the type you've selected. Click the particular chart type you want. Excel will embed the chart in the active worksheet. You may click and drag the chart to reposition it. You may also resize the chart to suit your display needs.

 

To create charts in Excel 2007 that appear in a separate worksheet, you'll highlight the range of data values you want to chart with your mouse. Eliminate any blank rows that exist between the column labels and the data. Right-click the worksheet tab you'd like to insert the new chart sheet in front of and select Insert from the contextual menu. A dialogue box will open.

 

Select Chart from the dialogue box. Click OK. Excel will create a chart sheet and create a default chart. You can reformat the chart or change chart types if you do not like the default chart type. Alternately, you can select the data you would like to chart and press F11. This will create a default chart in a new window.

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Claire Jarrett is MD of Computer Training Solutions, a company with 4 centres in Bristol, London, Solihull and Reading.  CTS offers Excel Courses and PowerPoint Courses amongst many others.