Format & Arrange:
Format Chart

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Once you have created a chart, you are not locked into your choices forever. You can change everything about the chart. Of course, if you have several changes, it might be faster to just start over.

The chart type determines the basic look of your chart - bar, pie, line, doughnut, etc.

In addition the chart type will set font styles and sizes for titles and data labels, colors and patterns, gridlines, scale on the axes, and other features of your chart. The pre-defined chart types provide a very useful shortcut to chart design. You can customize any of features and save your design as a Custom type.

Commands for formatting charts are available on the Chart menu and on menus that popup with a right-click on chart parts.

Sometimes it can be hard to click in just the right spot to get the menu you want. Use the Formatting bar for the basics. That's the easy way!

Parts of a Chart

It might help to know the parts of a chart before you try to format one. Some types of charts do not have all of these parts. For example, a pie chart does not have axes.

Plot area	where the data is actually pictured
Data series	the bars or dots or wedges that represent the values you are charting
Data label	the value for a bar or dot or wedge, displayed near it on the chart
Axis	the vertical or horizontal edge of the chart that is marked off in even lengths
Data table	a table of the values plotted on your chart
Chart area	includes all of the chart parts - the plot area, the titles, the data table, legend, and background
Background	the color, pattern, or image behind the actual chart
Titles	the title for the whole chart and titles for each axis
Legend	shows what the colors or patterns on the chart represent
Chart tips	a popup that identifies the part your pointer is over. A tip can name the data series and gives the data point's value.

~~  1 Cor. 10:31 ...whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ~~

Last updated: 02 May 2012