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. Excel 97/2000 has more chart types and formatting options than ever. 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, column, 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 the right spot to get the menu you want. Don't forget to 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 format one.

Plot area is where the data is actually pictured. 
Data series is the bars or dots or wedges that represent the values you are charting.
Data labels give the values for each bar or dot or wedge.
Axis is the vertical or horizontal for the chart.
Data table is a table of the values plotted on your chart.
Chart area includes the plot area, the titles, the data table, legend, and background.
Background is the color, pattern, or image behind the actual chart.
Titles include the title for the whole chart and titles for each axis.
Legend tells what the colors or pattens on the chart represent.

Chart tips will popup to identify the part your pointer is over. A tip will even 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