If youuse Microsoft Excelregularly for studying or work that requires a spreadsheet to be filled with data-driven information, then you know it can be quite difficult and time-consuming to decipher – even more so for those who are not familiar with analytical-based data.
Whether spreadsheets are complicated or not, the fact remains that graphs help break down your data into an easier to understand format, enhancing the general readability of your Excel spreadsheet.
Here’s how to make a graph in Microsoft Excel.
Difficulty
What You Need
Microsoft Excel
Inserting a graph in Excel
Step 1:You’ll need to add your data into the Excel spreadsheet, with each column having its own dedicated title. If you make a mistake with the column heading order, just redo oradd a new column.
In the first screenshot of our instructions (see a few steps below) , we have entered a sample for demonstration purposes.
Step 2:Next, you’ll need to select the cells that contain all the data you wish to populate your graph with.
Step 3:Microsoft Excel provides a convenient feature that allows you to select from a number of templates for the graph. Click theInserttab and then selectRecommended charts.
Click a graph template of your choice and clickOK.
Step 4:You can now customize the graph by changing its title (double-clickChart title), adjusting its size, its colors, etc. You can also alter the values in the table, and see how these impact the graph. If you don’t want values to change, learnhow to lock cells in Microsoft Excel.
With your new graph selected, select one of the following icons that appear next to it to customize your chart further:
Step 5:For a complete list of all the graph types you can apply, click theAll chartstab in the window that appears when you select theRecommended chartsoption from step 3. For example, you can select theBarorLinecharts, with each offering its own set of designs (3D, Clustered, Stacked, and more).
Step 6:If you wish to change the graph type after choosing one, simply choose theChart designtab from the ribbon at the top of your screen and then select theChange chart typebutton.
(TheChart designtab usually only appears once your current chart is selected. So select your current chart first and then navigate to theChart designtab that appears at the top of your screen.)
Step 7:You can also select a graph type from all the options within the section adjacent to theRecommended chartsbutton on theInserttab. Clicking the drop-down arrow next to each chart icon and hovering over a thumbnail contained within the menu that appears will show you a preview of what your chart will look like with that specific design.
Creating graphs is straightforward in Microsoft Excel. In fact, the process is so simple that other spreadsheet apps have more or less replicated it. So, it’s one less thing to worry about if you can’t make your mind up and are stuck trying todecide between Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.
