Microsoft® Office 2008 for Mac® Bible

Chapter 16. Creating Charts

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Inserting charts

• Adding formatting attributes to charts

• Editing chart parts and data

• Using advanced charting techniques

Nothing gives your Excel numbers more impact than a chart. Charts can provide your audience with a visual understanding of what your numbers really mean and where your information is going. As it turns out, an overwhelming number of the human population is visually oriented anyway, so turning your numerical data into a visual format makes perfect sense and is sure to reach the widest audience. Think about it—staring at a column of numbers in a worksheet does not really have much impact, but when you present that same column of numbers as a pie chart or bar chart, then you begin to really see what each number represents. Suddenly, the ordinary number speaks volumes as it relates to the other data. The visual impact is quick and to the point.

Whether you're using a simple pie chart or a detailed scatter chart, Excel charts give your numbers a professional polish and the visual oomph needed to quickly convey the importance of your spreadsheet information. This chapter explores the various ways you can build and format charts. You learn how to use the new Elements Gallery to quickly choose a chart type, how to format various elements of a chart, and how to edit the chart data to suit your needs. You also learn all the necessary chart terminology and the details about each chart type.

Adding Charts

In the Excel family, charts are ...