Create a chart

Creating a chart in Microsoft Office Excel is quick and easy. Excel provides a variety of chart types that you can choose from when you create a chart. For more information about the chart types that you can use, see Available chart types.

For most charts, such as column and bar charts, you can plot the data that you arrange in rows or columns on a worksheet in a chart. Some chart types, however, such as pie and bubble charts, require a specific data arrangement.

1. On the worksheet, arrange the data that you want to plot in a chart.

   How to arrange data for specific chart types

   For this chart	Arrange the data
   Column Bar Line Area Surface Radar	In columns or rows, like: Lorem Ipsum 1 2 3 4 Or: Lorem 1 3 Ipsum 2 4
   Pie Doughnut (with one series)	In one column or row of data and one column or row of data labels, like: A 1 B 2 C 3 Or: A B C 1 2 3
   Pie Doughnut (with more than one series)	In multiple columns or rows of data and one column or row of data labels, like: A 1 2 B 3 4 C 5 6 Or: A B C 1 2 3 4 5 6
   XY (scatter) Bubble	In columns, placing x values in the first column and corresponding y values and/or bubble size values in adjacent columns, like: X Y Bubble size 1 2 3 4 5 6
   Stock	In columns or rows in the following order, using names or dates as labels: high values, low values, and closing valuesLike: Date High Low Close 1/1/2002 46.125 42 44.063 Or: Date 1/1/2002 High 46.125 Low 42 Close 44.063

2. Select the cells that contain the data that you want to use for the chart.

   Tip If you select only one cell, Excel automatically plots all cells containing data that directly surround that cell into a chart. If the cells that you want to plot in a chart are not in a continuous range, you can select nonadjacent cells or ranges as long as the selection forms a rectangle. You can also hide the rows or columns that you don't want to plot in the chart.

   How to select cells, ranges, rows, or columns

   To select	Do this
   A single cell	Click the cell, or press the arrow keys to move to the cell.
   A range of cells	Click the first cell in the range, and then drag to the last cell, or hold down SHIFT while you press the arrow keys to extend the selection. You can also select the first cell in the range, and then press F8 to extend the selection by using the arrow keys. To stop extending the selection, press F8 again.
   A large range of cells	Click the first cell in the range, and then hold down SHIFT while you click the last cell in the range. You can scroll to make the last cell visible.
   All cells on a worksheet	Click the Select All button. To select the entire worksheet, you can also press CTRL+A. Note If the worksheet contains data, CTRL+A selects the current region. Pressing CTRL+A a second time selects the entire worksheet.
   Nonadjacent cells or cell ranges	Select the first cell or range of cells, and then hold down CTRL while you select the other cells or ranges. You can also select the first cell or range of cells, and then press SHIFT+F8 to add another nonadjacent cell or range to the selection. To stop adding cells or ranges to the selection, press SHIFT+F8 again. Note You cannot cancel the selection of a cell or range of cells in a nonadjacent selection without canceling the entire selection.
   An entire row or column	Click the row or column heading. Row heading Column heading You can also select cells in a row or column by selecting the first cell and then pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ARROW key (RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW for rows, UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW for columns). Note If the row or column contains data, CTRL+SHIFT+ARROW key selects the row or column to the last used cell. Pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ARROW key a second time selects the entire row or column.
   Adjacent rows or columns	Drag across the row or column headings. Or select the first row or column; then hold down SHIFT while you select the last row or column.
   Nonadjacent rows or columns	Click the column or row heading of the first row or column in your selection; then hold down CTRL while you click the column or row headings of other rows or columns that you want to add to the selection.
   The first or last cell in a row or column	Select a cell in the row or column, and then press CTRL+ARROW key (RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW for rows, UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW for columns).
   The first or last cell on a worksheet or in a Microsoft Office Excel table	Press CTRL+HOME to select the first cell on the worksheet or in an Excel list. Press CTRL+END to select the last cell on the worksheet or in an Excel list that contains data or formatting.
   Cells to the last used cell on the worksheet (lower-right corner)	Select the first cell, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+END to extend the selection of cells to the last used cell on the worksheet (lower-right corner).
   Cells to the beginning of the worksheet	Select the first cell, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+HOME to extend the selection of cells to the beginning of the worksheet.
   More or fewer cells than the active selection	Hold down SHIFT while you click the last cell that you want to include in the new selection. The rectangular range between the active cell and the cell that you click becomes the new selection.

   Tip To cancel a selection of cells, click any cell on the worksheet.

3. On the Insert tab, in the Charts group, do one of the following:
   • Click the chart type, and then click a chart subtype that you want to use.
   • To see all available chart types, click a chart type, and then click All Chart Types to display the Insert Chart dialog box, click the arrows to scroll through all available chart types and chart subtypes, and then click the the ones that you want to use.

   

   Tip A ScreenTip displays the chart type name when you rest the mouse pointer over any chart type or chart subtype.

Notes:

• The chart is placed on the worksheet as an embedded chart . If you want to place the chart in a separate chart sheet, you can change its location.

  How to change the location of a chart

  1. Click the embedded chart or the chart sheet to select it and to display the chart tools.
  2. On the Design tab, in the Location group, click Move Chart.

     

  3. Under Choose where you want the chart to be placed, do one of the following:
     • To display the chart in a chart sheet, click New sheet.

       Tip If you want to replace the suggested name for the chart, you can type a new name in the New sheet box.

     • To display the chart as an embedded chart in a worksheet, click Object in, and then click a worksheet in the Object in box.
• To quickly create a chart that is based on the default chart type, select the data that you want to use for the chart, and then press ALT+F1 or F11. When you press ALT+F1, the chart is displayed as an embedded chart; when you press F11, the chart is displayed on a separate chart sheet.
• If you use a specific chart type frequently when you create a chart, you may want to set that chart type as the default chart type. After you select the chart type and chart subtype in the Insert Chart dialog box, click Set as Default Chart.
• When you create a chart, the chart tools become available and the Design, Layout, and Format tabs are displayed. You can use the commands on these tabs to modify the chart so that it presents the data the way that you want. For example, use the Design tab to display the data series by row or by column, make changes to the source data of the chart, change the location of the chart, change the chart type, save a chart as a template, or select predefined layout and formatting options. Use the Layout tab to change the display of chart elements such as chart titles and data labels, use drawing tools, or add text boxes and pictures to the chart. Use the Format tab to add fill colors, change line styles, or apply special effects.

See also:

• Available chart types
• Change the chart type of an existing chart
• Change the layout or style of a chart
• Overview of charting