A chart or graph is a pictorial representation of data. Charts visually demonstrate the relationships between specified data.

Each chart must have a data source which is the range selected for the basis of the chart. A data source has one or more series of data. Each data series is plotted on a graph or chart as a unit by itself.

A data series has three components which are:

Series Values—The series values are the actual numeric data that is represented in the chart. A pie chart has only one set of series values while a column chart can have more than one.

Series Name—The series name just identifies the series. Category Values—the category values are the categories that the series values belong to.

When a range is selected in order to create a chart, Excel uses the first row as the series name, the first column as the category values and the remaining columns as series values.

Creating Pie Charts

After selecting the range, the chart type is selected. Excel has 11 categories of chart types that support 73 built-in charts. The following are the 11 categories: Column, Line, Pie, Bar, Area, XY (Scatter), Stock, Surface, Doughnut, Bubble, and Radar.

The illustration to the right shows the series name as “Dollar Amount”, the series values are the amounts, the legend (category values) is the range F6:F9. The total line in the worksheet isn’t selected as part of the range because it is not part of the individual expenses. The pie chart is selected as the chart type because there is only one set of values.

A pie chart visually illustrates the values as percentages of a whole. The pie represents the whole and each slice represents a percentage of a whole. A pie chart is best used when there are six or less slices or six or less data amounts.

To create a pie chart select the range and on the INSERT tab, select Chart and choose the pie type. (The illustration is a 2-D chart.)

When a chart is selected, the contextual tab Chart Tools appears so that the user can modify or format the chart. The DESIGN, LAYOUT and FORMAT tabs (only accessible when the chart is in the edit mode) provide additional options for enhancing the chart. NOT ALL OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR EVERY TYPE OF CHART. The options available are dependent upon the type of chart being created.

The above shows the options on the DESIGN tab. It illustrates the different formats available for a pie chart. There are 48 different styles. The DESIGN tab changes according to the type of chart such as pie, column, or line chart.

The Chart Layout option on the Design Tab allows the user to change the appearance of the pie chart. There are seven options in which to choose.

Groups on the Layout tab which are accessible for pie charts are Current Selection, Insert, Labels (Chart Title, Legend, Data Labels) and the Properties Tab.

The options available on the Format tab are Current Selection, Shape Styles, WordArt, Arrange (only the Selection Pane) and Size Options.

An embedded chart is the default chart location. It is embedded next to the data used to create it. The advantage of an embedded chart is the data explaining the chart is next to the chart. It may help the viewer understand the data better.

A chart sheet is a sheet devoted to the entire chart. There are no data cells in the chart sheet. The advantage of a chart sheet is that detailed charts that need more space can be seen more clearly.

To move the embedded chart to a Chart Sheet, select the chart and on the Chart Tools contextual Design tab choose the Location button. The Move Chart window opens for you to enter a Chart 1 Sheet. The user should rename the chart.

A chart is normally displayed inside a border box. Resizing a chart is the same procedure as resizing a graphic. Select the chart, and the border box changes to the edit mode.

While in the edit mode, there are sizing handles in the form of small dots which are used to resize the chart and the border. Place the insertion point over a set of the small dots. The insertion point changes to a double-headed arrow. The chart and its border can be enlarged or compressed.

You can also move the chart inside its border. If you move the insertion point inside the border, it becomes a four-headed arrow. When it is a four-headed arrow, click on the outside edge of the chart and the edit box will appear. The user can now compress or enlarge the chart.

Most charts have 5 elements. They are Chart Area, Chart Title, Plot Area, Data Marker and Legend.

The Chart Area is the rectangular box containing the chart (border box) and all of the other chart elements.

The Chart Title is the title of the chart usually appearing at the top of the chart.

The Plot Area contains the pie chart. It is the white space around the chart.

The Data Markers represent the data values. The Data Markers are slices of the pie (numeric values) and

are sometimes called data points.

The Legend labels the data series.

The following illustrates the five elements.

To change the Chart Title, click on the title and it will be in the edit mode. While in the edit mode, the user can make any changes to the title.

The chart styles are similar to the cell styles and the table styles. Chart colors and appearances can be changed by using the Chart Styles gallery. There are 48 options on the Chart Style.

Click on the pie chart and choose the Design tab on the Chart Tools contextual tab, click the down arrow on the Chart Styles group. It will display all 48 styles.

The Chart Layout allows the user to display or hide any part of the chart elements. This option is found on the Design Tab next to the Chart Styles group.

The chart legend can be formatted so that it is distinguished from the other elements of the chart. Click on the legend, then the Layout Tab on the Chart Tools, and choose Legend. The window to the right will appear. The user can also choose the last option “More Legend Options” which allows the user to use color and borders for the legend.

Data labels are names for the data values. If using a pie chart, the data labels are added to the slices.

The data label option is found by clicking on the chart, Chart Tools, Layout, Data Labels.

The last option “More Data Label Options” allows the user to add color, etc.

Each slice of the pie can be a different color. Just click on the slice which selects it for formatting and on the HOME tab, choose the fill color. Color brings emphasis to each slice.

Each slice of the pie can be exploded or moved away from the entire pie chart. Just select a pie slice and move it away from the pie. The following illustrates and exploded pie chart. The user can explode the entire pie or just one piece.

To change from a 2-D chart to a 3-D chart, click on the chart and click on the Chart Tools Design, in the first group TYPE, select the CHANGE CHART TYPE. Choose the pie category and click on the second pie which is a 3-D pie.

The following window will open for the user to choose 3-D rotation.

The user can now rotate the chart in three directions, horizontally along the X-axis, vertically along the Y-axis, and the thickness which is the thickness of the pie.

In window to the right, the chart is rotated 90 degrees on the Y-axis and 0 degree rotation on the X-axis. It is flat and has no depth.

The example on the right illustrates a 90 degree rotation on the X-axis. Of course, the slices are too difficult to see.

The pie in the above illustration is rotated 20 degrees on the X-axis and 30 degrees on the Y axis. The slices are easily seen and it has depth to it.

The data series is directly related to the chart. If the user changes the data series, the chart will automatically change to reflect the different data.

This lesson only covers the pie chart. There are 11 different categories of charts. A pie chart is an excellent format for data that has only one set of data values and have less than six slices to a pie. The pie chart shows percentages of a whole. Column and or bar charts are used when data values exceed more than six.

The contextual tab, CHART TOOLS appears only when the chart is in the edit mode. There are three tabs associated with the Chart Tools contextual tab. They are DESIGN, LAYOUT, and FORMAT. The options

available on these three tabs depend upon the type of chart being used. The pie chart options are different from the column chart options.

A chart can be embedded which is displayed on the same worksheet has the data it represents, or it can be moved to a chart sheet. A chart sheet only contains the chart.

A chart can be resized and moved. The two-headed arrow insertion point is for sizing the graphic, and the four-headed arrow insertion point is for moving the chart within the chart border.

A chart has five elements. They are Chart Area, Chart Title, Plot Area, Data Marker and Legend. Each of the five elements can be formatted independent of the other elements.

A pie chart can be exploded. An exploded pie merely means that the slices are moved away from the chart. This can bring emphasis to a particular slice.

There are 48 different chart styles available, and 7 chart layouts.

Most charts are 2-D but 3-D charts can be created. When using the 3-D format, the user can rotate the Y-Axis or Vertical Axis and the X-Axis or Horizontal Axis. The depth of a chart which is considered the third axis can also be changed.

The data can be changed from the worksheet. When the data values are changed, the chart will automatically reflect the new data values.