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Creating Charts

Before you can draw a chart using Excel, the numbers that compose the chart must be entered in a workbook. There are five general steps in defining a chart.

Steps in Creating a Chart:

1. 
   Enter the numbers into a workbook.
   
2. 
   Select the data to be charted.
   
3. 
   Choose Chart from the Insert menu.
   
4. 
   Choose either Chart Type from the Format menu or click on the ChartWizard button.
   
5. 
   Define parameters such as titles, scaling color, patterns, and legend.
   

These five steps should be performed in this order. Note that since the chart is linked to the workbook data, any subsequent changes made to the workbook are automatically reflected in the chart.
Creating a Pie Chart

Pie charts are used to show relative proportions of the whole, for one data series only.

Data series is a group of related data points.

A data point is a piece of information that consists of a category and value.

When you create a chart with Excel, the categories are plotted along the horizontal or X-axis, while the values are plotted along the vertical or Y-axis.

Data series originate from single worksheet rows or columns. Each data series in a chart is distinguished by a unique color or pattern. You can plot one or more data series in a chart except for pie charts.

An example of a data series is the population of the United States over ten years. Each data point would be made up of a year (the category) and the population in that year (value).

The first step in creating any chart is to enter the data on a workbook.

1. Find and open MS Excel if it is not already open.

2. Make sure your toolbars and formula bar is displayed.

3. Open a new workbook.

4. Save your workbook and name it "expenses".

Enter the following into expenses workbook:

You will be using the ChartWizard to create your pie chart.

Step 1: Select the data you just entered. Step 2: Choose Chart from the Insert menu. Step 3: Observe that the ChartWizard's first dialog box appears: You want a regular pie chart not a 3-D pie chart. Step 4: Select the chart type: Pie and click on the Next button. The following dialog should appear: Step 5: Read the dialog box, make sure the range is correct and then click the Next button. The following dialog should appear: Step 6: Select the Titles tab and then enter "Weekly Expenses" as the chart title. Step 7: Select the Legend tab and make the following adjustments: Step 8: Select the Data Labels tab and select the following options: Step 9: Select the following options and then click the Finish button. Your expenses workbook should look as follows: Step 10: Save your changes.

AutoFilter

For medium-to-large quantities of data, using Microsoft Excel’s AutoFilter is a quick and simple way to filter through that information and find what you need.

Steps

1. 
   Input all of your data, or open the spreadsheet that contains all of your data. It is best that your data have column heading such as categories to specify the data below it. If you don’t already have these, input them before you filter.
   

2. 
   Select all the data you wish to filter.
   

3. 
   Click “Data”, then “Filter” which opens a sub-menu, then click “AutoFilter”.
   

4. 
   You will immediately notice that the categories have drop-down buttons. Using these buttons, you can set your filter options.
   

• 
  Sort Ascending: sorts data in ascending order based on the data in that column;
  
• 
  Sort Descending: sorts data in descending order based on the data in that column;
  
• 
  All: the default filter option, sorts data as it was originally entered into the spreadsheet; after filtering, return to this option to view data in its original order and format
  
• 
  Top 10: The first 10 rows of data in your spreadsheet (when initial setting is “All”) or the first 10 rows of data from the filtered selection
  
• 
  Custom: You may customize how Excel sorts the data based on data ranges and information.
  
• 
  Various data points: You may sort the data based on all other data points in that column. Excel combines data points that are the same. For example, employees that live in the same city can be sorted using only one data point.
  

5. 
   To turn off AutoFilter, repeat step 3 to uncheck the AutoFilter option.