How to Create Charts and Graphs in Excel 2021

Edited 3 days ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Microsoft Excel 2021 is a powerful tool that allows users to transform their data into meaningful visualizations. Charts and graphs are essential components of Excel, as they help depict data in a way that is easy to understand and interpret. This guide will take you through the steps to create different types of charts and graphs in Excel 2021, ensuring that you can display your data effectively.

Understanding Excel charts and graphs

Before creating a chart and a graph, it is important to understand the difference between the two. A chart is a pictorial representation of data, while a graph refers to a specific type of chart that depicts numerical data. Excel provides a variety of charts and graphs, each of which serves a different purpose. Some popular charts include line charts, bar charts, pie charts, column charts, area charts, and scatter plots.

Charts and graphs are important in transforming complex data into a visual format that makes patterns and trends more obvious. They aid decision-making by providing insights at a glance, allowing users to easily identify unusual data distributions, correlations, and trends.

Creating charts and graphs in Excel 2021

1. Prepare your data

Start with well-organized data. Excel demands that your data be in tabular format for effective chart creation. Make sure your columns and rows are clearly labeled, and the data is grouped appropriately. For example, if you're creating a sales chart, you'll have columns for 'Product Name', 'Sales', and 'Month'.

2. Data selection

Select the data you want to include in your chart. Click and drag your mouse across the data range. If your dataset is large, make sure you are precise in your selection as this can affect the visualized data.

3. Inserting a chart

Once your data is selected, go to the 'Insert' tab in the top menu. Excel 2021 simplifies this process by providing a variety of preset chart options. Here are the steps in detail:

• Your first step is to click 'Insert' in the ribbon.
• From here, you'll see a selection of chart types to choose from. Options include line, bar, pie, column, area, scatter, and more.
• Choose the type of chart that best suits your data. For example, if you are analyzing trends over time, a line chart may be most appropriate.
• Click the chart type you want, and Excel will automatically create a chart based on your selected data.

4. Customizing your chart

After you insert a chart, you may need to customize it to better suit your presentation needs. Excel offers extensive customization features:

Chart Tools: When you click your chart, Chart Tools become available with two tabs in the ribbon: Design and Format.

Chart Design: This tab allows you to change the type, layout, and style of the chart. For example, to switch from a bar chart to a line chart, click 'Change Chart Type' and select the new chart type. You can also apply chart styles and change the color scheme to enhance the visual appeal.

Format tab: This provides options to change the chart's fill, outline, and effects. Adjust the font, size, color, and effects to make your chart more readable.

Example of formatting a chart:

Change the chart's background color:
1. Click on the chart to activate the chart tools.
2. Go to Format → Chart Area.
3. Choose Fill→Solid Fill.
4. Choose a color that suits your design needs.

5. Adding chart elements

Excel 2021 allows users to add various elements to enhance chart readability, such as chart title, data labels, and axis titles:

Chart title: Add a descriptive title to make your chart self-explanatory. Do this by selecting 'Chart Title' from the Chart Design tab and typing your preferred title.

Data labels: Adding labels helps identify specific data points. Go to Chart Design → Add Chart Element → Data Labels and choose a location for your labels.

Axis titles: These titles reference the scale of your data. Add them by choosing Chart Design→Add Chart Element→Axis Titles, then input your label text.

6. Using different chart types

Understanding which chart type to use is important for accurate data presentation:

• Line Chart: Ideal for displaying trends across time periods.
• Bar and column charts: Suitable for comparing quantities.
• Pie Charts: Best for showing proportions.
• Scatter Plot: Useful for showing the relationship between two variables.
• Area charts: Good for displaying cumulative volume over time.

7. Saving and sharing your chart

After you've created and customized your chart, you may want to save or share it. Excel 2021 offers several options:

Saving your chart: Simply save your Excel workbook, and the chart will be saved with it. To export:

Select your chart.
2. Right-click and select "Save as Picture."
3. Select the format (e.g., JPEG, PNG) and save to your desired location.

Sharing: Share your Excel file via email, or convert it to PDF for accessibility. Access it via File → Share.

Conclusion

Creating charts and graphs in Excel 2021 is a straightforward process that improves data presentation. By following the given steps, users can efficiently generate visual representations of their data, customize them to meet specific needs, and ultimately use these visual tools for clearer communication and better decision making. Mastering charts and graphs in Excel 2021 not only improves the understanding of data but also contributes to the overall effectiveness of data analysis and presentations.

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