When you look at a graph, you immediately interpret the message using the visual cues in the graph. If one column is twice as tall as another column you deduce that the value of the taller column is double that of the shorter column. When looking at graphs we need to use our critical thinking…
Category: Basic Excel Chart Skills
Force a column, bar, or line chart in Excel to start at zero
Excel changes the starting value for the measurement axis of column, bar, and line charts based on the values being graphed. This can cause a chart to be misleading just because the data got updated. In this video I show you how to add a second invisible data series that forces Excel to always start…
7 steps to make one line stand out in a spaghetti line graph
If you have a line graph with many lines and you want to focus the viewer on one of those lines, how can you do that? Here are 7 steps you can follow to make one line the focus in what is often called a spaghetti line graph (because the many lines can look like…
8 steps to make a professional looking bar chart in Excel or PowerPoint
A bar chart is used to rank values from largest to smallest, usually in a single series of data. Creating a bar chart in Excel or PowerPoint is simple, but making it look professional requires you to change some of the defaults in the chart. Here are 8 steps to turn a default bar chart…
7 steps to make a professional looking line graph in Excel or PowerPoint
A line graph is used to show a trend, usually over time. There can be a single data series to show one trend or multiple data series to show trends that can be compared to each other. It is simple to create a line graph in Excel or PowerPoint but to make it look professional…
7 Steps to make a professional looking column graph in Excel or PowerPoint
A column graph or chart is used to compare values to each other. It typically compares values in only a single data series. It is simple to create in Excel or PowerPoint, but making it look professional takes attention to the details of the graph. Here are 7 steps to turn the default column graph…
How to choose the right chart in Excel
How do you choose the right chart to report results or analysis? Don’t select a chart or graph just because it looks cool or pretty. In this video I share the two big issues with putting spreadsheets on slides, the three reasons business professionals put spreadsheets on slides, and introduce a structured way to identify…
Get started creating a chart in Excel
Never created a chart in Excel and want to learn the basics? Start with this article and video (also below) by Excel MVP Leila Gharani. Have an Excel chart you or someone else created and you want to copy it so you can use the same formatting with different data? Here’s how to do that from Excel MVP Jon…
3 Steps you can take to spend less time updating Excel charts each month (Hint: use a strategic approach to your Excel chart worksheet)
With organizations measuring more metrics than ever before, the time it takes to update all the charts you create for senior managers seems to increase each month. You’ve streamlined the analysis using tools in Excel like Power Query, Pivot tables, and various formulas. Once you’ve identified the insights you need to communicate, it takes a…
Online Excel support
I don’t offer technical support so if you have a question about Excel charting or Excel in general, here are the online forums you can use to seek an answer or ask a question. Microsoft TechCommunity MrExcel forums ExcelGuru.com forums Microsoft Answers forum