2.1.9: Creating and Customizing Charts
- Page ID
- 56554
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Excel provides a variety of chart types designed to help you communicate data effectively. Choosing the right chart depends on what story you want the data to tell—comparison, trend, composition, or relationship. Each chart type serves a specific purpose and can transform raw numbers into clear, visual meaning.
1. Bar and Column Charts – Comparing Quantities Across Categories
Bar and column charts are the most commonly used visualization tools in Excel. They display differences in values between categories, making it easy to compare performance, frequency, or totals.
Example: Comparing monthly revenue across product lines, or evaluating student attendance for multiple courses.
Tip: Use horizontal bar charts when category names are long, and vertical column charts for time-based or numerical comparisons.
2. Line Charts – Showing Change Over Time
Line charts are ideal for tracking trends, growth, or progress across a continuous timeline. Each data point is connected by a line, visually representing the direction and rate of change.
Example: Tracking a student’s GPA across semesters, or visualizing quarterly sales growth over a fiscal year.
Tip: Avoid too many lines in a single chart—three or fewer series are best for readability.
3. Pie Charts – Displaying Parts of a Whole
Pie charts show how individual values contribute to a total. Each “slice” represents a category’s percentage of the whole. They are best used for data with fewer categories and where exact proportions are meaningful.
Example: Showing expense categories as percentages of a total budget, or illustrating how a team’s time is divided among tasks.
Tip: Limit slices to six or fewer and label percentages directly to enhance clarity.
4. Combo Charts – Comparing Different Data Types
Combo charts combine two chart types (commonly a column and a line) to display related datasets with different value ranges. This makes it easier to visualize relationships between two metrics, such as quantity and trend.
Example: Displaying monthly sales volume as bars and revenue growth percentage as a line.
Tip: Use secondary axes to balance scaling when the two datasets differ greatly in units or magnitude.
Customizing Charts
Creating a chart is only the beginning. Customizing it for clarity, accuracy, and professionalism ensures that your audience can interpret your message effectively. Excel provides powerful tools under the Chart Design and Format tabs to refine your visualization.
- Titles: Add a descriptive chart title and clear axis labels that define what each measure represents. A well-written title should explain what the viewer is seeing and why it matters.
Example: “Monthly Sales Performance – 2025” is more effective than “Sales Chart.” - Legends: Position and format the legend to make it easy to associate colors or symbols with data categories. Place it beside or below the chart where it does not obstruct data.
- Data Labels: Display exact values on your chart to provide context. Use them selectively—highlighting totals or percentages rather than labeling every point—to maintain visual balance.
- Colors and Styles: Apply prebuilt or custom color palettes to improve readability and align with branding or accessibility standards. High-contrast colors enhance legibility, while consistent use of hues across charts helps audiences recognize categories quickly.
- Gridlines: Use gridlines sparingly. Too many can clutter the visual, while a few subtle horizontal lines can help viewers estimate values easily. Removing unnecessary visual noise improves focus on key data points.
Together, these customization options transform basic visuals into polished, presentation-ready charts that communicate insight with clarity and confidence.
This page was created by pulling information from Beginning Excel (Brown et al.) by Brown et al., CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 and COM112: Course Text by The American Women's College, CC BY 4.0.
3D Maps
Formerly Power Maps, 3D maps provide a 3- dimensional visualization.
For more information, visit Microsoft Office Getting Started with 3D Maps.