The section of a chart that contains graphical representation of the values in a data series

EXCEL 2007 Charts: Column, Bar, Pie and Line

A. Colin Cameron, Dept. of Economics, Univ. of Calif. - Davis

• Chart basics
• Column chart
• Column chart: Customizing
  
• Pie Chart
• Pie Chartt: Customizing
• Line Chart
• Line Chartt: Customizing
• Printing and Copying Charts
• Resizing and Repositioning Charts
  

CHART BASICS

To create a chart

• Select the data to appear to appear in the chart (with labels if relevant)
• Use the Insert tab and Charts Group and click on the relevant chart in this group.

The main types of chart used in analysis of economcis data are:

• Column chart: for comparing  data  across categories
  
• Pie Chart: for showing the relative shares of categories in a total
  
• Line Chart: for showing trends in a series over time
  
• Scatter Plot: for showing the relationship between two series (given later).
  

It can be useful to first modify the data for better presentation on the chart. For example, for a pie or column chart we may want to order the data by value.
Charts often automatically select chart title and/or axis or category labels from the above data, so it is useful to choose clear short names where possible.

Excel defaults usually lead to a chart that is reasonable but still needs customizing.
The general approach is to note that the chart has a number of areas:

• Chart Title
• Plot Area (the actual chart)
• The x-axis (for charts other than pie chart) which is called a category axis for column or line chart and a value axis for a bar chart.
• The y-axis (for charts other than pie chart) which is called a value axis for column or line chart and a category axis for a bar chart.
• Legend Entry (explains the symbols used in the chart)
• Labels for the x-axis
• Labels for the y-axis.

 
COLUMN CHARTS

As an example consider categorical data on 1997 U.S. Health Care Expenditures.
The data are in file healthexpendituresdata.csv

To create a column chart from the above

• Highlight the data and headings (here columns A1:B13)
• Select the Insert Tab and Charts group and click on Column Chart
• Select the first of the 2-D Column Charts (a clustered column chart).

Note that Excel uses the first series (Category) for the x-axis labels and the second series (Expenditures) for the y-axis values.
Also note the advantage to having the original data ordered in descending value of expenditures.

COLUMN CHARTS: CUSTOMIZING The resulting column chart is basically okay but prettier with a better chart title and the legend entry dropped.

• Select the Chart Title by clicking on Expenditures at the top of the chart.
• To change the font (size and type) right click and select font and make appropriate changes in the Font dialog box.
• Change the name to 1997 U.S. Health Expenditures (in $billion).
• To eliminate the Expenditures entry at the right, clicking on Expenditures then right click and select delete.

To create a pie chart from the above

• Highlight the data and headings (here columns A1:B13)
• Select the Insert Tab and Charts group and click on Pie Chart
• Select the second of the 2-D Pie Charts (an exploded pie chart).

  PIE CHARTS: CUSOMIZINGThe resulting pie chart lacks al the category names and it might be helpful to include the percentage breakdown.

To get all category names

• Select the legend area by clicking on the legend.
• Move the legend up to the top of the figure.
• At the middle of the bottom drag on the box in the middle.

To get the percentage breakdown

• Select the main chart area by clicking in the main chart area.
  
• Right-click to get the following dialog box.

• Click on Add Data Labels which gives the values of the expenditures (not percentages).
• Right click in the main chart area which gives the above dialog box with the extra entry Format Data Labels.
• Click on format Data Labels and in the Format Data Labels dialog box deselect Value and select Percentage.

Select close and we obtain

The line chart is not really helpful for categorical data as above.
The line chart is best used for numerical data that are observed over time.

We consider monthly data on the total return from the Standard and Poors 500 stock index (with reinvestment of dividends) from 1970 to 1988.
The data are in file SandP500stockpricedata.csv
The first few observations are

Here the months of 1970 are 1970 (Jan), 1970.08 (Feb), 1978.17 (March), 1978.25 (April), ...

To create a line chart from the above

• Highlight just the data for TRSP500 (not the date) and the headings (here columns B1:B1359)
• Select the Insert Tab and Charts group and click on Line Chart
• Select the first of the 2-D Line Charts (a line chart).

LINE CHARTS: CUSTOMIZINGThe x-axes for this chart is the row number, not the date. To change to the date:

• Highlight the Horizintal (category) axis and right click.

Choose Select Data to get the following dialog box

Then click on Edit to get the following dialog box

Finally

• Highlight the range A2:A359 (note that the heading DATE is not included here).
• Select OK in the Axis Labels dialog box
• Hit OK in the Select Data Source dialog box

The displayed dates can be reduced to whole numbers

• Highlight the Horizintal (category) axis and right click.
• Select Format Axis
  
• In the Format Axis dialog box choose Number
• Change from general to Number; select 0 decimal places; and uncheck use 1000 separator

A horiiontal axis can be added by

• Highlight the chart
• In Chart Tools at the top select Layout and Axis Titles
• Select Primary Horizontal Axis Title
• Select Title below Axis
  

A vertical axis can similarly be added, where we ultimately select Rotated Axis.

We obtain

PRINTING AND COPYING CHARTS

See Excel 2007: Formatting, Saving, Printing and Copying Results

CHANGE CHART SIZE AND POSITION

To resize the chart

• Activate it by clicking once inside the chart.
• Place the point of the arrow on one of the eight rectangular handles located on the charts border and click and drag the mouse. 
  The chart will change size and shape depending on the direction of the drag. 
  Experiment with the resizing until you get an idea of how it works.

To reposition a chart

• Place the point of the cursor in the chart border
• Click and drag the chart to a new position in the worksheet.

To remove a chart from a worksheet

• Activate it and then press the DELETE key.  

Is the container for the entire chart and its elements?

Are descriptive labels that show the exact value of the data points on the value axis on a chart in Excel?

Which chart type compares data values in a vertical format where the height represents its value?

What type of chart shows a value as a part of the whole or total?