The ChartWizard will now allow you to select from 14 different chart types. Select the chart type and sub-type you desire, and then choose the Nextbutton. Below the sub-type options is a box that tells you specifically what the chart type and sub-type are designed for. There is also a button for you to press that will show you a sample of your data in that specific chart type. You also have an option for you to create a custom type of chart. It is advised here that early on in your Excel charting experience you choose from the over 100 options offered to you from Excel before you go out on your own.

In this step you will be asked to define the area or range of data to be included in the chart. Before beginning the Chart Wizard, click somewhere within the data set or select the area you want included in the chart. In the Data Range box, the area you selected (if you selected a range before beginning the Chart Wizard) or Excel’s estimate of your data area (if you clicked somewhere in your data) will appear highlighted. If the Data range specified is incorrect, simply select the correct range of data with your mouse; Excel will update the Data Range accordingly. (Note: include column headings in your data selection and Excel will recognize them as labels for each data series.) From here you can select the Nextbutton to move on to the next step.

The 2nd tab, Series, allows you to add a series of data to act as your X-axis. Select the range of data (in the example above, the years 1985-1993) in the same way you selected or modified the data range. The other options in this tab are not necessary if you specified the correct data ranges, names, and labels. However, if you wish to change any of these values you can do so here. See also the later section Modifying a Data Series.

The Chart Wizard will display a sample chart based upon the selections you made in the previous steps. If you don't like the chart type or format that you've selected, you may change these by using the Backbutton to return to the previous dialog boxes.

There are 6 options for your manipulation under step three:

If at any time later you want to change the selections you made, just select the Chart Wizard tool button or Chartunder the Insertmenu option.

The final Chart Wizard step lets you decide if you wish to place your newly created chart on its own sheet or as an object in an existing sheet. If you choose As object in: Excel will place the chart in the current worksheet that contains your data range unless you specify a different worksheet to use. If you choose As new sheet, you can give the sheet a name in the blank provided. Excel will insert the chart sheet immediately below the worksheet containing the data range.

If you wish to make a change to the entire chart, such as changing the fonts throughout it or copying the chart to another document, you need to select the chart area. You can select the chart area by clicking with the left mouse button anywhere outside of the axis area. Black handles will appear around the chart area. Double-clicking on the chart area will bring up the Format Chart Areadialog box where you can make changes to fonts and patterns.

The plot areais the area inside and bounded by the axes. You may choose the plot area by clicking in any blank areas inside the boundaries. Black handles will appear on the area within the axis. You may also double click on the plot area to make changes to the borders, colors, or patterns in that area.

There are two basic types of text used in Excel charts—attachedand free-floating. The chart title and axis titles are examples of attached text. If you did not create these titles in Step 3 of the ChartWizard, you can go back and insert them by choosing Chart Options from the Chart toolbar or right-clicking on the plot area and choosing Chart Options.

Free-floating text may be inserted anywhere on the chart. It is often used to add explanations or comments to a chart. To add free-floating text to your chart, just start typing and then press Enter when you are finished. The text will appear in the middle of the chart and you can then move it to the desired place on the chart. Unlike attached text, free-floating text may not appear where you want it if you resize or re-position the text or if you add additional data series to your chart.

Any text may be easily formatted by either double-clicking on the text to display the format dialog box or single-clicking with the right mouse button to bring up the formatting short-cut menus. Either of these methods will allow you to make changes to font, alignment and pattern selections.

If you wish to change your chart's type, you can use the Chart Type icon on the Chart Toolbar to select from a drop-down list of charts. Two things to take note of:

If you wish to add a legend to your chart, the easiest way to do this is to use the Legend icon on the Chart Toolbar. This Legend icon is a toggle button which can be used to either create or remove the legend. The legend is generally built from the information stored in the first column or row, depending on the shape of the selected area to be charted, unless you specify otherwise. The chart is reduced in size to accommodate the legend, so this may sometimes not be an acceptable choice. You can format the legend by double-clicking on it and making the necessary or appropriate changes to the font, placement, or pattern selections

If you wish to add a data table below your chart, select this button from the Chart Toolbar. You can also excise this option under step 3 of the Chart Wizard.

If you wish to view your data series by rows rather than columns (or vice versa), you can toggle between the next two buttons found on the Chart Toolbar.

The last two buttons on the Chart Toolbar angle the text found on the axes. You must first select an axis in the chart area or choose the appropriate axis from the drop down menu on the Chart Toolbar to use these buttons. Each button is a toggle unto itself (‘on’ or ‘off) unlike the Data Series tool buttons.

It is easy to add a new data series to your chart, delete an existing series or format one or more series.

If values in your original data range change, simply make the changes in the worksheet. Because the chart is linked to the worksheet data, it will update automatically.

You may select from any of the following methods when inserting a new data series in your chart:

First select the series and then either hit the Delete key or choose Clear and Series from the Edit menu.

As with other chart modifications, you may double-click on a chart series or single-click with the right mouse to bring up formatting options for data series. The Format Data Series dialog box will provide you with options to redefine the data series names and values, data labels, patterns, axis, X values and Y error bars.

To add arrows or other drawing objects to your chart, you will need to activate the Drawing Toolbar. To do this, select Toolbarsfrom the Viewmenu and then choose Drawing. To add an arrow, click the Arrow icon and then drag with the mouse until the arrow is in the correct position and is the desired length.

As mentioned before, there is a direct link between the chart and its corresponding worksheet. Because of this it is easy (and also somewhat dangerous if you're unaware of it!) to change the data in your worksheet by selecting an individual data point in a chart series and then dragging it to a new position in the plot. This will adjust the value in the worksheet to match the new value on the chart.