Summary: The purpose of this KB article it to provide instructions for creating charts in Microsoft Excel
Audience: NUSD staff
Source: Geoff Lilley Excel Training Manuals
*Note: these specific instructions apply to Microsoft Excel on a PC Computer. If you are using a MAC, the ideas/concepts are the same, but the placement/titles of the buttons will vary slightly.
Column Charts
Activity 1.–Create a Column Chart
- Select multiple cells in a worksheet that contain only numerical data
- Press F11
Wait, what was that, exactly?! This deserves some clarity.
The F11 key creates a column chart, in a new worksheet, using the data you selected. By that reasoning, it’s pretty easy to see that selecting the right cells makes all the difference. But how do you know which cells to select in the first place? That’s a question of having the right data, in the right structure.
Pie Charts
A column chart is a good way to compare individual data over a period of time, or across multiple subjects. Pie charts are a little different case. With pie charts, you’re trying to show how individual parts contribute to a whole.
Activity 2.–Create a Pie Chart
- Select multiple cells in a worksheet that contain only numerical data
- Click the Insert tab, and then choose Pie from the Chart group
- It’s recommended to use the 2-D Explored Pie, for several reasons:
- A 2-D pie allows all of the individual groups to be accurately represented; a 3-D pie has a way of distorting the data due to skewed perspective.
- The exploded pie mean that the wedges will be pulled away, so they’re easier to read
- Click the Layout tab under Chart
- Click Data Labels
- Click More Data Label Options
- Choose Category Name, Percentage and Show Leader Lines