Understanding Charts in PowerPoint

In PowerPoint, you can use the Microsoft Graph application to create powerful charts in your presentation or you can insert charts created in another application such as Excel. Using Microsoft Graph from within PowerPoint is the easiest alternative if you need to create a chart from scratch and don't need to apply Excel's calculation and formula cap- abilities to your chart data. If you've already created a chart in Excel or you need to analyze complex data, then inserting an Excel chart is the best solution.

In addition to the common chart types such as column, bar, line, and pie, you can also create doughnut, radar, cone, bubble, stock, and other chart types.

Tip

For help in using Microsoft Graph, choose Help, Microsoft Graph Help. This opens the help file specific to this application.


Before you start creating a chart using Microsoft Graph from within PowerPoint, you should become familiar with the terms associated with charts. Table 9.1 lists these terms and their definitions.

Table 9.1. Chart Object Terminology
Term Definition
Axis A line that frames one side of the plot area. The two most common axes are the value axis and the category axis.
Datasheet A sheet with rows and columns that resembles a spreadsheet, in which you can enter data for your chart.
Data label A label that describes a specific data marker or series of data markers. This label can be a numerical value, text, percent, or combination of these items.
Data marker A value that represents a single cell or data point in a datasheet.
Data series Data series are the main categories of information in a chart and are usually reflected in a chart's legend and in the first cell of each datasheet row or column.
Data table A table that displays in the chart listing the exact data in the datasheet.
Gridlines Lines that display across the category or value axes, which enhance a chart's readability. By default, major gridlines are in increments of 10 and minor gridlines in increments of 2.
Legend A box that lists and color-codes all data series.
Trendline A line that forecasts future values based on current data. definitions.

Figure 9.1 shows some of these chart objects.

To determine what each object is in a chart, place the mouse on that object or part of the chart and a chart tip displays its name. Figure 9.2 shows an example of a chart tip with the name and value for a data series.

Note

Only the data series displays a numeric value.


If the chart tip doesn't display, activate Microsoft Graph by double-clicking the chart; choose Tools, Options; and verify that the Show Names and Show Values check boxes are selected on the Chart tab of the Graph Options dialog box (see Figure 9.3).

Figure 9.1. Learn the basic objects of a chart before you create one.


Figure 9.2. This chart tip lets you know the name of the chart object as well as its value.


Figure 9.3. PowerPoint displays names and values in chart tips by default.


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