How To Create Graph From Excel Data

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This wikiHow teaches you how to create a graph or chart in Microsoft Excel. You can create a graph from data in both the Windows and the Mac versions of Microsoft Excel.

Steps

1

Open Microsoft Excel. Its app icon resembles a green box with a white "X" on it.
2

Click Blank workbook . It's a white box in the upper-left side of the window.
3
Consider the type of graph you want to make. There are three basic types of graph that you can create in Excel, each of which works best for certain types of data:^[1]
- Bar - Displays one or more sets of data using vertical bars. Best for listing differences in data over time or comparing two similar sets of data.
- Line - Displays one or more sets of data using horizontal lines. Best for showing growth or decline in data over time.
- Pie - Displays one set of data as fractions of a whole. Best for showing a visual distribution of data.
4
Add your graph's headers. The headers, which determine the labels for individual sections of data, should go in the top row of the spreadsheet, starting with cell B1 and moving right from there.
- For example, to create a set of data called "Number of Lights" and another set called "Power Bill", you would type Number of Lights into cell B1 and Power Bill into C1
- Always leave cell A1 blank.
5
Add your graph's labels. The labels that separate rows of data go in the A column (starting in cell A2). Things like time (e.g., "Day 1", "Day 2", etc.) are usually used as labels.
- For example, if you're comparing your budget with your friend's budget in a bar graph, you might label each column by week or month.
- You should add a label for each row of data.
6
Enter your graph's data. Starting in the cell immediately below your first header and immediately to the right of your first label (most likely B2), enter the numbers that you want to use for your graph.
- You can press the Tab ↹ key once you're done typing in one cell to enter the data and jump one cell to the right if you're filling in multiple cells in a row.
7

Select your data. Click and drag your mouse from the top-left corner of the data group (e.g., cell A1) to the bottom-right corner, making sure to select the headers and labels as well.
8

Click the Insert tab. It's near the top of the Excel window. Doing so will open a toolbar below the Insert tab.
9
Select a graph type. In the "Charts" section of the Insert toolbar, click the visual representation of the type of graph that you want to use. A drop-down menu with different options will appear.
- A bar graph resembles a series of vertical bars.
- A line graph resembles two or more squiggly lines.
- A pie graph resembles a sectioned-off circle.
10
Select a graph format. In your selected graph's drop-down menu, click a version of the graph (e.g., 3D) that you want to use in your Excel document. The graph will be created in your document.
- You can also hover over a format to see a preview of what it will look like when using your data.
11
Add a title to the graph. Double-click the "Chart Title" text at the top of the chart, then delete the "Chart Title" text, replace it with your own, and click a blank space on the graph.
- On a Mac, you'll instead click the Design tab, click Add Chart Element, select Chart Title, click a location, and type in the graph's title.^[2]
12
Save your document. To do so:
- Windows - Click File, click Save As, double-click This PC, click a save location on the left side of the window, type the document's name into the "File name" text box, and click Save.
- Mac - Click File, click Save As..., enter the document's name in the "Save As" field, select a save location by clicking the "Where" box and clicking a folder, and click Save.

Add New Question

Question

How do I change the horizontal axis to a vertical axis in Excel?

Click "Edit" and then press "Move." If this doesn't work, double click the axis and use the dots to move it.
Question

How do I print a graph only in Excel?

Type control p on your laptop or go to print on the page font of your screen?
Question

How do I label a Series?

Jayna Akanova

Community Answer

Right-click the chart with the data series you want to rename, and click Select Data. In the Select Data Source dialog box, under Legend Entries (Series), select the data series, and click Edit. In the Series name box, type the name you want to use.
Question

How to rename data series?

Jayna Akanova

Community Answer

Right-click the chart with the data series you want to rename, and click Select Data. In the Select Data Source dialog box, under Legend Entries (Series), select the data series, and click Edit. In the Series name box, type the name you want to use.
Question

How can I change the range of numbers in the vertical axis?

Jayna Akanova

Community Answer

In a chart, click the value axis that you want to change, or do the following to select the axis from a list of chart elements: Click anywhere in the chart. On the Format tab, in the Current Selection group, click the arrow next to the Chart Elements box, and then click Vertical (Value) Axis.
Question

How can I add another vertical axis in a graph?

Deborah Archary

Community Answer

Assuming you already know how to make a basic bar graph from a workbook? If not, check out Wikihow's article "Create a Graph in Excel." Keep in mind, Column A is used for your horizontal axis information. B1, C1, D1 etc. can be used as headings for each vertical axis. Input information from cell 2 onwards in each column. Just make sure any information you input into these columns correlate cell by cell with your column A horizontal axis information. The information inputted in these columns i.e. B, C, D, E, etc. will be converted into a bar in your bar graph when you select all your information, click "insert", then "chart" and choose bar graph.
Question

How do I change a data series?

To change a data series, you would select a range of your spreadsheet appropriate for the data.
Question

How do I change the color on my bar graph?

Ahhna Shrivstava

Community Answer

Click on the chart and go to chart design. You will get some options such as white to black. To change the color of bars, simply click on a bar. All bars will automaticly get selected. Go to format and change the color.

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You can change the graph's visual appearance on the Design tab.
If you don't want to select a specific type of graph, you can click Recommended Charts and then select a graph from Excel's recommendation window.

Some graph formats won't include all of your data, or will display it in a confusing manner. It's important to choose a graph format that works with your data.

About This Article

Article SummaryX

1. Enter the graph's headers.
2. Add the graph's labels.
3. Enter the graph's data.
4. Select all data including headers and labels.
5. Click Insert.
6. Select a graph type.
7. Select a graph format.
8. Add a title to the graph.

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