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3.1.1 Chart Types – Intermediate Excel 2016

Module 3.1.1 Chart Types

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Table used for the chart types below (FIGURE 1)
                                                                                                                                                                             FIGURE 1
Clustered Columns Chart (FIGURE 2)

  • Popular chart style
  • Used for comparing two or more data series vs. time
FIGURE 2
Customizing a Chart (FIGURE 3)
Charts are easier to customize by selecting the part of the chart you wish to customize, right-button mouse click it, and select the option on the mouse shortcut menu.
 
In this example, I have selected the Product A data series (blue) with mouse (you will know its selected when you see the selection bars around it).
Then right-button mouse click it and select choice from the mouse shortcut menu.
FIGURE 3
Stacked Columns Chart (FIGURE 4)

  • Also popular for comparing two or more data series vs time
  • Rather than using two separate columns for Products A and B, they are both shown on one column
  • Harder to ascertain data values unless data labels are added
FIGURE 4
3-D Column Chart (FIGURE 5)

  • Used for 2 or more data series vs. time
  • Usually shown for looks over substance
  • Harder to read data vs vertical axis numbers unless chart is customized
FIGURE 5
Bar Chart (FIGURE 6)

  • Not as popular since most viewers are used to viewing time scale on horizontal axis
  • Basically same type of data as clustered column style

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FIGURE 6
Pie Chart (FIGURE 7)

  • Good for showing proportion of two or more data series
  • Time is not a consideration
  • Should limit number of data series
  • Since each “slice” represents a series, pie slices will be small and hard to read if too many data series are shown
FIGURE 7
3-D Pie Chart (FIGURE 8)

  • Good for showing proportion of two or more data series
  • Time is not a consideration
  • Should limit number of data series. Since each “slice” represents a series, pie slices will be small and hard to read if too many data series are shown
FIGURE 8
X-Y Scatter Chart (FIGURE 9)

  • Used to show 2 data series only 
  • Time is not a consideration
FIGURE 9
Line Chart with Markers (FIGURE 10)

  • Used for showing one data series vs time
  • This is the chart to use for showing trends during a certain time period (Sales increasing or decreasing)
FIGURE 10