Microsoft Office

Getting Started Making Charts 19
NEW FEATURE
In previous versions of Excel, double-clicking a chart element displayed its Format dialog box.
That mouse action no longer works in Excel 2007.
CROSS-REF
Refer to Chapter 20 for more information about customizing and formatting charts.
Printing Charts
Printing embedded charts is nothing special; you print them the same way that you print a worksheet. As
long as you include the embedded chart in the range that you want to print, Excel prints the chart as it
appears on-screen. When printing a sheet that contains embedded charts, it’s a good idea to preview first (or
use Page Layout View) to ensure that your charts do not span multiple pages. If you created the chart on a
chart sheet, Excel always prints the chart on a page by itself.
TIP
If you select an embedded chart and use Office ➪ Print, Excel prints the chart on a page by
itself and does not print the worksheet.
If you don’t want a particular embedded chart to appear on your printout, select the chart and display the
Size And Properties dialog box. Choose Chart Tools ➪ Format, and then click the dialog box launcher in
the Size group. In the Size And Properties dialog box, click the Properties tab and remove the check mark
from the Print Object check box.
Understanding Chart Types
People who create charts usually do so to make a point or to communicate a specific message. Often, the
message is explicitly stated in the chart’s title or in a text box within the chart. The chart itself provides
visual support.
Choosing the correct chart type is often a key factor in the effectiveness of the message. Therefore, it’s often
well worth your time to experiment with various chart types to determine which one conveys your message
best.
In almost every case, the underlying message in a chart is some type of comparison. Examples of some general
types of comparisons include
n
n
n
n
n
n
Compare item to other items: For example, a chart may compare sales in each of a company’s
sales regions.
Compare data over time: For example, a chart may display sales by month and indicate trends
over time.
Make relative comparisons: An example is a common pie chart that depicts relative values in
terms of pie “slices.”
Compare data relationships: An XY chart is ideal for this comparison. For example, you might
show the relationship between marketing expenditures and sales.
Frequency comparison: You can use a common histogram, for example, to display the number
(or percentage) of students who scored within a particular grade range.
Identify “outliers” or unusual situations: If you have thousands of data points, creating a chart
may help identify data that is not representative.
363