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Markers and Lines

You can choose to include markers for your line charts

The shape of the markers can be changed

What chart types does this apply to ?

Step 3 - Adding Additional Text

The chart title and axis titles are examples of text that is attached to the chart. The position of this text is restricted.

It is possible to add text to your chart and position it anywhere on the chart, in the form of additional text boxes.

To insert a textbox containing text within your chart, select the chart, start typing and press Enter. The textbox an then be moved around to any position.

This is often used to add additional explanation or to identify specific data points.

If you are inserting additional text boxes make sure that the chart is selected first, otherwise the textboxes will just be floating over the chart as opposed to actually in it.

The text can be easily formatted by activating the text box and selecting (Format > Selected Object).

You can alternatively press the right mouse button to display the shortcut menu and choose Format Textbox.

Step 4 - Adding Arrows

This involves using the Drawing toolbar.

You can use the Drawing toolbar to enhance your charts by adding additional lines, squares, backgrounds etc.

To add a shape you must first select the chart, so it displays a black border.

When you apply a colour to a chart series it must be a solid colour. It is not possible to have a semi transparent colour using the Chart formatting. It is possible by embedding an AutoShape that does have a transparent colour.

To copy a charts format to another chart, click the chart and copy it. Click the other chart, and press (Edit > Paste Special), click Formats.

When you create a chart the following assumption is made for you. If the number of rows in the selected range exceeds the number of columns in the selected range then columns are used for your data series. If the number of columns in the selected range exceeds the number of rows then the rows are used for your data series. This can be changed though (Chart > Source Data)(Data Range tab).

You can include pictures in your charts for series and backgrounds. Copy the shape as a picture. Hold down Shift and press (Edit > Copy Picture) select the data series or corresponding chart and press (Edit > Paste).

To add data to an embedded chart, click the chart and then drag the coloured coded range on the worksheet to include your additional data.

Any colours that are used to format charts must exist on the colour palette. You are therefore restricted to just 64 possible colours per workbook.

Charts display text in several objects. For instance title, axis labels, legend etc. To change the font size of the all the objects select the chart area and change the font here.

Adding up-down bars an drop series and high-low lines to charts

Series lines can be added to connect data series in 2-D stacked bar and column charts.

Drop lines can be added in 2D and 3D area and line charts.

High-low lines and up down bars can be available in 2D line charts. Stack charts already have these on. These can be all be added from the Options tab of Format / Data Series.

Error bars graphically express potential error amounts relative to each data marker in a data series. These can be added to data series in area, bar, column, line, xy(scatter) and bubble charts.

When text is displayed in the legend and on data labels you can force a carriage return by pressing Alt + Enter. You can also use this for text in a cell if the text if pulled from the worksheet

Any formatting applied to axes is also applied to the tick marks. Gridlines can be formatted separately though.

Chart elevation – the height at which you view the chart (in degrees). For 2D charts the range of degrees is –90 to 90. For 3D charts the range of degrees is 0-44. The default value is 15 for most charts,

Chart rotation – applies only to 3D charts. For 3D bar charts range is 0 to 44 and other 3D charts is 0 to 360. Default value is 20