🧩 1. What are Graphs and Charts in MS Excel?
In Microsoft Excel,
Charts and Graphs are visual representations of numerical data stored in a worksheet.
They help users understand trends, comparisons, and patterns more quickly than by viewing raw numbers.
🔹 Chart – a visual display of data (column, line, pie, bar, etc.)
🔹 Graph – often used interchangeably with “chart,” but generally refers to charts that show relationships between two variables (like line or scatter graphs).
In short:
📊 Chart/Graph = Data + Visualization
🎯 2. Purpose of Using Charts and Graphs
| Purpose | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Simplify Data | Convert large data into easy visuals. |
| Identify Trends | Show upward or downward trends over time. |
| Compare Values | Compare categories or groups quickly. |
| Highlight Proportions | Show part-to-whole relationships (like Pie chart). |
| Make Reports Attractive | Visually appealing presentations. |
🧠 3. Types of Charts in Excel
Excel provides several types of charts under the Insert → Charts menu:
| Chart Type | Used For |
|---|---|
| Column Chart | Compare different items or months. |
| Bar Chart | Compare horizontally (best for long labels). |
| Line Chart | Show trends over time (e.g., sales growth). |
| Pie Chart | Show percentage contribution of each part. |
| Area Chart | Emphasize total value over time. |
| Scatter (XY) Chart | Show relationship between two numeric values. |
| Combo Chart | Combine two types (e.g., column + line). |
🪜 4. Steps to Create a Chart or Graph in Excel
Step 1: Enter your data
Example data (Sales Data):
| Month | Sales |
|---|---|
| January | 10000 |
| February | 12000 |
| March | 9000 |
| April | 15000 |
| May | 18000 |
Step 2: Select the data
Highlight A1:B6 (including headers “Month” and “Sales”).
Step 3: Insert a chart
Go to:
Insert Tab → Charts Group → Column Chart → Clustered Column
Now Excel automatically creates a Column Chart.
Step 4: Add chart elements
Use:
Chart Design Tab → Add Chart Element
You can add:
- Chart Title
- Axis Titles
- Data Labels
- Legend
Step 5: Format the chart
Right-click any chart element (bars, axes, title) → Format
You can:
- Change colors (Fill)
- Adjust font, text size
- Add gridlines
- Apply chart styles
Step 6: Rename chart title
Click Chart Title → type “Monthly Sales Report”.
Step 7: Save or move the chart
Right-click chart → Move Chart → As New Sheet
(to create a full-page chart sheet).
📘 5. Example Explanation
Let’s interpret our chart:
- X-Axis (Horizontal) – represents Months.
- Y-Axis (Vertical) – represents Sales in ₹.
- Each bar = sales figure for that month.
- Taller bars = higher sales.
- From the chart, we can quickly see sales increased from March to May.
✨ 6. Quick Shortcuts and Tips
| Action | Shortcut / Tip |
|---|---|
| Create default chart | Alt + F1 |
| Create chart on new sheet | F11 |
| Open Format Pane | Ctrl + 1 |
| Change chart type | Right-click → Change Chart Type… |
| Change colors quickly | Chart Design → Change Colors |
📊 7. Summary
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Definition | Visual representation of data |
| Purpose | Simplify analysis, highlight trends |
| Creation Steps | Enter → Select → Insert → Format |
| Common Types | Column, Line, Pie, Bar, Area, Scatter |
| Example | Monthly sales chart showing growth |
.
🥧 Example 2: Pie Chart — Sales Percentage by Product
📋 Step 1: Enter the data
Open a new Excel sheet and type the following data:
| Product | Sales (₹) |
|---|---|
| Laptops | 50,000 |
| Mobiles | 30,000 |
| Tablets | 10,000 |
| Accessories | 5,000 |
| Smartwatches | 5,000 |
🪜 Step 2: Select the data
Select the data range A1:B6
(including the column headings “Product” and “Sales (₹)”).
📊 Step 3: Insert a Pie Chart
Go to the Ribbon Menu:
Insert → Charts Group → Pie Chart → 2-D Pie
Excel will automatically generate a Pie Chart showing each product’s share of total sales.
🎨 Step 4: Add Chart Elements
Click on the chart → go to
Chart Design → Add Chart Element
Now add:
- Chart Title → “Sales Percentage by Product”
- Data Labels → “Percentage”
- Legend → “Right” position
This will show both the labels and corresponding percentages on each slice.
⚙️ Step 5: Format the chart
Right-click anywhere on the chart → Format Data Series
You can customize:
- Slice explosion: Pull one slice outward for emphasis (e.g., highlight “Laptops”).
- Fill & Border: Change slice colors.
- 3-D Format: Choose 3-D Pie for a more visual effect.
- Legend font: Change color, style, or size.
🧠 Step 6: Analyze the chart
Now look at your chart:
- Each slice represents one product category.
- The size of each slice shows how much that product contributes to total sales.
For example:
- Laptops (50%) — half of total sales.
- Mobiles (30%) — nearly one-third.
- Others (20%) — combined smaller contributions.
You can immediately see that Laptops are the top-selling item, followed by Mobiles.
⚡ Step 7: Optional formatting
To make it more attractive:
- Click on a slice → right-click → “Format Data Labels”
→ Tick Category Name and Percentage both. - Change the background color of the chart area.
- Use Chart Styles (in Chart Design tab) to apply built-in color themes.
✅ Pie Chart Summary
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Enter data with categories and values |
| 2 | Select data |
| 3 | Insert → Pie Chart |
| 4 | Add title, labels, legend |
| 5 | Format colors, slices, and layout |
| 6 | Interpret results visually |
💡 Tip:
Use a Pie Chart only when you have few categories (5–6 max) and want to show part-to-whole comparison.
If there are many small parts, use a Bar Chart instead—it’s clearer.