Data Visualisation

Unit-03
Excel - I

Semester-03
Master of Computer Application
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 UNIT

Excel - I

Names of Sub-Units

Customise Chart Layout, Customise Chart Style, Configuring Chart Format, Converting a Chart
Type into Another Chart Type, Adding Secondary Axis, Creating and Applying Custom Chart
Templates,Stock Chart, Lab Exercise

Overview

The unit begins by discussing how to customise chart elements, layouts, and styles. Next, the unit
explains to configure chart formats. The unit also discusses the process to change a chart type to
another chart type. Further, the unit discusses how to add a secondary axis in a chart. Then, the unit
discusses the process to create and apply custom chart templates. Towards the end, the unit
explains the PivotCharts and stock chart.

Learning Objectives

In this unit, you will learn to:

 Explain how to customise chart elements, layouts, and styles
 Define the process to configure chart formats and change a chart type to another char type
 Determine how to add a secondary axis in a chart
 Discuss the process to create and apply custom chart templates
 Explain the concept of PivotCharts and stock chart

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 Learning Outcomes

At the end of this unit, you would:

 Examine the process to customise chart elements, layouts, and styles
 Evaluate the procedure to configure chart formats and change a chart type to another chart type
 Assess the significance of adding secondary axis in a chart
 Examine the process to create and apply custom chart templates
 Analyse the concept of PivotCharts and stock chart

Pre-Unit Preparatory Material

 https://elmhurstpubliclibrary.org/lib/wp-content/uploads/Pivot-Table-Handout1-1.pdf

3.1 INTRODUCTION
In Excel, you may present your data analysis reports in a variety of ways. Your audience will immediately
grasp what you want to portray in the data if your data analysis results can be displayed as charts that
emphasise the significant points in the data. It also has a positive effect on the way you present.
Charts are used in Excel to create a graphical representation of any data set. A chart is a visual depiction
of data that uses symbols such as bars in a Bar Chart or lines in a Line Chart to represent the data.
You can choose from a variety of chart kinds in Excel, or you can use the Excel Chart Wizard to create
your own. It also provides various tools that allow you to perform various actions on a chart, such as
specifying chart title, axis title, legends, etc. In addition, you can convert a chart from one type to
another type.

3.2 CUSTOMISE CHART LAYOUT

After selecting an appropriate chart type for your data, you can use the various options to work with
the chart and add various elements to it. A chart element enhances the look of the chart and also helps
in making its content easily readable. Chart elements can be selected through the various chart options
available for a particular chart.
Some chart elements are as follows:
 X-axis: Refers to a horizontal axis, which is also known as the category axis
 Y-axis: Refers to a vertical axis, which is also known as value axis
 Data Label: Provides additional information about a value, that is coming from a worksheet cell
 Data Table: Refer to a set of data that you want to display in a chart
 Gridlines: Refer to the horizontal and vertical lines in a chart

3.2.1 Setting the Chart Title

A chart title can be defined as a label that represents the type of information your chart contains. The
title of the chart should be short and describe its main purpose.

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You can set a title for a chart by performing the following steps:
1. Select the chart whose title you want to set.
2. Click the down arrow of the Add Chart Element button under the Chart Layouts group of the Design
tab in the Chart Tools contextual tab.
A drop-down list appears.
3. Select the Above Chart option under the Chart Title category, as shown in Figure 1:

Figure 1: Selecting the Chart Title

A text box appears with the text Chart Title at the top of the chart, as shown in Figure 2:

Figure 2: Displaying the Text Box Representing the Chart Title

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4. Type the title of the chart in the Chart Title text box. In our case, we have typed Department Budget,
as shown in Figure 3:

Figure 3: Typing the Chart Title

3.2.2 Setting the Axis Title

The charts that you create in MS Excel can be either two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D). 2D
charts consist of the X-axis and Y-axis, where the X-axis is the horizontal axis that shows the categories of
data, and the Y-axis is the vertical axis that shows the numerical values against which the data categories
are measured. 3D charts have an additional axis called Z-axis that is used to show the depth of the third
dimension in the chart. Perform the following steps to set an axis title for a chart:
1. Select the chart whose axis title you want to set.
2. Click the down arrow of the Add Chart Element button under the Chart Layouts group of the Design
tab in the Chart Tools contextual tab.
A drop-down list appears.
3. Select the Primary Horizontal option under the Axis Titles category, as shown in Figure 4:

Figure 4: Selecting the Axis Title

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 The Axis Title text box appears below the chart, as shown in Figure 5:

Figure 5: Displaying the Text Box Representing the Axis Title

4. Type the axis title of the chart in the Axis Title text box. In our case, we have typed Budget and
Expenses, as shown in Figure 6:

Figure 6: Typing the Axis Title

3.2.3 Setting the Legend

A legend is used to identify various data series in a chart.

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 Did You Know?
By default, the legend is displayed at the bottom side of the chart.
Perform the following steps to set a legend in a chart:
1. Select the chart in which you want to set the legend.
2. Click the down arrow of the Add Chart Element button under the Chart Layouts group of the Design
tab in the Chart Tools contextual tab.
A drop-down list appears.
3. Select the Top option under the Legend category, as shown in Figure 7:

Figure 7: Selecting the Legend Position

The legend appears on the top of the chart, as shown in Figure 8:

Figure 8: Displaying Legend at Specified Position

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 3.3 CUSTOMISE CHART STYLE
Charts are a more effective way of expressing information. Creating a chart is simple, but matching
the chart’s aesthetic is difficult. A proper style delivers more beneficial for expressing data, alternative
charts to be employed, according to the data set. Simple styles are the most popular, as they provide
better clarity to your data. There are various types of charts available to visualise your data, as well as
additional styles to make the charts more effective. You can utilise the standard layout styles or change
the chart styles. The different styles will be presented immediately next to the chart type once you select
it. Now, perform the following steps to customise the chart style:
1. Select the chart whose style you want to modify.
2. Click the More button under the Chart Styles group of the Chart Design tab in the Chart Tools
contextual tab.
A drop-down list appears that shows the various chart style.
3. Select the desires chart style from the drop-down list, as shown in Figure 9:

Figure 9: Displaying Chart Style

The selected style is applied to chart.
4. Click the Change Color button under the Chart Styles group of the Chart Design tab in the Chart
Tools contextual tab.
A drop-down list appears that shows the various chart color.
5. Select the desires colour from the drop-down list that you want to apply on the chart, as shown in
Figure 10:

Figure 10: Selecting Chart Color

The chart is displayed with the selected color.

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3.4 CONFIGURING CHART FORMAT
Microsoft Excel allows you to format the chart elements, such as chart area, plot area, data series, axes,
titles, data labels, and legend individually. In Excel, you can format the chart element by two ways,
which are as follows:
 By using the Format task pane
 By using the Format tab of the Chart Tools contextual tab

3.4.1 The Format Task Pane

Perform the following steps to use the Format task pane to format chart:
1. Right-click the chart or any element of the chart that you want to format. In our case, we have
selected Plot Area.
A context menu appears.
2. Select the Format Plot Area option from the context menu.
The Format Plot Area task pane appears, as shown in Figure 11:

Figure 11: Displaying the Format Plot Area Task Pane

Note that, the Format option in the context menu and the Format task pane change according to the
selected chart element. Now, you can format the plot area of the chart by specifying the border and color
settings in the Format Plot Area task pane. Similarly, you can format the other elements of the chart.

3.4.2 The Format Tab

Perform the following steps to use the Format tab pane to format chart:
1. Select the chart or any element of the chart that you want to format.

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 The Chart Tools contextual tab appears with the Chart Design and Format tabs.
2. Click the Format tab in the Chart Tools contextual tab.
The options of the Format tab displayed, as shown in Figure 12:

Figure 12: Displaying the Format Tab

Now, you can format the chart by specifying the different settings or options in the Format tab.

3.5 CONVERTING A CHART TYPE INTO ANOTHER CHART TYPE

Suppose you find that your data does not suit the chart that you have created. In such cases, MS Excel
provides you the facility to switch to another chart type that suits your data.
You can convert a chart type into another chart type by performing the following steps:
1. Select the chart that you want to convert.
2. Click the Change Chart Type button under the Type group of the Chart Design tab in the Chart
Tools contextual tab.
The Change Chart Type dialog box appears with the All Charts tab selected by default.
3. Select a chart category from the list of chart category names displayed on the left side of the dialog
box. In our case, we have selected the Bar category.
4. Select a chart type from the list of available chart types. In our case, we have selected the Clustered
Bar chart type.

5. Click the OK button, as shown in Figure 13:

Figure 13: Selecting the Chart Type

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The chart type of the selected chart converts to the Clustered Bar chart type, as shown in Figure 14:

Figure 14: Displaying the Chart

3.6 ADDING SECONDARY AXIS

Display one or even more set of data on an additional vertical axis whenever the values in a chart vary
substantially through one set of data to next, or even if you have various forms of data. The value for the
related set of data is represented by the scale of the secondary vertical axis. The best-suited example of
the secondary axis is the chart that combines column and line charts.
The steps to add the secondary axis are as follows:
1. Select a chart in a worksheet
When you select the chart that Chart Tools contextual tab appears with the Chart Design and Format
tabs.
2. Click the Change Chart Type button under the Type group of the Chart Design tab in the Chart
Tools contextual tab.
The Change Chart Type dialog box appears with the All Charts tab selected by default.
3. Select a chart category from the list of chart category names displayed on the left side of the dialog
box. In our case, we have selected the Combo category.
4. Select a chart type from the list of available chart types. In our case, we have selected Cluster
Column - Line on Secondary Axis chart type.
5. Select the check box below the Secondary Axis section for the data series you want to show.
6. Select the drop-down arrow under the Chart Type section. A drop-down list appears.
7. Select the Line option from the drop-down list.

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8. Click the OK button, as shown in Figure 15:

Figure 15: Specifying Secondary Axis

Now, the chart displays the secondary axis.

3.7 CREATING AND APPLYING CUSTOM CHART TEMPLATES

A chart template is a file that saves the colours, design, style, and other parameters of a previously
created chart so that it can be reused in the future. In short, it allows you to reuse the same chart
settings to both new and existing charts in only just few clicks, saving you precious time of having to
rebuild it each time.
The steps to create a chart template is as follows:
1. Right-click the chart whose template you want to create.
A context menu appears.

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2. Select the Save as Template option from the context menu, as shown in Figure 16:

Figure 16: Selecting a Save as Template Option

The Save Chart Template dialog box appears.
3. Type the desired name for the template in the File name combo box. In our case, we have typed
Chart Template.
4. Click the Save button to save the chart template, as shown in Figure 17:

Figure 17: Saving the Chart Template

The chart template is saved and displayed in the Template category of the Change Chart Type dialog
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 box, as shown in Figure 18:

Figure 18: Displaying the Created Chart Template

When you’re using a chart template to create a chart in some other worksheet, the new chart inherits
the chart template’s colours rather than the colours of the current document style.
If you want to use the document theme in place of the chart template, in such a case, you need to right-
click the chart area and then select the Reset to Match Style option from the context menu.

3.7.1 Creating a PivotTable Chart on the Basis of a PivotTable Report

MS Excel provides the facility to use the advanced features of a PivotTable to prepare PivotTable charts
on the basis of a PivotTable report. The process of generating a PivotTable chart is almost similar to the
process of generating a chart on simple worksheet data. You can use a PivotTable chart to visualise the
summary data in a PivotTable report and easily see comparisons, patterns, and trends.
You can create a PivotTable chart on the basis of a PivotTable report by performing the following steps:
1. Select a PivotTable report that you want to use to create a PivotTable chart.
2. Click the upper part of the PivotChart button under the Charts group of the Insert tab.

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3. The Insert Chart dialog box appears.

4. Select the desired chart category for creating a PivotChart. In our case, we have selected the Column
chart category.
The subcategories of the Column chart category are displayed on the right side in the Insert Chart
dialog box.
5. Select the desired subcategory. In our case, we have selected the 3-D 100% Stacked Column
subcategory.
6. Click the OK button.
A PivotTable chart of the specified chart style representing the values of the PivotTable report
appears on the worksheet, as shown in Figure 19:

Figure 19: Displaying the PivotTable Chart

3.7.2 Creating a Standalone PivotChart

Standalone PivotChart features allow you to create a PivotChart without creating a PivotTable. So, if
your data is ready, you can directly create a Pivot Chart to analyse the data.
You can create a standalone PivotChart in a worksheet by performing the following steps:
1. Open a new or existing workbook that contains data. In our case, we have opened an existing
workbook named Sales Analysis.
2. Click the upper part of the PivotChart button under the Charts group of the Insert tab.
The Create PivotChart dialog box appears.
3. Select the cell range from the worksheet on which you want to apply the PivotChart feature. In our
case, we have selected the cell range A2:E7. The address of the selected cell range appears in the
Select a Table/Range text box.

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 Note: When you select a cell or cell range in a worksheet, the Create PivotChart dialog box closes
and the Create PivotTable dialog box appears.

4. Select a radio button to specify the location where you want to place the PivotChart. In our case, we
have selected the New Worksheet radio button in the Choose where you want the PivotChart to be
placed section.
5. Click the OK button.
A new worksheet named Sheet4 is inserted in the workbook. The new worksheet contains the
PivotChart Fields list pane on the right side and the PivotTable and chart on the left side of the
worksheet. The PivotChart Fields list pane displays the column headings (fields) present in the
selected range under the Choose fields to add to report section.
6. Select the check box of the field that you want to add to the PivotTable, from the Choose fields to add
to report section in the PivotChart Fields list pane. In our case, we have selected the Branch Name
check box.
The data under the selected check box is displayed in the PivotTable.
Similarly, you can select check boxes of the other fields that you want to add to the PivotTable. In our
case, we have selected the Q1 Sales, Q2 Sales, Q3 Sales, and Q4 Sales check boxes.
The PivotChart is displayed on the worksheet along with the PivotTable, as shown in Figure 20:

Figure 20: Displaying the Standalone PivotChart

3.8 STOCK CHART

This chart is used to show the fluctuations of stock prices. However, this chart can also be used to
represent scientific data. It is important to organize the data of the stock chart very carefully. A Stock
chart has the following sub-categories:
 High-Low-Close: This chart needs three series of values within the following order - High, Low, and
Close.

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 Open-High-Low-Close: This chart needs four series of values within the following order: Open, High,
Low, and Close.
 Volume-High-Low-Close: This chart needs four series of values within the following order: Volume,
High, Low, and Close.

 Volume-Open-High-Low-Close: This chart needs 5 series of values within the following order:Volume,
Open, High, Low and Close.

The steps to create a stock chart are as follows:

1. Select the data in the worksheet whose stock chart you want to create.
2. Select the Insert Waterfall, Funnel, Stock, Surface or Radar Chart option under the Charts group of
the Insert tab.
A drop-down list appears.
3. Select the Volume-High-Low-Close option in the Stock category in the drop-down list, as shown in
Figure 21:

Figure 21: Selecting the Volume-High-Low-Close Option

The chart is created and displayed in the worksheet, as shown in Figure 22:

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 Figure 22: Displaying the Stock Chart

3.9 LAB EXERCISE

1. Creating a PivotTable and PivotCharts to analyse the results.
The steps to create a PivotTable are as follows:
1. Open a new or existing workbook that contains data.
2. Click the PivotTable button under the Tables group of the Insert tab.
The Create PivotTable dialog box appears.
3. Select a cell range from the worksheet on which you want to apply the PivotTable tool.
4. Select a radio button to specify the location where you want to place the PivotTable. In our case,
we have selected the New Worksheet radio button in the Choose where you want the PivotTable
report to be placed section. Click the OK button, as shown in Figure 23:
Figure 23: Displaying the Create PivotTable Dialog Box
A new worksheet named Sheet3 is inserted in the workbook. The new worksheet contains the
PivotTable Fields list pane on the right side and the PivotTable on the left side. The PivotTable
Fields list pane displays the column headings (fields) present in the selected range under the
Choose fields to add to report section and four areas under the Drag fields between areas
below section with the following labels:
 Filters: Displays the fields based on which you want to filter the PivotTable report
 Columns: Displays the data of a field horizontally, with one field per column

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  Rows: Displays the data of a field vertically, with one field per row
 Values: Displays the summary of numeric data
In addition, a contextual tab named PivotTable Tools is displayed and contains the Analyze and
Design tabs. These tabs include buttons to help you work with the PivotTable.
5. Select the check box of the field that you want to add to the PivotTable, from the Choose fields to
add to report section in the PivotTable Fields list pane.
The data under the selected check box is displayed in the PivotTable.
Similarly, you can select check boxes of the other fields that you want to add to the PivotTable,
as shown in Figure 24:

Figure 24: Displaying the Created PivotTable

You can create a PivotTable chart on the basis of a PivotTable report by performing the following
steps:
1. Select a PivotTable report that you want to use to create a PivotTable chart.
2. Click the upper part of the PivotChart button under the Charts group of the Insert tab.
The Insert Chart dialog box appears.
3. Select the desired chart category for creating a PivotChart.
The subcategories of the selected category are displayed on the right side in the Insert Chart
dialog box.
4. Select the desired subcategory.
5. Click the OK button.

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 A PivotTable chart of the specified chart style representing the values of the PivotTable
report appears on the worksheet, as shown in Figure 25:

Figure 25: Displaying the PivotTable Chart

Conclusion 3.10 CONCLUSION

 In Excel, you may present your data analysis reports in a variety of ways.
 Charts are used in Excel to create a graphical representation of any data set.
 A chart is a visual depiction of data that uses symbols such as bars in a Bar Chart or lines in a Line
Chart to represent the data.
 A chart element enhances the look of the chart and also helps in making its content easily readable.
 Chart elements can be selected through the various chart options available for a particular chart.
 A chart title can be defined as a label that represents the type of information your chart contains.
 The charts that you create in MS Excel can be either two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D).
 A legend is used to identify various data series in a chart.
 Microsoft Excel allows you to format the chart elements, such as chart area, plot area, data series,
axes, titles, data labels, and legend individually.
 Display one or even more set of data on an additional vertical axis whenever the values in a chart
vary substantially through one set of data to next, or even if you have various forms of data. The
value for the related set of data is represented by the scale of the secondary vertical axis.
 A chart template is a file that saves the colours, design, style, and other parameters of a previously
created chart so that it can be reused in the future.

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 MS Excel provides the facility to use the advanced features of a PivotTable to prepare PivotTable
charts on the basis of a PivotTable report.
 Standalone PivotChart features allow you to create a PivotChart without creating a PivotTable.
 Stock chart is used to show the fluctuations of stock prices.

3.11 GLOSSARY

 Chart: A visual representation of numeric data that helps the user understand the data better
 Chart Title: The type of data plotted in a chart
 Axes Titles: The names or titles for X, Y and Z axes
 Legend: Shows different data series with the help of a unique color pattern
 X-axis: A horizontal axis that is also known as category axis
 Y-axis: A vertical axis that is also known as the value axis
 Data Series: A set of data that you want to display in a chart
 Gridlines: Horizontal and vertical lines within the plot area in a chart
 Data Label: Additional information about a value that is coming from a worksheet cell

3.12 SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

A. Essay Type Questions

1. Discuss the term chart element.
2. Explain chart style. Also, write the procedure to customise chart style.
3. Why the secondary axis is/are added to the chart?
4. What do you understand by chart template? List down the steps to create a chart template.
5. What do you understand by stock chart? Also, discuss the types of stock chart.

3.13 ANSWERS AND HINTS FOR SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

A. Hints for Essay Type Questions

1. A chart element enhances the look of the chart and also helps in making its content easily readable.
Chart elements can be selected through the various chart options available for a particular chart.
Refer to Section Customise Chart Layout
2. Charts are a more effective way of expressing information. Creating a chart is simple, but matching
the chart’s aesthetic is difficult. A proper style delivers more beneficial for expressing data,
alternative charts to be employed, according to the data set. Simple styles are the most popular, as
they provide better clarity to your data. Refer to Section Customise Chart Style
3. Display one or even more set of data on an additional vertical axis whenever the values in a chart
vary substantially through one set of data to next, or even if you have various forms of data. The
value for the related set of data is represented by the scale of the secondary vertical axis. The best-

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 suited example of the secondary axis is the chart that combines column and line charts. Refer to
Section Adding Secondary Axis
4. A chart template is a file that saves the colors, design, style, and other parameters of a previously
created chart so that it can be reused in the future. In short, it allows you to reuse the same chart
settings to both new and existing charts in only just few clicks, saving you precious time of having
to rebuild it each time. Refer to Section Creating and Applying Custom Chart Templates
5. This chart is used to show the fluctuations of stock prices. However, this chart can also be used to
represent scientific data. It is important to organize the data of the stock chart very carefully. Refer
to Section Stock Chart

@ 3.14 POST-UNIT READING MATERIAL

 https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/format-elements-of-a-chart-b6c787d5-f90a-41d2-a901-
9d3ed9f0dbf0
 https://www.excel-easy.com/examples/pivot-chart.html

3.15 TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION FORUMS

 Discuss with your friends about how to customise the chart elements and configure the chart style.
Also, discuss the process to create a PivotChart and its advantages.

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