Pie
Charts
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Displaying values
If you are using Excel in your everyday office work, you
will probably be using the program for data inputs, calculations
and such like but not everyone is aware of how to go about
displaying the entered data graphically in the form of a pie
chart for example.
Here is a quick guide to creating
a pie chart from the data in your spreadsheet:
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- To create a pie chart you first need to have a set of
data values, this means that if for example we were looking
at a class of 40 children and their Chocolate preferences
you would have data that looks something like this:
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- You can enter these values as above in rows or in columns,
with the names of the chocolates on the one side and the number
of children that eat the chocolate in the adjoining cell.
- To create you pie chart highlight the cells which contain your
data; select Insert from the tabs in the Excel toolbar.
- Select Chart... from the drop down menu, you will see a dialog
box with the title 'Chart Wizard – Step 1 of 4 – Chart
Type'.
- This dialog will have a scroll menu with Chart Type options
and a box on the right of that with Chart Subtype.
- Select pie chart from the Chart Type list, you will notice
that the box on the right changes to show the various chart subtypes
that you get for a pie chart these are:
- pie: displays the contribution of each value to a total
- exploding pie chart: displays the contribution of each
value to a total while emphasizing individual values
- pie chart with 3-D visual effect
- pie of pie: with user defined values extracted and combined
into a second pie
- exploded pie with a 3-D visual effect
- bar of pie: with user defined values extracted and combined
into a stacked bar
- For the purpose of this exercise select the first pie chart
subtype
- Click and hold the button at the bottom of the dialog box
that says 'Press and hold to view sample' to see a preview
of how your pie chart will look.
- Click Next
- The title of the dialog box will now read 'Chart Wizard
– Step 2 of 4 – Chart Source Data'. Here is where
you make sure that you have selected the right data that you
wish to make into a pie chart. If you have not selected the
right data the button that is next to the Data range form
box, this will allow you to reselect the correct information.
- Under the Data range option there is Series in: where you
have to select Rows or Columns; depending on how you type
your information.
- Click Next
- The title of the dialog box will now read 'Chart Wizard
– Step 3 of 4 – Chart Options' here you will have
3 tabs that you can use to optimize your pie chart.
- Titles: here you will be able to give your pie chart a
title, eg. Class of 40 students chocolate preferences.
- Legend: Here you can select where in relation to the pie
chart you would like to have the legend displayed; top, bottom,
left or right.
- Data labels, this tab allows you to select whether or not
you would (in this example) prefer the names of the chocolates
to be displayed, the values, ie the number of children and
the percentages displayed.
- Click Next
- The title of the dialog box will now read 'Chart Wizard
– Step 3 of 4 – Chart Location' this dialog box
enables you to decide whether you want the pie chart to be
entered as a new worksheet or as an object in an existing
sheet.
- Click Finish
- Your pie chart will now be displayed either in a new spreadsheet
or as an object in an existing spreadsheet.
Always keep in mind that when you change the values of the data
that correlates with the pie chart the values in the pie chart will
automatically change. For more information and training on pie charts
and Excel contact Miricle Solutions today or visit their website
at www.auditexcel.co.za
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