Datasheet

a chart resides in a single worksheet, but that’s not a strict requirement. As you’ll see, a
chart can use data that’s stored in any number of worksheets, and the worksheets can even
be in different workbooks.
A chart is essentially an “object” that Excel creates upon request. This object consists of
one or more data series, displayed graphically. The appearance of the data series depends
on the selected chart type. For example, if you create a line chart that uses two data series,
the chart contains two lines, and each line represents one data series. The data for each
series is stored in a separate row or column. Each point on the line is determined by the
value in a single cell, and is represented by a marker. You can distinguish the lines by their
thickness, line style, color, or data markers.
Figure 1-2 shows a line chart that plots two data series across a 6-year period. The series
are identified by using different data markers (squares versus circles), shown in the legend
at the bottom of the chart. The lines also use different colors, which is not apparent in the
grayscale figure.
Figure 1-2: This line chart displays two data series.
A key point to keep in mind is that charts are dynamic. In other words, a chart series is
linked to the data in your worksheet. If the data changes, the chart is updated automati-
cally to reflect those changes.
After you’ve created a chart, you can always change its type, change the formatting, add
new data series to it, or change an existing data series so that it uses data in a different
range.
Charts can reside in either of two locations in a workbook:
•
In a worksheet (an embedded chart)
•
On a separate chart sheet
Chapter 1: Introducing Excel Charts
Part I
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