Objective 3.2 Insert and format charts

  • 3.2.1 Create and import charts
  • 3.2.2 Change the chart type, layout, and elements
  • 3.2.3 Format charts

3.2 Contents

3.2.3 Format charts

You can modify and format a chart to get the effect you want. If you don’t want to spend a lot of time on individual chart elements, you can apply styles (predefined combinations of formatting) to the chart area (the entire chart) to create sophisticated charts with a minimum of effort.

Quick Styles include the following:

  • Chart styles Combinations of data marker, wall, and floor fill colors, background color, and bevel effects
  • Shape styles Combinations of shape fills, shape outlines, and shape effects
  • WordArt styles Combinations of text fills, text outlines, and text effects

You can also apply shape style and WordArt style components individually, both to the chart area and to a selected chart element.

In addition to using styles and style components, you can fine-tune the formatting of a selected chart element in its Format pane. Each type of element has a specific Format pane. Most Format panes have multiple pages presenting options such as:

  • Chart area You can specify the background fill, the border color and style, effects such as shadows and edges, the 3-D format and rotation, and the size and position. You can also attach text to be displayed when someone points to the chart.
  • Plot area You can specify the background fill, the border color and style, effects such as shadows and edges, and the 3-D format and rotation.
  • Data markers You can specify the background fill, the border color and style, effects such as shadows and edges, and the 3-D format. You can also precisely determine the gap between data points.
  • Legend You can specify the background fill, the border color and style, and effects such as shadows and edges. You can also specify the legend’s position and whether it can overlap the chart.
  • Axes You can specify the background fill, the line color and style, effects such as shadows and edges, and the 3-D format and rotation. For the category axis, you can also specify the scale, add or remove tick marks, adjust the label position, and determine the starting and maximum values. You can set the number format (such as currency or percentage), and set the axis label alignment.
  • Gridlines You can set the line color, line style, and effects such as shadows and edges.
  • Data table You can specify the background fill, the border color and style, effects such as shadows and edges, and the 3-D format. You can also set table borders.
  • Titles You can specify the background fill, the border color and style, effects such as shadows and edges, and the 3-D format. You can also set the title’s alignment, direction, and angle of rotation.

To apply a chart style to a selected chart

  • On the Design tool tab, in the Chart Styles gallery, click the style you want.

To apply a shape style to a selected chart component

  • On the Format tool tab, in the Shape Styles gallery, click the style you want.

To apply shape style components to a selected chart component

  • In the Shape Styles group, click the Shape Fill, Shape Outline, or Shape Effects button, and then click the option you want.

To apply a WordArt style to the text in a selected chart

  • On the Format tool tab, in the WordArt Styles gallery, click the style you want.

To apply WordArt style components to a selected chart component

  • In the WordArt Styles group, click the Text Fill, Text Outline, or Text Effects button, and then click the option you want.

To display the Format pane for a chart element

  • If the element is easy to identify, simply double-click it.
  • Right-click the element, and then click Format Element.
  • At the top of an open Format pane, click the downward-pointing triangle to the right of the Options label, and then click the element for which you want to display the Format pane.

Or

  1. If you have trouble double-clicking a smaller chart element, on the Format tool tab, in the Current Selection group, display the Chart Elements list, and then click the element you want.
  2. In the Current Selection group, click the Format Selection button.

Tip: To display the Format Major Gridlines pane, right-click any gridline, and then click Format Gridlines. To display the Format Data Table pane, right-click the selected data table, and then click Format Data Table.

Clicking the Label Options arrow displays a menu of labels you can format