1. European Computer Driving Licence
Module 4 – Spreadsheets
Chapter 4.5 – Bar Charts

2. Charts
Charts are a very good way of presenting information that is easy to grasp immediately
All you need to do is type in some data into a worksheet and run the Chart wizard
For this chapter you will learn how to create and edit Bar Charts (Excel calls these Column charts)

3. Sorting data
Before you create your chart you may want to sort the data into a particular order (eg birds appear in alphabetical order)
Select the data to be sorted
Select Data then Sort from the menu bar
Select the column you want to sort and whether you want it in ascending or descending order
Next click on No header row (as you haven’t selected the column headings)
Click OK

4. Drawing a Bar Chart – Step 1
Select the cells to be charted (eg A4 through to C13)
Click the Chart Wizard icon on the Standard Toolbar
The Chart Wizard dialogue box appears (Step 1 of 4)
Select the type of chart to be created (eg Clustered Column)
Click here and hold down the left mouse button if you want a quick Preview.
Click Next button

5. Bar Chart Steps 2 and 3
You don’t need to do anything in Step 2 so click Next to continue
Step 3 appears
Type in the Chart title here (eg Decline in Songbirds ) – notice how the preview displays your text as you type it in.
Click Next to continue

6. Bar Chart Step 4
In Step 4 you can specify where you want the Chart to appear
As New Sheet will put the chart onto a separate sheet in the workbook
As Object in Sheet 1 will put the chart as an object in the sheet
Select the second option then click Finish

7. So far so good!

8. Moving and Sizing A Chart
You can move a chart so it doesn’t overlap the data
Click inside the Chart area and drag the chart below the data – a dashed outline will appear. As soon as it’s in the right place let go of the mouse button – the chart will move.
You can also make the chart bigger by dragging the bottom right-hand corner of the chart

9. Chart Titles and Axis Titles
To delete the chart title, click it and press Delete
To add it again, click inside the Chart area and select Chart then Chart Options from the menu bar
The Chart Options dialogue box will appear
From the Title tab you can add or change axis titles.

10. Changing the background colour
Place the cursor over the Plot Area (if you hover your mouse pointer a tool tip will appear)
Click the right mouse button – a shortcut menu appears
Select Format Plot Area from the menu
Select a new colour or any other options and click OK

11. Changing the Bar Colours
Move your mouse pointer over the bar you want to change
Click the right mouse button – select Format Data Series from the shortcut menu
The Format Data Series window appears – you can change the border around each bar or the fill colours of the bars
Repeat for the other bar series then click OK

12. And the finished result?