Creating Charts

A chart turns grid numbers into bars or lines governors grasp faster than twenty cells.

Dr. Helen Marsh opens NorthgateBudget.xlsx before a meeting. The BudgetChart tab shows all five departments and four quarters — no scrolling past raw cells in B2:E6.

Charts read cell values. The numbers are typed in the grid first — then you select A1:E6 and insert a chart.

On Budgets, select A1:E6 — include the header row and all five departments.

Headers become category labels. Numbers become chart values.

Do not include column F (annual totals) yet — four quarter series are enough for the first chart.

If you select A2:E6 only, the legend shows Series 1, Series 2 instead of Q1, Q2. Always include row 1 headers — Excel uses them for axis and legend labels.

Insert tab → Charts group → Column icon (or Insert → Recommended Charts). Choose Clustered Column — one group per department, four bars per group (Q1–Q4). Click OK.

Expected result: A chart object appears on the sheet, floating over the grid.

Insert → Recommended Charts may suggest Clustered Column immediately for A1:E6 — same result as picking Column manually.

With the chart selected, Chart Design appears on the Ribbon:

• Chart Styles — pick a school-friendly colour set
• Switch Row/Column — swaps whether departments or quarters are the legend (try both)
• Location → Move Chart — moves to BudgetChart sheet

Science's Q4 bar should be the tallest single quarter — a visual check against 19000 in cell E4.

Click the chart border to select it. Chart Design → Location → Move Chart (or right-click → Move Chart).

Choose New sheet. Name it BudgetChart. Click OK.

Expected result: A BudgetChart tab shows the full chart without covering cells.

Dr. Helen Marsh can open BudgetChart at governors' meetings without scrolling past raw figures.

Click a single bar to select one quarter for one department — useful before applying an accent colour to highlight Science Q4.