Modifying Charts

When the chart is selected, two context sensitive ribbon tabs appear at the top of the page called design and format. These can be found under the chart tools heading. If we click away from the chart, you will notice that the ribbons disappear, and if we click back onto the chart, you'll notice that the ribbons reappear. However, you may need to physically select one of the ribbons if it doesn't automatically show for you. The commands on this ribbon allow you to change your chart. If we wish to add further features to our chart, we can add what's called a chart element. On the design chart ribbon tab, clicking the add chart element will display a series of options. If, for example, I want to add an access title to the bottom or primary horizontal access, just simply click onto the options suggested, and then to change the title, simply highlight the data in the label and start typing. We can also add a vertical axis title. Again, alter the text by highlighting the text and typing a new name. 

Additional chart elements can be added such as data labels which can be placed in different places on the data. Or, we could add legends and place these in certain places on the chart. If we don't like anything, we can potentially move its position, as I'll do so with the label here on the right hand side. Or, I can remove data labels, if they're intrusive perhaps, and in this instance, I can add what is known as a data table, which will display the information beneath each of the columns we have in this chart. Instead of creating our own layout, we can create what's called a quick layout, by selecting the quick layout button here and making a selection of the layout style to see if it matches what we wish to display.