This is Stephanie from StatisticsHowTo.com,
and in this video I will be showing you how
to make a column chart in Excel 2013.
I have entered my data into two columns.
I have got some salary data for different
types of employees, from managers to sales
people.
First step is to select all of my data.
Next click the Insert tab.
And over here in the Charts area, select the
first icon, Insert Column Chart.
Click that down arrow right next to the Column
Chart icon.
And from here you can choose which type of
column chart you would like.
I am just going to go for a simple column
chart, right here.
And here is my column chart.
I do not really like the way these bars are
so spread out so I am going to move them closer
together.
Right click on the chart.
Click the Format Plot Area.
The Format Chart Area is going to open up
on the right hand side.
And this drop down menu that says Chart Options,
I want to change that to Series
Salary Average.
When I do that, it selects a series over here
so I know I am in the right place.
I do not want to go to Series Options.
There is this third icon, this three bars.
And down the bottom I have got my Series Overlap
and my Gap Width.
For my gap width, right now it is 219%.
That is what causing this massive gap over
here.
And it is 219% of the width of one of these
columns.
So I am going to change that to 50%.
And my bars look a lot better.
You can also toggle to the left here.
Just going to play around with this until
I get a slightly better graph.
I think 24% looks good.
You've got a whole slew of options over here.
You can add shadows, glow, soft edges.
Add a 10-point bottom bevel.
And a 10-point top bevel.
It is giving me a nice bevel on my chart.
And I am going to change this color.
I have given it a bit of a glow.
That looks a little more interesting now.
On this first icon you have got your fill
options.
If you wanted to do, say, a gradient or a
patent fill, that is where you would do it.
And you can also change your borders.
If you click this down arrow next to series options
you have got seven different options here
for the area, the title, and so on.
On the right of the graph you have a few more
options.
You have chart elements at the top.
If you wanted to remove elements like the
title or data labels.
This is where you can set chart styles.
And you can filter your data points and names
using that last icon.
I think one of the best features I love about
Excel charts is you can
go in and change your data and you do not
have to redo the whole chart.
Let us say I made a mistake in maintenance
personnel.
Actually, it is 32,223.
It automatically changes the maintenance bar
to go with the new data.
We have more options up here at the top, on
the Design and Format tabs.
In order to get these to show up, you need
to click on your graph.
I am just going to pick a different chart
style.
If you mouse over the chart styles, it will
give you a preview down the
bottom on the actual chart of what it looks
like.
I think I like this one.
If you are wondering how to get that window
back ,that we closed the Format Axis box.
Over here on the Add Chart Element, click
that drop down menu.
And say I wanted to do a little more work
on my axes.
I will click More Axis Options.
And that Format Axis box will open back up.
Or I can check the gridlines.
More Gridline Options, and there are my options.
That is how to make a column chart in Excel
2013.
Visit us at StatisticsHowTo.com for more Excel
tips and videos.
