This will be a lot of fun. We are now going to turn your spreadsheet numbers into graphics -- bar charts, pie charts, etc. This will greatly assist you when you display and explain your work.

Before we do this there are a couple of essential steps. First we have to tell the "Wizard" what we want to chart and then were we want the chart to go.

First: in cell B9 type in Income (to replace the word Total). Next type in Expenses in B17 for the same reason.

We’ll use the easiest method for our first chart (graph).

In the Menu Bar click-on to Insert, then in the menu that appears, click on Chart. The following window appears.

 

Chart Wizard now appears. The various types of charts show in Chart type: on the left. Examples of the selected chart type show on the right under Chart sub-type. We’ll stay with Column and the chart selected for now. Click on Next.

 

Wizard now shows you what your chart will look like. The "ranges" you selected originally are shown in the Data range: area. If you did not highlight as indicated, your chart won’t "look right." Your chart should look like the example above. If you click-on the Series tab at the top of the Wizard screen, you’ll see a new Wizard screen that shows you where the Income and Expenses series came from. Click-back on the Data range tab at the top. Now click-in the little circle in front of Columns. The Wizard will indicate that the chart has been "rotated" 90 degrees and thus the axis has changed. Click-back in the small circle in front of Rows. Click Next again.

Now the final step: Titles. Click-in the blank area under Chart Title. A flashing cursor will appear. Type in your name with an apostrophe (‘) s and the word Budget (ex. Janie's Budget). Now, click-in the area under Category (X) axis: and type in Months. Next, click-in the area under Value (Y) axis: and type in Dollars. You probably noticed that as you entered these titles, the chart in the area on the right of the Wizard changed to give you an "instant" view of your final chart. You will also notice that there are several tabs at the top of the Wizard. Click-on each of the tabs and see what "they do". Notice how some change axis and put in grid lines. The legend is the small box on the right, which indicates what the colors of the "bars" - click-on Next one last time.

 

This is the final Wizard. You’ll notice that it asks you where you want to put your chart. Since this is your first chart, it is best if you select As a new sheet: (see arrow above). This will put your chart on a new tab called Chart 1. Now click-on Finish, You’ll see that you chart has a tab of its own at the bottom of the screen, and "fills" an entire screen.

WOW!!!! There's your chart. Again, notice that Excel created a new tab at the bottom of the spreadsheet that says Chart 1. Any time the numbers change on the Sheet 1, the bars in the chart will reflect the change automatically. Click on the Sheet 1 and Chart 1 tabs to get the feel of going back and forth between the data and the chart. After you make your changes, click on the Chart 1 Tab and you’ll see how the chart has changed.