5. Sheets: Display Data in a Chart — Create, Insert, and Modify Charts, and Protect Sheets and Ranges

In the previous video, you created a table to analyze a segment of your data; in this case, shirts sold by size. In this video, you will analyze a new segment of your data: shirts sold by design. You could create another table to display this information. Or, you could display your data as a chart.

Charts are visual representations of data. They show different data points in comparison with other points of data, as in a bar graph... How data changes over time, as in a timeline...

Or data points as parts of a whole, as with pie charts.

To start, select your entire table except for the totals column. Your totals will show automatically. And insert a chart.

The best type of chart for your data is often suggested for you, but you can choose any type of chart you’d like. For this lesson, choose a stacked column chart.

A stacked column chart is useful for showing a total amount and smaller amounts within the total, such as the total number of shirts purchased and how many of each size.

Give your chart a title. Then change the font type...

size...

color...

And alignment.

Next, change the series settings.

Add total data labels, so it’s easy to see how many of each size of shirt was purchased.

Then update the formatting. Change the location of the legend...

And update the formatting of the text on each axis.

To keep your chart from covering your table, you could move it below the table, but you’ll have less visible space for more tables. Instead, move it to its own sheet.

Rename your sheet...

And change the color. Assign the same color as the sheet where the data is summarized.

To prevent anyone from making changes to your chart, protect it. You can protect an entire sheet or just a range of cells. Protect the entire sheet where your chart is located.

Great work! Now that you have a visual representation of your table, it’s easier for you and your collaborators to find specific information quickly. Plus, should you ever want to present your project, charts are useful tools for displaying numerical data in a simple format. Now, it’s your turn: Insert a stacked column chart, Label the chart and the columns, Change the formatting of the font, Move the chart to its own sheet, Rename the sheet, assign it a color, and protect it.