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Insert a Chart in PowerPoint – Instructions

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How to Insert a Chart in PowerPoint: Video

            This video lesson, titled “Inserting Charts,” shows how to insert a chart in PowerPoint. This video is from our complete PowerPoint tutorial, titled “Mastering PowerPoint Made Easy v.2019 and 365.”

Overview of How to Insert a Chart in PowerPoint:

            To insert a chart in PowerPoint directly into a slide, click the “Insert” tab in the Ribbon. Then click the “Chart” button in the “Illustrations” button group. Alternatively, to add a chart to a slide content placeholder in PowerPoint, click the “Insert Chart” button in the slide content placeholder. Performing either action then opens the “Insert Chart” dialog box.

            To select the type of chart to insert, click a chart type at the left side of the “Insert Chart” dialog box. The selected chart type’s subtypes then appear in a list at the top of the pane to the right. Click to select the specific type of chart subtype to insert from this list. Your selected chart subtype then appears below the list. Finally, click the “OK” button to insert the selected chart into the slide and show the chart’s source data in an Excel worksheet.

            Next, enter the data to chart into the Excel worksheet. If desired, to instead edit the Excel chart data directly in Excel, click the “Edit Data in Microsoft Excel” button in the Title Bar of the Excel worksheet window. If desired, you can easily copy data to chart from an external Excel workbook and then paste it into either Excel workbook in PowerPoint. After entering the chart’s data, then close the Excel worksheet by clicking the “X” button in its upper-right corner. Your chart and its data then appear in your slide.

            When you select a chart in a PowerPoint slide, PowerPoint shows the “Chart Design” and “Format” contextual tabs in the Ribbon. You can use the buttons in the button groups on these contextual tabs to edit and format the chart and its chart elements, just as you would in Excel.

A picture showing how to insert a chart in PowerPoint and select its chart type in the “Insert Chart” dialog box.

A picture showing how to insert a chart in PowerPoint and select its chart type in the “Insert Chart” dialog box.

            If needed, to edit the chart’s data again, select the chart. Then click the “Edit Data” drop-down button in the “Data” button group on the “Chart Design” contextual tab of the Ribbon. Then select either the “Edit Data” command to edit the data in the Excel worksheet in PowerPoint or the “Edit Data in Excel” command to edit the chart’s data directly in Excel. After making your changes, then close the workbook again.

Instructions on How to Insert a Chart in PowerPoint:

  1. To insert a chart in PowerPoint directly into a slide, click the “Chart” button in the “Illustrations” button group on the “Insert” tab of the Ribbon.
  2. Alternatively, to add a chart to a slide content placeholder in PowerPoint, click the “Insert Chart” button in the slide content placeholder.
  3. Performing either action then opens the “Insert Chart” dialog box.
  4. To select the type of chart to insert, click a chart type at the left side of the “Insert Chart” dialog box.
  5. The selected chart type’s subtypes then appear in a list at the top of the pane to the right.
  6. Click to select the specific type of chart subtype to insert from this list.
  7. Your selected chart subtype then appears below the list.
  8. Finally, click the “OK” button to insert the selected chart into the slide and show the chart’s source data in an Excel worksheet.
  9. Next, enter the data to chart into the Excel worksheet.
  10. If desired, to instead edit the Excel chart data directly in Excel, click the “Edit Data in Microsoft Excel” button in the Title Bar of the Excel worksheet window.
  11. If desired, you can easily copy data to chart from an external Excel workbook and then paste it into either Excel workbook in PowerPoint.
  12. After entering the chart’s data, then close the Excel worksheet by clicking the “X” button in its upper-right corner.
  13. Your chart and its data then appear in your slide.
  14. After selecting a chart in a PowerPoint slide, PowerPoint shows the “Chart Design” and “Format” contextual tabs in the Ribbon. You can use the buttons in the button groups on these contextual tabs to edit and format the chart and its chart elements, just as you would in Excel.

Instructions on How to Edit Chart Data in PowerPoint:

  1. To edit a chart’s data in PowerPoint, select the chart.
  2. Then click the “Edit Data” drop-down button in the “Data” button group on the “Chart Design” contextual tab of the Ribbon.
  3. Then select either the “Edit Data” command to edit the data in the Excel worksheet in PowerPoint or the “Edit Data in Excel” command to edit the chart’s data directly in Excel.
  4. After making your changes, then close the workbook again.
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