Create Stunning Charts in Excel: Tips and Tricks from the Pros

Charts are the most powerful tool to visualize data in Excel. Excel charts provide various features to visualize data dynamically. By following simple tips and tricks, you can transform ordinary charts into stunning and professional ones. Charts represent data in a format that helps to grasp insights immediately. Charts help to present reports to executives, clients, and colleagues. This tutorial will show you tips and tricks to create stunning charts in Excel.

Step 1: Select Right Chart Type

It’s crucial to select the appropriate chart type based on your data and visualization type. Different dataset types require different types of charts.

1. Highlight your data.
2. Go to the Insert tab >> click on the Recommended Charts button.
3. Scroll through the recommended chart types, or you can select a specific chart;
   • Column or Bar Chart: Best for comparing categories like sales across regions.
   • Line Chart: Great for trends over time like monthly/yearly revenue growth.
   • Pie Chart: Ideal for showing proportions of share like market share.
   • Scatter Plot: Shows correlations between two variables.

Tip: If not necessary avoid using 3D charts as they can hamper data interpretation.

Step 2: Add and Format Data Labels

Adding data labels makes your charts more informative, you can add data labels directly to your chart. It indicates which axis presents which data.

1. Select your chart.
2. Click on the Chart Elements button (the plus icon next to the chart) >> select Data Labels.

For advanced customization:

• Click on Data Label >> then select More Options.
• Customize Label Options and Text Options from Format Data Labels.

Tip: Label only the most important data points if required otherwise the chart with labels can make it harder to read.

Step 3: Set Chart Style & Color for Consistent Formatting

You change your chart style and color. Chart style offers templated charts with formatting and a set of colors. Consistency in colors, fonts, and sizes will give your charts a polished and cohesive look. 

1. Select the Chart.
2. Click on the Chart Style (paintbrush icon on the right side of the chart)
3. From Style select chart style then from Color choose your desired color.
4. Choose no more than 3-4 colors to maintain a clean, professional aesthetic.

Excel offer Quick Layout:

• Go to the Chart Design tab >> from Quick Layout >> select any Layout.

Tip: Try to use proper eye-friendly color gradients that match the significance of the chart. Avoid using Excel’s default color scheme.

Step 4: Customize Chart Elements

To make your chart professional and readable to all you can customize chart elements like the axes, gridlines, title, etc.

1. Select the chart.
2. Click the Chart Elements button, it will show you all the elements.
   • Edit Chart and Axis Title: Add descriptive but concise chart and axis titles. Label the axis with proper units to clarify what each axis represents.
   • Gridlines: Remove gridlines for a cleaner look to focus on the data.
   • Legend: Adjust the legend’s position (e.g., top, bottom, right, or left) or remove it if unnecessary.

Tip: Use chart elements wisely. A clean chart design helps to get quick insights of important data points.

Step 5: Add Trendlines and Forecasting

If your dataset needs direction to forecast future values, you can use the trendlines that help to visualize the direction and rate of change in data.

1. Select your chart.
2. Click on the Chart Elements button (the plus icon next to the chart) >> select Add Trendline. Based on your dataset type select the trendline;
   • Linear: Best for consistent, straight-line relationships in data.
   • Exponential: It shows accelerating growth or decay of the data.
   • Linear Forecast: To predict future values based on past linear trends
   • Two Period Moving Average: Useful for smoothing short-term fluctuations to reveal long-term trends.
3. You can Display Equation on the Chart if you want the mathematical formula visible.

Tip: For sales and financial data use trendlines to highlight trends over time.

Step 6: Save Chart as Templates

If you use charts frequently you can create a template to give a signature look of yours. Do all customization in a standard chart then save it as a template to use it for further datasets and projects.

1. Right-click on your complete chart.
2. Select Save as Template.
3. Name the template and save it.

To reuse the template:

1. Go to Insert tab >> from Insert Chart dialog box >> click on All Charts >> from Templates >> select your saved template.

Tip: Templates help to maintain signature formatting across multiple charts, perfect for reports or presentations.

Step 7: Add Annotations for Visibility

Though chart elements provide various options it works for all the available data in the chart. Sometimes a simple chart may require specific points to be highlighted rather than all. You can add annotations to highlight specific data points or trends, outliers, or insights.

1. Select the chart.
2. Go to the Chart Design tab >> select Shapes or Text Box.
3. Place your annotation on the chart to highlight specific points or trends.
4. You can use arrows or callouts to direct attention to specific areas in your chart, such as a sharp increase or sudden dip.

Tip: Keep annotations concise, simple, and relevant, and make sure they don’t overcrowd the chart.

Step 8: Use Sparklines for Mini Chart

If your dataset doesn’t require a traditional chart format, then you can choose sparklines to create tiny charts within a cell that give a quick visual summary of your data. Sparklines also supports different types of charts.

1. Select the data you want to visualize.
2. Go to the Insert tab >> from Sparklines >> select Line, Column, or Win/Loss.
3. Select a location then place them next to your data to create mini charts.

Tip: To track simple trends quickly in a cell sparklines are the best.

Step 9: Utilize the Power of PivotCharts 

PivotCharts are powerful tools for analyzing and summarizing large datasets dynamically. It creates stunning charts with filter options.

1. Create a PivotTable from your dataset.
2. Go to Insert tab >> select PivotChart.
3. Choose the chart type that best fits your data analysis needs.

Tip: While creating interactive dashboards try to use PivotCharts with slicers and filters that updates any changes in data dynamically.

Step 10: Review and Revise for Clarity

Review your chart for clarity and impact. Explore Excel’s built-in charts to find the correct one. Adjust layout, colors, and labels as needed to ensure your data is represented stunningly. While creating charts remember less is more. Focus on the communication, analysis, and insight data will be represented through charts.

• Remember to clean the data before creating charts.
• Format Dates and Numbers if necessary by using Format Cells option.

Tip: Take feedback from colleagues or users to see if the chart effectively communicates the intended insights.

Conclusion

All the mentioned steps will help you to create stunning charts. By exploring all the features of charts, you can transform your Excel charts into stunning, professional-quality visuals. Charts must be readable and easily understandable. Practice these techniques, and feel free to experiment with different customization options to find what works best for your specific needs.