Excel provides a range of automated functions for working with these stored data values, including the chart function. Once data is stored in an Excel spreadsheet, anyone with access to that spreadsheet can manipulate the data in order to analyze and communicate its meaning. The charting function can be a key element in these processes.
Visualization
Excel charts allow spreadsheet administrators to create visualizations of data sets. By highlighting a set of data within an Excel spreadsheet and feeding it into the charting tool, users can create various types of charts in which the data is displayed in a graphical way. This can aid understanding of a data set, as well as communication of it, with Excel charts suitable for use within management or corporate presentations. A chart can create a clearer picture of a set of data values than a table with rows of numbers in it, allowing managers to incorporate this understanding into analysis and future planning.
Automation
The Excel application automates the process of generating charts from existing data sets. If a spreadsheet already contains updated data, the chart function can transform this data into a chart with a minimal amount of user input. The Recommended Charts tool in Excel is a key part of this process. Using the chart function, spreadsheet administrators can generate a chart in a few clicks, choosing a chart type, as well as options such as labels, axes and titles.
Customization
The chart function in Excel enables users to strike a balance between automation and customization. Although the program can generate a chart quickly and easily, the user is also able to assert control over many chart details if necessary. As well as customizing the data presented within a chart, users can finely tweak the chart options to any detail. Charts in Excel can also be altered after they have been initially generated, by selecting a chart and choosing from the available options to amend the chart type, data or other details.
Integration
If a business or other organization is using spreadsheet data managed within Excel, using the chart function within Excel aids integration of the data. For example, when an Excel spreadsheet generates a chart from the data within a worksheet, the chart will automatically update whenever the data itself is edited. This allows business managers and administrators to manage their data and visualizations within a single application, with the results updating instantly.
