Tips on Chart Construction in PowerPoint

• Click on Chart Icon to get the chart and data sheet
• Fill in the data sheet first
• Label the rows and columns by clicking on them and typing in the label you want.
  You can disable a row or column by double-clicking on the ABCD-etc for columns, or the 1234-etc for rows. It will turn black then gray, when you close the datasheet your change will be reflected in the chart.
• To re-enable the row or column, double click on it again
• Just fill in the cells to input the data you want on a chart
• Note: when working on a chart you are in what I call the "Chart View." There are different buttons across the top "Standard Toolbar." When you're done with the "Chart View," click your mouse off to the side of the PowerPoint slide and it will return to the normal slide view. To get back into it again, double click on the chart.

Here's what the Chart View buttons are, from the left:

• Format Chart Area
• Import File
• View Datasheet: to see the data sheet when you are in chart view, once you have closed it.
• By Row
• By Column
• Data Table: To include the datasheet on the slide with the chart
• Chart Type--two buttons, one for one chart type, and the other to access all the others.
• Category axis gridlines. To adjust this, click on the button, then on the gridline, and a DB will open.
• Value Axis gridlines. To adjust this, click on the button, then on the gridline, and a DB will open.
• Legend--this will include or not include the legend on the chart slide
• Drawing--this activates the drawing toolbar so you can draw lines, shapes, etc, on the chart.
• Fill Color--two buttons. To change the fill of one bar, line, or cone [or whatever kind of a chart you have], click on the bar and then click on the triangle, and you can change its color.

In the Chart View, double clicking on a blank area in the chart will bring up a DB which will allow you some formatting options. Selecting one element of your chart, and then double clicking on it will bring up a different DB which will allow you to change the color and some other features.

To Animate Charts

To animate the chart, start from the slide view with the chart on your slide, not in what I earlier called the "Chart View." Go to Slide Show menu>Custom Animation. Then under Timing tab select animate, either on mouse click or after X seconds.

In the Custom Animation Dialog Box, select the Chart Effects tab and fill it in. Be sure to select your choice under the following controls:

Introduce chart elements,
Entry animation and sound,
Animate grid and legend,
After animation --the latter can dim previously-introduced elements when a new element animates into the slide.

Advanced tip: If you still don't get the effect you want, first, for a backup, save a copy of the chart on another slide. Then right click the chart in Slide View to ungroup the elements. Now you can go to Custom Animation to make the elements animate the way you want. Caution: doing this will separate the link between the data sheet and the chart. This is why you want to keep a copy for backup.

A reminder: Animations only work in the Slide Show view.