Microsoft Excel 
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USING A RECOMMENDED CHART 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
If you are undecided about the best type of chart 
for the data you have selected to graph, then you 
may wish to use Excel’s Recommended Charts 
feature. This feature analyses your  
selected data and presents you with what it 
considers to be the best way to chart that data. 
Several alternatives are presented and you simply 
choose the one you like most. 
Try This Yourself: 
Open 
File Before starting this exercise 
you MUST open the file 
E1317 Charting_1.xlsx… 
 
Click in cell A3, hold down 
, then click in cell G7 to 
select the range A3:G7 
 
Click on the INSERT tab, 
then click on 
Recommended Charts in 
the Charts group 
The Insert Chart dialog box 
will display with a number 
of recommended chart 
options… 
 
Click on each of the 
alternatives in the left pane 
to see a preview of how the 
chart will appear in the right 
pane and spend a few 
moments reading the 
descriptions 
 
Click on Line chart (the 
second alternative in the 
left pane), then click on 
[OK] to embed the chart in 
the worksheet 
 
Point to the top border of 
the chart, then click and 
drag the chart immediately 
below the data 
 
Click in cell A1 to deselect 
the chart 
 
1 
 You can also use the Quick Analysis tool that appears at the 
bottom right corner of a selected range to create a quick chart. 
However, this method will not allow you to preview a wide 
variety of charts. 
2 
For Your Reference… 
To use the Recommended Charts feature: 
1. Select the data to be charted 
2. Click on the INSERT tab, then click on 
Recommended Charts in the Charts group 
3. Click on the desired chart and click on [OK] 
Handy to Know… 
 When selecting data for a chart you should 
include headings (e.g. names of the month, 
regions, etc.) but not the totals derived from 
the data. In the example above the names of 
the months and the cities are selected but 
the total revenue and the regional totals are 
not.