Microsoft Excel 
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CHANGING THE CHART LAYOUT 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Try This Yourself: 
Same 
File Continue using the 
previous file with this 
exercise, or open the file 
E1317 Charting_8.xlsx... 
 
Click on the Revenue 
Chart worksheet tab to 
see the chart, then click 
anywhere on the chart to 
select it and see the 
CHART TOOLS: 
DESIGN and CHART 
TOOLS: FORMAT tabs 
 
Click on the CHART 
TOOLS: DESIGN tab, 
then click on Quick 
Layout in the Chart 
Layouts group to display 
a gallery of layout 
options 
 
Click on Layout 3 to 
apply this chart layout to 
the chart 
 
Repeat steps 2 and 3 to 
select other chart 
layouts and see how 
they appear when 
applied to the chart 
 
Click on Quick Layout in 
the Chart Layouts group 
and click on Layout 5 
 
Click on the Chart Data  
worksheet tab to display 
this worksheet 
 
2 
Excel has a gallery of chart layouts that can be 
applied to an existing and selected chart that is 
either in its own worksheet or embedded into the 
data worksheet. Chart layouts are the way  
elements of the chart are placed within the chart. 
Different layout options can therefore change the 
appearance of your chart and its readability.  
For Your Reference… 
To change the chart layout: 
1. Ensure the chart or chart sheet is selected 
2. Click on the CHART TOOLS: DESIGN tab, 
then click on Quick Layout in the Chart 
Layouts group 
3. Select the desired layout 
Handy to Know… 
 Chart layouts are predefined themes 
created by Microsoft. Even if you choose one 
of these layouts you can still make your own 
modifications to the way the elements and 
objects are positioned and how they appear. 
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