Create a Column Chart on a PowerPoint 2010 Slide

From Wendy Russell, former About.com Guide

Important Note - In order to insert a column chart onto a PowerPoint slide, you must have installed Excel 2010 in addition to PowerPoint 2010, (unless the chart is pasted from another source).

Additional Reference Article - This same article as a Step-by-step walkthrough with screen captures.

Create a Column Chart with the "Title and Content" Slide Layout

• Choose the Appropriate Slide Layout for the Column Chart
  1. Add a new slide, using the Title and Content slide layout.
  2. Click on the Insert Chart icon (shown as the middle icon on the top row of the group of six icons shown in the body of the slide layout).
     Note - Alternatively, you may navigate to the appropriate blank slide in your presentation and choose Insert > Chart from the ribbon.
• Choosing a Column Chart Style
  1. From the variety of Column chart styles shown in the Insert Chart dialog box, click on the selection of your choice.
  2. Click OK when you have made your selection

  Note - Any choices you make with regard to Column chart styles and colors can be changed at any later time.

• The Generic Column Chart and Data
  When you create a Column chart on a PowerPoint slide, the screen is then split into two windows featuring both PowerPoint and Excel.
  • The PowerPoint 2010 window contains a generic Column chart.
  • The Excel 2010 window contains the generic data that is used to create the generic Column chart in the PowerPoint window. This data will be replaced by your own data in the next step.

  Note - If for some reason the Excel window does not appear as indicated above, click on the Edit Data button, on the Chart Tools ribbon, directly above the PowerPoint window.

Edit the Column Chart Data

• Add Your Specific Data
  Column charts are useful to display comparative types of data, such as sales figures for a given quarter.
  1. Click on the Excel 2010 window to make it the active window. Notice the blue rectangle that surrounds the chart data. These are the cells that are used to create the column chart.
  2. Edit the headings of the columns in the generic data to reflect your own information. In the example shown, this retail store sells handbags and therefore, these column headings have been changed to Hobo, Satchel, Evening Bag as the types of handbag styles.
  3. Edit the row headings in the generic data to reflect your own information. In the example shown, these row headings have been changed to July, August, September, as the months in this fiscal sales quarter. (The extra row, entitled Category 4 will be deleted in a later step.)
• Add More Columns or Rows
  • Method 1
    1. Drag the bottom right corner handle on the blue rectangle to enlarge the selection of data to include as many columns or rows as you need. Notice that the blue rectangle will expand to incorporate these new columns/rows.
    2. Type a new heading in the new available column(s) or row(s).
  • Method 2
    1. Type a new heading in the next available column or row.
    2. Press the Enter key to enter the data. Notice that the blue rectangle will expand to incorporate this new column/row.
    3. Repeat this process for each new row or column.
• Delete Columns/Rows from the Generic Data
  1. Drag the bottom right corner handle on the blue rectangle to reduce the selection of data cells.
  2. Notice that the blue rectangle will become smaller to incorporate these changes.
  3. Delete any information in the cells outside the blue rectangle that is not wanted for this Column chart.

Updated Column Chart Reflects New Data

Once you change the generic data to your own specific data, the information is immediately reflected in the Column chart. Add a title for your slide into the text placeholder at the top of the slide.

Additional Reference Article - This same article as a Step-by-step walkthrough with screen captures.

See also - Excel Charts in PowerPoint