To Prepare Excel Figure for Use in Word Document



To Prepare Excel Figure for Use in Word Document[Based on Word 2007 on a PC; advice available for Macintosh -- just ask.]In ExcelDelete the titleDelete the figure’s title because you will type it in the Word document: Click on the words so you get the title box with handles and hit delete.Set the figure so it has no border and no background colorRight click in the white area inside the chart and select Format Chart Area.Under Fill, select No fill.Under Border Color, select No line.Click Close.Make sure the x- and y-axes have labels. Make sure labels are complete and don’t mystify reader with acronyms.To edit a label, right click on it, then click inside the box to type.To add a label:●Click on the chart.●Click on the Layout tab on the top of the window, under Chart Tools.●Click on Axis Titles in the Labels group and select horizontal or vertical as needed.Use fonts that are consistent with the rest of the figures and tables.Position the x- and y-axis labels so they are centered on the axis.Click on each label. Click and hold on the gray border that appears and drag the label to a better position.If words need to be substituted for “Series” in the legend:●Right click on legend.●Select: Select Data.●Click on Series 1 and click Edit.●Type the correct word.●Click OK●Repeat for all series.●Be sure the capitalization is consistent.●Click OKMake sure the fonts and type sizes and styles are consistent within the figure and with the style of the report.To change type styles, right click on chart area to select entire chart. Go to Home ribbon and select the main font to be used for the entire figure (Arial narrow, for example).You also can select each block of type individually and select appropriate type styles, such as:Labels for X and Y axes: 12 point Arial narrow bold (could be 10-point)Data point labels for X and Y axes: 10 point Arial narrow Adjust the color so figure can be read in black, gray and whiteThree options exist.●The first is to put everything in black, white and gray.●The second is to select lighter versions of the default colors.●The third is to download a piece of software that reinstates Excel 2003’s patterns function.Original chartWhen the original chart above is printed in black and white, the red and blue (32-22% and 19-7%) run together as nearly the same shade of gray.Option 1: Black and white chart●Select the data series by clicking on the square or piece of pie●Select format data series.●Select Fill in the upper left corner. ●Select Solid Fill. Then under Color, select a light shade of gray.●Repeat, using darker shades of gray as needed.●White and black are also options:— With white, a black border should be added. — With black, the fill for the data point should be made white.— If the black-bordered white box is wider than the other sections (compare Boats’ 22% to 32%), give borders to the other sections of the same shades of gray.Option 2: Lighter versions of the default colors●Select the data series by clicking on the square or piece of pie – only the purple (6% and 17%) are the default shade.●Select format data series.●Select Fill in the upper left corner. ●Select Solid Fill. Then under Color, select a lighter version of the color in use. ●Repeat, using different shades for each color.●Print on a black and white printer to test.●Make sure the legend is clear.Note that in the above sample the green 22% and 20% need the border adjusted and that 22% is wider than 32% and 19% below is, which means the latter two need borders added.– continued –Option 3: Use patternsFirst, download a piece of software that reinstates Excel 2003’s patterns function from . Enable macros when you download it. Patterns does not seem to carry over into Word.●In excel, select the data series by clicking on the square – ●Select format data series.●Select Fill in the upper left corner. ●Select Solid Fill. Then under Color, select the color you want – the defaults are under Theme Colors.●Select format data series again.●In the Format ribbon under Chart Tools, the downloaded Patterns should be on the right.●Click on it and select a pattern. ●Consider giving some of the data series a border of the same color.●Consider making the fill of the data point white. – compare 32-22% on option 3. Clarity is better on paper in black and white than on screen in color.To undo a pattern, select the data series. Click Patterns in the Chart Tools: Format ribbon. Change Background to the same color and shade as the foreground. ................
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