Learn how to create a Pareto chart in Excel to highlight the biggest factors in a data set. Follow the steps to select your data, insert a Pareto chart, and configure bins and formulas.

Learn how to use the Analysis ToolPak to perform complex Excel data analysis. Explore the various data analysis functions available in Excel.

Many chart types are available to help you display data in ways that are meaningful to your audience. Here are some examples of the most common chart types and how they can be used.

Learn how to change the plotting order in charts, including 3-D charts.

To easily update a chart or axis title, label, or text box that you have added to a chart, you can link it to a worksheet cell. Changes that you make to the data in that worksheet cell will automatically appear in the chart. Note that linking options are not available for all chart types.

For information on Pareto (sorted histogram) charts, see Create a Pareto chart. If you don't see these tabs, click anywhere in the histogram to add them to the ribbon. Right-click the horizontal axis of the chart, select Format Axis, and then select Axis Options.

For example, map a clustered column chart to a data series of yearly home sales and a line chart to a data series of monthly average price by using the Data Series and Chart Type properties on the Format tab of the Chart Settings pane.

You can change the color, width, and line style of lines in a chart (such as gridlines, axes, trendlines, or error bars), or you can create custom borders for selected shapes (such as data markers, titles, data labels, or a legend).

Click Shape Outline to change the color, weight, or style of the chart element. Click Shape Effects to apply special visual effects to the chart element, such as shadows, bevels, or 3-D rotation.

Set varying colors of data markers (bars, columns, lines, pie or doughnut slices, dots, and other shapes) automatically in an Office chart.