OmniDocHow to edit data, add categories and series in PPT charts
The complete method of organizing and editing data in PPT charts: modifying values, adding month categories, adding new series or a line, explaining how to operate in the chart data table, and how to check whether the chart has read new data after modification.
Key points of this article
- Changing values, adding categories, and adding series are three different operations. First determine which one you want to change, and then open the data table.
- The blue border in the data table marks the area referenced by the chart. Data outside the border will not appear in the chart.
- When adding new months, the data range must be expanded at the same time, and the category names must be consistent with the original writing.
- Adding a new line means adding a series. You need to add an extra column to the data table and fill in the values.
- After modification, check the legend, axis and title to confirm that the chart is indeed updated.
Many people find that the numbers in the chart are wrong after finishing the PPT, or they want to fill in the months to 12 months, but can only see the first few months. The numbers in the PPT chart are not written directly on the slide, but are stored in the data table that comes with the chart. To change the chart data, the key is to find the table and figure out which data in the table the chart reads.
This article is for anyone who needs to update quarterly data, complete a timeline, or add a comparison line. After reading, you can judge how to implement the three types of requirements respectively, and check whether the chart has been updated after the modification.
How to edit data in PPT charts? One sentence conclusion
Direct answer: If the value is entered incorrectly, change the corresponding cell in the data table; if a month is missing, add a category to the data table; if you want an additional set of comparative data or an additional line, add a new series. The positions and influence ranges of the three are different. If you choose the wrong one, the chart will not match.
| your situation | Recommended practices | reason |
|---|---|---|
| The number for a certain month was recorded incorrectly | Modify the cell directly in the data table | Categories and series remain unchanged, and the chart refreshes |
| Wanted full horizontal axis from January to December, now only 7 months | Append months to the end of the data table and expand the reference range | Each category corresponds to a tick on the horizontal axis |
| Want to compare this year and last year at the same time | Add a new column as a series and fill in the values category by category | Each series corresponds to an item in the legend |
| Draw an extra line on the line chart | Same as previous line, add a new series | In a line chart, each line is a series |
| Charts are images, or pasted from PDFs | Find the original PPT or data source and change it | The image does not have an editable data table |
Before you start: Confirm these points first
Charts are native charts that are not editable. After clicking on the chart, if you can right-click to call up commands such as "Edit Data", it means that it has a data table. If you can only drag it as a whole, it is most likely a picture, and the data cannot be modified directly. You need to return to the original file or table.
Whether the data is arranged by rows or columns. This determines whether rows or columns should be appended when adding months. Take a look at the data table first: Categories are usually arranged vertically in one column and series names are arranged horizontally in the first row, but the reverse arrangement is also possible.
Whether the category names are written uniformly. "January" and "January" will be treated as two different categories, and repeated ticks will appear on the horizontal axis. The new categories should be consistent with the existing writing methods.
Are there any formulas or external links in the data table? Cells containing formulas will be recalculated after changes. If the chart is linked to another table, directly changing the numbers in the chart may be overwritten when the source file is updated next time. In this case, the source file should be changed.
Save a copy before making changes. After the chart data is corrected, it may be difficult to restore the original data. Saving another copy can save a lot of trouble.
Steps to add 12 months and a line to the PPT chart
- Select the chart in the slide, find the "Edit Data" command through the right-click menu or the chart-related toolbar, and open the chart's data table.
- Observe the colored or blue border in the data table. It marks the area currently referenced by the chart. Data outside the border will not be displayed in the chart.
- Enter new categories at the end of the data table, for example, starting from "August" and entering "December" in sequence. The writing method should be consistent with the previous one.
- Drag the control point in the lower right corner of the border to expand the reference range to include the new rows. At this time, the new month should appear on the horizontal axis of the chart.
- Write the series name in the first row of the blank column of the data table, such as "Last Year", and then fill in the values in the cells corresponding to each month.
- Drag the border again to bring the new column into the reference range, and a new line or group of bars will appear in the chart.
- Close the data table, return to the slide, and check that the chart displays the new months and series.
# Core comparison
The location and risk of the three types of operations in the data table are different:
| Operation | Position in the datasheet | An error-prone place |
|---|---|---|
| Change the value | A cell that is already within the border | The number is saved as text, and the chart is displayed as 0 or not |
| Add category | The end of a row or column of a data table | The border is not enlarged and the new month does not appear on the horizontal axis |
| Plus series | A new column or row of a data table | The series name is empty, and the legend shows default names such as "series 3" |
# check item by item after completion
After you get the results, don't just look at the general shape of the chart, it is recommended to check it item by item:
| Check item | What do you think? | What if there's a problem? |
|---|---|---|
| Does the new data appear? | See if there is a new month at the end of the horizontal axis and whether the lines extend to a new position. | The Datasheet border is not enlarged, go back to the Datasheet and drag the border |
| Legend name | Whether the name of the series you set is displayed in the legend | The name cell is empty or mistakenly changed, add the correct name |
| Whether the values correspond to each other | Randomly check three values and compare them with the data table one by one | Check if there are any numbers in text format, or misplace a line when pasting |
| Axis range | Can large and small values accommodate new data | Manually adjust the large value of the axis when the automatic range is not updated |
| Title and comment | Does the title of the chart still contain old years or old data | Modify the title text directly |
If the PPT needs to be translated into other languages, OmniDoc supports the translation of PowerPoint's .pptx files, which can be bilingual or output only. The translation will change the text, but the figures in the chart should still be based on the original document. Please check the important values one by one after translation.
# frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. After changing the data table, why has the chart not changed?
In most cases, the reference border of the data table does not overwrite the modified cell, or the chart is not refreshed. First confirm the border range, then close the data table and reopen it.
2. How do I delete an extra month or a line?
Delete the corresponding row or column in the data table, and then shrink the reference border to the actual data range. After you delete the series, the legend decreases synchronously.
3. Can you put columns and broken lines on the same chart at the same time?
Sure. In the chart type setting, change a series to a broken line to get a column-line combination chart, which is suitable for displaying data such as quantity and ratio at the same time.
4. Can the categories and series in the data sheet be interchangeable?
Sure. Data tables usually have the function of switching rows and rows, changing months from horizontal axis to legend, or vice versa. After switching, please check that the legend and horizontal axis meet your expectations.
# Summary
How to edit the data in PPT chart, the key is to determine whether to change the value, add category or add series, then operate in the data table, and expand the reference frame to the new data. After the correction, you can check the legend, values and axes one by one to ensure that the chart really reflects the new content.
