What is a Pivot Chart?
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A pivot chart is an interactive graphical representation of the
data in a Pivot Table.
You can rearrange the layout, select a different type of chart,
and add or remove data.
Many web sites give instructions for creating a
Pivot Chart.
(See Pivot Table and Pivot Chart Links).
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A Pivot Chart can also create a quick summary of text entries.
For example if you have a list of products sold, create a Pivot
Chart to show the percent of the total sales for each product.
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Pivot Chart Tips and Troubleshooting
Changes to the Pivot Chart affect the Pivot Table
If you rearrange the fields in a Pivot Chart, the same changes are made
to the related Pivot Table. You can make changes, print the Pivot Chart,
and undo the changes, or close the file without saving the changes.
Refreshing the Pivot Table Removes Formatting
The loss of formatting is a known problem. There's some info in the
following MSKB article, which suggests using a macro to reformat the
table as required: XL2000:
Changing a PivotChart Removes Series Formatting (215904) . To create
a macro, you can turn on the macro recorder as you format your Pivot
Chart. After you refresh the Pivot Chart, run the macro to reapply the
formatting.
Can't Undo after Creating a Pivot Chart
If you create a Pivot Chart, then delete the rows, columns or cells
in which the Pivot Table is located, you won't be able to undo the deletion.
For details, read the MSKB article XL2000:
Undo Unavailable After Creating PivotChart Report (199269). This
problem also exists in Excel 2002.
Note: If the underlying Pivot Table is deleted, the Pivot Chart becomes
a normal chart.
Can't Move or Resize some Elements in a Pivot Chart
The following elements in a PivotChart report can't be moved or resized:
Axes' titles, Chart title, Plot Area Legend, Value Axis Display Unit
Label. For details, read the MSKB article XL2000:
Unable to Move or Resize Chart Objects in a PivotChart (199201).
Create a Normal Chart from a Pivot Table
To create a normal (non-pivot) chart from a Pivot Table:
- Select an empty cell away from the Pivot Table.
- Click the Chart Wizard button on the toolbar.
- Click Finish, to create an empty chart.
- Select cells in the Pivot Table, and drag or copy them to the blank chart.
Note: If you select a cell which contains a Pivot Table button,
the chart will become a Pivot Chart. To avoid this, you can build the
chart from the data and either the series or category axis labels. Then
choose Chart>Source Data. On the Series tab, select a series. Click
on a worksheet cell to add the series name or Category axis label.
Step Through the Chart Wizard to Build a Pivot Chart
If you select a cell in the Pivot Table, and click the Chart Wizard
button, a default chart on a chart sheet is created. If you'd like to
step through the Chart Wizard:
- Select an empty cell away from the Pivot Table.
- Click the Chart Wizard button on the toolbar.
- In Step 2 of the Chart Wizard, select a cell in the Pivot Table (the entire
Pivot Table will be selected).
- Continue through the Chart Wizard steps, then click Finish.
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